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Practical Tips for Visiting the UK: Top 10 FAQs Answered · UK Travel Planning

• 0:01
  SPEAKER_00: Welcome to the UK Travel Planning Podcast.
• 0:04
  SPEAKER_00: Your host is the founder of the UK travel planning website, Tracy Collins.
• 0:09
  SPEAKER_00: In this podcast, Tracy shares destination guides, travel tips, and itinerary ideas, as well as interviews with a variety of guests who share their knowledge and experience of UK travel to help you plan your perfect UK vacation.
• 0:24
  SPEAKER_00: Join us as we explore the UK from cosmopolitan cities to great villages, from historic castles to beautiful islands, and from the picturesque countryside to seaside towns.
• 0:37
  SPEAKER_01: Hi and welcome to episode 47 of the UK Travel Planner Podcast.
• 0:42
  SPEAKER_01: In this episode, we are talking about practical tips for visiting the UK with your top 10 frequently asked questions answered.
• 0:50
  SPEAKER_01: That wasn't very easy to say, Doug.
• 0:52
  SPEAKER_01: No, it wasn't.
• 0:53
  SPEAKER_01: So this week Doug and I are back to kind of go through um the 10 questions that we get asked most often about kind of general visit travel to the UK.
• 1:03
  SPEAKER_01: There are a couple in here about London, but mainly we've done about kind of the general things that we get asked.
• 1:10
  SPEAKER_01: So we've kind of come up with 10, haven't we?
• 1:12
  SPEAKER_02: We have, yeah.
• 1:13
  SPEAKER_01: So we're gonna just head into it, straight into it.
• 1:16
  SPEAKER_01: So the biggest question we're asked is where do I find information about planning my trip to the UK?
• 1:22
  SPEAKER_01: Um so our answer kind of is through the UK travel planner website, the London Travel Planner website, this podcast, um, our private Facebook community, which is the UK and London Travel Planning uh Facebook group, or the UK Train Travel Tips Facebook group, which Doug Runs.
• 1:41
  SPEAKER_01: Uh you can join our email list um and get newsletters.
• 1:45
  SPEAKER_01: Um also you can buy our ebooks such as our guide to the UK train travel.
• 1:50
  SPEAKER_01: Um, our London travel guide and itinerary planner, and our best of Britain itinerary planner.
• 1:55
  SPEAKER_01: So we have a loads of research resources for you.
• 1:59
  SPEAKER_01: We have lots and lots of articles on both websites, um, and constantly adding new things on.
• 2:05
  SPEAKER_01: And you know, join our Facebook community, come and chat, come and meet us, come and ask questions in there.
• 2:10
  SPEAKER_01: So, really, UK travel planning has absolutely everything that you need to plan your perfect UK vacation.
• 2:16
  SPEAKER_01: So that answered that question.
• 2:18
  SPEAKER_02: It did.
• 2:19
  SPEAKER_02: I'll read the number two out of that.
• 2:20
  SPEAKER_02: Okay, then you go for it.
• 2:21
  SPEAKER_02: What are the options for connecting to the internet in the UK?
• 2:25
  SPEAKER_01: Okay, so we get asked that question.
• 2:28
  SPEAKER_01: Uh, what maybe once, twice, three times, four times a day in the Facebook group.
• 2:33
  SPEAKER_01: Probably.
• 2:33
  SPEAKER_01: Um, so this comes up quite a lot, and I understand why.
• 2:36
  SPEAKER_01: This is something that really I always freaks me out.
• 2:38
  SPEAKER_01: I always get a bit like, so how am I gonna make sure that I connect to the internet?
• 2:41
  SPEAKER_02: Well, that's it, we all rely on connectivity wherever we are.
• 2:44
  SPEAKER_01: Absolutely, absolutely.
• 2:45
  SPEAKER_01: So basically, you've got five options.
• 2:46
  SPEAKER_01: You can go for free Wi-Fi.
• 2:48
  SPEAKER_01: Uh, and most hotels in the UK do have free Wi-Fi, and you'll find it lots of hotspots all over the place.
• 2:54
  SPEAKER_01: So you'll find it museums, coffee shops, fast food restaurants.
