Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
tain. Low-cost hairdryers and other small appliances are sold at Superdrug and Boots (ask
your hotelier for the closest branch). Or pop into a London department store (see the Lon-
don shopping chapter).
Discounts:
Discounts (called “concessions” or “concs” in Britain) are not listed in
this topic. However, many sights, buses, and trains offer discounts to youths (up to age
18), students (with proper identification cards,
www.isic.org
)
, families, seniors (loosely
defined as retirees or those willing to call themselves seniors), and groups of 10 or more.
Always ask. Some discounts are available only for citizens of the European Union (EU).
Exchange Rate
1 British pound (£1) = about $1.60
While the euro (€) is now the currency of most of Europe, Britain is sticking with
its pound sterling. The British pound (£), also called a “quid,” is broken into 100
pence (p). Pence means “cents.” You'll find coins ranging from 1p to £2 and bills
from £5 to £50. Fake pound coins are easy to spot (real coins have an inscription on
their outside rims; the fakes look like tree bark).
To convert prices from pounds to dollars, add about 60 percent: £20 = about
$32, £50 = about $80. (Check
www.oanda.com
for the latest exchange rates.) Lon-
don is so expensive that some travelers try to kid themselves that pounds are
dollars. But when they get home, that £1,000-pound Visa bill isn't asking for
$1,000...it wants around $1,600.
This section offers advice on how to pay for purchases on your trip (including getting cash
from ATMs and paying with plastic), dealing with lost or stolen cards, VAT (sales tax) re-
funds, and tipping.
Bring both a credit card and a debit card. You'll use the debit card at cash machines
(ATMs) to withdraw local cash for most purchases, and the credit card to pay for larger
