Welcome to this month’s giveaways!
Each month we offer at least one giveaway to our loyal readers as a way to say thank you. These may range from anything from luggage to travel clothing to travel vouchers to photography gear.
We strive for these giveaways to be open to as many of our readers and subscribers as possible. However, given rules, legislation, and shipping restrictions, this is not always possible and many of the giveaways do have geographical restrictions (as well as other restrictions) so please be sure to note these before entering a giveaway.
**If you are a brand or company that is interested in featuring a quality travel or photography product or gift voucher, please contact us directly.**
Our May giveaways closed on 31st May 2025 at midnight EST. Winners will be contacted and announced shortly, both in the newsletter and on this page. The June 2025 giveaways will be live in June – make sure to sign up to the newsletter below to be the first to hear about it!
Table of Contents:
Our Giveaways are Exclusive to our Newsletter Subscribers
We run regular giveaways that are exclusive to our newsletter subscribers. You must be a newsletter subscriber to be eligible for our giveaways. Please enter the giveaways using the name and email you use to receive our emails.
If you sign up to the giveaways and are not a confirmed newsletter subscriber, your entry will be discarded.
If you are not a subscriber and want to sign up to our newsletter, you can sign up using the form below:
If you have any questions about subscribing to our newsletter, or don’t receive the confirmation e-mail, please contact us.
Current Giveaway Details: May 2025
This month, we have ONE awesome giveaway! We’re giving away a mystery box of goodies from and inspired by the state of Alabama in the USA!
Giveaway: Alabama Mystery Box
Brand/Manufacturer: Various
Prize: Alabama Mystery Box
Retail Value: USD $150 or greater
Giveaway Open to: Worldwide
This month we’re giving away a mystery box of items from our current home state of Alabama, USA. We’ve done mystery box giveaways before, including from France, East Africa and Cornwall in the UK, and thought it would be fun to showcase some of our favorite Alabama items!
The Alabama Mystery Box will contain a mix of various kinds of items. We obviously can’t tell you what will be in the mystery box as that would spoil the mystery, but here are some ideas of what it may contain:
- Food and snack items
- Home decor and furnishings
- Books
- Clothing accessories
- Postcards
- Body care products
- Travel items
- Anything else we find!
We hope that the winner will enjoy this surprise box. It can be a great box to treat yourself as well as a way to find some items to gift to the special people in your life.
How to Enter the Giveaway
Please read the rules below to enter the giveaway:
1 – You need to be signed up for our newsletter.
If you get our monthly newsletters, you are eligible!
If you are not a subscriber, you can sign up using the form at the top of the page, or on this page.
If you’re already signed up you don’t need to sign up again and you can skip to the newsletter entry form. When you sign up for our newsletter, you’ll be sent an e-mail asking you to confirm your sign-up. You’ll need to click the link to confirm and activate your subscription.
2. Check the rules of the giveaway
Before signing up, read over the rules (listed in detail below the entry form) to make sure you are eligible to apply. While we strive to have our giveaway open to all subscribers, some of the giveaways have geographical, residency, age, or other restrictions.
3 – Use the form below to enter the giveaway.
You must use the same e-mail address that you used to sign up to the newsletter with, as we’ll be checking e-mails this way to validate your entry. You must be an active subscriber when we make the draw to be eligible to win!
Enter the Giveaway!
This giveaway is now closed
Winner will be randomly drawn with the winner receiving the prize as described above.
The retail value of the giveaway is around $150 USD.
Applicants must be 18 years or older, have a valid email address, and have a valid mailing address.
Winners will be contacted by the email provided (so please use an email to enter that you check regularly). If a winner does not respond to email within 72 hours, another winner will be chosen.
The winner will be contacted via email by us, and we will then ship the prize directly to the winner’s address.
Note you can unsubscribe from the newsletter at any time, but you must be an active subscriber when the draw takes place to be eligible to win. Draws take place within a week of the contest closing.
The data entered into the giveaway form will solely be used for the purposes of verifying your entry, checking you are an active newsletter subscriber, and contacting you if you are a winner.
Winners (first name and last initial, and country of residence) will be announced on the bottom of this page and in our monthly newsletter.
Full Giveaway Terms and Conditions
These are the full terms and conditions!
- The promoter is: Finding the Universe & Independent Travel Cats
- Finding the Universe & Independent Travel Cats contributors, and their family members or anyone else connected in any way with the giveaway including helping to set up the giveaway shall not be permitted to enter the giveaway.
- The giveaway is only open to active newsletter subscribers of the Finding the Universe & Independent Travel Cats monthly newsletter.
- There is no entry fee and no purchase necessary to enter this giveaway.
