Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Internet & Wi-Fi
The availability of the Internet across the U.K. is in a constant state
of development. How you access it depends on whether you've brought your own com-
puter or smartphone, or if you're searching for a public terminal. Many hotels have com-
puters for guest use, although pricing can vary from gratis to extortionate. To find a local
Internet cafe, start by checking
www.cybercaptive.com
or
www.easyinternetcafe.com
.
Although such places have suffered due to the spread of smartphones and free Wi-Fi
(see below), they do tend to be prevalent close to popular tourist spots, especially ones
frequented by backpackers. Aside from formal cybercafes, most
hostels
have Internet
access, and some
public libraries
allow non-residents to use terminals.
If you have your own computer or smartphone,
Wi-Fi
makes access much easier.
Always check before using your hotel's network—many charge exorbitant rates, and free
or cheap Wi-Fi isn't hard to find elsewhere, in urban locations at least. Ask locally, or even
Google “free Wi-Fi + [town]” before you arrive. To locate free Wi-Fi hotspots, it's worth
using the hotspot locator at
www.jiwire.com
. National chains like
Welcome Break
motor-
way service stations (www.welcomebreak.co.uk) and
Wetherspoon
pubs (www.jdwether
spoon.co.uk), among many others, offer free Wi-Fi. There are also
BT Openzone
(www.
btopenzone.com) hotspots in many cafes, hotels, and public places across the country
(see http://btopenzone.hotspot-directory.com for a searchable directory and map). If you
have a subscription to a global wireless ISP like
Boingo
(www.boingo.com), you can use
these hotspots for free, or at a reduced rate depending on your subscription package. For
example, unlimited global Wi-Fi access on your smartphone costs $7.95 a month from
Boingo, or you can buy 5 days' access to BT Openzone from a smartphone or laptop
for £27.
Savvy smartphone users from overseas may even find it cheaper and more practical to
switch off 3G altogether and call using Wi-Fi in combination with a
Skype
(www.skype.
com) account and mobile app.
The phone company 02 recently launched Wi-Fi hotspots in its stores, which are open
to anyone (you have to give them your number to use it, and face being targeted by
advertisers).
Legal Aid
If you're visiting from overseas, contact your consulate or embassy (see
“Embassies & Consulates,” above). They can advise you of your rights and will usually
provide a list of local attorneys (for which you'll have to pay if services are used), but
they cannot interfere on your behalf in the English legal process. For questions about
American citizens who are arrested abroad, including ways of getting money to them,
telephone the
Citizens Emergency Center
of the Office of Special Consulate Services in
Washington, D.C. (
&
202/647-5225
).
If you're in some sort of substance-abuse emergency, call
Release
(
&
0845/450-
0215;
www.release.org.uk); the advice line is open Monday to Friday 11am to 1pm and 2 to
4pm. The
Rape and Sexual Abuse Support Centre
(
&
0808/802-9999;
www.rapecrisis.
org.uk) is open daily noon to 2:30pm and 7 to 9:30pm.
Alcoholics Anonymous
(
&
0845/769-7555;
www.alcoholics-anonymous.org.uk) answers its helpline daily 10am
to 10pm. For issues related to sexual health and sexually transmitted diseases, call the
confidential
Sexual Health Line
at
&
0800/567123.
LGBT Travelers
Gay News
(www.gayuknews.com) has a comprehensive database of
the scene around the country. The
LGBT Tourist Information Office
(www.gaytourist
office.co.uk) is another good place to find out what's on, or to seek advice on gay-friendly
hotels and hostels. The
Lesbian and Gay Switchboard
(
&
020/7837-7324;
www.llgs.org.
uk) is open 10am to 11pm daily, providing information about gay-related activities in Lon-
don and general advice. Their searchable online database (www.turingnetwork.org.uk)
lists gay bars, clubs, and other services countrywide. London's best gay-oriented book-
store is
Gay's the Word,
66 Marchmont St. (
&
020/7278-7654;
www.gaystheword.co.uk;
20
