Need Advice for UK trip!
Feb 20th, 2003, 04:34 PM
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Need Advice for UK trip!
Hello all,
So here is the plan, and any advice would be greatly appreciated:
My friend and I are graduating high school on May 26. We will be taking a trip to the U.K. shortly there after.
First off, we havent decided on a set date mainly because I will not be 18 until June 14th. Naturally, I would like to go to pubs and clubs while I am there, but I am afraid I will be carded and not be able to fully enjoy myself because of my age. I have heard hardly any pubs/clubs card people, true? I look/act old for my age, will that help? Another question I have is, Is there anything bad with going to the UK in the middle of June VS. the end of May? We are planning on staying 2 weeks so the suggested dates would be May 30-June 16 or June 15-June 30. Which would be better? (keep in mind the age factor though..)
Second, the plans we have thrown around are as follows: Arrive in London-stay for 3 days. Take train or some kind of transportation York or Manchester (anyone have a preference?) and stay for 2 days. Take transporatation up to Edinburgh for 3 days, then ferry over to Dublin for 4 days. (Some how we have to get from Edinburgh to a ferry station...Train? Car?)Then back to London for the remaining 3 days- leave late for Atlanta (my hometown). Sound too packed? We tryed to space our the cities so we are not so rushed, but nevertheless, there is so much to see and two weeks might not cut it.
Third, we are clueless on money. We have heard the UK in general is very pricey, but we are planning on staying on hostels, buying food at the grocery store, and saving our money to spend on transporation and material things. For two weeks considering our plans, how much would ideal?
Fourth, is it a bad idea to buy a train pass? Since we are not going to be on it TOO much, would it be just as expensive to play for tickets each time we plan on entering/leaving a city?
I think that is all. Once again, thank for the help....we need it!
Lauren
So here is the plan, and any advice would be greatly appreciated:
My friend and I are graduating high school on May 26. We will be taking a trip to the U.K. shortly there after.
First off, we havent decided on a set date mainly because I will not be 18 until June 14th. Naturally, I would like to go to pubs and clubs while I am there, but I am afraid I will be carded and not be able to fully enjoy myself because of my age. I have heard hardly any pubs/clubs card people, true? I look/act old for my age, will that help? Another question I have is, Is there anything bad with going to the UK in the middle of June VS. the end of May? We are planning on staying 2 weeks so the suggested dates would be May 30-June 16 or June 15-June 30. Which would be better? (keep in mind the age factor though..)
Second, the plans we have thrown around are as follows: Arrive in London-stay for 3 days. Take train or some kind of transportation York or Manchester (anyone have a preference?) and stay for 2 days. Take transporatation up to Edinburgh for 3 days, then ferry over to Dublin for 4 days. (Some how we have to get from Edinburgh to a ferry station...Train? Car?)Then back to London for the remaining 3 days- leave late for Atlanta (my hometown). Sound too packed? We tryed to space our the cities so we are not so rushed, but nevertheless, there is so much to see and two weeks might not cut it.
Third, we are clueless on money. We have heard the UK in general is very pricey, but we are planning on staying on hostels, buying food at the grocery store, and saving our money to spend on transporation and material things. For two weeks considering our plans, how much would ideal?
Fourth, is it a bad idea to buy a train pass? Since we are not going to be on it TOO much, would it be just as expensive to play for tickets each time we plan on entering/leaving a city?
I think that is all. Once again, thank for the help....we need it!
Lauren
Feb 20th, 2003, 04:59 PM
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1. I think drinking age in restaurants is 16 in the UK. I don't know this for certain.
2. Your trip can be done but there is a fair amount of travel.
3. Rail passes are generally more expensive than buying a few tickets unless you plan on sleeping on the train. Some people buy passes because they are scared of language problems. My Japlish is understandable in the UK but I sometimes carry a pad of paper when my French-panese is not understandable.
3. There will be more crowds in June but you probably won't notice fewer tourists in May.
4. Consider Easyjet to Edinburgh or Glasgow to save time. They fly several domestic routes but I don't know exactly which ones. (www.easyjet.com)
5. London is as pricey as New York. I have been to Atlanta, which is cheap. Hotels are expensive in London. Food is somewhat expensive, though I bought expensive food at Marks and Spencer.
