Don't let anyone tell you that the only way to get an Oxford education is to work hard, get good grades and save up a bundle of money. With The Oxford Experience, you can take part in Oxford seminars, delivered by Oxford professors, and enjoy student life at a historic Oxford University college - without taking a single exam, writing a single essay or even getting a single grade - and all for the cost of a mid-priced UK vacation.

Registration closes May 1 (for mail, fax or email) and May 15 (for online enrolment) for a choice of 50 different, week-long seminars taking place from July 5 2009. In case you think we're jumping the gun, keep in mind that these are first come first served enrolments for a limited number of places on a coveted course. And besides, what a nice holiday gift for an intellectual friend. (We seem to be coming back into fashion these days). Find out more about Oxford University Summer School.

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The Sun and its transit through the seasons seems to have been essential to ancient worship. On Orkney, several Neolithic monuments are aligned with sun and moon to suggest some ritual purpose.
At Maeshowe, the island's awesome Neolithic chambered burial mound, the setting mid-winter sun lights an inner chamber for about three weeks before and after the winter solstice. You can watch it happen via the live Maeshowe webcams. They're scheduled to come to life on November 30 and will continue transmitting until February 5, 2009. But dates are always approximate, so keep checking in to make sure.

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Valerie France, our have-a-go girl in the Northeast, has just spent a day being pampered at the Verbena Spa in Helmsley, not far from York. She has awarded the place 5 stars!

I guess she liked it...On the other hand, maybe it was that naked Pierce Brosnan look-alike.

Have you tried the Verbena Spa? Agree or disagree with Valerie's review? You can add your own two-cents (or tuppence as the case may be) by making use of our new "Rate and Review" feature. Just scroll down to the bottom of any review with a star rating on About.com: United Kingdom Travel. That includes restaurants, hotels, attractions, books and, of course, spas. Click the "Write a Review" button and let 'er rip.

To get you started, here are a few reviews just waiting for your point of view:

• English Country House Chic at Verbena Spa
• The AA Bed and Breakfast Guide
• Brown's Cafe - Cheap Eats in Oxford Covered Market
• Kids Review Longleat Safari Park
• Simpsons - Fine Dining in Birmingham
• Ardanaiseig Hotel on Loch Awe in Scotland

Still stuck for a holiday present for Uncle John and sweet Aunt Mary? How about appealing to the armchair travelers in all of us with gifts of books, music and tea that bring back memories of Britain or inspire new ones. Check out -

• Gift Books for UK Travelers Everything from guidebooks and maps to evocative picture books and humorous tomes on English eccentrics.
• Christmas Music from Top English Cathedral Choirs
• English Teas and Teapots for Holiday Giving

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England's lofty cathedrals and ancient churches are superb settings for performances of the great oratorios and other choral works. The music of Handel ( a Londoner for much of his life - and death - he's buried in Westminster Abbey) has always been favored around the Christmas holiday season and no work more so than his Messiah. Traditionally, many of the UK's most beautiful churches and cathedrals host performances of the Messiah during the season of Advent, in the weeks before Christmas. All those rousing "Hallelujah!"s have got to get you in a celebratory mood.

• Find out where to attend a performance of Handel's Messiah in the UK during the festive season.
• Hear carols in cathedrals around Britain

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Travelocity is highlighting some very well priced flight deals from key US gateway cities to London. Fly Newark to London round-trip on selected Virgin Atlantic flights for example, for $407 +. The plus, by the way, covers airport taxes, fuel surcharges and the like which can add about $150 to the cost of the flight.

Continental and British Airways flights that you can buy direct from Travelocity also look like money savers. Continental, for example, has a Christmas Eve fare of $555, including taxes and fees, British Airways is offering a $590 fare.
Find out more about terms and conditions and buy direct

If you were heading for a stay at Byfords Posh B&B in Holt, Norfolk, finding the entrance might be a bit of a challenge. This 5-star bed and breakfast, East of England's B&B entry in the Enjoy England Awards for Excellence competition, looks for all the world like a simple row of shops and cafes on an ordinary village high street. It's just one of the unusual accommodations we've run across in the UK.

• Check out more unusual accommodations in Britain
• Take a look at Byfords Posh B&B

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A couple of blog posts ago, I suggested that, with the pound hovering at between $1.55 and $1.65, now might be the moment to salt away some British currency or British denominated travelers checks for a future vacation you're already planning.

A reader planning to visit the UK in 2010 wrote in to ask whether it was worth waiting for the pound to drop to £1.30. My initial - horrified - response was NO! I live here and I earn pounds so I view the whole question from a British perspective. I also cannot recall when the pound was ever that low.

But I am also not a financial expert and I was wondering what others think. Could the pound fall that low? And what would be the state of the world economy if it did?

I'm curious to know what you think so please add your comment below by clicking on comments. Or jump into the discussion in my forum by clicking on My Forum near my picture on this page.

With the holiday season fast approaching, spare a thought for your traveling friends and family. Think of:
Gifts that make traveling easier, more relaxed and more fun, like -

• Great Gadget Gifts for Travelers
• 10 Great Gadget Gifts Under $50
• 5 Great Electronic Entertainment Devices for Travelers

Gifts that save time and money, like -

• Top Discount Passes for UK Visitor Attractions
• Hotel Gift Cards - A Great Anytime Travel Gift.

You might want to put a few of these on your own wish list.

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If you are thinking about making a traditional Christmas Pudding or a British Christmas Cake, the time to start was probably last week. These things take time. Unless you are teetotal, you want to have several weeks to "feed" your favorite alcoholic tipple to the masterpiece. And, even if alcohol is off the menu, a traditional pudding needs a few weeks to mature.

Find out more about Christmas Customs and Traditional British Christmas Foods, along with recipes from About.com's own experts.

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