Travel Series: England

The great country of England has a special place in my heart for many reasons, one of those reasons being Wimbledon. Not familiar with Wimbledon? It is the most prestigious Grand Slam Tennis events held on grass courts you could ever go/participate in. ANYWAYS- On top of the famous grass court tourney, England is known for being the most populated country in all of the United Kingdom. The country is rich in culture and history which makes your trip worth it big time. On top of that, there is no language barrier! Alas- no more awkward hand signaling to people! My husband Levi and I had the chance to go for part of our honeymoon, and it was an amazing time. We spent the first half in Jamaica and then second half in England to watch Wimbledon of course!

It is important to know the ins and outs of a country and how it operates before you go! I mentioned in my travel post earlier about making sure you get your currency at your bank, not at the airport for obvious inflation reasons. I will get to the point here in a moment and give you all of my advice on traveling to England!

Simple Knowledge

The Currency

The Currency in Great Britain is the British Pound Sterling. The great thing about the British Pound is that is can also be used in Northern Ireland, Wales, and Scotland too if you are going to any of those destinations! Be careful, because the British pound is so much stronger than the dollar right now, and you will be paying nearly double for anything at this current time. Confused on currency rates? Check out this website for help. England is very expensive! Budget accordingly. *My golden rule when traveling: Bring more money, not more "things."

Transportation

The Tube

Unlike in the United States, you do not necessarily need a car when you go to England (London especially). In London, the easiest way to get around is with an Oyster Card. These cards serve as your ticket to navigating the underground "tube" that connects London. You will probably be charged for activating the card which will cost around 5 British Pounds, so don't get the card get too low, otherwise you will have to activate it again! When you wave your oyster card in front of the reader it will let you know your balance each time when you pass through to get on the trains. These are a great investment because they work on buses and ferries around London too! They don't work at the Heathrow airport though!

Taxis

They are downright expensive in London, try Uber instead!

Walk

We did SO much walking when we were in London, and hardly needed a vehicle. This is a good option for the city, but may not work once you leave for other cities around England!

BritRail Pass or Bus

BritRail passes are especially good when you are wanting to see the sites hours outside of London like Bath, Stonehenge, Salisbury, Cardiff, or even Hexham. If you are planning on traveling across England it is best to buy a BritRail Pass.If you are just wanting to take a day trip from London to Stonehenge, or Bath you can easily jump on a tour bus that drives you out there. We did this to Stonehenge, and it was well worth the money and time spent learning on our way there. There are bus tours EVERYWHERE in London, so you will not have a problem finding them :)

Be mindful that they drive on the "other side of the road" over in England, so be sure to look BOTH WAYS when crossing the street. It can get a little scary being so turned around when you first get there, so take it slow. I almost got ran over by a car a time or two : )

Dining

Water. This is a big topic for me since this is pretty much all I drink- like ever. Your server won't automatically bring you water, you will have to order it and you will probably have to pay for the bottle. Drink re-fills in the UK and all over Europe are not very common so know upfront you will probably be charged for another drink if you order one. Ice is rarely ever added to drinks, so if you want ice be sure to ask for it.

England is a very very diverse country, so you will find very authentic Indian, Italian, Oriental, and Middle Eastern restaurants. They make you feel like you have been transported to that country (the food is THAT good). Normal British cuisine is going to be Fish&Chips, Sausage and Mashed potatoes, and Pimm's of course. I don't drink alcohol myself for a lot of different reasons, but the British sure do know how to drink Beer as well. If that is your cup of tea (no pun intended), you will find many Pubs around London to indulge in.

English Breakfast: Eggs cooked in a light oil, sausage, toast, blood pudding (yuck!!!), and beans. Tea is readily available in England anywhere you go. One of my other all time favorite English sides for breakfast is Strawberries and Cream!

English Tea

There are a few types of "tea time" in England

Elevenses: this is the morning tea that happens around 11:00am, and tea will be coupled with a scone or pastry with a small break to your workday.

Afternoon Tea: This formal tea is served with pastries, scones, and sandwiches. This tea happens around 3:00-4:00 pm, or if you are going by military time (which is used all over the world) it will be around 15:00 or 16:00.

High Tea: This tea originally started off as associating with the lower class, and now has morphed to the entire country no matter your status. It is usually served right after you get off work around 17:00 (5:00pm) to hold you over until dinner at 19:30 (7:30) or 20:00 (8:00).

And finally, to wrap up dining it is best to tip 10% in England. It can be confusing as many countries close by in Europe don't require tips and sometimes in England they automatically add it to your bill so just double check. Your waiter also will be in NO rush to take your plate away when you are done eating. Opposite of the United States, people actually like to sit and enjoy their meals even when they are done eating.

See The Sites

If you are heading to England, here are some of the must see places!