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Travel Tips to Scotland |
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I'm not sure if any of these tips can be found on other
websites but; I wanted to share with you some of my tips to help make
your trip to Scotland a little less stressful. It's a long read, but
worth it if you have never traveled there....
They are listed below with the topics of General Tips,
Money, Public Transportation, Airport Travel through Heathrow in London |
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General
Tips:
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When
packing, keep a "pack light" mentality. With some of the hotels you
may have to climb some stairs as lifts may be out of order (most are
...LOL) and hallways are a little smaller than the US. this goes for
the rooms, beds, showers and tubs....
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A Five
star hotel in the Scottish Highlands is not the same as a Five star
hotel in the US! Knowing this in advance will make your trip
better....trust me!
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Electrical outlets and power are different. Don't go cheap on a
power converter and make sure to also include electrical adaptors.
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Ladies; don't pack a curling iron and/or hair dryer. These put a big
strain on converters and it's actually better to pick up these items
at a local store when you arrive. Although a little more than US
prices, they're set and ready to go. As in the US, some hotels have
a hair dryer in the rooms.
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Take
plenty of Pictures...BUT remember that if you have a digital camera
with a specialty battery charger, buy an extra charger to take with
you in case your converter burns it out....They do not sell
specialty battery chargers in Scotland photo shops. Hmmm, does this
sound like I learned this first hand? You bet, no battery, no
pictures.
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Speaking of pictures, make sure to have plenty of storage for your
images. Tip: Buy a portable storage device rather than extra memory
cards. Much cheaper.
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If
you are going to the highlands from May to October....Take
Avon's Skin So Soft and a lot of it. This seems to be one of the
best applications against the Midge fly. This is a horrible little
biting fly, 10X worse than our mosquito and they are EVERYWHERE by
the MILLIONS. They bite and bite and bite and bite. From dusk to
dawn, they attack!
Money:
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With
the conversion rate always about double, it is best not to think
about it once you're there. It hurts to know that a cup of coffee
or tea for A pound-fifty is really three bucks!. So the best thing to
remember is...not to remember..LOL.
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NEVER
buy travel packs in advance from travel groups, it's cheaper to visit one of the
kiosk's at the airport to get your travel dollars. Some travel
groups like AAA (Triple A) charge 35% or more for the convenience
when its all over and done with...Ouch! Read the fine print.
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Check
with you bank about getting some Pounds before you leave, some banks
will waive the service fee.
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Use a
credit card for most big purchases, hotels, car hires, admissions,
etc. MasterCard is about a 3% service fee and Visa is %4.
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Tipping is not expected in the U.K. (weird, but true) A gratuity is
just that, when service has been exceptional or if you have stayed
at a hotel for an extended stay and the staff has gone out of their
way, you may find a "Pot" in the Lobby that is shared with the whole
hotel staff.
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Be
Prepared to spend more. Fuel in the U.K. is heavily taxed and the
cost can really hurt. For example, in July 2006, a Liter of Fuel was
around a pound for the low grade, that equals about $9.00 a gallon
US.
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The
V.A.T. is refundable only on certain items and purchases. Do it
yourself rather than with the aid of businesses that will do it for
you. It's rather easy and you'll get more in return. Just remember
to get a form every time you shop!
-
Speaking of the V.A.T., Remember I said not to remember that
everything is double in the UK? One other thing to forget while you
are there and shopping, the UK adds 17% to purchases. Ugh! Hint: If
you have items shipped home, no V.A.T. Look for shops with the V.A.T.
free shopping sticker on their windows.....They make it very easy to
make sure you get your refund.
Public
Transportation:
-
The
U.K. is famous for great public transportation and you can get literally
anywhere by coach or train. Just keep in mind the fees. We took a
trip from Inverness to Sterling, the fee was
£35 pounds. That's
about right when you consider the same travel in the US would be
about $35 for the same mileage, it's the conversion rate that kills
ya....For my wife and I, it cost $140 bucks! Remember what I said
above, just don't think about it...LOL
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When
traveling in major cities (Glasgow and Edinburgh) purchase the one
day bus pass. These buses are clearly marked and are easy on and off
to the major tourist areas.
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Some
hotels offer shuttles to and from the airport, check in advance. If
not, there are designated buses from the airport to city center that
are much cheaper than a cab. For example, staying at one of the
airport hotels in Edinburgh, take the free shuttle back to the
airport, then the Blue line to City Center.
Airport Travel through Heathrow in London
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If you
have never traveled through Heathrow...Be Prepared! This is a most
confusing airport especially if you are flying different airlines.
They have 3 terminals, International Arrivals, International
Departures and Domestic travel (Arrival/Departure) The only easy way
through this is to fly British Air as they are all routed in
Terminal 1.
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Make
sure to give plenty of time between flights, not just for security
but for making your way from one terminal to another and customs.
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Talk
to others that have flown through London for their advise. The more
input you have, the better.
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There
are a few flights to Edinburgh and Glasgow that fly direct from the
states without having to go through Heathrow. Worth checking into.
More tips
too come..... |
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