PERSONAL SAFETY

Overall UK is a very safe place to live in, if you take normal precautions, that is. Of course there are less desirable areas in every city and women especially should take care when walking at night, especially in London. There are occasional bomb scares in London and other British cities. This, of course, is the spill-over from Northern Ireland, the one section of the UK that does not share the nation's peaceful, low crime reputation. These scares are very infrequent and should not deter you.

The best precautions that one can take against 'mugged' or becoming an unsuspecting victim of robbery in the UK have to do with using simple common sense.

• Leave at home any credit cards and identification you will not be using on your trip, as well as a list of the numbers of any such documents you will be using.
• A list of travellers cheques numbers should also be left at home. If your travellers cheques and documents are lost or stolen when travelling, having such lists at home will save time and headaches.
• Avoid traveling alone after dark in subways, downtown districts, parks, empty streets and decaying neighborhoods. Any area that looks seedy, is littered with trash and broken bottles and has idle people hanging around street corners, is probably unsafe.
• When in and around airports, train and bus terminals and entrances to subway stations, or on empty pavements and staircases always avoid standing around and looking lost.
• Avoid keeping your wallet in your back pocket.
• Always keep an eye on your luggage at airports and stations and do not leave bags unattended, even for a few minutes.
• Be careful of beggars and homeless people. Ignore them as far as possible.
• Avoid dark, lonely places if you do not have car.
• Find out from friends which areas of town to avoid.

WEIGHTS AND MEASURES

The UK operates under the metric system weights and measures. Fruit and vegetables are bought by the kilogram, petrol and milk by the liter, distance by the meter or kilometer, and speed limits in kilometers per hour.

For a Metric Conversion chart, click here.

ELECTRICAL FITTINGS

The electrical voltage in Britain is 230/240v AC, 50 Hz. British plugs have three square prongs, so an adapter is necessary to use your appliance in Britain.

WEATHER

Britain lies in a temperate zone and the climate does not run to extremes but it is certainly one of the most erratic climates in the world. As such the climate is generally cool and mild, and frequently wet. Winter in the parts of Britain that are heavily inhabited are usually rainy rather than snowy. Summer has its share of wet days as well. In London and the South temperatures are between 15°C and 25°C in August, the warmest month. Winter temperatures average between 0°C and 5°C but it tends to feel considerably colder because of the wetness. The average number of days with snow can be as many as 30 (as in blizzard prone NE Scotland) to as few as 5 (as in SE England).

Britain's rain is deservedly famous, so be smart and bring along a lightweight raincoat and an umbrella. Rain is fairly well distributed throughout the year. June is the driest month all over Britain. The wettest months are usually August, October and December, but in any particular year almost any month can prove to be wettest. So, the association of Britain with seemingly perpetual rainfall is based on a germ of truth.

LANGUAGE

English is the main language spoken in Britain. Because of the many cultures that have adopted England as their home, there are a variety of other languages that you may hear, but English is most widely used. There are also different accents and colloquialisms that are prevalent in the different regions of the country that can sometimes be hard to understand

Nonverbals: Nonverbals, the 'silent' or 'body' language, form an important part of first impressions you create. The first few minutes in any interaction are vital. That's all it takes to make up your mind About UK someone.

• Nonverbals include your posture, gestures, body movements, and facial expressions. Make sure that your nonverbals and what you are saying are in agreement.
• You convey messages all the time through your nonverbals and if you're not aware, you can give a wrong impression. Fiddling with your tie or shuffling loose change in your pocket is distracting and makes you seem nervous.
• Be aware of what you are doing, and with practice, you will be able to project a positive image.