United Kingdom Favorite Tips by tvor

Cyber cafes

Favorite thing: There are loads of cyber cafes all over the UK, especially in the larger cities and towns. They all vary in price but the cheapest and best ones are owned by EasyJet and are called EasyInternetCafe These ones are mainly in the larger cities. The stores are large and bright, with up to date high speed access and flat screen monitors. Prices vary depending on how busy the place is but you can also buy passes at some stores. The website doesn't seem to be exactly up to date. The link above doesn't have all the cafes listed for London that this page does but that page doesn't include a couple that the first link has. Probably best to check a local telephone directory when you get there.

Castles

Favorite thing: I absolutely love castles and you will never go short of a castle to visit in the United Kingdom. Some of the more impressive ones i've visited include Edinburgh Castle, Tower of London, Warwick Castle, Leeds Castle and Conwy. Most of the above were completely or mostly restored but Conwy is mostly a shell though with most of the walls and towers intact.

Castles range from complete to just a few ruins on a hill. Some are free access and some can be quite expensive, between 10 and 15 pounds per adult. Warwick is more like a showpiece or museum but you can get a better idea of what it was like to live in one if you visit Leeds which has a few rooms set up as they were in Medievel times. Conwy is one of the impressive castles built by Edward I to subdue the Welsh. Another nearby one is Carnaefon which is also worth a visit. Scotland abounds with great castles as well. St. Andrews Castle overlooks the North Sea but is just a few ruins on the edge of a cliff. Still impressive though.

Many of the ones that are renovated and restored tended to be more residential than fortifications since they were occupied as palaces for many centuries. Cardiff Castle is one that reflects the over done Victorian tastes but is still interesting to see and very easy to get to as it's right in the city centre.

Fondest memory: Whether it's a fully restored castle or just a crumbled tower, the castles really bring you a sense of history. Views from castle walls or towers are always stunning. Many have good exhibits and lots of information available either in the castle or at nearby visitor centers.

More than just London

Favorite thing: I love the UK. My initial attraction was always the history. I also love architecture, cathedrals, castles, houses grand and simple. My favourite part is London but there is so much to experience in the UK outside of London too. I am mainly in cities when i go because i have friends that i stay with and i don't hire a car so it's easier to get to cities by train. Sometimes i'm lucky to get out into the countryside, either by bus tour or car with friends. My first trip to the UK was to take a Cosmos bus tour to hit the highlights and i've also taken another short tour of Scotland as well.

Bus tours have their advantages in that your accomodations and many meals are arranged for you and are included in the price. You don't have to do the driving and you get to see the highlights. The disadvantages are that you have to go where the tour goes and you don't always have enough time in some places and too much time in others. You can go off on your own as long as you're back on time when the bus leaves. It's a good way to get an overview of a place though, so you'll know where you want to return to see more later.

Fondest memory: I miss my friends the most but my favourite parts outside of London would incude (at least from what i've seen so far): The hills and valleys of Derbyshire, York, Skye, the Scottish Highlands in August when the heather is in bloom, North Wales, Edinburgh, Glasgow, The architecture, both grand and simple, houses and streets, cottages and cathedrals, manors and castles..... to be continued :)

Pharmacies, Chemists and Drugstores

Favorite thing: The largest chain of drugstores is Boots but there is also Superdrug which is a bit cheaper. Drugstores are referred to as chemists or pharmacies there. Some are similar to the ones in North America.

Boots are often very large shops, with a huge variety of goods in them. Some of the ones i've been in that are in shopping centers have large cosmetics and perfume departments but i couldn't buy a pen in one to save my life! I actually had to go to a bookstore to buy one of those!

They have a very good photo department as well and i have had photos developed there with very good results. the one hour developing is about as expensive as it is in Canada in photo stores like Black's to have done, close to $20 per film but not unreasonable if you want to have your pictures developed and not risk the airport xray machines. They also sell film at pretty reasonable costs too. Their Boots brand gives very good results, i've used it a few times. I've even had a free film given to me for each one i had developed so keep an eye out for specials like that. I received 6 36-exposure films recently for having 6 24-exp. developed using the one hour service.

The pharmacists are very good as well, and will consult and recommend alternatives if you can't get your North American equivalent over the counter.