If you have layovers use your laptop to pass the time. Or you can explore and eat somewhere. Just don't keep looking at your watch every 5 mins. It will drive you crazy xDD

....The English (I think all Europeans) eat everything with a knife and fork - except cake. ...

What? Do you tear your chicken apart and toss the bones over your shoulder? I must have mixed in superior American circles but all my friends eat with a knife and fork. They transfer the fork to their right hand to eat, but that's another story. Really messy cake is eaten with a fork. If you have afternoon tea, you will be given one.

lol i'm American. I know how to use a knife and fork :P

and yeah i'm bringing my ipad and buying a keyboard for it..that'll keep me busy. plus eating, drinking, and taking photos of everything. and shopping :P

A US to UK plug adapter looks like this:
http://tinyurl.com/cadvgv5

A US to continental Europe (Schuko) plug looks like this:
http://tinyurl.com/cv5n636

or this (grounded):
http://tinyurl.com/bou4sky

Don't spend more than a few dollars for them. :-)

So i read on a model on Amazon that a "UK" plug won't work in Ireland. True or false?

and yeah i wasn't looking to spend a lot...that one kit was just an idea.

. And you won't need to take off your shoes. Going through Customs will take a while, be patient. They will ask you where you are going and how long you are staying. Don't be offended, they ask EVERYONE the same questions. Many cultures don't wear deodorant and Europeans in general have a different concept of personal space. They also don't smile all the time, but that doesn't mean that they aren't friendly>>

let's just unpack this a little:

<<They only let you take one item on board with you when you leave the UK, even if you're on an American carrier (one bag - not one carryon bag and a purse)>>

not true. it depends on the carrier. we flew on KLM to Amsterdam from B'ham and could have carried on any number of bags.

<<And you won't need to take off your shoes>>

again, not true. it depends on the agent who is dealing with you are the security check. some will some won't.

<<Going through Customs will take a while, be patient. They will ask you where you are going and how long you are staying. Don't be offended, they ask EVERYONE the same questions.>>

that's passport control, not customs. customs is where you are asked of you have anything to declare and [if you are VERY unlucky] may be stopped to have your luggage searched. it's true it may take quite a while.....or even longer.

<<Many cultures don't wear deodorant and Europeans in general have a different concept of personal space. They also don't smile all the time, but that doesn't mean that they aren't friendly>>

i think this means that we smell and look grumpy. which would be understandable if the former statement were true. i'm not sure about europeans having a different concept of personal space [to americans] - i think that there are so many variations within europe that it's difficult to generalise.

sorry to be picky, Kerry!

"So i read on a model on Amazon that a "UK" plug won't work in Ireland. True or false?"

The same as UK: http://www.dochara.com/info/electric...ty-in-ireland/

Kerry has not yet suggested "Try the famous echo in the British Museum Reading Room"
...it's usually cheaper to take a taxi than taking the subway - although the subway can get you there faster...

What s/he calls a subway, in London is officially called the London Underground or colloquially, the Tube.
If you follow a notice saying "subway", you will end up just crossing the road. Subways are a safer way to cross a really busy road, but you have to make sure that you emerge at the right exit. It's utter nonsense to say that a taxi is cheaper than public transport.

MissPrism - i missed those- well spotted.

though to be fair, she does say that if there are three or more of you, it may be cheaper than getting the tube. which with the exorbitant cost of public transport in London, may well be true.

I'm staying with my friend and she's from Manchester, so I'm prolly gonna just stay glued to her side the whole time.

I went through customs in Canada so yeah I know that depending on people, it can take a while.

I have know Middle Eastern folks who will sit RIGHT next to Americans. It weirds us out. lol.

Or people who sit right next to strangers in a movie theater. Weird. lol

Hooameye, that was an excellent, easy to understand, link. Indeed, RoI uses the same three-pin plugs as the UK.

Olliegrl, check the specs on your chargers and devices to insure they say <i>100-240V 50/60 Hz</i> or something similar. All my camera, cellphone, iPad, and computer chargers do. If so, they are designed to be used either with 110-120V 60 Hz or 220-240V 50 Hz electricity, work equally well on either, and should be used only with the adapter plug and not a converter or transformer. :-)

"So i read on a model on Amazon that a "UK" plug won't work in Ireland. True or false?"

False.

_____

I have know Middle Eastern folks who will sit RIGHT next to Americans. It weirds us out. lol.

Really? How many Muslim countries has the United States and Nato invaded? Who has the right to be weirded out? LOL

>>if there are three or more of you, it may be cheaper than getting the tube. which with the exorbitant cost of public transport in London, may well be true.<<

Only for very short journeys (so short that you might as well walk or take a bus), and if you insist on paying cash per ticket. £12 doesn't get you that far in a taxi, either.

Wow Aduchamp1, that wasn't really an invitation to start a political debate...just a comment...calm down.

thanks Heimdall! Good to know! I might try to bum my friend's chargers when I can :P

Olliegirl writes:

Wow Aduchamp1, that wasn't really an invitation to start a political debate...just a comment...calm down.
_____

I figured that response was coming, but adding an LOL does not change the tone and the intent of the comment.

great. congrats. You made your point. you get a cookie.

anyway,

I'm glad to hear that I'm not limited to one bag in the UK...i should just take empty suitcases and buy stuff there lol...ah i'm so excited to go! And is it sad that I'm also excited to be on a plane again? Does anyone else feel that way about planes? lol

I forgot to say in all this I'm travling on Aer Lingus. Are they a pretty good airline as far as comfort, etc?

I'm glad to hear that I'm not limited to one bag in the UK..>>

you might be or you might not - as I said above, it depends on the carrier. typically, airlines like BA, KLM, and Aer lingus do not have limits, ones like ryanair and easyjet do.

but you need to check your own flight details to see what the weight limits and limits on hand luggage are for your flight/s.

right right...i know that i can't take more than a 50lb bag with me on the train to Chicago (where i'm leaving the US from) so I think that'll have to set the tone for luggage for the rest of the trip. In my head I wanna pack everything I own, but in the end, I'll prolly settle for a few items i can mix and match and wear more than once. Gotta get a good pair of walking shoes though.

50lbs?!!

the aer lingus limit is 20kgs in the hold plus one [very strictly applied] carry-on, which their website says must not exceed 10kgs and the dimensions given below:

http://www.aerlingus.com/i18n/en/htm...formation.html

do make sure that the luggage you are using complies with this BEFORE you leave or life could get very expensive.