• 2:57
  SPEAKER_01: So you can get free Wi-Fi.
• 2:59
  SPEAKER_01: Obviously, the downside of that is it's not often not secure, so you need to think about having a VPN on your phone or device.
• 3:05
  SPEAKER_02: I get I always say train stations, but also many train operators have a free Wi-Fi now as well.
• 3:11
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, they do, absolutely.
• 3:12
  SPEAKER_01: Um, so that is one.
• 3:13
  SPEAKER_01: If you really want to save some money, you can access kind of free Wi-Fi.
• 3:17
  SPEAKER_01: The second option is to use a portable Wi-Fi device such as um Skyrim SOLIS, which actually Doug and I um use.
• 3:24
  SPEAKER_01: We we preferred that because if we're traveling together, we can tether laptops to it, iPads, to it, phones to it.
• 3:30
  SPEAKER_01: Um, and and it worked out pretty well for us in the UK last year, didn't it?
• 3:34
  SPEAKER_02: It did.
• 3:34
  SPEAKER_02: We used the uh GPS lot as well, didn't we?
• 3:37
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, so it was really it was really good.
• 3:39
  SPEAKER_01: Um so that's an option, and that's really good if there's quite a few of you traveling together.
• 3:43
  SPEAKER_01: Um, another option is that obviously you can contact your mobile provider in whichever country you're in and check what their international plan is and arrange for a day pass.
• 3:52
  SPEAKER_01: We do find that can be quite expensive, but obviously that's something you need to kind of you know check out with your provider.
• 3:59
  SPEAKER_01: And you know, some have international calling that are built in, which I know is quite important for some people if you kind of want to be able to make phone calls.
• 4:07
  SPEAKER_01: Um, but really just take note of how much that's gonna cost on and what your limits on on data are and the ability to make calls and texts.
• 4:14
  SPEAKER_02: That's it.
• 4:14
  SPEAKER_02: The last thing you want to do when you get back home is to find a oh a huge bill, yeah, yeah, yeah.
• 4:19
  SPEAKER_01: I mean, we just keep our phones on airflow mode, aren't we?
• 4:22
  SPEAKER_01: Um so the other option is just to buy a sim card, which you can do before you leave or when you get to the UK.
• 4:27
  SPEAKER_01: So you'll find there's plenty of sim cards for sale in the supermarkets and stores.
• 4:31
  SPEAKER_01: Um just make sure that that your phone is unlocked and that you can swap it over.
• 4:36
  SPEAKER_02: That's it.
• 4:36
  SPEAKER_02: And I've seen the um people flying in uh Blies of Heathrow, plenty of options and um various places you can buy sim cards and whatever.
• 4:48
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, um, and the other and you know that that they can be quite reasonable.
• 4:52
  SPEAKER_01: And then the other option is um the new one, which is eSIM technology, or it's new to me, um, which but again you have to check if your phone is eStim enabled, um is compatible, um, and that you can actually do it.
• 5:05
  SPEAKER_01: So I haven't tried that yet.
• 5:06
  SPEAKER_01: Um I'm also a bit shy of the SIM card thing because I'm terrified I'd lose my own SIM card.
• 5:11
  SPEAKER_01: But I know that those are really popular, and the eSIM might be something that I actually, you know, I'm gonna give that a go, I think, because I've got a phone that can use it, and it seems to be a really kind of you know easy option to do that.
• 5:23
  SPEAKER_01: So those are kind of the options.
• 5:25
  SPEAKER_01: I think um we have got articles on the website so you can have a look at uh at what our recommendations are and read a bit more detail about that to prepare yourself um you know for accessing Wi-Fi when they're in the UK.
• 5:36
  SPEAKER_02: Question three.
• 5:37
  SPEAKER_02: So we've got what type of plug adapter do I need and can I use my electrical appliances in the UK?
• 5:44
  SPEAKER_01: So yeah, I mean this comes up a lot, and obviously, if you're coming from a country with a different plug arrangement to the UK, which is a G-type plug, which has got three prongs.
• 5:53
  SPEAKER_01: I will put an image of that in the show notes.
• 5:56
  SPEAKER_01: Um, you'll need to public purchase an adapter.