6. Drinking age in France, Italy, and Belgium is 16, I think. If you eat with a French family, they will give you some wine as long as you are about 5 years old. The legal drinking age in Poland and Portugal is 1 year old, I think.
2. Your trip can be done but there is a fair amount of travel.
3. Rail passes are generally more expensive than buying a few tickets unless you plan on sleeping on the train. Some people buy passes because they are scared of language problems. My Japlish is understandable in the UK but I sometimes carry a pad of paper when my French-panese is not understandable.
3. There will be more crowds in June but you probably won't notice fewer tourists in May.
4. Consider Easyjet to Edinburgh or Glasgow to save time. They fly several domestic routes but I don't know exactly which ones. (www.easyjet.com)
5. London is as pricey as New York. I have been to Atlanta, which is cheap. Hotels are expensive in London. Food is somewhat expensive, though I bought expensive food at Marks and Spencer.
6. Drinking age in France, Italy, and Belgium is 16, I think. If you eat with a French family, they will give you some wine as long as you are about 5 years old. The legal drinking age in Poland and Portugal is 1 year old, I think.
Feb 20th, 2003, 05:56 PM
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My experience with Europe is that it is as pricey as you want it to be...
No sense in wasting a lot of money on your hotel, because spending a LOT on a hotel will get you a room comparable to Hotel 6 here... They just make them small over there.
Figure your hotel to be a bed and shower and save as much as you can.
In fact, I've never been a huge fan, but if you are wanting to save money you should check out Rick Steve's books on travel. He's ALL ABOUT your kind of trip.
As for FOOD, with it being England, you won't be as tempted to spend a lot of money trying the local cuisine <grin> since they aren't known for that. And they have BK and McDonalds and similar stuff that will let you eat for under $10 a meal if you must.
The tourist restaraunts will be more expensive than they should be, but you can find cheap eats. Especially in England where the language barrier is "almost" non-existant.
Get a tube (subway) pass for travel and walk a lot and you can have a blast on a budget in England IMHO.
No sense in wasting a lot of money on your hotel, because spending a LOT on a hotel will get you a room comparable to Hotel 6 here... They just make them small over there.
Figure your hotel to be a bed and shower and save as much as you can.
In fact, I've never been a huge fan, but if you are wanting to save money you should check out Rick Steve's books on travel. He's ALL ABOUT your kind of trip.
As for FOOD, with it being England, you won't be as tempted to spend a lot of money trying the local cuisine <grin> since they aren't known for that. And they have BK and McDonalds and similar stuff that will let you eat for under $10 a meal if you must.
The tourist restaraunts will be more expensive than they should be, but you can find cheap eats. Especially in England where the language barrier is "almost" non-existant.
Get a tube (subway) pass for travel and walk a lot and you can have a blast on a budget in England IMHO.
Feb 20th, 2003, 10:34 PM
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A few comments: I would go in June -- not because of the "age thing" but because the days are long, the weather will likely be warmer, etc. British kids don't get out of school until the middle of July so crowds won't be problem in June.
Your basic plan is fine but getting to Ireland by ferry from Edinburgh is a REAL problem. There is no ferry to Dublin from Scotland. The main ferry goes from Stranraer in the very far SW of Scotland to Belfast in Northern Ireland. Then you'd have to take a train down to Dublin. Getting from Edinburgh to Stranraer to Belfast to Dublin will take HOURS - in fact an entire day or even overnight if you don't make your connections. (You could fly to Dublin from Glasgow.)
But for this trip you will be better off skipping Ireland. Spend that time in Scotland - go up to Aberdeen, or over to Skye, or to Glasgow. Then travel back down to London to fly home.
Your basic plan is fine but getting to Ireland by ferry from Edinburgh is a REAL problem. There is no ferry to Dublin from Scotland. The main ferry goes from Stranraer in the very far SW of Scotland to Belfast in Northern Ireland. Then you'd have to take a train down to Dublin. Getting from Edinburgh to Stranraer to Belfast to Dublin will take HOURS - in fact an entire day or even overnight if you don't make your connections. (You could fly to Dublin from Glasgow.)
But for this trip you will be better off skipping Ireland. Spend that time in Scotland - go up to Aberdeen, or over to Skye, or to Glasgow. Then travel back down to London to fly home.