- Route to entry for the giveaway and details of how to enter are via this blog post
- You must be 18 years of age or older to participate in the giveaway.
- You must fill out all the requested information in the entry form to be eligible. Incomplete entries will not be considered.
- Closing date for entry is May 31st, 2025 at midnight EST. After this date no further entries to the giveaway will be permitted. Only one entry may be submitted per participant. Multiple entries will not be considered, and will invalidate all entries by the participant. Incomplete, incorrect, or otherwise invalid entries will not be considered. The Promoter reserves the right to verify the eligibility of all participants.
- No responsibility can be accepted for entries not received for whatever reason.
- The prize is as follows: 1 winner shall receive a box of Alabama themed items and products. The prize value is up to $150 USD.
- Any tax liability, including import taxes and duties due to international shipping, is the responsibility of the prize winner
- The promoter reserves the right to cancel or amend the giveaway and these terms and conditions without notice and for any reason. Any changes to the giveaway will be notified to entrants as soon as possible by the promoter.
- No cash alternative to the prizes will be offered. The prizes are not transferable. Prizes are subject to availability and the promoter reserves the right to substitute any prize with another of equivalent value without giving notice.
- Winners will be drawn at random from all valid entries. The odds of winning will depend on the number of entries received. Promoters are not responsible for prize fulfillment nor for any technical failures. The winning entry will be verified. A list of winners will be displayed on this page and published in the monthly newsletter.
- Promoter reserves the right to publish the winner’s first name and last initial and country of residence. Any personal data relating to the winner or any other entrants will be used solely in accordance with current USA data protection legislation and will not be disclosed to a third party without the entrant’s prior consent.
- The winner will be notified by email within 10 days of the closing date. If the winner cannot be contacted or does not claim the prize within 72 hours of notification, the promoter reserves the right to withdraw the prize from the winner and pick a replacement winner.
- The winner consents to providing their name, email, mailing address, and mobile contact number to the promoters for the sole purpose of enabling their prize to be delivered.
- The promoters’ decision in respect of all matters to do with the giveaway will be final.
- By entering this giveaway, an entrant is indicating his/her agreement to be bound by these terms and conditions.
- The giveaway and these terms and conditions will be governed by US law and any disputes will be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of the USA.
- Images included in the giveaway post may not depict the exact prize, and are for illustrative purposes only.
- Residents of Canada will be required to answer a skill-testing question to claim their prize.
- Void where Prohibited
We wish you the best of luck!
If you have any questions or concerns about the giveaways, please let us know in the Comments section below or email us directly.
Past Winners
Here is a list of our past giveaway winners:
April 2025:
- Angela S. of England, UK won a Peak Design Camera Strap of her choice worth $79 USD
March 2025:
- Sheila C. of Alberta, Canada won an MSR TrailShot travel water filter worth $62.95
February 2025:
- Carol P. of England, UK won a $150 USD gift card for use on GetYourGuide
January 2025:
- Antoinette M. of Wisconsin, USA won a travel toiletry bag, travel atomizer, and silicone travel bottles
December 2024:
- Bryan A. of England, UK won a pair of Vallerret photography gloves and a copy of Laurence’s Travel Photography Course
November 2024:
October 2024:
- Calla C. of MB, Canada won a won a pair of Vessi shoes of her choice, worth up to $180 USD.
September 2024:
- Andrew T of England, UK won a won a pair of Allbirds shoes of his choice, worth up to $160
August 2024:
- Kelly M. of New York, USA won a selection of travel items, accessories and travel guidebooks worth up to $250.
July 2024:
- Linda M. of Missouri, USA won a Photography bean bag + bean bag fill
June 2024:
- Irene N. of Taiwan won a pair of 2-day London Passes worth $364 USD
- Joseph P of Illinois, USA won a Peak Design Slide camera strap worth $69.95
May 2024:
- Nancy K. of Oklahoma, USA, won a $250 USD gift card good towards any tour with Take Walks / Devour Tours
April 2024:
- Davina W. of England, UK, won a mystery box of products and goodies from France worth €200
March 2024:
- Amelia F. of Singapore won a GetYourGuide giftcard with a value of $150 USD.
February 2024:
- Tricia B. of British Columbia, Canada won her choice of travel items, accessories and travel guidebooks worth up to $250.