• 5:59
  SPEAKER_01: So obviously, you put your plug into it and then the into the adapter and then plug it into the socket.
• 6:04
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, that's the physical type.
• 6:05
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, the your appliance, you need to check that it has a working voltage uh of 230 volts AC.
• 6:13
  SPEAKER_02: That's the UK uh main voltage.
• 6:16
  SPEAKER_02: If this is not the case, you need you you may need to buy a converter or transformer.
• 6:22
  SPEAKER_01: I think the important question with this, and what we do say to people, is really you need to check um your appliances uh when it comes to that.
• 6:30
  SPEAKER_01: And really, if you have got any doubt about compatibility, do not use your appliance and risk cursing yourself or damaging equipment.
• 6:37
  SPEAKER_01: It really is important to think about it.
• 6:40
  SPEAKER_01: Obviously, you know, get an adapter if you want to you know plug your things in, that's absolutely fine.
• 6:44
  SPEAKER_01: But as I say, check if it's something I know hair straighteners comes up quite a lot, you know, check that that that is something that you can use in the UK or not because of the voltage.
• 6:52
  SPEAKER_02: Because I can also say I'll never need hair straighteners.
• 6:55
  SPEAKER_01: No, you probably don't.
• 6:56
  SPEAKER_01: That's probably because you haven't got much hair, Doug.
• 6:58
  SPEAKER_02: No, but that's sort of panels.
• 6:59
  SPEAKER_01: Oh, is that what it is?
• 7:00
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, okay.
• 7:00
  SPEAKER_01: Is that where all your wisdom comes from?
• 7:02
  SPEAKER_02: Oh, yes.
• 7:04
  SPEAKER_01: Okay, then next question.
• 7:06
  SPEAKER_02: Question number four what should I tip?
• 7:08
  SPEAKER_02: Who should I tip?
• 7:09
  SPEAKER_02: And is it expected?
• 7:11
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, so tipping isn't not expected in the UK, but it's always appreciated.
• 7:15
  SPEAKER_01: I think the big thing here to say is you know, it's not expected.
• 7:18
  SPEAKER_01: So we've been in some countries in the world where really if you it's they don't let you out of the train carriages, right?
• 7:24
  SPEAKER_02: That is correct.
• 7:25
  SPEAKER_01: And just give them a tip.
• 7:26
  SPEAKER_01: So, really, if you want to leave a tip for good service in a restaurant, 10 to 15 percent is generally the rule of thumb.
• 7:32
  SPEAKER_01: Sometimes you will find that a service fee has already been added.
• 7:35
  SPEAKER_01: And if this is the case, a tip will not be expected.
• 7:38
  SPEAKER_01: Service charge, service charge, yeah.
• 7:40
  SPEAKER_01: Basically, a service charge.
• 7:41
  SPEAKER_01: It's about 12 and a half percent is what I can think of as being added.
• 7:45
  SPEAKER_01: And often when you get to pay the bill, you'll have the opportunity to add that on um to your if you're paying via contact list.
• 7:52
  SPEAKER_01: If you're in a cafe, you could leave.
• 7:53
  SPEAKER_01: You might if you go to the till there, maybe uh a little um jar for tips, and you can put you know, put a couple of coins in that.
• 8:01
  SPEAKER_01: If you're in a pub and you order from the bar, there's no expectation to tip farming.
• 8:06
  SPEAKER_01: Obviously, in a hotel, you can if somebody's brought up your bags, then you know you can tip a few pounds at that point.
• 8:12
  SPEAKER_01: If you're taking a London cab or a taxi, just round up the fare as appropriate depending on the length of your journey, and then kind of round it up.
• 8:20
  SPEAKER_01: I think uh it's important if you're taking, you know, if you're taking some chairs again, think about, and we asked about this tipping tour guides, and that really depends, you know, on group size, length of the tour, you know, if anything from five pounds to forty pounds.
• 8:34
  SPEAKER_02: Only tip good service.
• 8:36
  SPEAKER_02: That is that is the thing.
• 8:37
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, absolutely.
• 8:38
  SPEAKER_01: That's really important.
• 8:39
  SPEAKER_02: Um if you're unhappy with something, you know, you don't make a scene, but you wouldn't consider tipping.