Feb 20th, 2003, 11:18 PM
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Providing you look 18 and don't act like a schoolkid you won't have problems in pubs/clubs. Lots of kids in the UK go clubbing and drinking.
York vs Manchester - depends what you want. If you are interested in seeing some history and 'olde england' stuff then York. If you want to go clubbing/nightlife and wannabe spotting then Manchester. Manchester does have some excellent art galleries though including the new(ish) Lowry centre.
I agree with the other posters in leaving out Ireland it's doable just probably not worth the time/expense for just a couple of days - you would be better off adding those days to the places you are already going to.
Foodwise as well as fast food places -cheap places to eat include pubs - the quality is variable but there are chains like Wetherspoons who serve OK food at a reasonable price(£5-£6 a head) (even in London) and who's beer is also cheap and they serve lots of real ales. Aslo getting alcohol if you are eating will also be easier. Indian restaurants are also good value (you can stuff yourself for under £10)- if you go to Manachester you must go to the 'Curry Mile'. And Wagamama is good for filling bowls of noodle soup (£7)they have branches in London and Manchester.
Enjoy your trip - for more ideas on you budget I'd check out www.roughguides.com (sorry fodors)
York vs Manchester - depends what you want. If you are interested in seeing some history and 'olde england' stuff then York. If you want to go clubbing/nightlife and wannabe spotting then Manchester. Manchester does have some excellent art galleries though including the new(ish) Lowry centre.
I agree with the other posters in leaving out Ireland it's doable just probably not worth the time/expense for just a couple of days - you would be better off adding those days to the places you are already going to.
Foodwise as well as fast food places -cheap places to eat include pubs - the quality is variable but there are chains like Wetherspoons who serve OK food at a reasonable price(£5-£6 a head) (even in London) and who's beer is also cheap and they serve lots of real ales. Aslo getting alcohol if you are eating will also be easier. Indian restaurants are also good value (you can stuff yourself for under £10)- if you go to Manachester you must go to the 'Curry Mile'. And Wagamama is good for filling bowls of noodle soup (£7)they have branches in London and Manchester.
Enjoy your trip - for more ideas on you budget I'd check out www.roughguides.com (sorry fodors)
Feb 20th, 2003, 11:23 PM
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I don't think the dates matter much. late May and late June are both pretty nice times to visit.
You are unlikely to be "carded". In any case you can visit pubs (clubs often have a higher age limit for entry- commonly 21; not the law, just their rules) and not drink alcohol quite legally.
If you're doing Ireland, the bus will be cheaper to Stranraer or Troon, but train via Glasgow is nicer.
Have a wonderful time
You are unlikely to be "carded". In any case you can visit pubs (clubs often have a higher age limit for entry- commonly 21; not the law, just their rules) and not drink alcohol quite legally.
If you're doing Ireland, the bus will be cheaper to Stranraer or Troon, but train via Glasgow is nicer.
Have a wonderful time
Feb 21st, 2003, 12:45 AM
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The drinking age in the UK is 18. There is no ID card system in the country, and the individual bartender or publican uses his/her judgement as to if you are old enough.
I don't think it will matter much when you go. If you can get a lower airfare for a departure in May, take it, otherwise I would opt for June. The weather is likely to be better then, although there are no guarantees when it comes to the British climate.
If you have to choose between York and Manchester, go to York. I agree with other posters that it would be wise to leave out the Dublin segment of your trip. Edinburgh, on the east coast of Scotland, isn't the logical place to look for a ferry to Ireland. Instead, you should spend a few extra days in Scotland, maybe going into the highlands and the Western Isles. Or you could spend those extra days in England, visiting such places as Bath, Oxford, Stratford Upon Avon, Cambridge, or any number of other places. There is much more to England and Scotland than their major cities.
I don't think it will matter much when you go. If you can get a lower airfare for a departure in May, take it, otherwise I would opt for June. The weather is likely to be better then, although there are no guarantees when it comes to the British climate.
If you have to choose between York and Manchester, go to York. I agree with other posters that it would be wise to leave out the Dublin segment of your trip. Edinburgh, on the east coast of Scotland, isn't the logical place to look for a ferry to Ireland. Instead, you should spend a few extra days in Scotland, maybe going into the highlands and the Western Isles. Or you could spend those extra days in England, visiting such places as Bath, Oxford, Stratford Upon Avon, Cambridge, or any number of other places. There is much more to England and Scotland than their major cities.
