Things You Should Know Before Traveling to The United Kingdom

The United Kingdom is a pretty diverse country that’s perfect place to discover at any time of the year. In the summer or winter, you still can find a suitable destination or activity to explore. There are a few things that you should know before traveling to UK. Hope that these experiences will help you feel comfortable with your first trip to UK.

People love to talk about the weather

If you have small talk with the natives here, just start your conversation with weather topic. It is very simple but effective tip. Most people will be happy to complain about whatever weather conditions they’re currently experiencing.

Animals Should Have Passports

If you want to bring your pet with you, remember that animals should have passports to enter UK. In 2013, the United Kingdom government passed a law that requires every equine to have a passport. This includes horses, donkeys, ponies, zebras, and other related animals. You may be fined £5,000 if your horse travels without a passport.

Never, ever jump a queue

People in England takes queuing incredibly seriously, so much so that you sometimes need to take a ticket as proof of your place in a queue. One of the most offensive things that you can do in England is to push into a queue. So when you are in the UK, remember to follow the rules, know your place and get in line.

Basic Rules of the Road in the UK

Each country has different basic rules for driving. Here are some basic rule that you should know when driving in the UK.

• Drive on the left hand side of the road
• Observe all posted speed limits and road signs
• Don’t drive if you are over the legal blood alcohol limit
• You must stop at all STOP signs and red traffic lights
• Everyone in the vehicle must wear a seat belt (see below for exceptions to this rule)
• Obey all directions given by police officers
• Give way to all emergency vehicles which have their sirens and/or lights flashing

England, Great Britain and the United Kingdom all refer to different things

Many people confuse these three terms to mention the same thing. But no, ‘England’ refers to the country itself, ‘Great Britain’ includes the mainland of England, Scotland and Wales and the ‘United Kingdom’ includes Northern Ireland under its umbrella.

Mastering the use of two taps

Normally, you may see the rest of the world uses one tap that fuses hot and cold water to offer different temperatures. In England, be prepared for freezing cold (yet beautifully drinkable) water streaming from the cold tap and scalding hot (usually with a warning sign) water rushing from the hot tap.

‘Sorry’ isn’t always an apology

The word ‘sorry’ has many meanings in England. It is used in the traditional way to apologies to somebody, but it is also used if someone is barging past and wants you to get out of their way, or when someone hasn’t heard what you said and would like you to repeat your sentence

Train prices are extortionate

The railway may have been invented in England, but that doesn’t mean that rail fares come cheap. If you’re planning on traveling around, look into hiring a car or taking your journey by coach if you want to save on pricey train fares.

Now check if you need a UK tourist visa for traveling this country to prepare everything for your trip.