England Vacation: Traveling Solo

The words England, vacation and solo do not seem to sound good the first time you hear them used in one phrase. But who says that it is not okay to travel solo? If it is considered as a deep emotional and social problem, traveling solo that is, then it is still not your problem. Who cares if you will spend your vacation alone? So what if you stand at the sidewalk of the Westminster Bridge and take a picture of yourself? 'Solo travel', after all doesn't mean that you travel 'all by yourself, the whole time, always alone'.

Unless you are planning to stay away from all the human beings (which is not possible on an England vacation), you have all the time to mingle and meet up with locals and other tourists. So don't be afraid if you don't know anyone in England. What is important is you take this opportunity to be with your own company while giving chances of meeting others in the process.

Here are the simple reasons why traveling solo is cool and why you should try it:

• You are in complete control of your time – where to eat, what to eat, what time to eat, where to sleep, where to go and how long will you stay in one stop. You are the itinerary.

• You are in control of your budget. Meaning, you do not have to force yourself to pay for the attraction that you do not like.

• Making friends is much easier. If you travel alone, you are less intimidating and much approachable than couples or groups. The best thing is you can have as much friends as you want.

• Your friends and family back home are waiting for your stories. And since no one can check the facts, you can exaggerate stories at will.

• You are free to try something anytime you want. And you are freer to try it over and over again.

• You don't have to drag someone to a place you want to visit; and, no one will drag you either to a place you don't want to see.

• You discover new places, foods, pastime and skills that you might not have tried if you are with a companion.

• You can make last minute changes without having to consult someone.

• Finally, traveling solo rocks! Period.

ACTIVITIES, PLACES and ATTRACTIONS you can do and visit when traveling solo:

The British Museum – appreciate the art at your own pace; at your own time.

The London Eye – be marveled at the 360-degree view of the city on board London's only observation wheel.

Guided double-deck bus tour – the ultimate sightseeing experience with entertaining guides and curious seatmates.

The Buckingham Palace – if you can, meet the queen. If not, take a tour of the Music room, Throne room, Dining room, Royal Mews stables and Queen's gallery.

The Parliament and Big Ben – the signature architecture in London you can only see in postcards and photos. See them in real life, they are as impressive.

Thames boat tour – it is best if done at night. With calm water and the serenity of the surroundings, it is an ideal London date. Bring your newly-found friend for a romantic dinner.

Finally, try different kinds of afternoon tea and evenings at different pubs that wrap up your England vacation.

England Vacation: Travel Safety

While you are less likely to become a victim of a violent crime in England than in U.S. cities, it doesn't mean that you should care less about your personal safety. After all, you are in a foreign country and as a tourist, you should be mindful that it only takes one wrong move on your part to transform your excellent England vacation into a nightmare. Don't be a victim of any crime. Follow these helpful tips:

Trust your gut
Wandering around the streets of England in the middle of the night is a common practice by both locals and tourists. This is because, the city streets of England bring a good atmosphere than and many Americans are far braver to walk alone in England than in the own neighborhood. But if the streets and surroundings do not make you feel comfortable, turn around. If it doesn't feel right, go back. A noisy crowded street may seem to be safe but if you feel otherwise, there no shame in walking away. Trust your instinct, they seldom go wrong.

Don't flaunt your wealth
This may sound too obvious but people have a tendency to show off their expensive jewelry so that others may notice. Reserve this on one of your formal dinners. Earrings, bracelets and wristwatches are the most common targets of thieves regardless of whether they are expensive or look expensive. If you can't resist, just wear minimal jewelry but you have to take the risk. But my advice is clear: never wear jewelry if you are visiting any foreign place, period.

Watch out for pickpockets
Thieves come in different forms, shapes and sizes so if you do not watch your surroundings, you may become the next victim. Beware when you encounter women carrying overly-wrapped babies in the middle of a summer, a team boys riding scooters and a group of kids holding cardboards with gibberish words written on it. To be safe avoid carrying your wallet on your back packet. Or, quit the idea of carrying a purse while roaming around the city.

