A Trip to GB

Thinking About a Trip?

Are you thinking about going to Great Britain? Would you like to go someplace specific but aren’t sure where or what you’ll need? Well, maybe I can tell you something about Britain to help you make your decision.

First, you need to choose a method of arrival. If you’re coming from Europe, more specifically from France, then you can choose between arriving by boat or by underground train. This method of arrival will begin your journey in Dover. If you wish to avoid being that close to water, or if you simply live further away, then you can arrive by plane. There are many airports in Britain, but the largest and most busy is Heathrow in London. Whichever means of travel you choose, you mustn’t forget your passport or citizenship card. You must also be aware that you will be required to fill out a landing card upon arrival if you are not from the European Union.

Something that you will not be able to get by without in Britain is money. Before you depart from your home-country, you must visit an exchange to get pounds so that you can pay in Britain. You don’t necessarily have to go to an exchange in your home-country, you can wait until you get to Britain, but it’s better to be prepared in advance.

So, now you know how to get there, and you know how to obtain money, but you don’t have a place to stay. Some of the most common choices are a hotel, or a Bed and Breakfast. Bed and Breakfasts are usually much cheaper than hotels. You can also call them guest houses. As the name implies, not only can you sleep there, but you get served breakfast as well. If you wish to look at prices before you decide to book a room, then you can always inspect a room tariff where you will find the prices of all of the available facilities and accommodation options.

Now that you’re acquainted with the options of rooming, then you might want to know something about food. No worries, British people don’t eat anything that has six legs. You will, however, have to say in advance if you would like your tea without milk, because English tea normally comes with milk. If someone asks you if you want black or white coffee, then they are asking if you want it without or with milk. A traditional English breakfast consists of cereal, bacon, eggs, toast, and marmalade. Sometimes you can even come across pancakes of French toast. You may want to try some traditional foods such as lamb with mint sauce, and roast beef with Yorkshire pudding. For lunch, you can order a salad which can be so big that it will be one meal all by itself. A very good pastry you can come across in Britain is a pie. You can have either a sweet pie or a savory pie, but both are delicious. Don’t feel obligated to eat only British food in Britain. There are many exotic restaurants yearning for new taste buds to entice that you can choose from such as Italian, French, Turkish, Greek, American, Mexican, Hungarian, Russian, Indian, Chinese, Vietnamese, Thai, Malaysian, or Indonesian. My personal favorites are Mexican, Thai, Chinese, and Indian. If you don’t wish to wait very long for a meal, then you can always get takeout or go to a fast-food restaurant. Don’t worry pizza lovers; you won’t miss Pizza Hut or Dominoes when you’re in Britain. Let’s not forget the British must-have: fish ‘n chips.

Last but not least, you must have someplace to go if you are to travel in Britain. Now, that is not something I can thoroughly help with, as in I have only been to the south-eastern part, but I will do what I can. The most common destination for travelers in Britain is London, the capital city. This is you can see the Houses of Parliament and Westminster Bridge, Hyde park, Trafalgar Square, the Queen’s official residence: Buckingham Palace, and the Tower of London where you may view the Crown Jewels and the Tower Bridge nearby. There are many museums and galleries of all sorts, as well as churches and abbeys that you can pay visits to. You don’t want to miss out on exploring London’s dark alleys where you can stumble upon the eerie London Dungeon. Don’t worry avid shoppers; there are many places where you can shop till you drop in London, including Covent Garden. Fans of Shakespeare, you won’t want to miss out on the Globe Theatre. If simple relaxation is what you crave, then you can take a refreshing walk along the Thames. Moving along outside of London to the south, you can come upon delightful towns such as Brighton, and Canterbury. In Brighton, you can frolic on beach and the attraction-filled pier. You can also visit the superb Brighton Pavilion which transports you to a world of breathtaking and magnificent history, architecture, and color that of a freshly blooming meadow. Canterbury offers an extraordinary cathedral which has such extravagant architecture and detail that the sight of it nearly takes your breath away. These are only a few of the many wonderful places in Britain that you can visit. Other options include Stonehenge, spas, castles full of history such as Hever Castle and Dover Castle, and of course, romping in the orchards of England’s garden: Kent.

Enjoy your visit to Britain. If you decide to drive, as opposed to taking trains, then don’t forget to do so on the left side.