DAY 3: MAIDSTONE

LEEDS Castle - home to English queens and nobility and with a history dating back to 1050 - owes its emblem to a pair of black swans imported from Australia.

Lady Baillie, who bought the castle in 1926 and, on her death in 1974, left it and 500 acres (202.5 ha) of  parkland to the nation through a charitable trust, is credited with the castle's modern renaissance and understated elegance.
She brought the swans over after a trip Down Under and had the black swan symbol embroidered on all her towels and bed linen.

This is just one of the interesting facts uncovered on a wander through the castle, south-west of London in Maidstone.

Even a three-hour visit isn't enough to take in all the splendour and history which includes the bedroom of notorious King Henry VIII's first wife Catherine of Aragon and his banquet room.

But unmistakably, much of the elegance belongs to Lady Baillie and the French stylist she commissioned.

Stroll through the impressive relaxing parklands and cottage gardens with their myriad water birds, be fascinated by the medieval falconry demonstrations, lose yourself in history then get lost in the hedge maze, take a punt around the moat and finish with a bite in the former stables.

Today's lesson: Study the road map thoroughly to avoid roads with the "C" symbol signifying London Congestion traffic charges. We had to skirt around the city area to get out but it's better than paying the charge each time we enter the zone daily or copping a fine later.

Squirrel count: 5

DAY 2: LONDON

HISTORY isn't always pretty but the Brits believe that if you've got it, flaunt it.
At least that's the impression we have after visiting the Tower of London.
The sprawling enclave that is Her Majesty's Royal Palace and Fortress,  just a stroll from the Tower Bridge on the north bank of the River Thames, has had many uses from its beginnings in 1066 - including as a zoo, the official mint and the tourist attraction it is today.

But most people visit to hear of the famous prisoners who were incarcerated here -  all royals and those of  noble birth, including Mary Queen of Scots, Elizabeth I before she became queen and Sir Thomas More.
Only seven executions took place within its walls, with most of the 112 over a 400-year history conducted publicly by masked executioners amid a carnival atmosphere at notorious nearby Tower Hill.
If you  have plenty of time, join a tour conducted by one of the Beefeaters - Yeoman Guards - for a fascinating and bizarrely funny insight into the architecture, moats and characters sent to the Tower.
Of course, if you have  a tight schedule, you may choose only to visit the Crown Jewels.

The Crown Jewels, which are part of the Royal Collection, are displayed to millions of visitors every year. The Jewel House at the Tower has been used for the secure storage of the precious ceremonial and symbolic objects used in the coronation of English kings and queens since the early 14th century, when Westminster Abbey was found to be unsafe.

Be bedazzled by the history (the oldest piece is a relatively plain-looking 12th century gold coronation spoon used to anoint the new monarch's head with holy oil that survived destruction under Oliver Cromwell), as well as the gold (see the huge coronation altar dish measuring nearly a metre wide and featuring a centrepiece representation of Christ at the Last Supper), gemstones and diamonds of massive size (including the splendour of the 317-carat Cullinan II diamond in the Imperial State Crown).

You'll most likely queue to get in for the Crown Jewels, Bloody Tower and even the White Tower but a stroll around the imposingly impressive fortress will be worth the ticket price alone.

Today's lesson: I should have realised the Tower of London was much more than just the Crown Jewels and set aside more than that 90 minutes I'd allowed on The Original Tour hop on, hop off bus to take in all the displays.

Squirrel count: 4

DAY 1: LONDON

SO much to do, so little time.

After arriving virtually right on schedule at 7am at Gatwick Airport, we transferred to our hotel near Paddington Station and, feeling surprisingly un-jetlagged, we decided to make the most of our first morning and head to the 11.30am Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace.

The time-honoured tradition lures thousands to vantage points outside the palace gates, around the fountain and up the radiating roads.
Getting there was easier said than done, though. As non-train travellers generally, we spent the first half-hour wandering around aimlessly in Paddington Station, trying to work out how to buy a return day pass and where the Underground access was for the yellow Circle Line trains.
In the end, we did what all lost-soul travellers do in England ... we joined a queue and begged the rail assistant for mercy.

Now we can advise that if here for just a few days, an off-peak daily Travelcard for zones 1 and 2 will do the trick. It's valid from 9.30am Monday to Friday and all day on weekends, and covers the tubes, buses and most train services.
London is your Oyster Card: buy this if staying more than a few days and the Tube system will get you anywhere you want to go.

Once the Monpoly board of train stations became clear, we were right as rain. And for once in London, rain was not part of the forecast. A pleasant stroll over the bridge and through St James's Park and we were at Buckingham Palace.
For the next two hours in the hot sun without sunglasses or the hat we'd forgotten in our haste, we jostled with the multitudes, changed our mind where to stand, cursed those cramping our photographic space, longed to have changed out of the high-heeled ankle boots I'd worn on the plane, and watched a short, plump "Bobby" bark out orders every few minutes to barrier-jumpers to stay back.

Still, the precision, pomp and pageantry the Brits do so well was a nice introduction to London.

As suckers for punishment, we stayed on track for sightseeing with a quick trip to Westminister Station to see Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament before check-in time and our first pint of beer at nearby Dickens Tavern, reputed to be the longest pub in London.

But the best five pounds I spent (the first five pounds I spent) was for tickets to a performance at Bankside's Shakespeare's Globe Theatre. The Globe Theatre is an authentic 1997 rebuild of the original theatre where many Shakespearean plays were first performed in Elizabethan times.

I bought the cheap tickets months ago online to the standing section "moshpit" in front of the stage. As "groundlings", we had to queue first for the rush to secure the best view in front of those on  the long-sold-out bench seats on three levels, then stand for nearly two-and-a-half hours on a concrete lower-gallery floor and pray for clear skies in the open-roofed, recreated  theatre in the round.

But the magnificent production of Macbeth, our position only metres from the stage right in front of the action and the polished performances from the likes of Scottish actor Billy Boyd ("Pippin" in Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings adaptations) and English TV and stage heartthrob Joseph Millson in the lead role came together to create the highlight of our day.

Lessons learnt: Remember, it's a marathon, not a sprint ... as my tired feet, aching legs, sore shoulder from a heavy handbag and mushy brain can now attest.

Squirrel count: 3

IN TRANSIT: THE MIDDLE EAST

EUROPE 101. It’s not rocket science.

How hard can having a holiday be?

For 101 days and nights, Sunshine Coast Daily travel editor Shirley Sinclair will find out as she takes on Europe.

But while she has become learned in the customs, charms and scenic beauty of Australia, the Pacific and Asia, she is a first-time student in what awaits on the other side of the world in Europe.

As well as mastering the geography, she has had to study up on individual towns and cities, get her head around the rail network, research things to do and places to go, and turn maths professor in juggling the travel budget.

Join her as she embarks on a trip of a lifetime. Follow her progress from landing at Gatwick airport to her departure three-and-a-half months later. Each day, she will upload a photo of an iconic, unusual or interesting spot as well as a map to track the trip’s progress.

Will six months of planning end in a pass-able holiday or one with high distinction?