DD,16, Going To UK...New Questions pg 3 #38

[Bonnie151]

We can buy prepaid Visa cards here so I think she'd be able to use one. Can't think why not! Wherever you purchase one should be able to confirm to you.

 

[ugadog99]

Thanks, Bonnie. I've been on the VISA site, but I can't seem to find the answer. I'll keep looking.

 

[NotUrsula]

My niece did this sort of trip a few years ago, I remember a few issues.

She won't be able to get Sterling coins in the US when changing money at a bank; none of the banks here will exchange coins. The bureau d' change in the ATL int'l terminal may have coins, but she will pay a premium fee to exchange there. OP, please note that the UK has done away with £1 notes; £1 is a coin. The smallest denomination that you will be able to get at a US bank is £5, but do try to keep the denominations small. Suburban bank branches in the US often will not have foreign currency on hand and will need to order it from their HQ office; if you want it quickly, drive to your main office. (Also, don't worry about the post that mentioned not being able to get Chinese currency. Sterling is different; if the bank changes money at all they will have Sterling and Euros on hand.) I would have her take enough Sterling to at least get her through her first full day.

As to the prepaid Visa, yes, you can buy it in the US for use in the UK, but realise that because it is issued in Dollars, there will most likely be a currency conversion fee attached to each transaction, and it could be as much as about $4, depending on what bank issues the card. Be really careful using this option and be aware of the fees; it might be better for her to just plan to use the ATM every 4 days or so to get cash, because she is fairly unlikely to be purchasing any big-ticket items I would think.

Have her leave the hair appliances home; she's likely to forget the settings and fry them and they will be heavy in her bags. (There is a good chance that those dorms won't have elevators; she needs to be prepared to CARRY her checked bag up stairs.) Tell her to plan to braid/band her hair most of the time, and to stop into Boots on her first day and buy a UK hair dryer to share with her roommate; a basic one will cost about £8. That and a round brush will straighten her hair sufficiently for 2 weeks; an iron is overkill.

I imagine that her friends are going to gravitate toward eating in pubs, especially at first, simply because of the novelty of being able to go into a bar at their ages (you cannot order alcohol in a pub until age 18, but it's legal for kids at 14 to enter the premises.) Food in general is more expensive in the UK, and especially so in London; to be on the safe side, have her budget $20 for each "on her own" street meal she plans to buy. If she has money left over so much the better.

Iced tea is unusual and often unheard of except in a bottle; remind her that if she orders tea it will most likely be served hot, and if she asks for ice she'll most likely only get a cube or two. (Note that in most restaurants if you order water, they will usually still bring bottled unless you specify tap water, and in tourist areas they are fairly likely to open the bottle before serving it, thus preventing you from refusing it.)

A pocket compass is a very handy thing to have, along with shoes that can handle getting wet, especially in Scotland. Oh, and a couple of washcloths; those are considered a personal item in the UK, and lodgings normally don't provide them. Send ones that are brightly colored so that she doesn't forget and leave them in the bathroom.

 

[Cosmo.Kramer]

They will be having a "traditional Scottish dinner" on their last night,

What's that then? A deep fried Mars bar with some chips (fries) and a can of Irn-Bru!?

J/K, Probably down the route of Haggis I would imagine...

 

[Cosmo.Kramer]

shoes that can handle getting wet, especially in Scotland.

It certainly can get wet. It has been chucking it down here for the past 3-4 days non stop

 

[ugadog99]

Yes, Haggis has been mentioned a time or two!

Thank you all so much for your responses. I'm having her read all the "hair advice," as she wouldn't believe me if I told her.

This morning I realized it's two weeks away! Aghh....so much to do and I want a MEETING!!

 

[Kath2003]

Right, London is for one day, but then Scotland is for the next 12. I know they plan on keeping the out of pocket meal very reasonable on most days. The director has mentioned Subways, McDonald's, etc. They will be having a "traditional Scottish dinner" on their last night, but I believe that has been paid. I had thought about the prepaid Visa cards as a way to keep her souvenir money completely separate from her food/incidental money. (She is not really the best at budgets. )

You're looking at at LEAST $6 a day for a McDonalds or Subway. Food is NOT cheap. She would be better going to Marks and Spencers and buying some nice sandwiches.

YES, hand sanitizer counts as a liquid. Anything that is a liquid, gel or wobbles in any way is a liquid.

You can check as much liquid as you want but they do sell shampoo etc. in the UK almost everywhere. She'd be better off hauling less around with her and buying what she needs when she's over here. They are similarly priced to the US so you won't be saving anything but spending her with a suitcase the size of a small country.

In terms of her make-up, she will need to check it all as a liquid. So you need to make sure all this hand sanitizer, make-up, toothpaste, deodorant all fit in a one-quart baggie....

 

[ugadog99]

You're looking at at LEAST $6 a day for a McDonalds or Subway. Food is NOT cheap. She would be better going to Marks and Spencers and buying some nice sandwiches.

Unfortunately, she is at the mercy of the group on meals. Whatever is decided by the adults (director, director's wife, and school administrator) will be what they do.

 

[NotUrsula]

Not all of her makeup will count as liquid; just the parts that actually are, such as mascara, liquid lip gloss and liquid foundation. Powder items like eye shadow and blush, and real lipSTICK are not liquids, and don't need to be in a 3-1-1 baggie. Have her take just one "face" in one palette; not a myriad of shades to change up every day. (The season won't change while she's there, and her tan won't fade that fast, either.)

Stick deodorant doesn't need to fit in the baggie, either, but roll-on would. Toothpaste does need to, but she can always buy more if you just send her with a travel tube for the first couple of days. I really wouldn't bother with hand sanitizer; she can just wash her hands in the loo like a normal person. I suggest that several girls get together and buy a container of laundry detergent after they arrive, so that they can wash out their socks and undies in the sink rather than taking 15 prs.

