Friday, Aug. 22, 2008

Here Are a Few Useful Tips for Your Trip to England

By Ross Murray

Contributing Writer

Ross Murray is a senior at Texas Christian University. His mother, Alice, is editor of the Courier and the Journal. Ross took this trip to England for a TCU study abroad program. We asked him to write his impressions of his stay for the paper, and direct them specifically to students (and their families) who are planning similar trips.

Right off the bat, beginning at the airport, you’ll notice a few things amiss.

First, everyone still speaks English, but not in any dialect you recognize as English. Instead, they speak English-English. Confused? I’m not surprised. I was, too.

In addition, certain words and phrases have a completely different meaning in England.

For example, French fries are no longer fries, nor French. They are "chips."

You may be asking yourself, "What am I doing ordering a savory fried potato snack with my sandwich?"

In the United Kingdom, however, those precious savory fried potato snacks sometimes called "potato chips" are now referred to as "crisps."

Don’t be shocked if the wait staff asks if you’d like to try the "spotted dick," — a traditional bread pudding. And if someone wants to borrow a "fag," they’re talking about a cigarette.

The unfamiliar vernacular is only a minor problem.

You will master it quickly and you will be eating everything in sight with ease. It doesn’t take long.

It is important to remember that because of the exchange rate, every pound you spend during your trip equals almost $2. That’s hard to forget.

We found that generally our best bet for a cheap and filling meal was at the pubs.

Referred to as "pub food," it consists mainly of sandwiches, burgers and other assortments of meats served on a plate with a side item, often chips.

Now that you’ve eaten, you need a place to stay, right?

Never go there with the idea that you’ll "just wing it." That’s a big no-no and a standard rookie traveler mistake. In my made-up statistics book of 2007, at least 14 people and three unicorns were living on the streets during their stay because they decided to "wing it."

So please, be sure and book a hotel in advance. Looking for suggestions? Well lucky for you, I have one. I’ve found that one of the best areas to stay in London is close to Victoria Station.

This area is a main hub where you can find a train to most places of interest in the country or catch the "tube" — slang for the London subway — to the different areas of the city.

Upon settling into your hotel room, I rcommend that you go see a show, whether a standard play or musical.

A great one to see right now is Billy Elliot, related to the movie of the same name.

This musical has amazing dance numbers that truly will blow your mind because of how insanely talented the performers are. And most of them are not yet 16.

Sounds good, right? It is. Trust me.

Not up for a play, or just looking for something to do afterward? Why not check out O’Neill’s pub?

Located in Soho and an easy walk from the Piccadilly Circus stop on the tube, this is a great establishment. You can find live bands on the top floor or a more casual, typical London pub on the ground floor.

Now that you’ve done all that musical watching and pub sitting, you may be in the mood to get out of the city for a bit.

How about taking a train 45 minutes south to Brighton?

This wonderful coastal town will remind you of San Francisco because of its hilly streets and general vibe. It is often referred to as "London by the Sea." Brighton is a really cool place to hang out for the day, and a lot of London workers commute from there.

While there, check out the Brighton Pier.

The Brighton Pier is worth checking out. It has a boardwalk, arcades and a roller coaster. It is truly a fantastic sight and place to hang for the day or even more.

This small list of things to do is just a jumping-off point.

There are tons of things to see and do in and around London, such as the typical tourist favorites like the London Eye, the British Museum, Buckingham Palace, Big Ben, the Tower of London and No. 10 Downing St.