Latest plans for Great Britain

Posting this is probably bound to doom them, but here are my latest travel plans for the trip to ole Blighty. I shall set off for London Thursday, possibly meet up with a Norwegian pal of mine sometime in the afternoon. Friday we'll meet up for sure and do some touristy stuff together. He's keen to see the Cutty Sark, and since I've never been, we'll prolly spend some time around those parts of London. Possibly we'll watch football in the evening at a pub.

Saturday I'm not sure what we'll do in the day, but in the evening we're meeting two more Norwegians and then we're off to sweet, sweet Monty Python and their reunion show "Monty Python Live (Mostly): One down, five to go" at the O2. I don't really know what to expect and quite frankly I don't much care. This is the last show these guys will do together and I want to see them before it's too late. I'll also enjoy rubbing it in the faces of various people I'll meet until my dying day that I was there.

Sunday I'll make my way out to Gatwick, pick up a rental car and drive all the way to... Crawley, five minutes from the airport. No point stressing.

Monday I'll drive up from Crawley to Carlisle. Haven't made a single plan for that day; I expect it'll be mostly driving.

Tuesday I'll start from Carlisle and make a slight detour to see Caerlaverock Castle in the summer; this castle was said to be castlerer than most castles by no less an authority than yours truly. It was pissing down for much of the time I was there last, in September 2012, though this being Scotland the chances of sunshine are only slighty better in July. Then it's on to sweet, sweet Stirling by way of Bothwell Castle (yet another Historic Scotland property!). Football semi-final in the evening.

Wednesday and Thursday will be spent doing some of the typical Stirling stuff I always do - Stirling Castle, Doune Castle, Bannockburn and the Wallace Monument - plus some new stuff (I've planned this trip to maximize my use of the Historic Scotland membership) such as Castle Campbell, Cambuskenneth Abbey and Dunblane Cathedral. Wednesday there'll also be a semi-final in the evening.

Friday I'll be driving over to Oban on the west coast, but I'll be making my way slowly with visits planned for Inchmahome Priory, Callander, Kilchurn Castle and Dunstaffnage Castle that day.

Saturday I'll go from Oban to Inverness, this time taking in the ruins of Inverlochy Castle, Urquhart Castle and good old Culloden Battlefield. Bronze final in the evening.

Sunday I have yet another long day ahead of me. I'm planning to see no less than five castles in the Aberdeenshire area: Balvenie, Auchindoun, Huntly, Kildrummy and Tolquhon. Staying in Inverurie for the night, watching the FIFA 2104 Final in the evening.

The second Monday I'll drive to Pitlochry, seeing Corgarff Castle and Ruthven Barracks on the way. I'll be staying in Pitlochry all day Tuesday, possibly doing a little sightseeing in the area.

Wednesday 16th I'll drive down to Engerland again, stopping in for an hour or two at Aberdour Castle before continuing on to the very handsome town of Lincoln. Will be staying two nights here, planning on seeing the castle and the cathedral and just generally ambling around the old town without much purpose.

Friday I'll drive to Bury St Edmunds for two nights of relaxation. Possibly walk a bit around town, very likely spend a couple of hours at Sutton Hoo, which is close by.

Sunday I'll be driving back to Gatwick, where they'll have to pry the steering wheel from my cold, dead hands I'll wave a teary goodbye for now to this island, which I have come to love so dearly. Sigh.