January 2024:
- Sharon S. of Texas, USA won a Panasonic mirrorless camera bundle and travel photography course, worth around $1,400
- Leonie B. of New Zealand won a pair of Vallerret photography gloves worth up to $130
December 2023:
- Brenda S. of Ohio, USA won $100 of products from Axiology Beauty
- Marilyn F. of Ohio, USA won an Ovcio wool and cashmere Luxe Cape with a retail value of $249
November 2023:
- Sarah N. of Scotland, UK, won a choice of gifts worth up to £150 from our guide to gifts made in the UK. She specifically chose a Dashel Cycle Helmet and Penhaligon’s fragrance set
- Idelle L. of Minnesota, USA won her choice of gifts worth up to $200 from our guide to gifts made in the USA. She specifically chose a Rogue Tote Bag
October 2023:
- Valerie G. of Connecticut, USA & Leslie P. of Oregon, USA each won a BriskTails Pet Carrier Backpack worth $54.99 each ($109.98 total value)
- Maria G. of North Carolina, USA won a copy of the Lonely Planet Epic Snow Adventures book and a set of 5 National Parks guidebooks with a total retail value of $114.99
- Nelson C-M of Puerto Rico won a bundle of travel related items including a travel scarf, 1 small digital camera, 2 travel journals, & 1 travel wallet with a total value of $185
September 2023:
- Laura R. of Georgia, USA, won a Theragun Mini Massage Gun 2.0 worth $199
August 2023:
- Liza V. K, of the Netherlands won a an Insta360 GO 3 64GB action camera creator bundle + a copy of our Travel Photography Course, worth $597 USD.
July 2023:
- Elizabeth N. of Texas, USA won a summer travel essentials bundle, consisting of a Tilley Hat, a water bottle, and sunscreen worth approximately $170 USD.
June 2023:
- Gary S. of Nevada, USA won a selection of travel items of his choice from Amazon worth $200 USD.
May 2023:
- Paula B. of Canada won a pair of Go City attraction passes to a city of her choice, worth up to approximately $450.
April 2023:
- Chris T. of England, UK. won a Netgear Nighthawk M6 Pro 5G mobile hotspot and router, retail value of $849.99 USD.
March 2023:
- Lorna A. of England, UK. won seven travel journals worth over $150
- Sue M. of North Carolina, USA, won a Leuchtturm1917 travel journal worth approximately $28
- Robbie M. of USA won a DIngbats Journal worth approximately $22
February 2023:
- Curtis H. of California, USA won his choice of Craghoppers Clothing and Accessories worth up to $150.
January 2023:
- Jennifer N. of Alabama, USA won her choice of travel scarf worth up to $160
December 2022:
- Simon E. of England, UK won an Insta360 ONE RS Twin Edition worth $560
- Jamie M. of Maryland, USA won a pair of Vallerret photography gloves and a beanie worth $110
November 2022:
- Aaron M. of North Carolina, USA won a pair of Vallerret winter photography gloves and a beanie worth €144
- Lynne H. England, UK won a collection of travel-related items and an AeroPress Go, worth over $200
October 2022:
- Mary L. of Arizona, USA won her choice of travel related items from Amazon, total value of $200 USD.
September 2022:
- Roy P. of Virginia, USA and Jennifer P. of Indiana, USA each won two JoGo Brew Straws, worth a total of $100.
- Joe M. of Ireland won a pair of Allbirds Wool Runner shoes, worth €130.
August 2022:
- Gary K. of Illinois, USA and Christopher J. of Australia won copies of EaseUS backup and recovery software worth $200
- Paul C. of England, UK won an Akaso V50 Pro action camera special edition bundle worth $159.99
July 2022:
- Andrew N. of Scotland, UK won his choice of a Grayl Ultrapress water filter system, worth £85
- Thomas H. of California, USA won an Anker Soundcore Motion Boom Plus Bluetooth Speaker, worth $179.99
June 2022:
- Brandan B. of Michigan, USA, won a travel coffee making kit, worth approximately $150. It included 1x AeroPress coffee maker, 1x AeroPress Tote Bag, 1x Mesh Filter, 1x Coffee Grinder, 1x Flask, 1x Travel Coffee Mug
May 2022:
- Thomas S. of Georgia, USA, won a $150 voucher for Hotels.com
- Kandy L. of Michigan, USA, won a $100 voucher for Hotels.com
April 2022:
- Louis P. of Mauritius won two 2-day city attraction passes from Go City, worth up to $350 USD
- Linda J. of England, UK won a Standard Luggage Travel Backpack and Backpack Packing Cube, worth $258 USD.
