Before Planning Your Trip To England – While the UK has lots to offer, some travelers can find it overwhelming to reach all four nations that make up this great country and will instead opt for one of two. With a wealth of history and culture to explore, England is a great place to discover the intersection between ancient and recent past while also experiencing how it has evolved into a modern country that has fully embraced the world and has developed an exciting blend of multiculturalism and traditional elements.
This post will examine some of the key things you need to know before booking your ticket to ye olde England!
Before Planning Your Trip To England
England Is More Than Just London, So See What Else Is On Offer
Be honest, when you think of England (or the UK, for that matter), what’s the first city to come to mind? In reality, it’s likely to be London. While this is fine and you should undoubtedly visit London for a few days, there is so much more to the nation than its capital. For example, the Beatles came from Liverpool, Led Zepplin came from Birmingham (sort of ), Shakespeare was from Stratford, Wuthering Hiefghtrs was set in Yorkshire, and two of the nation’s most prestigious research universities are located in Cambridge and Oxford. So what’s the point here? Well, if you make an effort to discover the various unique locations dotted about the country, you will be richly rewarded. One very underrated city is Leister in the East Midlands region (also home to Nottingham, of Robin Hood fame). If you plan on traveling to the East Midlands, you should know that Leicester has the best weather in May and June, making it the best time to travel there. In fact, those dates are generally considered the best times to visit most places in England since they offer the most balanced mixture of balmy but pleasant summertime vibes.
Pack For All Weather, Because It Can Be Unpredictable
Speaking about the weather, you need to understand that England has the unfortunate habit of lulling people into a false sense of security. Aside from the bleakest midwinter, when you are always cold and miserable, the spring and summer seasons like to play tricks on unsuspecting travelers, and just as you think that the sun is shining and you don’t need to pack your overcoat, the heavens begin to open! Conversely, as soon as you’ve prepacked and got your waterproofs on, the waterworks will turn off, and the sun will come out once again to taunt you. Nevertheless, you can avoid this seasonal trickery by simply ensuring you pack a range of clothing for all types of weather (mainly for high temperatures and rain). Furthermore, while most people don’t believe it, it can get sweltering during the summer, particularly on the south coast, sometimes reaching temperatures over 30 C. This was most apparent last summer when it was so hot it caused a region-wide drought, which took over the entire south and caused all kinds of chaos.
Get Ready To Drive On The Left Side Of The Road
Unless you’re coming from India, Australia, Thailand, or Japan, prepare your mind that people in the UK drive on the left. This might not be relevant to you if you plan on taking public transport everywhere, but if you want to hire a car, you can get in serious trouble by ignoring this fact. Moreover, English people have a habit of driving their cars very fast, so you need to be aware of which side they come from when crossing the road, especially if you are traveling with children.
Don’t Forget To Bring A Power Adapter
Like most of the world, England uses a 230-volt electrical system and a very peculiar-looking plug-and-socket system. While the plug is arguably one of the safest in the world, it also presents an issue for many travelers who will need to carry a pretty large adaptor if they want to charge their devices up. An alternative option to lugging around many adapters is to buy a power strip from your home nation, then purchase one of two UK adapters. This will allow you to plug in all your devices minus the expense or annoyance of using multiple adaptors.
England Has A Lot Of Historical Sites And Museums, So Plan Accordingly
With so much to see and do, you will have to accept that you won’t be able to see everything you want to. Additionally, while the distances might not be as dramatic as in countries like Australia or the USA, England is a very densely populated nation, and getting around is time-consuming. For example, it’s only 260 miles from Stonehenge to York, but you better believe that you will spend the best part of a day making the journey due to traffic, delays, finding parking, etc. Instead, choose a region, make a solid itinerary, and spend more time going a mile deep and an inch wide rather than vice versa.
Tipping Isn’t Required, But It’s Appreciated
Despite the reputation, England is home to plenty of delicious restaurants and food types (with curry pecuniary being a national dish!). However, while you may be accustomed to tripping in your home country, you should be aware that it isn’t required, and you certainly won’t have anyone chasing you down for not tipping enough. With that said, it’s certainly appreciated if your waiter or waitress provides excellent service, and in some cases, it might even be automatically added to your bill. Noenhtlss, never feel obliged to give a gratuity if you feel you experienced substandard service.
Be Prepared For Some Cultural Differences
England is home to a wide range of cultures, like its neighboring constituent countries. It can sometimes be jarring for an outsider to experience such a dramatic change in personality as they move around. However, most people are friendly enough and willing to help you if you are lost or need help. For instance, there is an undefined north/ south divide that tends to separate people more than you might expect. As long as you’re friendly and un-obnoxious, you will get on fine with pretty much everyone.
England is a great place to visit for vacation, but you need to be aware of the things laid out in this post if you’re to have a great time. As long as you pack accordingly and go further afield than London, you will have a great time.
Before Planning Your Trip To England is a feature post