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Here are some usful travel tip for visitng Great Britain. For many years I worked as a tour guide, I can help you plan your trip and prepare you for the delights of my homeland.
Itinerary – This is the most important part of your trip. There is so much to see - it is difficult not to be overwhelmed. I will help you plan your itinerary to make sure that you get to see what you want to see during your stay. I know the short cuts, places to stay, and best ways to travel. Although I no longer travel as a guide - I have extensive knowledge of my country and can make your visit memorable and pleasurable.
Passport - You must have a current passport and it is advisable to take copies of each passport and carry them separate. This is a good safe guard if your passport is lost or stolen. Know where your passport is at all times. If you want the hotel to put it in their safe, make sure that it goes in a safe and not just stuck under the counter. Remember a tourist without a passport is a tourist without a country.
Customs & Immigration – A round trip airline ticket is required. A tourist arriving in England with a NO RETURN ticket is suspicious and immigration will pounce on you thinking you are trying to sneak into the country and will keep you for hours interrogating you. (or so I have been told). A WARNING if you are thinking of taking ILLEGAL DRUGS with you to England – FORGET IT – if you are caught you could be spending your vacation in a prison call. England has a 0 tolerance on all illegal drugs irrespective of the amount. IT IS NOT WORTH IT.
Visa or Inoculations – You do not need either when traveling to England. You should check to see if your medical insurance covers you in Great Britain. Only EMERGENCY visits to the hospital are offered by the National Health Service. If you take a child to see a doctor, this is usually covered. If you are taking prescribed medication, it is advisable to carry a copy of your drugs or dosage including the generic name, with a covering letter from your Doctor, just incase you need further supplies. Also the custom chaps sometimes get suspicious when they see too many bottles of tablets.
Money – Well you will need to take lots of it. The best way to carry it is with an American Express “TRAVELFUNDS CARD” It’s pre-paid and you can reload it while in England. They simply take the money out of the Credit Card. The minimum amount is $300 and the maximum is $2,750 you can have British Sterling Euro or Dollar’s. Find out more by calling 1-888- 412-6945.
It is advisable to carry British sterling cash with you for Taxi’s, Food, Train or Tube Fares. And of course tipping and other incidentals. They will not take US Dollars. Some stores in England take Euro money. You can exchange Dollars and sterling into Euro at most Post Offices. When arriving at the airports in London there will be 24 hour Bureau de Change where you can change your money. DO NOT EXCHANGE MONEY AT YOUR HOTEL, they give a poor exchange rate. There are 100 pence in the pound sterling. The different colored notes come in 50’s, 20’s, 10’s and 5’s. The 1 pound wads replaced by a coin there is also a 2 pound coin. There are no restrictions on how much money you can take to England.
ATM machines - there are plenty of them! But check with your credit card company to see which machines will work in. Notify your Credit Card Company that you will be traveling to Great Britain and you will be using it more frequently. Sometimes companies will put a freeze on your card when they a change in the usage! To avoid this – make sure to speak with them before you leave. Take a calculator will you, this will help you work out your comparison with the dollar. For a quick guide, double to price and then deduct a little and that’s roughly the dollar amount.
The Weather – The best way to describe the weather in England is - 6 months of winter – followed by 6 months of bad weather! Basically the climate in Britain is very unpredictable. There is a good reason that it is green and lush – it rains! The winters do not get too cold but is can be wet, the summers don’t usually get too hot but it can be wet! Pack rainwear, a light rain jacket that you can put pack in your backpack or bag is a must.
Check the weather forecast before you leave on www.weather.com
Clothes – Remember when packing your cloths England is not interested in seeing your entire wardrobe, take less cloths and more money. Pack light comfortable cloths, which you can layer – the weather is changeable. You will need good shoes as you will be on your feet a lot. If you like to eat out in good restaurants – you will need dressier clothes, gents may even require a tie.
Air Fare – This largest expense is your Air Fare. If you wait until just before you leave it’s going to be a bit hefty. So try and purchase your tickets in advance.
Car Rental – You can save yourself as much as 40%by renting your car in the USA before leaving, this also saves you time on arrival. If you are a member of the AAA you might want to find out if you qualify for the AA coverage in England. Most cars have manual transmission, (stick shift) but you can request an automatic car. One out of every 5 cars is a diesel, which I have experienced.
To rent a car you must have a current USA driver’s license and a credit card – and money to fill the tank. Gas or Petrol averages around $6 per gallon. Get a good road map, a wrong turn could be an expensive mistake! A new law has been introduced that if you are 75 and over you cannot rent a car.
In England we use miles on the road but we use liters for our petrol. There are about 4 liters to the USA gallon.
If you have a Blue Handicap Sign –take it with you as it is valid in England.
Hotels - This is a large chunk of your spending money. The hotel chain I recommend is the TRAVEL INN. They have hotels Nationwide, they are all the same price “per room” not "per person". They have several in London a little higher in price but well below the average London hotel. I stay in their hotel at Gatwick Airport, it is very economical and convenient.
Bed & Breafast - is a good idea if you can pre-book that’s fine but only if you travel during the NON “Peak Travel Time” March, April, May, September October and November. When looking for the B&B’s look for the VACANCIES sign and check them out. For example ask what the price is and is it per room or per person, if it has an en-suit, and is there a cooked breakfast? And very importantly ask to have a “quick look at the room”. Do all this before you commit. Please note that most B&B”S do not take credit cards, the invariably all take cash or Sterling Traveler Checks. (I always look for a B&B where I can park the car off the road).