March 2022:
- Iris S. of Scotland, UK won a a pair of Sundrift Backpacks worth $385
- Cheryl G. of New Mexico, USA won a pair of Allbirds shoes of her choice, worth up to $150
February 2022:
- Sara B. of England, UK won an East Africa Mystery Box worth over $150
- Philippa F. of New Zealand won an Ovcio Featherlight Travel Scarf worth up to $149
January 2022:
- Leslie N. of South Dakota, USA won a Level8 Full Aluminium Carry-On worth $399
- John S. of England, UK won a pair of Vallerret Winter Photography Gloves and Stash Beanie, worth €132
December 2021:
- Gillian R. of Scotland, UK won a TravelWifi Sapphire 2 Portable Hotspot worth $149
- Alexa L. of Ontario, Canada won a Travel Photography Course worth $129
November 2021:
- Lucy B. of England, UK won an Insta 360 GO 2 Action camera worth $299
- Julie B. of Ontario, Canada won $150 worth of Etsy holiday gifts of her choice
October 2021:
- Phil D. of England, UK won a GlocalMe U3 hotspot, worth $119.99
- Sara B. of Illinois, USA was the winner of the TropicFeel Shell Backpack plus 3 travel accessories, worth $477.00
September 2021:
- Joseph M. of Minnesota, USA was the winner of a pair of GoCity attraction passes of his choice, worth up to $270
- Margaret W. of England UK was the winner of a Fifth Origins cape of her choice, with a retail value of up to $175
August 2021:
- Ilya E. of Russia was the winner of three products from KobraTech, 1 Apex A70 tripod, 1 TriFlex Mini Tripod, & 1 TabMount 360 iPad Mount with a retail value of $149.97
July 2021:
- John R. of England, UK was the winner of the Vanguard VEO 3 GO 235AB tripod and a Vanguard VEO Range T 48 Backpack, a retail value of $399.98.
- Liesl L. of Gibraltar was the winner of the Hydaway collapsible travel bottles giveaway, worth $83.85
June 2021:
- Janet B. of Texas, USA was the winner of the Cornwall Mystery Box, full of prizes from the region of Cornwall, retail value of over $100.
May 2021:
- Linda H. of British Columbia, Canada was the winner of the $100 Localbites cooking class voucher
- Carol C. of Texas, USA was the winner of the $200 Plum Guide voucher
- Lou F. of England, UK was winner of a Taotronics Mesh WiFi system (2 pack), a retail value of GBP £209
April 2021:
- Phil H. of England, UK won a Netgear Nighthawk M1 4G mobile hotspot and router which has a retail price of $349.99 USD.
March 2021:
- Robin M. of England, UK, won a Vanguard VEO 3 GO 204CB carbon fiber tripod worth $199.99, as well as a VEO GO 34M KG shoulder bag worth $69.99.
February 2021:
- Raymond S. of Maryland, USA was the winner of a $120 Context Travel gift card for use for any virtual seminars or courses
-
Anisa A. of England, UK & Sumandeep K. of England, UK were the winners of 18 travel-related books
January 2021:
- Kim C. of Ohio, USA was the winner of the Standard Luggage Travel Backpack giveaway worth $228 USD
- Brooke P. of Spain was the winner of our tech travel bundle giveaway worth approximately $117 USD
December 2020:
- Michelle P. of Minnesota, USA was the winner of the Travel Gifts made in USA giveaway worth $262
November 2020:
- Louise H. of England, UK won a box full of travel-related gifts made in the UK worth $195
- Bianca P. of North Carolina, USA won $100 worth of PortaPocket travel gear
- Wendy S. of England, UK won £100 of ASDA Photos credit for photo printing and photo gifts
October 2020
- Stephan G. of California, USA won a copy of our travel photography course worth $129 USD
September 2020
- Charlotte T. of Alberta, Canada won a $125 USD voucher good towards any products on the Koy Gear online store
- Sarah D. of Belgium won a France mystery box filled with hand-selected French treats and gifts, worth over $150 USD.
