England, Ireland, & Wales

August 1-10, 2008

The choir from A&M United Methodist Church in College Station, Texas has invited us to travel and perform with them on a trip to England, Ireland, and Wales in the summer of 2008. Their director, Sterling Allen, was a college classmate of Josh Melson’s, and has planned a great itinerary with stops in England, Ireland, and Wales. This is an exciting opportunity to sightsee, travel together, and especially to perform several concerts. We hope that you will join us on this incredible trip!

Tentative Itinerary

Friday, August 1
Travel from PCTR on a charter bus to the Newark airport, fly to Dublin.

Saturday, August 2
Arrive in Dublin and bus to the city centre. Free time to sight-see and shop in Dublin. Some famous sites in Dublin that you will see include Trinity College and the Book of KellsCheck into the hotel during the afternoon, and return to the city centre if desired for a dinner out.

Sunday, August 3
Guided morning bus tour of Dublin, followed by more sight-seeing and shopping. Evening concert at St. Patrick’s Cathedral.

Monday, August 4
Catch the morning high-speed ferry to Wales, arriving at Holyhead on the Isle of Anglesey. After arriving, we travel south to Cheltenham by bus, where we will check in to the hotel, see the town, and find a local restaurant for dinner.

Tuesday, August 5
Depart from the hotel in Cheltenham and travel to Bath where we will tour the ancient Roman Baths. After the tour there will be free time in the city.

Wednesday, August 6
The Cotswolds Experience– visit the small English towns of Bourton, Burford, and Cheltenham, taking in the local sites, shops, and beautiful nature. Evening concert at St. Mary Redcliffe in Bristol.

Thursday, August 7
Travel to Oxford, the city of the Dreaming Spires, where we will have a guided tour of the city. After the tour we will depart for London.

Friday, August 8
Sight seeing in London, including The London Eye, 10 Downing Street, & Buckingham Palace. In the afternoon we will travel to Covent Gardens for more sight seeing and free time. Evening concert at a Methodist Church outside of London.

Saturday, August 9
Guided tour of the sights of London in the morning that include Big Ben, Tower Bridge, London Bridge, and more. Free afternoon and evening in the city. Those interested may choose to take in an evening show at a theatre.

Sunday, August 10
Bus to Gatwick Airport and fly back to Newark, where the charter bus will meet us and bring us back to PCTR.

For more details about the specific places we will visit on the trip, please visit http://www...charter-travel.com/festival_choir,_tx_.htm. Please forgive several errors on the webpage, including where it states that we are from “Tomsriver, TX.”

The Trip includes

Nonstop, roundtrip air transportation between the US and UK
All ground transportation in the US and UK
3 star hotels in every city
Full breakfast every morning
One group dinner
Concert bookings, fees, and advertising
Guided tours and entrance fees
Experienced tour guide Peter Baldwin
Tour golf shirt

Hotel Information

Dublin- Rochestown Lodge, Dun Laoghaire
Cheltenham- Thistle Golden Valley Hotel
London-Thistle Kensington Gardens, Bayswater

Cost

Approximately $2950 per person, double occupancy.

Additional Costs

Travel Insurance (not required, though highly recommended)
Money for 8 lunches and 7 dinners
Tips for bus driver and tour guide

For more information, contact Josh Melson at the church - 732-349-1331.