Weather

Day to day weather is unpredictable due to the maritime influences. Winter to summer temperatures vary from 0 degrees C to 30 degrees C. There are four distinct seasons with cold winters (with snowfall in some areas) and long warm summer days. July and August are the hottest months with the highest amount of rainfall. January and February are the coldest months of the year. This part of the world certainly experiences many grey skies and showers!

Visa, Immigration, Customs

Passport valid for at least 6 months beyond your scheduled length of stay. If it is not apparent to a border official that you are only visiting United Kingdom (by presenting your itinerary and/or return ticket) you might be asked to provide the address of your accommodations and your planned departure date. Regulations change periodically. Please contact the consulate office closest to you.

Visa/Permit/Tourist Card:No visa is required for stays of up to 90 days. Single parents or other adults vacationing alone with children should be aware that some countries require documentary evidence of parental responsibility before allowing lone parents to enter the country or, in some cases, before permitting the children to leave the country.

Transportation

There are a number of international and domestic airports serviced by many airline companies. Some of the well known ones include British Airways, Easyjet, British Midland, Aer Lingus and ScotAirways and Air Canada. There are many more. Regular schedules will take you over 40 domestic destinations.

Airports in United Kingdom:There are 127 airports in United Kingdom.

Travel by Rail:An extensive network of railroads connect most of the UK. There are also local services and of course the Underground in London, Liverpool, Glasgow and Newcastle.

Travel by Water:You can meander your way through the canal networks or catch a ferry to destinations in Scotland, Ireland, the Channel islands and the Isle of Man.

Travel by Road:The road network is extensive and certainly of an international standard. The smaller country lanes may take some manoeuvring though!! Car hire is available at airports and just about any city and town. Road rules are strongly enforced, particularly drunk driving.There are numerous bus companies which offer services in and around cities, suburbs and villages as well as intercity travel. Many privately owned coach companies offer specialised tours to various destinations and 'interest' specific tours, such as heritage tours or castle tours. Taxis are metered and readily available.

What Side of the Road?:Driving is on the left side of the road.

Speed Limits:Town - 48 kph; open road - 96 kph; motorway - 112 kph

Culture & Food

Languages Spoken: English, Welsh (about 26% of the population of Wales), Scottish form of Gaelic (about 60,000 in Scotland).

Religions:Anglican and Roman Catholic 40 million, Muslim 1.5 million, Presbyterian 800,000, Methodist 760,000, Sikh 500,000, Hindu 500,000.

People and Culture:Each region within the UK has their own distinct heritage and culture. For example, the Scots are known for their kilts, bagpipes and Scottish dancing, the Irish have put 'green' back on the map with St. Patrick's day and the four leaf clover. The British of course, have contributed to football's fame and the origins of cricket and rugby. The British Royal Family is an institution in itself. Music, literature, art, dance and of course the West End shows make up the many faceted culture. Their culture is steeped in history dating back centuries to the Urnfields, Celts and Gauls. More modern history is revealed in the many Roman remains scattered throughout the country. English, Welsh and Gaelic (spoken in Scotland) are the official languages. The Welsh male voice choir is something else that has spread far and wide!

A resident or national of United Kingdom is called "Briton (singular), British (plural)". The Term used to describe things from here is "British". For example, "British food".

Tipping and Bargaining: Tipping is practiced, but with these rules. Do tip in restaurants, except for those that have already added a 10-15% service charge. Do not tip cash at the bar in a pub. You may offer to buy the barkeep a drink.

Restaurants:	10 - 15%
*Porters:	0.50 Pounds Sterling per bag
Taxi:	10 - 15%

* Try to use local currency. Foreign coins cannot be exchanged and will be useless to the person receiving them. Foreign paper money requires a trip to the bank for exchange. However paper US dollars are accepted almost universally.

Food:In Great Britain "afternoon tea" is around 4:00 p.m. "Tea" is the evening meal served from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. and "supper" is a late night snack. Join the Irish for beef stew and Guinness, savour strawberries and cream at Wimbledon or settle down to a hearty English Breakfast. Yorkshire puddings, scones and breakfast muffins are a few dishes the British have exported around the world, not to mention their incessant love of tea!. Fish, chips and mushy peas is a local treat sold just about everywhere. Besides the famous and delicious Scotch whiskey, you may want to try their national dish, haggis. It is the liver, heart and lungs of sheep mixed with onion and spices and neatly wrapped up in the stomach lining. Delicious I am told!! There are pubs galore and other great restaurants offering Asian, French and other international cuisines. Restaurants can however be somewhat pricey!