• 8:46
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, and nobody's gonna have a go at you if you don't tip, really.
• 8:48
  SPEAKER_01: I mean, there's no expectation, and it really is about good service.
• 8:51
  SPEAKER_02: So unless somebody does accept tips though.
• 8:54
  SPEAKER_01: Well, that'd be yours.
• 8:54
  SPEAKER_02: That'd be yours.
• 8:55
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, we do.
• 8:55
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, yeah, we do have a tip.
• 8:57
  SPEAKER_01: Can we do have a tip view guide uh button on the on each page of your website if you'd like to pass us a tip?
• 9:03
  SPEAKER_01: We'd love it for um you know all the information.
• 9:05
  SPEAKER_01: All the free information that we share.
• 9:08
  SPEAKER_01: Okay, so yeah, so tip in again, so really don't get too hung up on it.
• 9:12
  SPEAKER_01: Next question, I guess, is five.
• 9:15
  SPEAKER_01: What should I pack for spring, uh, summer, autumn, winter?
• 9:19
  SPEAKER_01: So the big thing to say here is the UK weather is pretty unpredictable.
• 9:24
  SPEAKER_02: Predictably unpredictable, predictably unpredictable.
• 9:27
  SPEAKER_01: Absolutely.
• 9:28
  SPEAKER_01: So the main thing to think about is to pack layers, expect rain.
• 9:33
  SPEAKER_01: You know, if it doesn't rain, that's fantastic.
• 9:35
  SPEAKER_01: We didn't get much rain last summer, actually, but um, you know, you you expect some rain.
• 9:39
  SPEAKER_01: We didn't in the summer, I think we did in we did in May, but not so much over the summer months.
• 9:43
  SPEAKER_01: And it was actually really hot last year, so you can get pretty high temperatures.
• 9:48
  SPEAKER_01: Uh, I mean last year was exceptional went up to 42, which I think is about 105, 106 degrees Fahrenheit.
• 9:54
  SPEAKER_01: So it was it was pretty hot.
• 9:56
  SPEAKER_01: Um, the main thing to do for packing really is to think layers.
• 10:00
  SPEAKER_01: So, you know, just packing layers.
• 10:02
  SPEAKER_01: I tend to try and go for similar colours so I can mix and match.
• 10:06
  SPEAKER_01: I think that's pretty good.
• 10:07
  SPEAKER_01: So the minute I'm all into it's all pinks, pinks and uh reds and oranges, those are kind of that's my colour palette at the moment.
• 10:13
  SPEAKER_02: I should share my my sort of clothing advice for blokes is wear the same clothes, whether it's hot, cold, or I just changed from trainers to sandals.
• 10:22
  SPEAKER_02: That's true, but you do wear shorts.
• 10:24
  SPEAKER_02: I do wear shorts, that's true, even with my legs.
• 10:26
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, you do, you do wear shorts.
• 10:28
  SPEAKER_01: So I think um, yeah, just just thinking, Leo's think about things that that can then uh match up, things like scarves.
• 10:34
  SPEAKER_01: I quite like to take scarves, comfortable shoes, that's really key.
• 10:39
  SPEAKER_01: Make sure you've got something, you know, waterproof and comfortable.
• 10:42
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
• 10:43
  SPEAKER_01: So, next question.
• 10:45
  SPEAKER_02: How do I get from Heathrow to London to my hotel?
• 10:49
  SPEAKER_02: Tracy's laughing.
• 10:50
  SPEAKER_02: I'm not how long will it take?
• 10:52
  SPEAKER_02: This is a difficult one for us to answer, but not without having a crystal ball because we don't know where you're staying.
• 11:00
  SPEAKER_01: And actually, we often get asked, how do I get from the airport to my hotel?
• 11:05
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, and you know, I have no I have no idea which airport you're landing at.
• 11:10
  SPEAKER_01: No, we don't know which airport you're landing at, and we don't know where your hotel is.
• 11:13
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
• 11:13
  SPEAKER_01: So we can't make any assumptions.
• 11:15
  SPEAKER_02: It's a difficult one.
• 11:16
  SPEAKER_01: Um, so that that really is a it's really difficult to answer that question.
