Population: 59,000,000

Area: 94, 500 square miles

Language: English

Time: +5 Hours from New York

Electricity: 220 volts/ 50 Hz (some hotels have 110 plugs for American shavers)

Geography: The country is surrounded by water except along the Northern Ireland / Republic of Ireland border. The country is as varied as its weather which is due largely to its geography. Scotland is mostly mountainous in the northern areas and mostly a plains area in the south. Northern England is quite hilly and flat for the rest of the area. Wales is almost entirely mountainous except for the coastline.

International Airports

London - Heathrow (LHR) The airport is about 16 miles from London's West end. It takes about 45 minutes by cab or the Underground. A new train from Paddington station takes only 15 minutes and also operates every 15 minutes and connect to Terminals 3 and 4. Busses and taxis are plentiful. There is bus service from Heathrow to most major centers of the country including rail connecting points.

London - Gatwick Airport (LGW) - The airport is about 25 miles from central London and is connected primarily by a train which takes about 35 minutes. The train operates every 20 minutes during the day. Bus service is very slow and not advised. Taxis are also slow and expensive from this far out from London. Passengers alighting from the Gatwick Train at the end of their journey at Victoria Station have many taxis waiting for them and also the complete transport system of London.

Birmingham - Birmingham International (BHX) - This is an extremely well laid out airport next to the Birmingham Exposition Centre. Train service from downtown is frequent and some bus service exists. Taxis are plentiful. Train service is available to all parts of the UK from the airport. Travel time by train is about 12 minutes.

Manchester - Manchester International Airport (MAN)- The airport is about 15 miles from the city and is most easily accessible by train which operates about every 20 minutes during the day. Bus and taxi service is available.

Glasgow - Glasgow Airport (GLA) - The airport is about 12 miles from the city. Bus and taxi service is available.

Edinburgh - Edinburgh Airport (EDI) - The airport is located about 8 miles from the city center. Taxi and bus service available.

Tipping: A service charge is usually added to the bill which amounts to 10% in restaurants. If you do not see this on the bill, leave a tip. Otherwise just leave small change.

Shopping: Shops and stores are open 9 am to 5:30 pm daily except Sundays. This is a country of antiques and they are everywhere. Woolens and linens are quite good as well as the Wedgwood, Royal Doulton china and porcelain. Clothing is also very good with the abundance of Harris Tweeds and various cottons and silks.

Food and Drink: Britain is the crossroads of the Commonwealth and so every imaginable cuisine is available here - especially in London. Puddings in England and Wales and various Scottish specialties in the north are very interesting. Pubs are a focal point of communities and are a source of excellent and inexpensive food. Beverages here are not limited to those enriched with alcohol but all sorts of family oriented beverages.

Social: The British are not stuffy only portrayals of them. Most are very down to earth and extremely engaging and willing to help the traveler along the way. If anything, they will want to discover more of the colonies in conversations with you. You will also discover that the English, Scots and Welsh as well as the Northern Irish are very different people as may be found in many parts of North America.

Business: Business culture has changed sharply beginning with the Thatcher years. position is no longer engrained into society but a new tern called "meritocracy" which has revolutionized the social, political and economic morays of Britain. This is reflected tremendously in business affairs. Three piece suits, umbrellas and bowler hats have disappeared and have been replaced with smartly dressed figures who are bright, energetic and quite knowledgeable in their fields. Business appointments and business cards are essential.

Climate

The country has a varied climate ranging from subtropical in the southwest to cold and rainy in the northwest of Scotland. The country has its share of rain which can fall at any time. Scotland's northwest is the wettest area of the country. The southeast is quite sunny and tends to have the overall greatest amount of sun. The southwest is the mildest.