Brentrance

[Ensign Steve]

I couldn't decide whether to put this in Lifestyle or History and Geography so, hello Atrium!

beyelzu and I are planning to visit the British Isles this spring, so all you Londoners and any Scots or Irishers we might have here need to put us on your calendars.

We will arrive in London around noon on Friday, March 20, and we'll be in the city until Monday, March 23, so that weekend would be an ideal time to meet up.

After that, we're taking off on an insane 10-day, 8-hotel tour through Cardiff (Wales?), Waterford, Killarney, and Dublin (Ireland), Cheshire (Wales again?), Edinburgh (Scotland), and finally York and Stratford-upon-Avon (England). Apparently I need to review my Wales geography before this trip.

It looks like in addition to the London weekend, we will have free time in Dublin on Sunday, March 29, and maybe Edinburgh on Tuesday, March 31, give or take a day. Anybody fancy a pint?

Also, seriously, how exciting do you think our travel will be to and through the UK and Ireland given the current situations?

[Kamilah Hauptmann]

So I hear the NRA will be delivering an introductory AR-15 to each EDL and BNP member on Feb 1, so you might not want to speak Polish anywhere.

[Limoncello]

Wonderful trip! Your insane tour around Wales, is that a motor coach tour?

Can't wait to hear about it all. Enjoyed my honeymoon with the Mor-Man in Cornwall also in March - some really nice days, some chilly wet ones too. Bring layers and prepare for anything.

[Kamilah Hauptmann]

Seriously though, if you're driving the UK it gets exhausting. The motorways are fine, but any side road can be a bit rough on the nerves. To say nothing of parking.

[beyelzu]

Originally Posted by Kamilah Hauptmann

Seriously though, if you're driving the UK it gets exhausting. The motorways are fine, but any side road can be a bit rough on the nerves. To say nothing of parking.

The bus driver is driving.

It’s a collete guided bus tour.

[JoeP]

Originally Posted by Kamilah Hauptmann

Seriously though, if you're driving the UK it gets exhausting. The motorways are fine, but any side road can be a bit rough on the nerves. To say nothing of parking.

Hmm, I disagree on a matter of preference. The motorways are boring and nearly always full (if there's not enough regular traffic, crack troops from the Highways Agency cone off a few lanes and pretend they're doing roadworks). English country roads offer much more in the way of style, views and fun (as long as you agree that reversing to the last passing place when you meet a tractor is part of "fun"). Welsh and Scottish country roads even more so.

Parking is impossible, I'll grant you that.

[JoeP]

Originally Posted by Ensign Steve

beyelzu and I are planning to visit the British Isles this spring, so all you Londoners and any Scots or Irishers we might have here need to put us on your calendars.

We will arrive in London around noon on Friday, March 20, and we'll be in the city until Monday, March 23, so that weekend would be an ideal time to meet up.

My calendar now bears a "Bey/ES" notation for that weekend.

Originally Posted by Ensign Steve

After that, we're taking off on an insane 10-day, 8-hotel tour through Cardiff (Wales?), Waterford, Killarney, and Dublin (Ireland), Cheshire (Wales again?), Edinburgh (Scotland), and finally York and Stratford-upon-Avon (England). Apparently I need to review my Wales geography before this trip.

Cardiff is Wales, yes. Cheshire is not Wales.
Dublin is indeed in Ireland and Edinburgh is in Scotland - well done.

Originally Posted by Ensign Steve

Also, seriously, how exciting do you think our travel will be to and through the UK and Ireland given the current situations?

You're 'Merkins not Europeans so you should be fine. Avoid trying to sell chlorinated chickens or buy the NHS. While in Ireland and Scotland emphasise how much you hate the feckin' English.

[BrotherMan]

I can't talk about foreign countries, I'm just here to [Thanks] that title.

[Ensign Steve]

Finally!

[Qingdai]

and seriously if you've had to deal with traffic in the US on the west coast. Outside of everyone driving on the wrong side of the road, UK traffic is just some single lane highways with people freaking out. Give everyone room and it's fine

[Limoncello]

Bus has WiFi? relax and enjoy, nap for the longer drives etc...

[Kamilah Hauptmann]

Post-Brexit it might not have tyres!

[Miisa]

DO NOT ATTEMPT TO DRIVE. IT'S A TRAP!

[Kamilah Hauptmann]

Originally Posted by Miisa

DO NOT ATTEMPT TO DRIVE. IT'S A TRAP!

After your first near head on collision you never forget again, though.

[Crumb]

Flying Monkey's parents were in Wales recently. Her father adopted a driving strategy of just following a bus. It was a bit slower but the oncoming traffic would get out of the way of the bus and by extension out of his way.

[ceptimus]

Biggest danger is when setting off on a deserted road. When there's other traffic about you don't tend to forget.

I've not had any problems when driving abroad, but I did accidentally set off on the wrong side of the road here in the UK, a few days after returning from a long driving holiday in continental Europe.

Traffic islands / roundabouts or whatever you call them are particularly confusing - especially the multi-circle ones, like this beauty in Swindon.

[Limoncello]

[Kamilah Hauptmann]

[ceptimus]

I've driven around/over/through it a few times - not sure what the right word is. It's actually pretty simple to navigate when you're down at ground level. The interesting thing is that there are always several different routes through it to get to the exit you want - and depending on traffic, the shortest route is not always the quickest.

In the UK it's 'lifts' not 'elevators'. And the floor numbering system will make sense to computer programmers. Think of the floor at ground level as zero (but it's labelled G on the lift button) then the 1st floor is the one above that and so on.

Be careful with the word fanny which means something else in British English - though most younger Brits also know the American meaning.

You'll get some interesting food combinations when you ask for biscuits, crisps, or chips - but they won't be what you expect.

Vests and pants are also different here.

It's a great adventure!

[Kamilah Hauptmann]

Originally Posted by ceptimus

pants

Frequently worn as hats by members of Parliament or the Royal family if I'm not mistaken.

[mickthinks]

You'll get some interesting food combinations when you ask for biscuits, crisps, or chips - but they won't be what you expect.

... and jelly.

And there are no sidewalks (nor boardwalks) nor stoplights, intersections, blocks, nor freeways, turnpikes and beltways, though if you aren't navigating and offering or being offered directions these won't trouble you.

[JoeP]

Shopping malls are shopping centres. "Main Street" is "High Street".

Also, not sure if you're into horseback riding during your travels but we call it horse riding here. We don't feel the need to specify which part of the horse you are riding.

[Kamilah Hauptmann]

See How an Insane 7-Circle Roundabout Actually...

[Qingdai]

Isn't that one way the demon in Good Omens does black magic? Have cars drive through the Swindon Roundabout?

Or was it a vortex of time travel in Jasper Fforde novels?

[Ensign Steve]

Yes, I could google this information extremely easily, but then what would I have to talk to you all about?

Are we going to use Euros in Ireland and Pounds in the UK? Is that how that works now?