• 11:20
  SPEAKER_01: Yes.
• 11:20
  SPEAKER_01: And actually, to be honest, it's really easy to find that answer yourself because you know, as Google, if you've booked a hotel, the hotel will tell you how to get there from from whichever airport you've landed in, to be honest.
• 11:30
  SPEAKER_01: So, you know, because we don't know every single hotel in London.
• 11:34
  SPEAKER_01: We have to do exactly what you'd have to do and just Google it to be honest.
• 11:37
  SPEAKER_02: I mean most hotel websites have how to find us.
• 11:41
  SPEAKER_01: Absolutely, absolutely.
• 11:42
  SPEAKER_01: But in terms of how to physically get from Heathrow or whichever airport into London, I talk about London, you know, you um you have you know various options.
• 11:51
  SPEAKER_01: So you've got public transport options, yeah.
• 11:53
  SPEAKER_02: But that'll be the London Underground, the two, the train.
• 11:57
  SPEAKER_02: Uh by that I mean the Heathrow Express, the uh Elizabeth line.
• 12:01
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, you've got options.
• 12:03
  SPEAKER_01: You can take a taxi, um, or you can do my personal favourite, which is a private transfer, because I actually, you know, I've got to the point in my life really where I just like to walk into through out of arrivals and have somebody stand there with my name on a piece of paper and whisker me to the car and then to my hotel.
• 12:21
  SPEAKER_01: That that's me.
• 12:22
  SPEAKER_01: Um, I've just got to that stage in my life.
• 12:25
  SPEAKER_02: You like your name and print?
• 12:26
  SPEAKER_01: I do like my name and print, yeah, absolutely.
• 12:28
  SPEAKER_01: And I just yeah, it's such a relief.
• 12:29
  SPEAKER_01: And you know what?
• 12:30
  SPEAKER_01: Um, I always think the main thing is if you're arriving somewhere that you do not know in the world in a new airport and you've been flying for however many hours, really do you want to have to think about how you are then going to get from the airport to your hotel?
• 12:45
  SPEAKER_01: So really, really plan this.
• 12:48
  SPEAKER_02: I mean, uh especially if you, you know, if mobility isn't the easiest for you, or you have children.
• 12:55
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, I've got you know, if you arrive and there's like you know, five of you and lots of luggage and you know, push chairs or whatever.
• 13:00
  SPEAKER_01: I it just to me, I it's it's just worth it at the expense of having a you know having a private transfer.
• 13:05
  SPEAKER_01: That's that's what I do.
• 13:06
  SPEAKER_01: You can take the tube, it's very easy to get on the tube from me through on the picnic line to to many places.
• 13:11
  SPEAKER_01: And if your hotel look is at the end of one of the tube stations on the picnic line, then you know and it's just you, then fair enough, I guess.
• 13:18
  SPEAKER_01: Or if there's you know, or you want to just you however you want to do it, basically.
• 13:21
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, just check what time of year allowed, you know, you can get checked in.
• 13:25
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, so that one obviously, you know, there's there's various options, so it's up to you, whatever you prefer.
• 13:30
  SPEAKER_02: Whatever sure.
• 13:31
  SPEAKER_01: Um, so how far in advance should I book things?
• 13:34
  SPEAKER_01: So that is question number seven.
• 13:36
  SPEAKER_01: Right, and this one really I've had so many disappointments or read so many things from people who are disappointed because they haven't booked places like Harry Potter Studios, or they haven't booked High Claire's, another one that comes up quite often.
• 13:52
  SPEAKER_01: Uh, you know, you really need to plan ahead and think about when you are booking things.
• 13:58
  SPEAKER_01: So you've got it, it obviously depends on when, where you are going.
• 14:02
  SPEAKER_01: So if you are going in the middle of summer and peak season and you want to go to some like Howard Potter Studios, you need to get that booked.
• 14:09
  SPEAKER_01: If you are going to the Isle of Sky in peak season, you need to book your accommodation.
• 14:15
  SPEAKER_01: You should, you know, if it's got to be done, you have to book that months in advance.
• 14:19
  SPEAKER_01: So those kind of really popular places, Edinburgh in August, Edinburgh in December for Hogman, you can Jacobite Express.