Spread your valuables
Your wallet, passport, ATM cards and credit cards should not be in the same pocket when you go out. If there is no need to carry all of them, place your valuables in a sealed bag and hand it over to the hotel clerk to be put in the hotel safe. Make sure that the clerk really does place it inside the safe before leaving.

Blend in
Do not wear clothes that can catch the eyes of every passerby. Wear clothes similar to the locals. Wear simple clothes. Do not expose your wealth by wearing the best wardrobe and the most expensive bag. Remember, you are in a vacation, not in a fashion show.

Don't get into trouble
English cities have one of the best clubs and bars in the world and it is so tempting to spend the night in one of these clubs. If you plan to get drunk, make sure that you keep yourself together throughout the night. You are a visitor; so you need to avoid confrontations.

Again, cities in England are far safer than your usual U.S. neighborhood so do not think that every England vacation comes with a bad experience. Just be safe. Take precautions. Have fun.

England Vacation on a Budget

It is almost given that when one speaks of an England vacation, it gives an impression of an expensive trip. Thus, many who dream of visiting the British Museum, cheering for the football team Manchester United, taking a road trip to Stonehenge and other English cities and countryside remain as a dream for they don't have the money to pay for the trip. But it doesn't always have to be that way. There are techniques to keep your expensive low without compromising the total English experience.

Pick a good time to go – Cities in England, during high-season can provide the best weather and extra hours of daytime. However, places can be too crowded and too expensive. Off-season on the other hand can be very wet but, hey… if you want to save on plane tickets and accommodation or if you want a less crowded vacation with a different English experience, this one is for you.

Shop for cheap plane tickets – Plane tickets can cover a big chunk of your travel budget so it is only fitting that if we want to cut big on expenses, one of the first things we should be concerned of is buying cheap plane tickets. Search online. There are lots of travel agency sites that offer good deals both on early bookings and last minute flight reservation.

Travel by train (if you plan to visit other European countries) – Europe is a fairly small continent and getting from one country to another only requires a few hours of train ride. So instead of booking for expensive plane tickets, requiring yourself to be at the airport early, going through a rigorous security procedures, waiting for a flight, and experiencing the same old boring plane ride, take the train. Not only you will see the countryside between cities, you can also by package where you can travel to a certain number of countries on limited days for unlimited train rides as necessary for one set price.

Skip the fancy hotel – We are all victims of luxury but if we want to stretch our vacation dollar in England, we should quit browsing for fancy hotels online. A night stay can cost more than what you earn in a week. So instead of star-rated hotels, prefer cheap dorm beds and budget chain hotels. They offer your basic requirement in accommodation. After all, when you arrive in England, you would not spend most your time in your hotel room. Search for cheap hotels online to get the best rate.

Skip the fancy restaurants – Aside from visiting infamous sites, tasting the local flavor is perhaps one of the better things to experience in England. However, if you choose to eat at fancy restaurants and local cafés that are flocked by tourists, be prepared. A typical lunch in a fancy restaurant and even in unsuspicious cafés can cost you big time. A good way to save on food is to eat where locals eat. Don't look just for a restaurant, watch where common people are going during lunch time. They can lead you to where delectable foods are, without the cost.

Finally, follow the road less traveled – An England vacation may be defined by the Buckingham Palace, the London Eye, Big Ben and Westminster Abbey. But the truth is there is more to England than these infamous sites. I am not saying that you skip the places you to visit.

What I mean is, there are lots of things to do in England that are inexpensive and equally enjoyable.

England Vacation Money Saving Tips

It makes no sense to spend an entire savings on an England vacation even if there are ways to stretch your budget. Yes, visiting English cities and sites can be expensive but that doesn't mean that you go all in with your money. Here are the best ways on how to save money while on vacation:

Plan your trip carefully. This includes the time of your visit and the places you are planning to visit. You have two choices when deciding the season of your trip: high-season and low-season. High-season is during summer. It is the best time to visit the cities in England because of extra hours of daylight and almost no chance of rain. However, traveling during this time can be very expensive. Cities can be crowded. Hotels may be fully booked. And you may experience long queues when going to a popular destination.