August 2020
- Skye T of South Dakota, USA won an AKASO Brave 7 LE Action Camera, worth $142.99 USD
- Samantha W. of England, UK won a $150 Civitatis voucher to use on any ticket, tour, or activity of her choice
July 2020
- Julie D. of England won a 2-night stay in a 4-star hotel in Bali, Indonesia, plus 2 guided tours with ForeverVacation. The prize was worth around $500 USD
June 2020
- Will E. of Rhode Island, USA won a 3-year NordVPN VPN subscription with a total retail value of $125.00
May 2020
- Rae H. of England, UK won a watch, cuff links, leather cord organizer, a travel coffee mug, a travel photography course, & several other travel gifts with a total retail value of $534.85
- Pamela S. of New York, USA won her choice of travel inspired home decor items from Etsy, worth $125
April 2020
- Joyce W. of Wales, UK won a Kameleon Rose Ultimate Travel Dress and 5 Way Cardigan, worth GBP £146
- Nick B. of Italy, Wayne K. of South Africa, and Kandy K-L. of Michigan, USA won a copy of Skylum Luminar 4 photo editing software worth USD $89 each
- Susan C. of Ohio, USA who won a travel coffee maker of her choice, worth up to USD $100
March 2020
- Anthea H. of England, UK who won a cashmere scarf, jewelry, and travel gifts with a value of over $500
- Kate W. of Ontario, Canada who won a USD $200 voucher for any walking tour on the Take Walks website
February 2020
- Scott F. of England, UK won two 2-day Paris Passes, worth 260 euros
- Regina R. of Portugal, won a copy of our travel photography course worth 129 euros
January 2020
- Ricky J. of North Carolina, USA won two framed prints of our photos, worth $125
- Jodie R. of Australia won a Tropicfeel bundle including 1 pair of Canyon shoes, 1 pair of Havasu flip flops, 1 Cruiser backpack, and 1 reusable Shopper bag, with a value of $166
December 2019
- Janni N of Denmark won a pair of Vallerret Photography gloves and Beanie, with a retail value of $136
- Louis D. of Illinois, USA won a GetYourGuide gift card worth $250
November 2019
- Kiara G of England, UK won an Ovcio Featherlight cashmere scarf worth $125
- Barbara C of Idaho, USA won her choice of gifts worth up to $200 from our gift guide for travelers and gift guide for photographers.
October 2019
- Ian F. of England, UK won an AKASO V50 Elite action camera worth $140.
- Stephanie L. of California, USA, Heather S. of Ontario, Canada and Christopher S. of New York, USA won a Wanderchain and set of 10 engraved tokens from The Wander Club. A $67 value each. Jill T. of Pennsylvania also won a Wanderchain.
- Jarna P. of Finland won a Tinggly holiday gift card, a $119 value.
September 2019
- Linda K. of Michigan, USA won a 3-piece Happyluxe travel set. A $88 value.
- Catherine R. of Ontario, Canada won a pair of travel shoes of her choice. She chose a pair of Sorel Joan Explorer winter boots, a $150 value.
August 2019
- Cynthia R. of Arizona, USA won a $150 gift credit to use to book camping and glamping sites on Hipcamp.
- Kelly J. of New Zealand won her choice of a set of Shacke Pack packing cubes, a Vera Bradley travel pill case, and a Zoppen travel wallet.
July 2019
- Julie W. of Michigan, USA won a Vanguard VEO 2 GO 235CB carbon fiber tripod and a VEO GO 34M bag with a total value of USD $339.98. Philip B. of England, UK won a VEO 2 GO 204AB aluminum tripod with a value of USD $149.99. Megan K. of England UK, William B. of North Carolina, USA, and Robin S. of Ontario Canada each won a VESTA Mini Tripod with a value of USD $43.99 each.
- Rachael B. of Ohio, USA, won a RavPower Filehub Plus travel router with a value of USD $42.99.
June 2019
- Ashley S. of Florida, USA won a USD $150 voucher for ScotteVest travel clothing of choice.
- Iain M. of Scotland, UK won a My Webspot Individual Edition WiFi Hotspot and a 20 day usage pass with a retail value of USD $299.
May 2019
- Gerri T. of Wales, UK was the first prize winner for the online travel photography course and Skylum Lumniar photo editing software, worth USD $198. Abbas K. of Turkey and Patsy B. of Canada also each won a free copy of the Skylum Luminar editing software.
- William T. of Georgia, USA who won a Pad & Quill TechFolio Pro Cord Organizer worth USD $140
April 2019
- Rotem A. of Israel, Cassandra C. of Missouri, USA, and Carolina R. of Argentina, each of whom won a day tour of their choice for 2 persons from Iceland Travel worth up to USD $700
- Sheila H. of England, UK who won a Melifluos travel wrap worth USD $32
- Carolyn E. of England, UK who won a Happyluxe travel wrap worth USD $56
- David S. of Wisconsin, USA who won 3 custom vintage travel posters from Just Go Travel Studios worth USD $135
March 2019
- Delyna B. of Australia, who won a Rabbie’s Tour in the UK or Ireland worth up to USD $500
- Goretti R. of Catalonia, Spain, who won a Sony compact camera valued at USD $200
February 2019
- Becky P. from London, England, UK who won a tour from Travel Talk worth up to USD $1,200.
