12 days of driving around the UK for Vietnamese guests

“I thought British people were cold but I didn’t expect them to be so friendly,” Ms. Do Huong Lien, 41 years old, living in Hanoi, remembered about her 12-day, 11-night trip across England with her husband and son in early June.

In 12 days, her family went through 7 famous destinations, driving nearly 3,000 km. She admitted that the schedule seemed “unrealistic” but these were all places her family did not want to miss so they researched carefully before going. Luckily, her husband had experience driving a manual car in many countries before, so the journey went smoothly.

They spent two weekends touring London and then caught the train at King’s Cross station to Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland. The train trip lasts 4.5 hours for a distance of nearly 700 km.

In Edinburgh, she rented a car to drive on the Inverness – Isle of Skye route, passing Loch Ness and then crossing the Skye Bridge to reach the island of the same name. They also stopped by the Glenfinnan Viaduct bridge, visited Glasgow – Scotland’s largest city – and then drove south to the Lake District. At the end of the journey, they continued down the Cotswolds, through Oxford – a city of universities – then returned to Heathrow airport to return the car and take an international flight to Hanoi.

One of the things that makes her most satisfied is taking her son Nhat Nam to visit Loch Ness – a place associated with the legendary Loch Ness monster. The lake is located in the Scottish Highlands, 240 m deep, 36 km long, and holds the largest amount of fresh water in England, according to Encyclopedia Britannica.

Because of their love of Harry Potter, they also visited the Glenfinnan Viaduct on the Scottish Highlands – the prototype for the Hogwarts Express train – and King’s Cross station in London, where the famous platform 9¾ is located. “My heart pounded when I set foot in these dream locations,” Ms. Lien said.

The Isle of Skye was the most beautiful place on the trip, especially the sunset at Neist Point, the westernmost cape on the island. The family makes the most of their time here, “going from dawn to dusk”. Please note that you should book early because summer is peak season, rooms sell out quickly and the price is up to 26 million VND for 2 nights at Airbnb.

The route Edinburgh – Pitlochry – Inverness – Loch Ness – Eilean Donan Castle – Isle of Skye was rated by her as “the most beautiful one I’ve ever traveled”. The more she drove, the more she wanted to slow down to see the mountains, valleys, lakes and the typical colors of the Scottish Highlands.

In the Cotswolds, the family visited three famous villages: Bibury – known as “the most beautiful village in England”, once printed on British passports; Bourton-on-the-Water and Stow-on-the-Wold. One of the most peaceful memories is an afternoon at a farm house in the middle of the countryside, sipping tea, admiring the scenery and watching Nhat Nam play with small dogs – bringing a feeling of slowness and relaxation after a long journey.

Many people often have the stereotype of “cold British people”, but her family had a completely opposite experience. During the journey to conquer Arthur’s Seat hill in Edinburgh and the nearly 10 km trekking route connecting the two lakes Grasmere – Rydal Water in the Lake District, Nhat Nam was always cheered and smiled at by passersby. When climbing Arthur’s Seat hill, the boy was rewarded with an ice cream cone as encouragement, and the ice cream seller even gave him an extra treat after learning about the trip.

“Simple gestures like compliments, smiles, and caring questions have made us feel welcome everywhere,” Ms. Lien said.

According to Ms. Lien, to have a smooth trip, tourists should carefully research the route but not plan each day too early – she usually finalizes the next day’s plan the night before to make the itinerary more flexible. In the UK summer, the sun goes out late, you can play until 7-8pm. The Scottish Highlands often rain, so wear many layers of clothing, a waterproof outer layer and rain boots. You should bring lightweight items and limit cash because many places in the UK refuse to accept cash or large denominations. Regarding visas, she recommends preparing careful documents, detailed schedules, and clear proof of work and finances.

Nhat Nam, even though he is only 6 years old, has experience traveling to four great mountain passes in Vietnam and has been to Hong Kong, Australia, Japan, and Turkey with his parents, so he was not tired on this trip.

“Travel with a beautiful soul, warm heart, cool head and prepare carefully about the knowledge of the place you go to,” Ms. Lien shared.