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Be careful of the side of the road on which you drive... other than that, we are, as George Bernard Shaw was credited with saying:
England and America are two countries separated by the same language...
You say biscuits I say cookies, for example. But you'll find that most all Americans will find that charming and express a desire to talk to you, especially to hear your accent (I know, I know we're the ones with the accents). Be sure to pick up a guide (many available online) for currency conversions. You're coming at an opportune time since the exchange rate is very favorable to you. Your basic pound sterling is equal to $1.94 here in the U.S., almost two to one (see here: http://coinmill.com/GBP_USD.html).
Leave the bumbershoot and bowler at home! Enjoy your visit...
England and America are two countries separated by the same language...
You say biscuits I say cookies, for example. But you'll find that most all Americans will find that charming and express a desire to talk to you, especially to hear your accent (I know, I know we're the ones with the accents). Be sure to pick up a guide (many available online) for currency conversions. You're coming at an opportune time since the exchange rate is very favorable to you. Your basic pound sterling is equal to $1.94 here in the U.S., almost two to one (see here: http://coinmill.com/GBP_USD.html).
Leave the bumbershoot and bowler at home! Enjoy your visit...
Not sure whereabouts you're going there but here are some random points...
If you're going anywhere like San Francisco beware the wierd VAT thing if they still do it, when I went it was added on at the till rather that on the shelf price.
A bank note is a bill, remembering that could have saved me a very long and confusing conversation :)
Don't be shocked if you hear the term f a nny pack, it's a bumbag.
Tipping is expected, not dscretionary as it is here.
Portions are often significantly larger than over here so don't go mad ordering. Free refills are common too in some places.
Taco Bell is great!
Chocolate bars often have different names than over here which can get a bit confusing.
Bars are for over 21's only and can be very different to our pubs and different states have different ages of consent.
Drinking copious amounts in some restaurants can be percieved as strange in some places, more than a glass of wine and they think you're an alki :)
If you let us know whereabouts you're going in the states it might help us give some more specific advice.
If you're going anywhere like San Francisco beware the wierd VAT thing if they still do it, when I went it was added on at the till rather that on the shelf price.
A bank note is a bill, remembering that could have saved me a very long and confusing conversation :)
Don't be shocked if you hear the term f a nny pack, it's a bumbag.
Tipping is expected, not dscretionary as it is here.
Portions are often significantly larger than over here so don't go mad ordering. Free refills are common too in some places.
Taco Bell is great!
Chocolate bars often have different names than over here which can get a bit confusing.
Bars are for over 21's only and can be very different to our pubs and different states have different ages of consent.
Drinking copious amounts in some restaurants can be percieved as strange in some places, more than a glass of wine and they think you're an alki :)
If you let us know whereabouts you're going in the states it might help us give some more specific advice.
Yes they still add on the sales tax afterwards which can take you aback and if you even have one drink in a bar you are expected to tip. There are no measures i.e. gin and vodka so be prepared to get drunk when you think you have only had two drinks. You never pack your shopping in a supermarket and the staff in supermarkets might come up to you and say "hi, how are you today, are you finding everything you need?" so try not to faint. I think you will have a great time and eat too much, as previously said the portions are huge. If you want to take it home though its quite normal to ask for a 'box'. Have fun!
wonderful place... for me, tipping in restaurants is the huge difference; anything up to about 20% is normal, so factor that in when you're calculating the cost of a meal. And the sales taxes vary from state to state, which I presume is why they're not included in price tags.
As well as driving on the wrong side, some states allow you to turn right through a red light if there's nobody coming. And 4-way intersections generally have stop signs rather than roundabouts; the idea is that you proceed in the order in which you arrive at the intersection. Contrary to Starsky and Hutch, Americans are safe, courteous drivers and there's much less speeding than in Britain.
Beware of money: bank notes are indeed bills, and they're all the same size and colour, so make sure you've got the right one out. And the bill at a restaurant etc is the 'check'.
As well as driving on the wrong side, some states allow you to turn right through a red light if there's nobody coming. And 4-way intersections generally have stop signs rather than roundabouts; the idea is that you proceed in the order in which you arrive at the intersection. Contrary to Starsky and Hutch, Americans are safe, courteous drivers and there's much less speeding than in Britain.
Beware of money: bank notes are indeed bills, and they're all the same size and colour, so make sure you've got the right one out. And the bill at a restaurant etc is the 'check'.
..beware of their rules such as you never ever ever overtake a yellow school bus if it is stopped - in some states you cannot pass the bus even if it has stopped on the other side of the road.
..try not to laugh when you fill up your car with petrol ['gas' ] and it only comes to about �20.
..you do not 'open the boot'..but instead you 'pop the trunk'..
..in Texas they have a wierd system where you get to a crossroads and then drive off in turn - based on when you got to the junction!
..turning right on a red light is a brilliant idea and I wish they would introduce it here [only on the left hand side of course!] - it does speed things up
..they do get a bit ratty if you do not tip the expected 15-20% - tipping is expected and has nothing to do with the level of service you receive, An easy guide to how much to tip is 'double the tax' on the bill.
..be prepared for large portions of very good food, and amazing service - your food will appear very quickly which is a bit disconcerting at first but you soon get used to it and it makes you very impatient when you get back to England.
...agree with the clean loos - but be warned they almost all have a strange little gap between the door and the post so you think people can see in. Ignore it - they are not a nation of perverts.!
..just be prepared for everything [and everyone] to be larger...roads are at least 3 lanes wide
...and you will notice how fiercely patriotic they are - the Stars and Stripes is flying everywhere.
Enjoy!
..try not to laugh when you fill up your car with petrol ['gas' ] and it only comes to about �20.
..you do not 'open the boot'..but instead you 'pop the trunk'..
..in Texas they have a wierd system where you get to a crossroads and then drive off in turn - based on when you got to the junction!
..turning right on a red light is a brilliant idea and I wish they would introduce it here [only on the left hand side of course!] - it does speed things up
..they do get a bit ratty if you do not tip the expected 15-20% - tipping is expected and has nothing to do with the level of service you receive, An easy guide to how much to tip is 'double the tax' on the bill.
..be prepared for large portions of very good food, and amazing service - your food will appear very quickly which is a bit disconcerting at first but you soon get used to it and it makes you very impatient when you get back to England.
...agree with the clean loos - but be warned they almost all have a strange little gap between the door and the post so you think people can see in. Ignore it - they are not a nation of perverts.!
..just be prepared for everything [and everyone] to be larger...roads are at least 3 lanes wide
...and you will notice how fiercely patriotic they are - the Stars and Stripes is flying everywhere.
Enjoy!
If you're taking in downtown Denver while you're in Colorado, 16th street is one big shopping street with a free shuttle bus running the full length and stopping at each intersection. All the usual stores plus local tourist interest (tat?). Denver has a number of microbreweries so if you're a beer drinker, don't be afraid of trying the local brew - much more interesting than the unremitting diet of Bud. Rock Bottom Brewery (16th and Curtis if I remember correctly) is a larger example of these, with home-made beers and excllent food. For the evening, look at Lower Downtown (LoDo) for interesting hostelries and restaurants. Tex-Mex food there is brilliant.
It's also an old (well, old by mid-west standards!) railroad town with a busy station.
It's also an old (well, old by mid-west standards!) railroad town with a busy station.
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