Low-season may be an unorthodox time to visit English cities since the weather can be unforgiving. But most would say that they are willing to trade good weather for an inexpensive flight, discounted hotel accommodation, less-crowd cities and a unique vacation experience.

If you want to take advantage of high-season weather and low-season rates, you may want to go a few weeks before the high-season changeover. You have to do your homework and find which cities offer the best rates at the best times.

It is equally important to choose your destination well in order to get the most out of your money. Since major cities and tourist spots in England are few hours apart, you need to choose your itineraries well. Example, on your first day, you can take a guided tour around the city of London. On your next day, rent a car and drive to the Stonehenge while making stops in Salisbury and other towns and countryside along the way.

If you want to visit other countries, spend the night on the train. Not only you will save on accommodation, spending a night on a train that will take you from one city to another will surely cut your travel time and gain one more day for exploration. To save on meals, bring snacks and meal on the train as dining car prices are often very expensive. Water can come in handy if you do not sleep well on the train to alleviate hangover.

Also, a good tip to remember if you choose to travel by train is to take a package where you can travel to a certain number of countries on limited days for unlimited train rides as necessary for one set price. Take note of the countries where train packages are honored. If you are not traveling, you can spend the night in budget chain hotels. They may just be offering the basic services it can save you big bucks.

Eat like the locals. Fancy restaurants that are flocked by tourists are very attractive. It can be very expensive too. Look where and what the locals usually eat. They can point you to restaurants and diners that offer great food without the cost. It is also a good idea to maintain your daily eating habits. If a cup of coffee and some toasts can keep you full throughout the day at home, why not keep it that way?

England Vacation: Miscellaneous Travel Tips

If you frequently go to England and a self-proclaimed seasoned traveler, the last thing you want is for this article to sound as if your mother knocks from your front door and as soon as she enters, she starts enumerating things that you should do while on an England vacation like a litany that never ends. But if you are like most guys out there who is traveling to England for the first time, then you probably still would mind your mother barging to your house but consider this article helpful. Here are the things you should know before going to England:

Hotels in London
When you visit England, do not spend all your nights in London if you have plans to visit other places. London hotels are outrageously expensive. Even the grungiest hotels cost $150 a night. Do not accept travel package that includes nights in London and day tours outside the city.

No hotels upon arrival or at least on the first few hours
If you are on an overnight flight, you will arrive in London early morning. Instead of checking in a hotel and paying the full amount for a few hours, you can stay, rest and wash up at the airport.

Guided Tours
If it is available, take guided tours at most attractions, especially if it is your first visit.

Public Manners
British people are in general, well-mannered, polite and self-disciplined. Basic respect is expected.

Privacy
You can observe this in parks and other public places: British people keep their distance from one another. This is to respect someone else's privacy and space. If you are on a train, on a bus or in a public attraction, keep these in mind. It is also impolite to stare at other people.

Bed and Breakfast
B&Bs are the England's version of America's Motels. They are relatively cheaper compared to hotels. B&Bs are clean, convenient, comfortable and hospitable. Be ready to share bathrooms with other guests.

Food
Before you call the manager or storm the kitchen, you have to understand that English cooks food differently from what Americans understand. So always remember that…

England, unlike other European countries, is not known for their food.

"Salad" doesn't mean something with mayonnaise. "Salad" means something with greens. So when you order a "shrimp salad", don't expect to get "shrimp with mayonnaise", instead, expect shrimp with tossed green salad.

Butter is used in most sandwiches instead of mayonnaise; eggs are fried in the in oil until crisp and brown; toasts are crisps all throughout, but cooled; sausages are like hot dogs, bready and mild; bacon is soft, similar to Canadian bacon; baked beans are considered breakfast food.

Safety and security
Unlike the usual neighborhood in the United States, England is a very safe place. You can roam around anywhere, anytime of the day without having to worry a bit. The worst crime you can ever experience, if you will experience a crime (I am not wishing that you do) is pickpocketing. To be safe, do not flaunt your wealth. If you feel uncomfortable to the place, trust your gut and turn around.

Queues
It might be an obsession but a good one, English people like to form orderly queues in everything they that needs to be queued on and they expect tourists to practice it. Jumping ahead of your turn is a no-no.