January 2019
- Anissa E. from Washington D.C., USA, who won a USD $200 voucher for use to buy a backpack on the Arcido store
- Anke K. from South Africa, who won a USD $200 voucher for any walking tour on the Take Walks website
December 2018
- Michelle B. from Germany, who won a Travelccessories Toiletry Bag & Travel Laundry Kit with a retail value of USD $100
- Russell C. from England, UK, who won a 5-piece Manta Sleep travel package with a retail value of USD $90
November 2018
- Toni K. from Kentucky, USA, who won OOO Traveling luggage with a retail value of USD $298
- Gary R. from Ontario, Canada, who won a Tinggly Best in the World travel gift card with a retail value of USD $119
October 2018
- Tracy C. from Australia, who won a free lifetime subscription to our travel photography course with a retail value of USD $129
- Vicki L. from the USA, who won a custom Passport Map with a retail value of USD $129
September 2018
- Toni A. of Indiana, USA won a Vanguard VEO 2 235CB Carbon Fiber tripod with a retail value of USD $199
- Kevin C. of Wales, UK won a Thule Subterra Carry-On 55cm with a retail value of GBP £215
Simon Peter James Post author
Hi. I filled in the form for the camera strap competition; however I was unable to find a “Submit” button! 🙁
Jessica & Laurence Norah Post author
Hi Simon,
Sorry to hear you are having issues with the Google form. Umm, I see you successfully entered the giveaway for the London Pass but not the camera strap one. The Submit button should show just after all the questions/text on the form. I just tested it and it seems to be working fine. Maybe try again with a different web broswer or device (or a simple refresh of the page might work)? Since the first oen worked, I am not sure why the second one is not working.
But if for any reason you still can’t get it to work, just send us a email with your answers and we’ll sign you up manually on our end.
Best,
Jessica
Cynthia C Post author
I’m planning a trip to Croatia so I would love to have Rick Steves Croatia & Slovenia to help me choose activities.
Jessica & Laurence Norah Post author
Hi Cynthia, good luck in the giveaway and wishing you a wonderful trip to Croatia!
Ceme Post author
Your blog is really informative and enjoyable! Love your articles and pics)
Jessica & Laurence Norah Post author
Thanks Ceme, glad you are enjoying our travel blog! And just let us know if you have any travel questions – you can comment on any of the relevant articles in the Comments section at the end of each blog.
Best,
Jessica & Laurence
Janet Mackenzie Post author
Hi,
Just happened upon your website today and we were so happy to find your detailed Isle of Skye itinerary
We’re planning a trip in September to England, Scotland and Wales, spending 3 nights in Skye. Your photos, descriptions and suggestions were just what we need and we will be incorporating them into itinerary.
Thanks for your great information and we look forward to receiving your newsletter!
Jessica & Laurence Norah Post author
Hi Janet,
So glad you are finding our travel blog helpful in planning your upcoming UK trip! We have a number of articles on visiting the UK, on both Independent Travel Cats as well as on Finding the Universe. This suggested 2 week UK itinerary may be a good place to start (although it doesn’t include Wales). If you have any questions, feel free to leave questions/comments on any of the related specific articles and happy to help.
Best,
Jessica
Theron P Oubre Post author
Love your articles and pics
Jessica & Laurence Norah Post author
Thanks Theron, happy to hear it!! 😉
Paula S. Post author
Thanks so much for all of your valuable information and insights and also for your wonderful giveaways! Happy travels!
Jessica & Laurence Norah Post author
Thanks Paula and happy travels to you too!
Pete Hughes Post author
Hi Travelcats
Thanks for the NC500 guide. It kickstarted me into planning a trip that I have been meaning to plan for weeks now. Thank you. I’ve managed a rough outline on a wet Saturday afternoon, and will be referring back to the guide frequently to flesh it out finalise it. Thanks again, with best wishes form Pete (U.K.)
Jessica & Laurence Norah Post author
Thanks Pete, glad you are enjoying our North Coast 500 articles 😉 Let us know if you have any questions as you plan your trip up to northern Scotland. Best, Jessica & Laurence
Mazdak Post author
Lovely 🙂 <3
Leanne Post author
Awesome giveaway . Very nice backpack 😀 love your photos .
KIMMY RIPLEY Post author
omg I sure would be so thrilled to win
DARLENE WILLIAMS Post author
Love your newsletters! Thank you, Darlene
Jessica & Laurence Norah Post author
Thanks Darlene, glad you enjoy them and thanks for your kind words!
Patti lovecky Post author
Your blog is really informative in a great format.
Jessica & Laurence Norah Post author
Hi Patti,
Glad you are enjoying our travel blogs 😉
Best,
Jessica & Laurence
Skye Post author
I love photography and I really appreciate the tips and tricks that you guys share. Also, thanks so much for the chance to win these prizes.
