Wandering Wallet

Regarding “Putting the Squeeze on a Frugal Budget in Britain” (The Wander Year, Sept. 10): If writer Mike McIntyre’s reason for travel is to travel on the cheap, he should have stayed in Jaipur, India. His whiny diatribe about the high prices in London made me wonder if he saw London at all. Or was he so busy constantly carping about cost comparison that he couldn’t enjoy one of the most fascinating cities in the world?

Sure, London is expensive. Get over it (or just don’t go there).

CAROL THOMPSON

Anaheim Hills

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I was born in Britain and had to live there for a while. I totally agree with McIntyre’s assessment that Britain is expensive.

In a class-conscious country like Britain, the facilities and expenses are high class while the value for money is quite low class, in every aspect.

Even in private homes the experience is not very different. I have many memories of hitting my elbows in cramped English bathrooms each time I moved. As for showering, I doubt there is one faucet in that country capable of emitting much more than a trickle of water.

KAZI A. ALAM

Los Angeles

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I find it very hard to understand how McIntyre could clump Ireland in with Britain in evaluating the cost and style of the countries.

My husband and I have done extensive traveling on our own throughout both England and Ireland in recent years and found them very different. Our trip to the Irish Republic last year was one of our least costly. The people were wonderful, the food was incredibly delicious and the golfing beyond belief and extremely cheap. The most we paid anywhere at a B&B;, for a beautiful large room with its own bath, was about $50 per night per couple, and that included a very large Irish breakfast. Everything cost far less than we expected.

Did McIntyre actually go there?

We agree that England was among the most costly places we have ever visited, but it is misleading to include Ireland in this same group.

We also find it hard to understand how one can see England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales in one week. We took three weeks in Ireland and still need to go back because we missed a lot.

CYNDE MAGIDSON

Camarillo

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I spend a couple of months each year in Britain and Ireland researching historic and prehistoric sites. And, yes, London and Edinburgh are expensive--as are New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Paris etc.

Fortunately, in Britain at least, there are ways to keep costs down. One of the best buys is through the British Universities Accommodation Consortium (BUAC). This organization offers bed-and-breakfast and self-catering lodging for individuals, families and groups in university rooms and apartments. These are usually available over the Easter holiday and during the summer. Inexpensive meals are often available in the university cafeteria.

Contact the BUAC at telephone 011-44-115-846-6444, fax 011-44-115-846-6333, Internet https://www.buac.co.uk.

LYNNE FOSTER

Bishop