Guide around London

Before our visit in October ’02 I had never been to London, and we three girls were a little nervous about a private tour guide; I was traveling with my daughter and my sister. So I got on the Internet to find a tour guide and came up with a couple, Harry and Pat Norman of London Tours (31 Crosslands Rd., West Ewell, Surrey, KT19 9SS; phone +44-20-8393-7451, e-mail harrystour@aol.com or visit www.cruising-america.com/londontours).

We checked out all of Harry’s references and everybody we e-mailed said that we couldn’t go wrong with this guy. The Normans’ website says their clients arrive as strangers and leave as friends, and this was so true. We could not have found any nicer people. Harry was like a father figure to us away from home. Our trip was awesome.

We toured Stonehenge, Winchester, Buckingham Palace, St. Paul’s Cathedral, the Tower of London, Hampton Court and Westminster Abbey, saw the Changing of the Guard, etc. I can’t name everything. We had booked only two days with Harry, but we enjoyed those so much that we booked the rest of the week with him. He knows so much history and he kept the trip so interesting. My daughter was only nine and he even kept her amused.

Our 7-hour tour of London cost £195 (near $360; up to three passengers), and the 9-hour Stonehenge and Salisbury tour cost £245 (or $451; four to six people). At each place, he gave us all the time we wanted. We never felt rushed.

To this day, Harry and I still keep in touch weekly by e-mailing each other or chatting on the Internet. When my daughter and I took this trip, we made some new great friends in London. I promise you, Harry and Pat are wonderful.

JENNIFER KERR
Hickory, NC