Jessica & Laurence Norah Post author
Hi Skye,
So happy to hear that! You’re very welcome and best of luck on the giveaways 😉
Jessica & Laurence
Jenny Nardi Post author
Bump into your site by chance. Thank you for an enjoyable reading as well as photography shots. You both are totally amazing and perhaps I will join one of your travel trip soon. Thank you
Jessica & Laurence Norah Post author
Hi Jenny, Glad you found and are enjoying our travel blog. Hope you get a chance to plan a trip yourself someday soon 😉 Best, Jessica
Sarah L Post author
Thanks for the contests.
Julie Raymond Post author
What a great contest. Good luck everyone ?
Angie Bell Post author
Love, Love, Love your blog, newsletter and learning so much through your travels! I am new to your newsletter and look forward to the next one! Thank You for sharing with all of us! God Bless you both!!
Jessica & Laurence Norah Post author
Hi Angie, Glad are enjoying our blog and monthly newsletter!! We’re happy to have you as a reader. Best, Jessica
Lauren Donley Post author
Such a cute site!
Cathryn J Innerst Post author
Very nice shoes. Hope I win one! Thank you
Jessica & Laurence Norah Post author
Hi Cathryn, Glad you like our travel shoes recs, and good luck on the giveaway! We run a different giveaway each month 😉
KATIE USHER Post author
nice prizes thank you
Arjun Post author
You guys are amazing, keep up the good work and adventures !
Jessica & Laurence Norah Post author
Thanks Arjun, and thanks for reading!!
William Staunton Post author
Delighted to be a part of your community. Also glad to see all these lovely prizes being won worldwide. You are very generous. Thank you.
Jessica & Laurence Norah Post author
Hi William, Thank you for being a part of our community 😉 Jessica & Laurence
Teresa Post author
great sweepstakes this month. Isn’t it amazing how you can go somewhere multiple times yet see different things every single time you travel. Thank you for the great description have your trip it was fun to read
Jessica & Laurence Norah Post author
Hi Teresa, Glad you enjoy our newsletter and giveaways! Yes, it is nice to go back and revisit places you enjoy, we always seem to discover new things 😉 Best, Jessica & Laurence
Diana Post author
Love love love your blog and information. We have decided on a big adventure, have booked an RV for 4 weeks to travel Route 66 with plans for Vegas and Grand Canyon etc.. travelling from Heathrow to Chicago to collect it. Then to get back to Chicago we are travelling on a sleeper train before flying home. 5 weeks total next May. Joined Harvest Home and plan using some of their sites. All so exciting, hope we win the wi fi thingy!
Any advice for two 70+ adventurers gratefully received.
Jessica & Laurence Norah Post author
Hi Diana,
That’s very exciting and having 4 weeks will give you plenty of time to drive along Route 66, explore all its highlights, and make some detours to places like the Grand Canyon. If you are planning to explore Chicago, I’d do it without a car or RV first and then pick it up once you want to get on the road to begin your road trip, as you don’t need a car to get around Chicago and parking is expensive in most areas.
We have a Route 66 planning guide and a detailed 2 week Route 66 itinerary that should be helpful. We also have some tips on Grand Canyon photography locations. Those should definitely get you started, but if you have more questions, just let us know. We don’t know Vegas that well, but are actually headed there for a few days next month 😉
Glad you are enjoying our travel blogs and best of luck in the giveaways.
Best,
Jessica & Laurence
Cynthia Dunlap Post author
I have started following your blogs since January and have been loving them. Very informative and enjoyable. Can’t wait to be using some of your tips on my upcoming trip to London. I recently emailed you for some advise, I hope you can respond before I leave. Thanks!
Jessica & Laurence Norah Post author
Hi Cindy, Glad you enjoy our blogs. Yes, we replied yesterday to your comment, you can see the reply on the post you commented on (3 days in London itinerary). Enjoy your time in London. Best, Jessica
Nancy Post author
I would like to get a better camera but the one I have suits my needs for now. Thank you for the opportunity.
Jessica & Laurence Norah Post author
Hi Nancy, You’re very welcome. You certainly don’t need an expensive camera to take nice photos, the best thing you can do is to learn to get the best photos out of the camera you have! Best of luck! Jessica
Stephan Post author
Thanks for the travel information for The UK and Ireland! My wife, daughter, and I are looking for info on sightseeing and walking trails.
Jessica & Laurence Norah Post author
Hi Stephan, Glad you are enjoying our UK and Ireland travel info, we have a lot of content on both of our travel blogs. Wishing you a great trip. Best, Jessica
Jason Vaughn Post author
Thanks for the Sweepstakes.
Jessica & Laurence Norah Post author
Very welcome Jason 😉
Cynthia Post author
Hi, just found your site today. It’s been a great help as I am planning a UK trip and I had to,know how to get from London to Scotland overland. Much appreciated. Cheers from Canada!