• 14:27
  SPEAKER_01: Jacobite, oh yeah, Jacobite comes up all the time because people don't realize they need to book it.
• 14:32
  SPEAKER_01: So I think the thing to do is you need to be really aware of what are those main things that get booked up.
• 14:38
  SPEAKER_01: So just check online, check online, find out when the booking opens and book it.
• 14:43
  SPEAKER_01: Sky Garden is another one because that you know that's free, but you have to go onto the website and make sure that you book uh well in advance because the tickets will go.
• 14:52
  SPEAKER_01: So I think they open up three weeks in advance.
• 14:55
  SPEAKER_01: Get on there and book it.
• 14:56
  SPEAKER_01: Um, ceremony of the keys at the Tower of London, again, really popular, that will get booked up well in advance.
• 15:02
  SPEAKER_01: And if it's something that's really, really important to you, we really stress, check and get it booked.
• 15:08
  SPEAKER_01: Plan your holiday, your itinerary around those things.
• 15:10
  SPEAKER_02: Same disappointment.
• 15:12
  SPEAKER_01: Absolutely.
• 15:12
  SPEAKER_01: I mean, we booked High Claire last year, and I'm so glad we did because that's it can be quite tricky to get into High Claire.
• 15:18
  SPEAKER_01: Um, and we had a wonderful day, really loved it.
• 15:21
  SPEAKER_01: It was absolutely everything and more that we hoped for.
• 15:23
  SPEAKER_01: And the Jacobite was amazing.
• 15:25
  SPEAKER_01: So, you know, but we had planned this at I reckon six months before.
• 15:28
  SPEAKER_01: I remember sitting up.
• 15:29
  SPEAKER_01: I was gonna say you stayed for one to book the Jacobite first class because that's what we wanted.
• 15:33
  SPEAKER_01: So again, think if you're going if there's some places that you want to go to check if it's a school holidays in the UK, if it's a season in the UK, if it's um a weekend, places are going to be busier.
• 15:44
  SPEAKER_01: So you're better off going to places like looking in the week.
• 15:46
  SPEAKER_02: That's right, and things like private tours.
• 15:48
  SPEAKER_02: Yes, you know, they get booked too.
• 15:51
  SPEAKER_01: Absolutely.
• 15:51
  SPEAKER_01: So, you know, if you want if you want to do a private guided tour with somebody, you know, Victoria and the Cottswalls or John England, you know, Southeast England, or Cornwall with Many Age Tours or any of our um, you know, preferred driver tour guides, Mark and Northumberland, you really need to get booked up with them because there's only one of them.
• 16:09
  SPEAKER_01: So, you know, if you want to go out with them and do the tours, you you have to plan well ahead.
• 16:14
  SPEAKER_01: Um, so I think that's that's an important point.
• 16:16
  SPEAKER_01: So we have got again, we've got articles to go with each of these questions on the website.
• 16:20
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
• 16:21
  SPEAKER_02: So the next thing we get asked about is where is the best place to stay in London or Bath, Edinburgh, or York?
• 16:29
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, so that's a really difficult question for us to answer because really um it depends on what your budget is, depends on your travel style.
• 16:37
  SPEAKER_01: You know, do you prefer kind of you know an Airbnb V RBO, or do you want to stay in a five-star hotel?
• 16:44
  SPEAKER_01: Um, you know, how many of you are travelling?
• 16:47
  SPEAKER_01: Are you a large group?
• 16:48
  SPEAKER_01: So, you know, there are more than five of you wanting to route.
• 16:50
  SPEAKER_02: That's right.
• 16:51
  SPEAKER_02: And do you want to be right next to public transport?
• 16:54
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 16:54
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, exactly.
• 16:55
  SPEAKER_01: So it's a really difficult one to answer, but what we do have on the website is that we have extensive guides basically to most of the destinations uh around the UK, and if we haven't got it, we will be putting them on about where to stay.
• 17:09
  SPEAKER_01: So um, you know, you can start off with our travel guide.
• 17:11
  SPEAKER_01: So we have travel guides as say to Oxford and Cambridge and Bath and the Cotswolds, Edinburgh.
