The itinerary included all the "best places," including Stonehenge, Salisbury Cathedral, Shakespeare's birthplace, and London's famous sights such as Piccadilly Circus, the Tower of London, St. Paul's Cathedral, and Buckingham Palace. Our thanks to Gordy Backlund, band officer and our "resident tour planner," whose previous experience has been invaluable in getting the "best deals" and arranging special stops such as the homestays in Solihull.

Note : click on any of the pictures below for a larger format view.

June 25
Leave Minneapolis on Northwest Flight #44 at 6:45 pm. Plan to be at the airport at 4:00 pm. Dinner and breakfast on flight.
 
June 26
Arrive in London, Gatwick Airport, at 9:00 am. Customs and pick-up luggage. Board busses from Christofer Reisen at 10:00 am to travel to Swansea, Wales,

Roman bath site (31 kbytes)

stopping at Bath, England for sightseeing. Bath is the site of natural hot springs and has been a 'spa' since Roman times. We will arrive in Bath about 1:00 pm. Lunch on your own in Bath and walking tour on your own. Board busses at 3:30 pm. Arrive at 5:30 at the Forte Posthouse in Swansea. Check instruments. Dinner at hotel at 6:30 pm. Free evening.

June 27
Forte Posthouse, Swansea. Breakfast at hotel 7-9 am. Bus leaves at 10:00 am for Cardiff, Wales. Tour of Cardiff Castle. Lunch on your own in Cardiff and free afternoon in Cardiff. Set up for concert with Welsh College of Music and Drama Band in the Bute Theatre in Cardiff. Joint concert with band at 7:30 pm. Post concert entertainment. Busses leave for return to Swansea at 10:00 pm.
 
June 28
Forte Posthouse, Swansea. Breakfast at 7-9 am at hotel. Free morning. Concert at 12:00 across the street from hotel (gather at 11:30). Concert with the West Glamorgan County Wind Orchestra

Swansea square concert (52 kbytes)	Worms head (26 kbytes)

(student group). Busses leave at 2:00 pm to tour Worms Head area and Mumbles. Dinner at 7:00 pm at the hotel. Get together at a pub with host, Bruce Perkins later in the evening.

June 29
Breakfast 7-8 am. at hotel. Check out. Busses leave at 9:00 am. for Bournemouth, England. Bournemouth is a seaside resort town. Picnic lunch. Attend afternoon civic tea ceremony with Mayor from 3-4:30. Check in at the Cumberland Hotel at 5:00 pm. Dinner at the hotel at 6:00 pm. Board busses for concert at 7:00 pm. Concert in the bandstand downtown for the Music Makers Festival.
 
June 30
Breakfast at the hotel 8-9 am. Busses leave for Stonehenge at 9:15 am. Tour Stonehenge. Busses leave for Salisbury Cathedral at 12:00 noon.

Stonehenge (15 kbytes)

Lunch on your own in Salisbury. Busses leave Salisburyat 3:00 p.m. for Bournemouth. Dinner at the hotel at 5:00 pm. Busses leave at 6:00 for concert at the Wintergaden for concert with two other groups. Return to hotel at about 10:00 pm.
 
July 1
Breakfast at hotel 7-8 am. Check out; busses leave at 9:00 a.m. to trael to Solihull, England. Solihull is near Birmingham,

Gardens at Blenheim Palace (39 kbytes)

in the middle of England. Tour of Winchester Cathedral on the way, about 10:00 am. Busses leave for Winchester at 11:00 am. Arrive at Blenheim Palace about 1:00 p.m. for tour. Lunch on your own. Busses leave at 3:30. Arrive in Solihull about 5:00 p.m. Home stays for those who wish. Others will stay at the Airport Forte Posthouse Hotel. Evening on your own or with host.
 
July 2

Garden at Shakespeare's former house (54 kbytes)

Busses will leave at 9:00 am to tour Stratford on Avon, Shakespeare’s birthplace. Concert during the evening. Homestays or Airport Forte Posthouse.

July 3
Busses leave Solihull at 9:00 am (we will establish a central point for those on homestays). Arrive at Warwick Castle about 10:00. Lunch on your own at Warwick Castle and tour. Leave at 2:00 pm to travel to London to Kensington Close Hotel located in central London. Arrive at Kensington close about 6:00 pm. Dinner on your own. Dinners are not included in London; the hotel food was quite expensive. There are many restaurants and pubs nearby with better and cheaper food. Free evening.

July 4
Breakfast in the hotel 7-8 am. Bus tour London, includding Piccadilly Circus, Tower of London, St. Paul’s Cathedral, Big Ben, Parliment, Buckingham Palace, Downing Street, and other London sights. Bus leaves at 9:00 am. Return to hotel at 1:00 pm. Dinner on your own. Free evening.

July 5
Breakfast at the hotel 8-9 am. Free day in London. Dinner on your own.
 
July 6
Breakfast in the hotel, 8-9 am Free morning. Busses leave for concert in Regent’s park at 12:00 noon. Concert 1:00 to 2:30. The rest of the day is free. Dinner on own.

Tower Bridge (35 kbytes)	Regent's Park Concert (48 kbytes)	New Globe Theatre (45 kbytes)

July 7
Breakfast at the hotel 7:00 am Busses leave for airport at 8:00 am Arrive at airport 9:00 am Depart London, Gatwick Airport, at 12:00 noon on Northwest #45 to Minneapolis. Arrive Minneapolis at 2:45 pm.

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