Путешествие - Travelling. Руденко Т.П. - 25 стр.

though some of the pre-decimal silver coins are still in circulation. Major        Insurance
credit cards are widely accepted.                                                         You should insure your luggage, personal possessions and money
                                                                                   before leaving your home country, as risks in large cities can be consider-
Banks and changing money                                                           able, especially if you are unfamiliar with the UK.
        Banks are closed on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays. (Some
branches of Barclays Bank are open on Saturday mornings). Generally,               Security
weekday opening hours are 09.30 to 15.30 hours. Most banks in Scotland                     Pickpockets can be a hazard in many cities in the UK. Always carry
and Northern Ireland close for an hour at lunchtime.                               your money in an inside pocket, never in your back trousers pocket or on
        If you need British currency when the banks are closed, you can ob-        the outside of a coat or jacket. If you leave your jacket anywhere, always
tain it at branches of larger travel agents such as Thomas Cook (they have         take your money with you. Never leave a handbag unattended, even for
over 200 offices throughout the country); in the exchange offices provided         short periods; always keep it with you.
by many large department stores; at counter desks in large hotels; or at one               Similarly, you should take care not to leave luggage or briefcases in
of the many independent Bureaux de Change. Be sure to check in advance             waiting rooms or on railway platforms, luggage racks or anywhere else. It
the rate of exchange and the commission charged. There are 24 hour banks           is safer to carry valuables such as cameras, radios and computers with you
at London’s airports (Heathrow and Gatwick).                                       and keep a note of their serial numbers.
                                                                                           It is not a good idea to carry large amount of cash with you, because
Transfer of funds                                                                  if it is stolen or lost you are not likely to get it back. Try to carry only
       If you are planning to transfer extra money to the UK you should ar-        enough cash to meet your day-to-day expenses. Traveller’s cheques should
range this before you leave your home country.                                     be in small denominations such as £5, £10 and £20, so you will have
       Also before you leave home, check whether you need permission to            enough money for your daily needs. Remember to keep a note of the serial
transfer money to the UK and whether your government has restrictions on           numbers in case you lose them.
the amount of money you can take out of your country.                                      Finally, take special care of your passport, tickets and other essential
                                                                                   personal documents.
Clothing and other items
                                                                                   Police registration
       You should have enough warm clothing for your flight and subse-
                                                                                          Your entry clearance (the stamp put in your passport when you arrive
quent journey. Several layers of lightweight clothes are better than a single
                                                                                   in the UK) will state whether or not you have to register with the Overseas
shirt or dress. It is probably cheaper and easier to buy warm winter clothing
                                                                                   Visitors/Records or, outside London, at a major police station close to
in the UK, rather than in your home country.
                                                                                   where you will be living. If you are required to register with the police, you
                                                                                   must do so within seven days of your arrival in the UK. Your entry clear-
Luggage
                                                                                   ance stamp will probably tell you to register with the police if:
        You will have a free baggage allowance which will be shown on
                                                                                             • you are aged 16 or over and are either from a particular country,
your air ticket; this is usually 23kg or one bag of limited size, but it will be
                                                                                             or are a stateless person, or are travelling on a non-national travel
20kg on some airlines. You may be charged for excess baggage if you ex-
                                                                                             document (rather than a passport) and
ceed the baggage allowance, so check with the airline before you leave if
                                                                                             • you intend to stay in the UK for more than six months, i.e., as a
you need clarification on your allowance. You should make a list of every-
                                                                                             student.
thing you bring. If any of your baggage is sent by sea or by unaccompanied
                                                                                          If you travel on your own each time you change your address or extend
air freight, you will be responsible for all charges.
                                                                                   your permission to be in the UK you must renew your police registration.
                                                                                   There is no charge unless you have lost your original registration document.

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