• 17:17
  SPEAKER_01: We've just got loads, Inverness, Fort Williams.
• 17:19
  SPEAKER_01: So each destination has a travel guide, and off that you will find some recommended accommodation options, and then from that you'll get um there'll be another actual dedicated post which will tell you about the various areas in a different in each location, and then accommodation for various budgets.
• 17:37
  SPEAKER_01: Um, and again with options for apartments, for larger families, and groups have also got articles.
• 17:43
  SPEAKER_01: So though you can find those sort, that sort of information on the website, you know.
• 17:48
  SPEAKER_01: And obviously, things you know, things are important.
• 17:50
  SPEAKER_01: You just need to, you know, again check, you need to do that kind of homework about what is it exactly you want for London, for example, you know, where is it you want to stay in London?
• 17:58
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, and how much time do you want to spend leaving your foundation to get the attractions because you know London's a big place?
• 18:05
  SPEAKER_01: Absolutely, absolutely.
• 18:06
  SPEAKER_01: And it's worth sometimes, you know, it's worth splurging a little bit extra on your budget for this those places just for the ease of access.
• 18:12
  SPEAKER_02: That's right, and if you sort of time put your only there for a short time, you don't want to spend more time than absolutely necessary in travelling.
• 18:20
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, absolutely, totally.
• 18:21
  SPEAKER_01: So, question nine Do I need to take any cash with me to the UK?
• 18:26
  SPEAKER_01: So uh we would say yes.
• 18:28
  SPEAKER_01: Yes, a small amount.
• 18:30
  SPEAKER_01: Really, you don't need a huge amount, but I would not I we usually personally have about£50 on us.
• 18:36
  SPEAKER_01: It's good to have a bit of change again for if you're gonna give tips.
• 18:39
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, uh, potentially you may need it to access uh uh a public uh restroom.
• 18:44
  SPEAKER_01: You um you know again, like I'm trying to think of other occasions you might use that.
• 18:48
  SPEAKER_01: I know you you took a taxi last year and you had to pay in cash.
• 18:51
  SPEAKER_02: That's right, yeah.
• 18:52
  SPEAKER_02: Uh also if you uh will be hiring a car, yeah, you can't count on um paying for car parking uh with card.
• 19:00
  SPEAKER_01: Absolutely.
• 19:01
  SPEAKER_02: We've a few times when we were travelling up and down the country we it was cash only, wasn't it?
• 19:05
  SPEAKER_01: It was, yeah.
• 19:05
  SPEAKER_01: So we're lucky we did have some.
• 19:07
  SPEAKER_01: Um another thing, obviously, uh things like Apple Pay contact lessons are accepted in the UK, so that's absolutely fine.
• 19:13
  SPEAKER_01: Um, you know, you can you can tap on and and and pay that way.
• 19:16
  SPEAKER_01: To be honest, last year I I remember paying in uh Nando's and I wasn't sure if they would take cash.
• 19:21
  SPEAKER_01: I didn't um I kind of looked up and said, Do you take cash?
• 19:23
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, and also if um if you plan and if markets are your thing as well, I wouldn't always count that they take card.
• 19:31
  SPEAKER_01: Exactly.
• 19:32
  SPEAKER_01: It is becoming more the case that it's prefer card, but don't assume that all of it is gonna be.
• 19:37
  SPEAKER_01: So just have a small amount.
• 19:38
  SPEAKER_01: And as I say, if you like to, you know, if you're going on tours or you you like to tip, then have a little bit of cash to be able to do that with.
• 19:45
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
• 19:45
  SPEAKER_01: And then question 10.
• 19:48
  SPEAKER_02: Uh in London, do I need an oyster card or can I use contact?
• 19:53
  SPEAKER_01: So this one comes up.
• 19:56
  SPEAKER_01: This is honestly, this is quite an emotive.
• 19:58
  SPEAKER_01: I think this one the a lot of it.
• 20:00
  SPEAKER_01: It really divides people.
• 20:01
  SPEAKER_01: This one is, and you know what?
• 20:02
  SPEAKER_01: It really is your preference.
• 20:04
  SPEAKER_01: There's they kind of are advantages and disadvantages to both, if you ask me.
