coming to the UK

[MelissaJ]

I'm going to be travelling around England and Scotland for about six weeks in October. I'll be sticking mostly to major cities like London, Edinbrugh, etc. Just wondering if anyone has some tips for me? what is restroom access like? If I have to go really bad will a restaurant let me use their washroom even if I'm not ordering (some restaurants in Canda do)? Any advise would be most helpful.
Thanks

[Mrs. Burschman]

Good question, Melissa. I hope someone can answer it. I'm going to Britain in two weeks!

Amy (Mrs. B) :bunny:

[MelissaJ]

Let me know what it's like Amy!

[Traysmum]

Hi Melissa. I am a Brit but I lived in Oklahoma for 5 years before returning to the UK. The availability of restrooms in the UK is slightly less than in the US. Some restaurants won't let you use the restroom unless you are buying. Of course, we have Macdonalds here and I always use them without ordering and no one has stopped me yet.

Have you got one of the restroom cards? I have used that a few times and I did find it helped me.

Our restrooms are called toilets here. Anything else then don't hesitate to ask

Anne

[MelissaJ]

Hey.Thanks for getting back to me. Well, I guess I will be marking all the McDonald's on the map then. I actually don't have one of the cards. I used to have one through the BCICA but everyone thought it was a joke card and then I'd get ****** off and call store owners very nasty names, and then they really didn't want me using their washrooms. But actually for the most part business owners in B.C. are fairly good about letting me use their washroom. One store owner even told me that they HAVE to let you use the washroom unless they have a really good reason not to. Canucks sometimes call washrooms toilets too, so that shouldn't be a problem for me to remember.
Anyhow, thanks again and if I think of anything else I'll ask.

[sacausa]

In parts of Europe they call the restroom/toilet/bathroom the "loo"

[MelissaJ]

I should be fine with the washroom lingo. There's tons of different nationalities including English/Scottish people where I live, so I'm pretty used to hearing all sorts of different accents, words for things, etc.

[Traysmum]

Different parts of England have what we call slang speech. What something means in one part of the country can mean something completely different in another part.

You wouldn't see "loo" written on a restroom door, but you can say to someone "can I use your loo?" meaning can I use your toilet.

Where abouts in the UK will you be visiting?

Anne

[MelissaJ]

Thanks for the tip. Are there any words I should be aware of that if I don't know them I'll look like an idiot? (like if I didn't know what the word shag meant that would be pretty embarassing). I'm going for 6 weeks and I have a rail pass so I plan on starting out in London and then making my way up to Scotland (where I KNOW I won't understand a word anyone is saying because my friends family is from there and half the time she can't understand them). So far for England I'm planning on staying in London and York (I was going to stay in Liverpool but it looks too expensive for me) and then I was going to go spend a night in this place called Berwick on Tweed (or something like that) for a couple nights at a B&B so I can get a good nights sleep before I go up to Scotland. I'm going to Edinburgh, Inverness (where I am more than positive I won't have clue what anyone is saying) and other than that I don't know. I'm mostly staying in hostels because that's all I can afford. I've even found a couple with ensuites in the rooms and they have female only dorms which is good. Any recommendations would be truly appreciated.

[sacausa]

in the UK

chips are French fries
muesli is granola
pudding is desert in general
smarties are m&m's
sweets are candy
sticky bun is a sweet cinnamomn roll with currants
"lorry" is a truck
petrol is gasoline
"boot" is a trunk
"bonnet" the hood
car park is a parking lot
sellotape is scotch tape
tipp-ex is white out
trainers are running shoes
rubbish is trash

sports: cricket is kindof like baseball, much more formal though
rugby is kindof like football

a "bloke" is a "guy"
pancakes are crepes
a flat is an apartment
trolley is a shopping cart
the States is the USA
a "rubber" is an "eraser"

IMPORTANT:
a "dustbin" is a waste container or trash can

the word "drugstore" is NEVER used, instead "pharmacy" or other slang is used
if you were to use the word "drugstore" you would be referring to illegal drugs!

a GP is a general practitioner, or regular doctor

[MelissaJ]

OK most of those I already knew except rubber and trolley (I would have gone with condom and train– way off)

[Kip]

Hi there,

As an English person being called a Brit is offensive, I guess in the same way as an American being called a yank or a Canadian being called American. Don't comment on things being quaint and small, and if you say you are ****** people will think that you have drunk too much alcohol. Fanny is definetely not your bottom, bum is not a tramp but your bottom, fag here is slang for cigarette or if you are in the gay district it is a gay man. Smarties are not M and M's and are in fact much nicer. People in the UK really don't like George Dubbya but like Clinton.

