The Foreign Office has launched a new website designed to be a one-stop shop for all holiday, business and immigration-related information for those entering the UK.
http://www.i-uk.com (note: you may get redirected to the splash page, since it’s available in 139 languages, apparently)
(this is the front page for US visitors and this is the Canadian version)
I’ve had a quick look round and it seems to have quite a lot of useful links – accommodation, events, transport etc.
cool, thanks!
Thanks for the link- my parents moved to the UK just recently (my dad got a job there) and I am already planning my first visit over the Christmas holidays. Should go smoothly, but a source of official information is a comfort.
My warning to Americans visiting the UK…
When crossing the street… LOOK RIGHT!
When boarding a tube train in London it is customary to shake hands with the other passengers.
My advice?
Look down at your feet and read the words that say “Look Left” or “Look Right.” Not all traffic, especially in London, moves the way you think it would, even if you’re used to driving on the wrong side of the street.
Also, don’t ever think that, judging by the map, you can get somewhere faster on foot than you can by taking the Underground. It does not work that way.
Heh… next thing we know, owlstretchingtime is going to insist you find some charitable Londoners interested in roping you into a game of Mornington Crescent!
Seriously, the rules for using tubes and trains are a weird amalgam of grammar school bus rules and the unwritten code of the men’s lavatory.
If at all possible, you must sit at least one seat away from people you don’t know (even if you’d like to know them), never look anyone in the eye, and above all, don’t talk to strangers (again, even if you want to).
Oh, and ignore the ranting drunken football fan until he provides you with an opportunity to politely point out that this is his stop.