• 20:08
  SPEAKER_01: And I think what you need to do is weigh up the options for you for you and your family and travel party for what will work for you.
• 20:17
  SPEAKER_01: So, an oyster card, it's it's fair, you know, it's fairly easy.
• 20:21
  SPEAKER_01: You can buy one when you arrive at the end.
• 20:23
  SPEAKER_02: Do you say what an oyster card is?
• 20:24
  SPEAKER_01: Okay, you yeah, you want to have a couple of years.
• 20:25
  SPEAKER_02: An oyster card is the uh the travel card that's used uh uh for transport for London.
• 20:30
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, tube and bus.
• 20:33
  SPEAKER_01: So it's basically just a form of payment.
• 20:36
  SPEAKER_01: So the money is loaded onto the card and you tap the card on and off on the cheap.
• 20:40
  SPEAKER_01: We like the oyster card because it just is secure because you know you put it in your pocket, you don't have to be worried about it.
• 20:48
  SPEAKER_01: Whereas I don't particularly want to get my um my credit card out.
• 20:52
  SPEAKER_01: So you have to think if you want to use contactless, fair enough you could put that you know, Apple Pay on your on your watch, so that you don't have to take your phone out with your credit card.
• 21:01
  SPEAKER_01: So that's an option.
• 21:02
  SPEAKER_01: You obviously have to think if you're gonna have bank charges from your bank uh back home, foreign foreign fees for tapping on and off.
• 21:08
  SPEAKER_01: So that's kind of a disadvantage of using contactless.
• 21:12
  SPEAKER_01: Um, one advantage of contactless is that you don't have to keep topping it up, which with an oyster card, you just have to keep checking that you have got um enough money on the oyster card, but really it works the same way, you don't get charged any more or any less.
• 21:25
  SPEAKER_02: No, it still has a daily capping, it's still exactly the same.
• 21:28
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, you know, we have people in the group very often going, well, I I I just used contactless, and that it was much easier than having to get an oyster card, which is fine, which is fine, and then we have other people going, Well, I had an oyster card, and that really suited me because I didn't have to worry about it.
• 21:40
  SPEAKER_01: It wasn't kind of you know, I wasn't thinking where is my credit card.
• 21:42
  SPEAKER_02: We're not promoted one or the other, it's about a personal preference.
• 21:45
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, so again, we've got an article, we've got an article about what is an oyster card, we've got an article about what you know, an oyster card versus contact list, so you can read all about it for yourself.
• 21:55
  SPEAKER_01: We've got numerous articles about traveling by public transport around the UK and in London as well.
• 22:00
  SPEAKER_01: So I guess those are kind of the top frequently asked questions that we get generally about visiting the UK.
• 22:06
  SPEAKER_01: We are intending to do um a dedicated podcast about Edinburgh top 10 frequent-ass questions.
• 22:13
  SPEAKER_01: Again, probably one about London as well, and a bit more focus on those.
• 22:17
  SPEAKER_01: So if you've got any of those questions, you know, pop in and join us in the group and you can uh add your questions, we'll make note of them and potentially we'll answer those in a future podcast.
• 22:26
  SPEAKER_01: But really, for today, I think that that kind of sums it up, really.
• 22:29
  SPEAKER_01: Um so I hope that's helped.
• 22:30
  SPEAKER_01: I hope that has been useful.
• 22:32
  SPEAKER_01: There are, as I say, articles which link to each of these questions, which will be in the show notes for this episode.
• 22:38
  SPEAKER_01: So this you'll find that a uk travelplanning.com forward slash episode 47.
• 22:45
  SPEAKER_01: Again, remember, you know, your best resource for traveling to the UK is us and our UK travel planning community, website, products, uh, newsletter, email list, uh, you know, everything.
• 22:59
  SPEAKER_01: We've got we've got absolutely everything really that you need to help find your perfect trip.
• 23:04
  SPEAKER_01: Uh we know we've been building this up for a few years now.
• 23:06
  SPEAKER_01: So we appreciate every one of you for listening to this.
• 23:08
  SPEAKER_01: It's brilliant.
• 23:09
  SPEAKER_01: And um, again, I guess this just leaves us to say as usual, every week is happy UK travel planning.