Visiting America
Discussion
Speedy1995 said:
Why photographed and fingerprinted ? Obviously for safety but other airports ive been to e.g east mids, Manchester, Larnaca, Paphos, Barcelona and Charles de gall or whatever it is called seem to manage fine without photos and prints .
Security, they get a bit upset when people fly planes into buildings.They have the prints and a photo of everyone who comes in / goes out (at least by commercial flight anyway). Half of me thinks its more a visual deterrent / show of "look we're doing something really".
If you walk around a major city in the UK for 10 minutes there are countless images of you from CCTV. Walk in to a shop you're on camera.. I don't see it as a big deal.
It really is no big deal - give the guy your passport, he taps a few keys "look at the camera please", "left index finger on the red box", "thank you, have a nice stay".
Some of them are miserable buggers, others are talkative.. depends whose had a bad day I guess.
Matt Harper said:
The people are similar to this:
The food is like this:
The hotels are like this:
...and the airports - you should see the airports, they look like this:
Just let me know if you need advice on what the trees are like.
Sadly most of the food looks like this by the time you get to eat it.The food is like this:
The hotels are like this:
...and the airports - you should see the airports, they look like this:
Just let me know if you need advice on what the trees are like.
Visiting the US.
The people at Passport Control in Arrivals rarely smile.
Families can usually go to Passport Control together (eg: Married same name).
They drive on the right, You can turn right on a Red Light, You can overtake in any lane. American Road Signs are S*** and the traffic lights are in the sky.
Gas (Petrol) is half the price of the Uk but the Yanks still moan about the high price, You usually pay first. In New Jersey they serve you, (self service is illegal in NJ). Diesel is for Trucks.
Nearly everyone goes out for Breakfast. Most meals are huge compared to UK portions. Even in posh resturants they will give you a doggie bag to take home the food you don't eat.
In Bars/ Resturants you tip 10-15% the food's fairly cheap so no big deal. Servers (Waiters to us Brits) incl. Bar staff are very poorly paid and tips are considered to be part of their wages.
Keep hold of small bills for tips and tolls.
Walgreens sell everything.
Parecetomal is a perscription drug so don't expect to buy some for a headache.
In Florida from May to July it rains almost everyday between 3 & 5pm, doesn't last long and burns off quickly with the heat but F*** does it come down!
Anyone under 55 in Florida will be a Tourist or lost.
FFS don't book to stay at an Econolodge they are bad. (The one in Orlando may be an exception).
Key West is a bit like going to Tenerife, proper party place and unlike anywhere else in the US except for Vegas.
The USA is a wonderful place to visit, I hope to go back many more times.
The people at Passport Control in Arrivals rarely smile.
Families can usually go to Passport Control together (eg: Married same name).
They drive on the right, You can turn right on a Red Light, You can overtake in any lane. American Road Signs are S*** and the traffic lights are in the sky.
Gas (Petrol) is half the price of the Uk but the Yanks still moan about the high price, You usually pay first. In New Jersey they serve you, (self service is illegal in NJ). Diesel is for Trucks.
Nearly everyone goes out for Breakfast. Most meals are huge compared to UK portions. Even in posh resturants they will give you a doggie bag to take home the food you don't eat.
In Bars/ Resturants you tip 10-15% the food's fairly cheap so no big deal. Servers (Waiters to us Brits) incl. Bar staff are very poorly paid and tips are considered to be part of their wages.
Keep hold of small bills for tips and tolls.
Walgreens sell everything.
Parecetomal is a perscription drug so don't expect to buy some for a headache.
In Florida from May to July it rains almost everyday between 3 & 5pm, doesn't last long and burns off quickly with the heat but F*** does it come down!
Anyone under 55 in Florida will be a Tourist or lost.
FFS don't book to stay at an Econolodge they are bad. (The one in Orlando may be an exception).
Key West is a bit like going to Tenerife, proper party place and unlike anywhere else in the US except for Vegas.