Feb 21st, 2003, 02:18 AM
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A gloss on the age/ID thing. In using their judgement, individual publicans might ask for some ID if they think you look under 18. In some places where there have been problems with excessive under-age drinking the police have been encouraging publicans to get together on this point. You're not likely to have a problem if you're drinking with a meal, or not over-loud or obviously drunk already, but it could be worth having some sort of ID to hand (NOT the original of your passport, you don't want to lose it), or be ready to make a polite exit and try elsewhere.
Feb 21st, 2003, 03:04 AM
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If you do want to visit Dublin on this trip, then fly there from Edinburgh. www.ryanair.com or www.flyaerlingus.com are probably your best bets. It shouldn't be overly expensive.
If you are determined to catch the ferry I would do it on your return to London. www.nationalexpress.com will allow you to buy a ticket from Dublin to London using coach and ferry travel. That said it will take a lot longer and probably cost more thana flight on Ryanair.
If you are determined to catch the ferry I would do it on your return to London. www.nationalexpress.com will allow you to buy a ticket from Dublin to London using coach and ferry travel. That said it will take a lot longer and probably cost more thana flight on Ryanair.
Feb 21st, 2003, 07:39 AM
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I'll add to the vote to skip Dublin this time around... too much hassle for a few days. Spend it in Skye for some lonely, rugged beauty, or down in Bath for some good English/Roman history, or Brighton for some carnival type fun.
Also, check out the Youth Hostel network, it is excellent in the UK. For a very small annual membership (about $25?) you can stay and any of them for around £10 to £15 a night, some even cheaper. They have showers, beds, and breakfast... and they're everywhere! Some are even made from renovated castles!
Food, no problem. grocery stores (Safeway, Marks and Spencer) is definitely the cheapest way to go, backpack a picnic lunch
I can't help you with train advice, but others have, so you're good.
The common truth in the UK is, if you can reach the bar, you can have a drink. You should be fine.
Have a wonderful time! You will make memories that you will treasure forever!
If you haven't checked out www.studentuniverse.com for cheap student airfares, do so!
Also, lonelyplanet.com has lots of backpacking and budget travelling advice, as does ricksteves.com.
Also, check out the Youth Hostel network, it is excellent in the UK. For a very small annual membership (about $25?) you can stay and any of them for around £10 to £15 a night, some even cheaper. They have showers, beds, and breakfast... and they're everywhere! Some are even made from renovated castles!
Food, no problem. grocery stores (Safeway, Marks and Spencer) is definitely the cheapest way to go, backpack a picnic lunch
I can't help you with train advice, but others have, so you're good.
The common truth in the UK is, if you can reach the bar, you can have a drink. You should be fine.
Have a wonderful time! You will make memories that you will treasure forever!
If you haven't checked out www.studentuniverse.com for cheap student airfares, do so!
Also, lonelyplanet.com has lots of backpacking and budget travelling advice, as does ricksteves.com.
Feb 21st, 2003, 07:51 AM
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don't worry about the pubs/clubs - you should be fine. Buying something like Time Out gives a good guide to cool bars/clubs etc.
As regards food - whilst the UK isn't noted for its cuisine you probably find a greater variety than in most US cities. In my patch (Hammersmith) - theres Indian, Chinese, Thai, Ethiopian, Spanish, Portuguese Piri Piri, Japanse, Italian, modern British, Polish, Persian and Morrocan resturants all within a 10 minute walk. You don't have to resort to Macdonalds or KFC.
As regards food - whilst the UK isn't noted for its cuisine you probably find a greater variety than in most US cities. In my patch (Hammersmith) - theres Indian, Chinese, Thai, Ethiopian, Spanish, Portuguese Piri Piri, Japanse, Italian, modern British, Polish, Persian and Morrocan resturants all within a 10 minute walk. You don't have to resort to Macdonalds or KFC.
Feb 21st, 2003, 08:02 AM
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You might want to check out buying a youth rail pass. You must purchase it before you go to the UK. Cost for an 8 day pass is $215. A flex pass good for 4 days out of a two month period is $185. The good thing about them is that you can take any train at any time as many times a day as you like. Let me know if I can be of additional help.
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