Things To Help People Planning 2021 European Cruises
Get UK Train Tickets Online In Advance
In the UK , train tickets are bookable from about 3 months in advance. Train tickets increase in price the closer you get to travel day. The most expensive tickets for a route will be on the day tickets bought at the train station.
I always use this website to book train tickets
https://www.thetrainline.com/train-times and I choose the option to collect at the train station.
If you are planning your own transport from London to Dover, the train will be the fastest and most economical way to travel. Be aware though that luggage space is limited, luggage racks are usually at the end of each carriage. Seat pitches are smaller than trains in USA. Pre Covid, trains could be very crowded, depending on the route and time of day. Many times there would not be seats available and people will stand in the aisle and at the doorways. Train travel in off peak times is always advisable.
Public Transport In London
TFL (
Transport
For
London) website is one thing you should study BEFORE you visit London.
https://tfl.gov.uk/ It has a huge amount of information, from
fares and Oyster Cards to
interactive bus and tube maps and
journey planners. Before leaving your hotel for the day, make sure to check the
status updates, which will give updates about diversions, station or route closures.
What To Wear
UK and Ireland and Europe in general dress very different to Americans. Generally branded and slogan clothing is usually only worn by young people, mostly under 24. Branded clothing tends to be very subtle branding, so generally you will see children and teenagers wearing Disney tshirts or hoodies but the mom and dad would be wearing plain , non branded clothes. If you are buying clothes in Europe, be aware that clothes sizes are generally smaller and even in
Disneyland Paris you will not find the range of adult clothes you will find in the American parks or on
DCL. You will not find clothes sizes either womens or mens in the bigger American sizes either. Other than in specialty plus size clothes shops, most European shops wont stock clothes bigger than womens UK 20 / 18 USA or mens XL / chest 44 inches
Generally womens casual clothes would be jeans, or smart pants, plain tshirts, plain jumpers, plain cardigans, comfy shoes or floral, striped or printed dresses, skirts etc. Think a more relaxed office casual look.
https://thesavvybackpacker.com/womens-european-fashion/
For men, its generally the same, jeans and jumpers, comfy shoes or pants like chinos. Men in Europe do not wear baseball hats on a day to day basis.
Weather / Temperatures
In UK and Ireland generally June/ July /August are the hottest months of the year. The hottest heatwave days in London can get to 30 c / 86 f. Most of the time though in June/ July /August a good guide would be 25 c / 77 f. Rain can happen on any day. Summer rain can be anything from a light mist for about 30 minutes to a day long downpour with thunder and lightening. Some days can be very windy, even if the temperature is high.
September, the temperatures start to drop, a good guide would be 20 c / 68 f. Again wind and rain can happen at any time.
Many days will be overcast and cloudy, even if the temperatures are high. We don't get continuous days of endless blue skies. We have year round humidity of about 50% , even on the most hottest days in summer.
Small compact umbrellas are a handbag staple, in every month of the year. They can be bought in most grocery shops, convenience stores, drug stores etc. Most coats and jackets are waterproof with a hood. UK and Irish people dont really tend to wear raincoats or windbreakers.