Making a trip to the UK, what to expect?

[Shu]

I know many of you are from around these parts but I was trying to get all my itinerary details knocked out. I have waaaaaay too much on the plan, but I was wondering what to expect. (I have been to Europe, but Eastern)

On March 13-18th I'll be in London. I have multiple museum trips planned out and taking a train out to Cambridge. Mostly at night though I'll be in London, due to free lodging. If anyone is around those parts, I do plan to hit a few pubs / bars, so come visit eh? Knowing London I'm sure I'll be spending a pretty penny for a drink/food.

What's the weather like.. what to do.. what to eat.. or what to drink? You tell me..

 

[The Welsh Paddy]

I advise you to bring a rain jacket, a brolly, and some wellies or other footwear that won't disintegrate in the rain. Also, Cardiff's way better, you should come here instead.

 

[Dionysos]

It's true that we always talk about the weather here, and that is because it is so changeable. The weather forecasts aren't always accurate and we never really know what we are going to get. You can expect rain and cold, but you might end up with a surprisingly sunny day. Alternatively, you can plan for a mild day but then experience torrential rain or snow. If it does snow, beware! Everything halts and it makes breaking news for some reason.

I guess you should pack clothes which can be adapted for any weather situation and then on the day make a judgement call if you want to bring extras.

As for museums, etc, what sort of museums might you visit?


I've been to London a number of times (I was there yesterday) but I'm not a Londoner and it isn't my place to recommend stuff to eat and drink. I'd say ignore people that try to get you to eat jellied eels unless you really want to!

The transport in London is very good. The Underground is fairly easy to navigate once you get your head around the maps, and you wont find yourself waiting too long for a train. They usually come every couple of minutes in the Underground.

 

[iSmiff]

Tried to think of a witty remark about brexit, the price of marmite and other tragic events in this country recently but i'm just too demoralised to even self-mock

In all seriousness you need;

Good shoes - waterproof ones and comfy ones if you're gonna be walking alot.
Alot of money - London is fucking expensive, especially the touristy spots. Some of the cooler spots though are cheap but they might be harder to get to but Uber is starting to take off in London
An Underground map - that shit can be confusing unless you ride it every day

will add more when I think of it!

 

[Linnaete]

Always obey the correct etiquette, otherwise you'll have to suffer the worst penalty of them all: an Englishman looking at you with a contemptuous look on his face, silently judging you but not willing enough to speak out.

The right hand side of the escalator should be where you stand. The left hand side is for people looking to actually climb the escalator to get to the top faster. I also would like to suggest that you do anything other than try and seem like a friendly, sociable guy while on the Underground. There is nothing worse than having some obvious foreign person or a Scot try to shatter the dismal, silent atmosphere with anything as daft as trying to strike up some casual conversation with a stranger. You must never make eye contact and there's bonus points if you stare off into space, preferably while having a phone out, or headphones on, or a free copy of the Metro newspaper on your lap. Be cold and clinical at all times. You're not here to make friends except in a pub.

I would offer some genuine, less-cliched suggestions, but I rarely ever visit London myself and it's barely ever for leisure. I can't exactly tell you where the good places are to eat without it costing you an arm and a leg. A Visitor Oyster card at hand is always useful to have especially if you're going to be constantly on the move around the city. There are some okay places, such as Camden and Greenwich (though the park is probably nicer in the summer). Windsor Castle should be a decent hop away from Waterloo, and if you're in the mood for museums and exhibits, there's a choice of Madame Tussaud's, the Tate Modern, the Natural Science Museum, the British Museum and National Gallery, etc.

 

[iSmiff]

The right hand side of the escalator should be where you stand. The left hand side is for people looking to actually climb the escalator to get to the top faster.

Seriously though, this is how I tell the foreigners from the brits pisses me off so much. At LA Airport had some green haired dreadlocked hipster just casually standing in the middle of the escalator staring into space. I just KNEW she was from the US

 

[greenyxi]

Rain and utter disappointment. You're going to England so expect chavs and prozzies on every corner.

 

[Rey]

Sounds like a pretty exciting trip. Just remember to share photos if you meet any of the UK people here!

 

[Shu]

I appreciate it ladies and gents. I think Windsor Castle is day 3. I asked to go to one climbing gym and narrowed it down to: https://www.mileendwall.org.uk/.

I do want to go to South Hampton for a bit and Manchester but I only have 8 days altogether. Again, back to town before 3 am ish.. so if the trains/transportation runs until then.. I'm all for the late night.

As far as museums, well I guess Natural History Museum and Maddame Tussaud's for now. I know for sure going to the London Eye, just to get a "spectator view."

 

[The Welsh Paddy]

You're going to England so expect chavs and prozzies on every corner.

Haven't heard anyone use the word prozzies in years. That made me giggle!

 

[Cardinal Copia]

Seriously though, this is how I tell the foreigners from the brits pisses me off so much. At LA Airport had some green haired dreadlocked hipster just casually standing in the middle of the escalator staring into space. I just KNEW she was from the US

If I do wind up flying over to England this year, and that's a big if, I'm going to troll all of you. I'll do everything that makes people triggered.

 

[The Welsh Paddy]

If I do wind up flying over to England this year, and that's a big if, I'm going to troll all of you. I'll do everything that makes people triggered.

This would be awesome.

 

[Lirael]

You should see one of the live shows if you have the time! There are loads of fantastic productions in London!

 

[Ness]

Have you gone yet? I made a similar trip a while ago and I have some tips:

- Invest in a decent guidebook. You're in a place you hardly know and they provide great recommendations for both food places and things to see.
- Be prepared for currency changeover charges if you use a credit card. Carrying a lot of cash probably isn't great but IIRC every transaction came with a fee for converting USD to GBP. That was also 2009ish so eh.
- Travel judiciously. London is a huge city and it's easy to spend a week there and not scratch the surface. One of the days, we went to Cambridge (nice place) and another we found a bus tour that took us to Bath, Windsor, and Stonehenge. You know, things that tourists should see.
- As others have said, the Underground is a great system. It's the best public transit I've used (counting DC, Chicago, NYC, Boston). Pretty intuitive and covers a lot of ground. Just be careful later at night, some sections only run one-way or close entirely.

I wouldn't worry about your overall attitude much. Don't be afraid to be a little touristy (you are one, after all) but being yourself should be a-ok.