The USA is a wonderful place to visit, I hope to go back many more times.
Matt Harper said:
ncbbmw said:
Sadly most of the food looks like this by the time you get to eat it.
You are misguided, dude. Yanks rarely eat battered fish and chips, hardly ever eat prawn crackers and never, ever (more's the pity) eat sausage rolls.2/10 for stock image selection
http://wsrkfm.com/would-you-like-29lbs-of-fries-wi...
ncbbmw said:
Visiting the US.
Walgreens sell everything.
Parecetomal is a perscription drug so don't expect to buy some for a headache.
.
Don't you just love PH sometimes, Walgreens sell everything.
Parecetomal is a perscription drug so don't expect to buy some for a headache.
.
Acetominophen is the equivalent, available off the shelf, and none of this you can only buy max 32 at a time b
ks.The most common brand name is Tylenol
$8.49 for 100
or Walgreens' own brand $6.79 for 100
FiF said:
ncbbmw said:
Visiting the US.
Walgreens sell everything.
Parecetomal is a perscription drug so don't expect to buy some for a headache.
.
Don't you just love PH sometimes, Walgreens sell everything.
Parecetomal is a perscription drug so don't expect to buy some for a headache.
.
Acetominophen is the equivalent, available off the shelf, and none of this you can only buy max 32 at a time b
ks.The most common brand name is Tylenol
$8.49 for 100
or Walgreens' own brand $6.79 for 100
that's expensive and they're only 325mg (500mg standard strength over here)
FloppyRaccoon said:
It'll be more like 30 mins. I'm there at least twice a year and I don't recall it ever being more than that. I also never find the border security officials to be rude, just doing their job. Takes 30 seconds to get through, just answer the questions. They'll ask you how long you're there for, where you'll be staying etc etc.
I was just posting from personal experience, and I've been to the USA a fair few times myself, have just booked up for Florida for the tenth time, and between MCO and SFB have never got through customs in less than an hour.On our last visit the wife and I went up together, but when the officer noticed we had different surnames on our passports he started giving us a hard time asking my wife why she didn't change her name when we got married, ended up giving us a lecture on why he thought we were wrong, telling us we were 'weird', then practically threw our passports back at us - some of these guys must be on a real power trip knowing the average tourist knows not to say anything back in return to them.
That said, it never deters me from going back, once you get past them you can start enjoying yourself
Just got back. Filled in the esta online ($14) in plenty of time including first address of first night. Waltzed through customs and had a nice chat with a friendly border crossing fella. Probably sounding me out but there were smiles. Yes they took my prints and picture but what the hell. The speed going through sort of upset the long search we were expecting and time budgeted for this, five hour stay in the airport was a tad boring but there we go. We were expecting the ninth degree interrogation. It was after Labour day and outside school hols etc. We were also going out the way so off the usual holiday routes.
Food was excellent and if I wanted stodge, that was on tap, as well as other food. Take your pick. I liked the stodge, it was better than UK stodge. The non stodge was as good as our non stodge.
Tipping. This was a mare knowing the right sum. We seemed to get it right so either it was just right or too much.
People everywhere were friendly and helpful. Contrast to people being on a short fuse with ethe servers when the coffee was 15 seconds too long being served.
Lunablack, ever been to Cardiff on a Saturday night when the valley commando's are in town....
Food was excellent and if I wanted stodge, that was on tap, as well as other food. Take your pick. I liked the stodge, it was better than UK stodge. The non stodge was as good as our non stodge.
Tipping. This was a mare knowing the right sum. We seemed to get it right so either it was just right or too much.
People everywhere were friendly and helpful. Contrast to people being on a short fuse with ethe servers when the coffee was 15 seconds too long being served.
Lunablack, ever been to Cardiff on a Saturday night when the valley commando's are in town....
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The US is an amazing place. But do remember it is bigger than just Florida, California, Vegas, and NYC I'm sure it's fairly well known that the inhabitants of Florida are really an odd bunch, so dont ever judge the entire country by them!
