FAST FACTS - Edinburgh and Glasgow - page 262

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hours) in the city is the Royal Infirmary, 82-86 Castle St. ( & 0141/211-4000 ). For
additional assistance, call the National Health Service line ( & 0800/224-488 ).
Drinking Laws You can drink legally on your own at 18. Children with parents can
have a low-alcohol drink such as beer or wine with a meal. Beer, wine, and spirits are
sold at off-licences (the equivalent of U.S. liquor stores), small groceries licensed to
sell alcohol, and supermarkets. By law, off-licence shops can only sell alcohol from
10am to 10pm.
Driving Rules See “Getting Around,” p. 57 and p. 165 in chapters 5 and 13.
Electricity The electric current in Scotland is 240 volts AC, which is different than
the U.S. current, so most small appliances brought from the U.S., such as hair dryers
and shavers, don't work (and the current could damage the appliance). If you're con-
sidering bringing your laptop or iron from home, check the voltage first to see if it
has a range between 110 volts and 240 volts. If the voltage doesn't have a range, the
only option is to purchase an expensive converter. If the voltage does have a higher
range, then you still need to buy an outlet adapter because your prongs won't fit in
the Scottish sockets. You can buy an adapter for about $10 at an appliance store or
even at the airport. Wherever you go, bring a connection kit of the right power and
phone adapters, a spare phone cord, and a spare Ethernet network cable—or find out
whether your hotel supplies them to guests.
Embassies & Consulates Embassies are located in London. Edinburgh has con-
sulates and high commissions for Australia (69 George St.; & 0131/624-3700 ), Can-
ada (30 Lothian Rd.; & 0131/245-6013 ), and the United States (3 Regents Terrace;
& 0131/556-8315 ).
Emergencies For any emergency, contact the police or an ambulance by calling
& 999 from any phone. You can also call the National Health Service Helpline (NHS
Direct), & 0845-4647, which offers health-related advice and assistance from 8am to
10pm daily. For emergencies, treatment is free, although you will be billed for long
stays.
Gasoline (Petrol) Like pretty much everywhere in the world, the price of gas and
diesel in Scotland has risen considerably in the 2000s. As of mid-2010, the prices
were nearly £1.30 for a liter. Taxes are already included in the printed price. One U.S.
gallon equals 3.8 liters or .85 imperial gallons. That should put U.S. drivers' complaints
about expensive gas into context. It's much more costly in the U.K. If you're not ven-
turing outside Edinburgh or Glasgow, don't bother getting a car and save some cash.
Holidays Public holidays vary slightly between Scotland and England. In general,
they share Christmas, New Year's Day, and Easter. For more information on holidays
see the “Calendar of Events,” p. 20 in chapter 3.
Hospitals See “Doctors” above.
Hotlines Edinburgh & Lothian Women's Aid is at & 0131/229-1419. Lothian Gay &
Lesbian Switchboard ( & 0131/556-4049 ) offers advice from 7:30 to 10pm daily; the
Lesbian Line is & 0131/557-0751. The Rape Crisis Centre is at & 0141/331-1990. In
Glasgow, the Centre for Women's Health is at Sandyford Place, Sauchiehall St.
( & 0141/211-6700 ). Gays and lesbians can call the Strathclyde Gay & Lesbian Switch-
board at & 0141/847-0447. The Rape Crisis Centre is at & 0141/331-1990.
Insurance For travel overseas, most U.S. health plans (including Medicare and Med-
icaid) do not provide coverage, and the ones that do often require you to pay for ser-
vices upfront and reimburse you only after you return home.