What I would do with the makeup/toiletries is to take a bright shade of nail polish and mark the containers that need to be in the baggie, so that she can easily know.

She should bring a pr. of tights or leggings if she's a skirt wearer; it can easily be in the upper 40's in Scotland on summer evenings, and her Southern blood will freeze with bare legs.

As to the final dinner, they probably will give them a bit of haggis as a novelty, but I'll bet you 10 to 1 that the main course will be either salmon or roast beef, with lots of root vegetables and some fruit dessert that includes a touch of oatmeal.

 

[ugadog99]

I was kind of thinking that way about the makeup. Her powder foundation will not be liquid, obviously. The mascara and lip gloss will go in the baggie. I know she'll want the sanitizer, but those pocket bacs from BBW are small and will work fine. I also think she needs one regular old chapstick. I hadn't thought about the leggings, but we'll get a new pairl. She has two simple black dresses that will need the leggings.

 

[ksjayhawks]

Your suggestions are great, but this one had me confused.

She'll only be in London for one day, but Scotland uses the British pound as well - unless I've gone completely insane.

I didn't know that--never been to Scotland!

 

[Bonnie151]

She should bring a pr. of tights or leggings if she's a skirt wearer; it can easily be in the upper 40's in Scotland on summer evenings, and her Southern blood will freeze with bare legs.

But then she'll stick out as a tourist!

On a serious note, don't worry too much. It'll all work out and if she ends up needing any sort of makeup/toiletries she can easily buy some here. She can head to Boots for any supplies.

 

[Bonnie151]

I didn't know that--never been to Scotland!

We do use the pound, but we have our own bank notes. You'll see Bank of Scotland notes, Royal Bank of Scotland notes, Clydesdale Bank notes and the odd Bank of England notes here. All are interchangeable in Scotland (we'll also take the various Northern Ireland notes as well).

 

[NotUrsula]

We do use the pound, but we have our own bank notes. You'll see Bank of Scotland notes, Royal Bank of Scotland notes, Clydesdale Bank notes and the odd Bank of England notes here. All are interchangeable in Scotland (we'll also take the various Northern Ireland notes as well).

Which is a good point. If at all possible, OP, you should caution your daughter to politely ask for Bank of England notes (official UK notes) as change toward the end of her trip. If she has Bank of England notes left over you will be able to convert them back to Dollars at the same bank that you got her UK currency from (often at no add'l fee if you keep the original receipt), but IME they won't exchange any of the various Scottish and Northern Irish notes. Most American banks deal only in Bank of England notes as "valid" UK currency.

I don't want to imply that the Scottish notes are not "real" money in the UK -- they absolutely are. It's just that US banks don't want to deal with them, so she should try to avoid bringing any of them home unless she wants to consider them a souvenir.

 

[Kath2003]

You can always sell back currency at the airport before you fly home. They will accept Scottish notes.

 

[goofy4tink]

She'll be fine. I was really concerned about travel to the UK but it was just fine. My dd is really looking forward to going back before her senior year, with some friends.

I have a good friend who is going with her theater group..she is their director. It sounds like a wonderful thing. Good luck to your dd and her group!!!

 

[ugadog99]

Which is a good point. If at all possible, OP, you should caution your daughter to politely ask for Bank of England notes (official UK notes) as change toward the end of her trip. If she has Bank of England notes left over you will be able to convert them back to Dollars at the same bank that you got her UK currency from (often at no add'l fee if you keep the original receipt), but IME they won't exchange any of the various Scottish and Northern Irish notes. Most American banks deal only in Bank of England notes as "valid" UK currency.

I don't want to imply that the Scottish notes are not "real" money in the UK -- they absolutely are. It's just that US banks don't want to deal with them, so she should try to avoid bringing any of them home unless she wants to consider them a souvenir.

Good information and something I did not know. None of the other parents or chaperones are getting pounds before leaving the US, so I guess I won't either. He must have it in the plans to stop and make currency exchanges the first morning. (again...all this information is through email with other parents...still no meeting scheduled...ughhhhh)

 

[whatcateydid]

OP, please note that the UK has done away with £1 notes; £1 is a coin.

I think they're pretty rare these days, but Scotland still has £1 notes. If your daughter gets any of these I'd recommend that she tries to spend these before leaving Scotland because they're not legal tender in England and so she probably wouldn't be able to convert them back to dollars.

 

[Bonnie151]

Good information and something I did not know. None of the other parents or chaperones are getting pounds before leaving the US, so I guess I won't either. He must have it in the plans to stop and make currency exchanges the first morning. (again...all this information is through email with other parents...still no meeting scheduled...ughhhhh)

And I'm going to come in & post the opposite. There's nothing more likely to raise the hackles of retail staff than to ask for BoE notes as change. They are unlikely to have any anyway unless someone has happened to give them some as payment. If it's that much of a concern she'd be best keeping as little cash on her at the end and spending it at the airport.

 

[ugadog99]

Thanks, whatcateydid. I think I'll have to make her some notes to remember everything.

Goofy4tink, is your friend's group a high school?

We are very proud of the kids and the director. He has only been at our high school for four years and has built the department up from nothing. The invitation to The Fringe came after only three years of him being our director. My daughter had been the kid who just couldn't find her niche, but she has certainly found it with the theatre. My daughter is only the third freshman to be inducted into Thespian Society and only the second freshman to accomplish it in the first semester of school. She is really a Techie instead of an onstage kind of girl. But, for this trip, she has to be on stage. They are taking Bambi: A Life in the Woods, which will be the play's debut in Europe!