One random comment... food in national parks is terrible. It was one thing that really stuck out for me after visiting ~10 of them last year. You will find yourself stuck in the middle of nowhere in a park, and the only available food is a low-grade McDonalds type place.
You can get fun car rentals for cheap though
I'm sure it's fairly well known that the inhabitants of Florida are really an odd bunch, so dont ever judge the entire country by them!One random comment... food in national parks is terrible. It was one thing that really stuck out for me after visiting ~10 of them last year. You will find yourself stuck in the middle of nowhere in a park, and the only available food is a low-grade McDonalds type place.
You can get fun car rentals for cheap though
Paul Dishman said:
FiF said:
ncbbmw said:
Visiting the US.
Walgreens sell everything.
Parecetomal is a perscription drug so don't expect to buy some for a headache.
.
Don't you just love PH sometimes, Walgreens sell everything.
Parecetomal is a perscription drug so don't expect to buy some for a headache.
.
Acetaminophen is the equivalent, available off the shelf, and none of this you can only buy max 32 at a time b
ks.The most common brand name is Tylenol
$8.49 for 100
or Walgreens' own brand $6.79 for 100
that's expensive and they're only 325mg (500mg standard strength over here)
Also agree that expensive, if you factor in the dosage, at current USD/GBP X-rate then per mg they are a gnat's over 3* the cost of, say, Boots 500mg in 32 pack. Though 6.6p / tab vs 2.2p per tab isn't going to break the bank for someone on a Florida vacation, who in true PH someone typing utter rubbish style, had just been told it wasn't available in USA over the counter.
Lunablack said:
ditis is spreading through Europe and the UK is the second fattest after Croatia in the EU. The difference between the UK and America is still almost a stone though.http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/earthnews/9345086...
Anyhow, I recall once pouring scorn on the whole Disney thing and after going in 2005 went again in 2008 and am hoping to go again next year.
It's no big deal, the flights are longer, the security stricter, the villas cheaper and the exchange rate way better and the stuff there cheaper (Parks aside but then they're not cheap here either and not even in the saem league) so as a balancing exercise, it's not that much more expensive than Europe these days and you WILL have a great time.
Florida is a tourist state which has thousands of Brits visiting every week, so you won't find anyone who "just loves your cute accent"
Don't miss Miami Beach. The sea is azure, the sand is like sugar, the Art-Deco is stunning and so are the ladies.
If you are driving and are stopped by the police, stay in the car and keep your hands where he can clearly see them at all times. Address him as 'Officer' and be polite and respectful. He has a gun and you haven't.
Always tip. Many visitors assume that because our minimum wage is £6-19 ph, the USA's must be at least $10 ph. Wrong. Waitresses are paid a pittance, and are taxed on the tips that the govt assumes they will make, so you really must tip every time.
Fl isn't my favourite part of the USA, too many British chav families in football shirts, but it's still a great place to visit.
Don't miss Miami Beach. The sea is azure, the sand is like sugar, the Art-Deco is stunning and so are the ladies
. If you are driving and are stopped by the police, stay in the car and keep your hands where he can clearly see them at all times. Address him as 'Officer' and be polite and respectful. He has a gun and you haven't.
Always tip. Many visitors assume that because our minimum wage is £6-19 ph, the USA's must be at least $10 ph. Wrong. Waitresses are paid a pittance, and are taxed on the tips that the govt assumes they will make, so you really must tip every time.
Fl isn't my favourite part of the USA, too many British chav families in football shirts, but it's still a great place to visit.
Edited by Bradgate on Sunday 16th September 22:51
Puggit said:
Mandat said:
Puggit said:
Try Miami late on Saturday afternoon...
bks! I'm flying to Miami in two weeks, ariving at 5.00pm on Saturday.Good luck with that - lands just after Air France and a few others!
Ben
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