Youth Hostels – There are many youth hostels in Great Britain. They offer very affordable accommodation if this is what you are looking for. Here are some useful websites to visit for infomation about youth hostels:
If you are visiting Scotland you need to go to:
Colleges and Schools also offer accommodation, these vary around the country. To check availability visit their website:
Arriving In London – If you want to go directly to London, the quickest way is by train. From Heathrow Airport use the Heathrow Express. A train leaves every 15 minutes and the journey time is just 15minutes into Paddinton Train Station. If you arrive at Gatwick Airport, a train, also leaving every 15 minutes, takes only 30 minutes to arrive at Victoria Train Station. If there is a long line for tickets - don’t worry you can always purchase your tickets on the train.
Driving – Its’ easy once you get the hang of it. Now, remember in England we drive on the LEFT. The steering wheel is also on the other side than you are used to. I advise you to wear your watch on your our wrist – this might help you remember which side you should be diving on. When you pick up your car from the airport, first check it over and then check where everything is, the indicators, windscreen wipers and washers, etc.. The boot is the trunk and the bonnet is the hood. When you are happy that you know where the controls are ,you are ready to go. Practice driving around the airport until you get he feel of driving on the LEFT – when you feel comfortable you’re on your own! You are going to be tired after the long flight – so take it easy - do not be too ambitious on the first day.
Although you may be an excellent driver in your own country, the rules and signs in England can be a little different. I advise you to buy a large road map – not only will this be helpful as you travel - but it will have all the information on symbols you need to know to drive safely.
Tourist Information – most towns have a tourist information office – usually marked with an i. You can find plenty of good information and they will often help you find a B&B, and make the reservations for you.
Spending Money – You will need plenty of this – I would recommend a budget of $200 per person per day – especially if you are intending to visit Historical Plcaes of Interest, Castles, Cathedrals and Museums. Some places are higher than others, and some will ask for a donation.
Before going on your trip, check into purchasing any of these: The Heritage Pass, English Heritage Pass or National Trust Card. These can help save you on entrance fees.
Food is another high cost. If you can, it is more economical to purchase food from the Supermarket (grocery store) and make your own sandwiches and snacks for during the day, and have good meal in the evening.
Pubs - Talking about good food, pubs are a wonderful place to eat and most pubs will serve you with tea (English) or coffee. They often serve home cooked, traditional hearty meals at a good price. Also, remember you have to go up to the bar for your drink and order your food. If you ask for a scotch and soda you will have to ask for ice, and you may end up with 2 lumps of ice in your drink….that’s normal. Most pubs allow children, but there are still a few that don’t so please check before going in. Pubs are a great social place and talking to the locals you will learn about places to visit and he best restaurant and all the local history.
Telephones – For emergencies you will need to dial 999. Try to avoid using the telephone in your hotel room, they have outrageous rates. If you use a Public Coin Telephone Booth you will need plenty of One pound Coins. If you want to dial the USA you will need to dial 001 then the area code and then the number. The cheapest time to call is from 6pm to 8am Monday through Friday. You can pick up phone cards that give you a certain amount of minutes. Check your cell phone provider – you may be able to upgrade you service to work overseas for your visit!
Mail – If you are going to be sending postcards, print the address on labels before you leave – then all you need to do is write a quick message – stick on the label and stamp and you are done. Most shops will sell stamps with the cards! Get this done early on during your visit – the can take ages to get back to your loved ones!!!
Electrical – The electric on England is different than the USA. We use 230/240 volts A/C50 cycles. And a plug in the wall is called a power point, and it takes a big three pin plug. You ca purchase an electrical travel kit from most travel or electrical stores. One of the most common errors is the lady with the hair dryer and the men with the electric razors who do not use converters BLOW the fuses on the hotel or B&B.
Video’s & DVD’s – When purchasing these items you must check to see if it will play in the USA look for NTSC (Do NOT buy ‘PAL’). There are some DVD’s that play in the USA but ask before buying.
Tipping – is not necessary in many places. Yes you will need to tip in the usual places like Taxi Cabs, Restaurants, and Hair Dresser etc. People working behind a bar or in a Pub do not expect a tip. You might offer to buy them a drink!
SOME QUICKIES
When touring around look for 'BOOT SALES’ – they are not selling Boots – these are Garage Sales, you can find great deals all on Saturday and Sunday.
When driving in the City of London you have to pay a 5 pound toll for the privilege. My advice is DON’T DRIVE IN LONDON! There is a great public transport system – use it!
RADAR SPEED TRAP – They seem to be everywhere and they are all automatic! Just because you have a rental car you are not exempt, you will still have to pay the fine – it will just be charged to your credit card – the car is traced back to the rental Car Company, who has all of your details, they will not accept responsibility for your fines.
SCOTTISH MONEY – Scotland has its own money – it is the same value as English money – it just looks a little different. They still use a paper pound note. Some retailers are a bit reluctant to take it but it is perfectly legal and they cannot decline it.
The 10 Commandments of travel:
1. Thou shalt not expect to find things exactly as thou has left them at home. For thou has left home to find things different!
2. Thou shalt not take anything too seriously, for a carefree mind is the beginning of a delightful holiday.
3. Thou shalt not let they fellow travelers get on thy nerves, for there is plenty of space and various activities for all to have a good time in different ways.
4. This is very important, remember thy passport so thou knowest where it is at all times for a tourist without a passport is a tourist without a country.
5. Blessed is the tourist that can say “Thank You” in any language.
6. Blessed are the tourists who can give change in any currency,
7. Thou shalt not worry. For he or she that worryieth, has no pleasure.
8. Thou shalt not judge the people of a country with whom thou hast had trouble with.
9. Thou shalt “When in England do as the English do”. If this is difficult, thou shall use common sense and friendliness.
10. Remember. Thou art a guest in a foreign country and that if he treateth his host with respect, he shall be treated as an honored guest. |
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