Jessica & Laurence Norah Post author
Hi Cynthia, So glad you have have found our travel blog helpful in planning your trip to the UK. Just let us know if you have any questions as you plan your vacation 🙂 Best, Jessica
Marie-Eve Roy Post author
Wow super concours! J’aimerais aller au Maroc avec mon mari, pour y fêter nos 15 ans de mariage! C’est notre rêve!
Jessica & Laurence Norah Post author
Hi Marie-Eve, this month’s trip is only for one person, but you could definitely purchase a separate space for your husband to join you as well 😉 Good luck! Jessica
mohsen Post author
wish win the prize!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Jessica & Laurence Norah Post author
Good luck 😉
sandra Post author
all those trips sound awesome! thanks for bringing my attention to the tours
Jessica & Laurence Norah Post author
Hi Sandra, Glad that you like this month’s giveaway from Travel Talk. Yes, Travel Talk offers really good value tours and are designed for the active and budget conscious traveler in mind. Wishing you the best of luck in the giveaway. Best, Jessica
Sandra Post author
Thanks to you
Carol Van Keuren Post author
Please advise how to take a train from Edinburgh to Leicester England in September 2019. We will be in Leicester for 2 days and then need to get to Heathrow to fly home to the U.S. Would a BritRail pass be worth it for 2 people? (We are coming to England, Ireland, and Scotland to celebrate our 50th Wedding Anniversary and would prefer not to rent a car or go by bus or plane, especially by plane because we will be spending 2 days in Leicester.) We would so appreciate your help.
Mark and Carol Van Keuren
Billings Montana
Jessica & Laurence Norah Post author
Hi Carol,
You can take a train from Edinburgh to Leicester as both have train stations, it is about a 4.5 to 5.5 hour train ride (depending on route) with likely a train change or two along the way.
Once you know your date, I’d book your train online as you will generally get better rates booking well in advance and also you’ll want to get seat reservations (not available if you book last minute). One website you can use is Trainline as it sells tickets for most of the trains throughout the UK. Tickets in the UK can generally be booked up to 6 months in advance so probably not yet available but the booking for September should open in a month or so.
For the BritRail pass, it includes train travel in England, Wales, and Scotland so would not cover the Ireland portion of your trip. To decide if it would be a good value, you’d have to estimate how many train journeys and their approximate cost of buying tickets for each of those journeys to see if it would be above the cost of a BritRail pass. This needs to be purchased from outside of the UK before your journey.
For more info about traveling around the UK without a car, you might find our 10 day UK itinerary by public transit article helpful. It is definitely possible to see many of the highlights of the UK and Ireland without a car by taking buses, trains, planes, and planning day tours.
Best,
Jessica
Denyse Plourde Post author
J’aimerais gagner ce concours afin d’aller en Irlande et visiter ce pays.
Jessica & Laurence Norah Post author
Bonne chance!
Denyse Plourde Post author
I would love to win that prize : 119$ Gift card
Jessica & Laurence Norah Post author
Hi Denyse, So glad you are interested in winning the Tinggly travel gift card. To be eligible to win, you have to subscribe to our newsletter by email and then fill out the short Google form above. If you have any questions, just let us know. Best of luck! Jessica
Tracy Collins Post author
Hi I am wondering if I am Tracy C from Australia and your October photography course winner? I haven’t received notification of the win except through the newsletter. I have checked my spam etc. If it is me could you confirm – I am so excited if it is me! Really trying to improve my camera skills!
Jessica & Laurence Norah Post author
Hi Tracy, Unfortunately no, the winner’s last name was not Collins and she replied that day to our email and has already received the photography course prize. We don’t announce the winners publicly until we have heard back from them and they accept the prize. It is quite the coincidence that there were 2 Tracy C’s from Australia registered for that giveaway! Wishing you better luck in the current giveaways. Sorry you did not win the prize, but you can of course purchase the photography course at any time – if you are interested feel free to email us with any questions as it is run by Laurence. Best, Jessica
Bill Luebbehusen Post author
I really enjoy your travel photos, comments, etc. our family is planning to take a European trip in 2019 and your site comes in very handy as a resource for places to see. Keep up the great work.
Jessica & Laurence Norah Post author
Hi Bill, Thanks so much for your kind words, we greatly appreciate them! Do reach out and let us know if we can be of any help for your upcoming European trip. Best, Jessica & Laurence
Joy Taylor Post author
Thank you! So enjoy your adventures and enjoy learning more about photography!
Jessica & Laurence Norah Post author
Thanks so much Joy for taking the time to comment! We are glad you enjoy our travel blogs and wishing you luck in the giveaways 😉