Money Conversion

United Kingdom's currency is called the British Pound (GBP).

Currency Converter :use the following currency converter tool to help you with your vacation. Currency Convertor Tool

Currency Cheat Sheet: use the following currency cheat sheet as a quick conversion reference on your vacation.Currency Cheat Sheet

Attractions

Destination Cities:The cosmopolitan capital is London. Famous landmarks include The Houses of Parliament, London Bridge, The London Eye, the Tower of London (and the Beefeaters), Buckingham Palace (and the changing of the guard), Big Ben, Trafalgar Square, Westminster Abbey and Piccadilly Circus. The famous Madame Tussaud's Wax Museum, St. James Park, Hyde Park (with speaker's corner), Dickens's House, the new Princess Diana memorial Fountain, Natural History Museum, National Art Gallery, The London Dungeon and perhaps a leisurely walk past 10 Downing Street is all well worth your while. If you're interested, The Big Bus Company will give you a guided tour around London. This exciting city has a couple of hundred galleries, more museums and enough daily events to keep you going for a year. Decisions, decisions.....

Edinburgh is a charming city, built on volcanic outcrops. Edinburgh Castle is impressive and will give you an amazing view of the city from its high vantage point. Visit the Queen's official residence here, the Palace of Holyroodhouse. The Old Town must not be missed, where you can see the Flodden Wall, Surgeon's Square and the High School yards. Holyrood Park is a great place to get away from it all and soak up some tranquility. It is home to the Salisbury Crags, Dunsapie Loch and the ruins of St. Anthony's Chapel. There a number of art galleries such as the Royal Scottish Academy and the National Gallery of Scotland. Those interested in a bit of culture, take in a show at the Kings Theatre or the Royal Lyceum Theatre. Other interesting places are the Commonwealth Pool (one of the biggest in the UK), the Botanical Gardens, the zoo and the Wax Museum. Edinburgh and its surrounds are a golfer's mecca!! Treat yourself to a spa or relax while strolling through one of the many stately homes in the area. Depending on the time of year you may be in for one of the many festivals held here. If not enjoy Scottish Music and Dance at a local pub.

A trip to Northern Ireland will bring you to the city of Belfast. Attractions include Cave Hill, Belfast Zoo, Ulster Museum, Home Front Heritage Centre, Crown Liquor Saloon and Botanical Gardens. The City Hall and St Anne's Cathedral are worth a 'look-see' too. You may want to take a stroll along the wharf where the Titanic was built or go farther a field to the Ulster Folk and Transport Museum. The countryside is great for golf, walks, horseback riding and fishing.

Points of Interest:Parts of Windsor Castle, the official residence of the Queen, are open to the public. Not too far from here is Eton Collegeand an amazing amusement park for children, Legoland. Warwick Castle is an amazing experience. Here you can take a tour of the castle, with wax works, towers, a 'haunted tower', the dungeon, a rose garden and conservatory. It is a day's outing well worth visiting. The Lake District is a popular destination. Wonderful lakes, rolling hills, typical stone fences and the Beatrice Potter countryside. Old mills, lazy sheep and quaint shops await you here. For a visit to 'real' England, tour the Cotswolds. It is a large area made up of towns and villages with amazing caramel-coloured architecture. Villages such as Burford and Stow-on-the Wold are quaint with great tea shops and stores. Blackpool is a well known seaside resort town with amusement parks and a great holiday feel. You may wish to visit the birthplace of William Shakespeare - Stratford-upon-Avon. Not only can you visit his home, but the village itself is in a beautiful setting on the river Avon. Visit the only natural hot springs in England, Bath or The Beamish Open Air Museum, where you can learn and watch how people worked and lived at the beginning of the 19th century. For a holiday with a difference, the Mucklewick Horse and Carriage Driving Holiday is a must. Celtica in Wales, will give you the rich history of the Celtic culture and heritage. Wales is a wonderful spot for diving, fishing and boating. They also have numerous old railway lines and museums. You may wish to climb the highest mountain in the British Isles, Ben Nevis or Britain’s biggest ski resort, Cairn Gorm. Both of these are in Scotland. And the list goes on.......