What you need to know while travelling the UK

It’s always a good idea to be prepared when visiting somewhere for the first time. Doing a little research about your destination, even if it’s just checking up on transportation or planning your routes, is the simplest way to plan ahead. However, not everyone has the time to research the location they intend to visit. This guide will help you plan a trip to the UK to ease into local life.

With the announcement of the opening of the UK-UAE air corridor, many UAE residents will travel to the UK. Instead of applying for a traditional British visa UAE, citizens of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) can obtain authorisation to visit the United Kingdom (UK) through the electronic visa waiver (EVW). 

Before you go, there are a few things you should know about the UK.

The UK is made of four nations

England, Great Britain, and the United Kingdom, these three terms, however, do not all mean the same thing. The term England refers to the country as a whole, Great Britain includes the mainland of England, Scotland, and Wales, and the term United Kingdom includes Northern Ireland.

People enjoy talking about the weather

If you want to meet the locals, begin a conversation about the beautiful weather or the constant rain. Most people will be elated to complain about whatever weather conditions they are currently experiencing before checking weather apps on their phones to inform you of the weather conditions for the upcoming week.

Tea is deeply ingrained in the UK psyche

Everything can be solved with tea. People will always offer you a cup of tea if you are sad, if your train is delayed, or if it is blazing hot outside. Although the British enjoy coffee, tea is unquestionably the national beverage.

Stand on the right

This is a national rule, but it’s important to know if you’re taking the London Underground. Don’t stand on the left side of an escalator. If you want to take your time and enjoy the journey, always stand on the right because people in a hurry will be rushing past the left and will not tolerate people standing in their way.

Never skip a queue

Everyone in England takes queuing exceptionally seriously, so that you may be required to show a ticket as proof of your position in a queue. Pushing into a queue is one of the most offensive things you can do in England. Get in line and know your place.

Regional accents are different

Different regional accents can be heard all over the country, with most visitors able to identify at least Scouse, Geordie, and Cockney dialects. However, spend a lot of time exploring a particular area. You’ll quickly discover that regional accents are incredibly diverse, and two towns only ten miles apart can have noticeably different inklings to their accents.

“I’m sorry” isn’t always an apology

In England, the word “sorry” has a variety of connotations. It is used to apologise to someone in the traditional sense, but it is also used when someone is rushing by and wants you to move out of their way or when someone hasn’t heard what you said and wants you to repeat your sentence.

Pronouncing place names can be challenging

When it comes to uttering English place names, not everything is as it appears. The names Leicester, Worcestershire and Marylebone are among the most difficult to pronounce, sounding nothing like they look.

Train prices are high

Although the railway was invented in England, rail fares are not cheap in England. If you intend to travel, consider renting a car or taking a coach to save money on expensive train fares.

Regional cuisine can be puzzling

For the most part, eating out in the UK is simple, with a wide range of international cuisines and excellent restaurants to choose from. It’s only when you start eating the local delicacies that things begin to get strange. Yorkshire puddings are savoury and served with gravy, jellied eels are exactly what they sound like, and there is a dessert called spotted dick.

Bizarre names of the places

Prepare to laugh when you see road signs for places like Minge Lane, Twatt, and Boggy Bottom. For some strange reason, these strange and hilarious town and village names can be found all over the country.

The editorial unit