Family History Journey in England

Here you can find some advice and tips about travelling in England for you to consider before you travel, and for when you are actually here.

Insurance: You are strongly advised to take out insurance against cancellations and delays for all aspects of your visit to Britain. You are also advised to insure against loss or theft of, and damage to, your baggage and other personal possessions, and to ensure that you are adequately insured against injury and ill-health. Adequate medical insurance for travel in Britain is highly recommended.

Visas and immigration: please make sure that you have the appropriate documentation to enter Britain so as to avoid difficulties on arrival.

Customs: there are certain restrictions on what you can bring into Britain with you (including some medications), please ensure that you are aware of what these are.

Getting to England is very easy. There are direct flights from most cities in the USA and Canada to many cities in England, and easy access from other destinations around the world, with a wide range of connections through hub airports.

The weather: England enjoys a fairly temperate climate. The days are much longer in the summer months (June-August), when temperatures range from 14 to 30 ºC, and much shorter in the winter (December-February) when temperatures are 1-5 ºC. In the Spring and Autumn (Fall), it will be somewhere inbetween. Whatever the season, however, the weather in England is liable to change from day to day: it is often overcast with cloud, but mostly dry with may be a very light shower - and then one day it is bright and sunny, the next it is darkly overcast, windy and pouring with rain!

What to wear: It is a good idea to bring a selection of seasonal lighter items which you can "layer" - put on or take off according to the actual weather and temperature. On a Family History Journey Tour, you are strongly advised to dress for comfort and walking in rain and shine. As the weather can be so unpredictable, you should bring a light waterproof coat with a hood or a hat.

Currency: The basic unit of currency is the Great British Pound (GBP - £ sterling) which divides into pence: £1 = 100p or pence. Most currencies can easily be exchanged for £ sterling at banks and post offices in English towns and cities, in some hotels and Bureau de Change kiosks (found at international airports and most city centres). Credit cards that bear the Visa or MasterCard logos are widely accepted in places in England. Most ATMs or cash machines dispensing £ sterling accept these credit cards and are available all over England, though you are strongly advised to check with your credit card provider before travel. Coverage is not as complete with American Express and Diners Club cards. The Euro (€) may only be accepted in a few shops and hotels in major tourist centres.

Food and drink: Standards of food hygiene and water cleanliness are extremely high, so you should simply observe the normal precautions when consuming food and drink.

Electricity: Electrical appliances in England generally use the British standard plug with 3 square pins. Voltage is 240 Volts AC at 50HZ. Plug socket adaptors and power transformers are widely availabe in most airports.

Cell phones: You should check with your network provider to see if you will be able to use your cell phone in Britain, and what you will need to do to use it. Otherwise you can buy a pay-as-you go SIM card and/or phone in most British mobile phone retailers and other stores.

Personal safety: Britain is, by most international standards, a safe country with low rates of street crime and violence. You need to take the same common sense precautions that you would at home. In an emergency that requires ambulance, police or fire services dial 999 from any telephone (but not Skype).

Places of worship: Most religions have a presence within England.