I have lived in the US and my folks are Canadian so am used to the lost in translation conversations that can occur.

Anyway, when you arrive in the UK, head for Tourist Information or Shopmobility and purchase a RADAR key (£3) this will give you access to most disabled toilets/restrooms/bathrooms. RADAR is The Royal Association for Disability and Rehabilitation. This organisation can also provide you with a Can't Wait card to help gain access to toilets/restrooms. You can probably access this in advance via the website (don't know the link sorry) but you could try www.cobfoundation.org to see if you find a link there.

Do you catheterise/will you be bringing a supply of catheters? If so you now need a letter or card confirming that you require these for a medical condition.

Regarding staying in hostels, do you mean youth hostels? You may find more suitable facilities in Travel Lodges/Holiday Inns and they tend to be reaonably priced, I guess the equivalent of motels.

London is very expensive, so dependent on what you are it may be cheaper to stay outside and travel into London to do sightseeing etc..

Edinburgh and Iverness in October are very cold like a bad winter in New York, so warm clothng is a must. When in Scotland don't mention England as it is like mentioning America in Canada.

If I can help further let me know

Kip:hi:

[sacausa]

lol, I just posted random ones... I'm sure you'll be able to figure it out though or people would be able to figure you out!

I lived in South Africa (a former British colony) and used British English/slang a lot, and when I first moved to North America, I got a lot of strange looks!

[MelissaJ]

Thanks for the advise Kip, I'll see about getting a card. I am staying in youth hostels and i'm more than sure I'll be OK. I've had IC since I was very small, in fact I've probably always had it, so it's pretty much normal for me. I've stayed in hostels on band trips in highschool and made millions of trips down hallways in the middle of the night to find the loo (see, I'm catching on!) I don't have to self cath, so I should be OK with that. I am planning on getting a doctors note for my pain killers which I carry with me at all times and my Elmiron, just to be one the safe side.
As for the weather, I do live in the Great White North, but I'll be sure to pack a couple extra sweaters.
OK well if anyone else can think of anything keep it coming, because the more I know the better!

[Traysmum]

Just one more thing to add, and I hope you don't need one but ER is called A&E here (Accident and Emergency).

Liverpool is not as expensive as London. I live between Manchester and Liverpool and my husband goes to London every week with business. Mind you, Liverpool is not a place I would go on vacation!!

Will you be traveling alone?

Anne

[vicky Gordon]

Hiya,

I live in the Uk but just on the welsh boarder in Prestatyn.
You will love it over here.
You will be fine with the lingo. We understand most of the american names anyway so dont worry about not remembering. Just be prepared for a giggle. We are harmless.
Liverpool is great to shop. I love it. i try to go every couple of weeks.
Where ever you are in the uk just be careful in the clubs if you go. Some places can be quite scary if you dont know where you are.

Enjoy, i'm sure you will have a fab time.

Vicky
XXX

[MelissaJ]

I'm sure I'll be fine. i don't really like clubs, but I may venture into one just to say I have. My new concern is the apparent lack of vegetables in the highlands (I'm a pesco-vegetarian) but I'm sure I'll survive. And if Liverpool has good shopping, maybe I'll have to consider staying there for a night or two.
Oh, the other thing I am looking it is spending a bit of time in B&Bs to get a couple days rest during my trip, so if any of you know of towns where I can just walk around, write in my journal I'd appreciate that.
Thanks, eh.

[Eccles]

Hope you have a great time Melissa. You can book B&Bs, & find out about places of interest through the towns' Tourist Information Offices.

If you ask to be shown to the bathroom, you may find it's just a room with a bathtub in it - not much use to desperate ICers!