In mid-September, Rudi and I head to Bristol, England, for my cousin’s wedding. We are contemplating staying pretty much to the area south and west of London (including the city itself) in order to concentrate our traveling.

We went over four years ago, in the wake of September 11. We spent a week roaming around London, where we caught the highlights of the British Museum, the Beatles tour, and the British Library, as well as the Tate Modern, the booksellers under the bridge, and the London Eye (and King’s Cross Station to see Platform 9 3/4).

Heading west, we relied upon the kindness of my cousin’s parents, who ferried us out to Bath (where we saw the baths and the cathedral) and Cheddar (before we arrived back at their house to hear the news of a plane crash in New York).

Then we hit Tintern Abbey and headed north from there, ignoring the rest of the south and west.

My folks have suggested we should see Stonehenge (and I’d like to see the stones at Avesbury, as well). And they also recommended visiting Southsea (at least I think that was it) and skipping Land’s End. We did not heed their warning when we went to Liverpool; we will be smarter this time.

We may try to squeeze a trip to Swindon in because the Fforde Ffestival will be going on the weekend of my cousin’s wedding, as I noted this spring.

If a trip to Hay on Wye happens to fit in this time, I can’t say I’d skip it. I mean, a whole town devoted to books. Sounds like paradise!

And I’d love to spend some time in Oxford, especially since we only got to get stuck in traffic in it last time, running out of time before we had to get the rental car back.

Anyone else have suggestions for things to see/do (or avoid) in the southwest/south-central part of England or the southern part of Wales? See or skip Cardiff? Seek out the ponies in the national park? Nice people at a particular B&B? We’re open to info…