Ask MetaFilter

My husband and I are looking forward soon to 10 days in the UK, 7 of which will be in Scotland. Is there anything roughly equivalent to London's travelcard in Glasgow, Edinburgh, or the greater area? How can I get the most out of our transport budget? [more inside]
posted by droomoord around Scotland at 8:45 AM - 7 answers

My dad is in his late 70s and would love to go a trip to London while he is still healthy enough to travel. He has some mobility issues and we will be cautious about being unmasked indoors, so looking for some suggestions for where to stay and eat with those considerations in mind! [more inside]
posted by forkisbetter around London, England at 11:45 AM - 6 answers

I saw a white speck tailing the wing of a plane at about 16:00, 26th April 2022 over Trowbridge, Wiltshire, UK. What was it? [more inside]
posted by popcassady around Trowbridge, England at 10:20 AM - 2 answers

My father-in-law has generously offered to pay for a family reunion in Edinburgh in July. While he's footing the bill for the flights and accommodations in Edinburgh, we thought we would try to extend the trip on either end and wanted some advice about how to make this all work. [more inside]
posted by Missense Mutation around Scotland at 1:09 PM - 6 answers

Hi, all! I am visiting London next month for the first time in over 20 years. If I tell you some of my favorite places in other cities and experiences I'm looking for, can you recommend some things I should make time for there? [more inside]
posted by minervous around London, England at 9:54 AM - 43 answers

Let's pretend I'm actually going on my belated honeymoon in May even though it seems deeply implausible. How do I get from one thing to another, and what are the things? [more inside]
posted by babelfish around Scotland at 7:33 AM - 16 answers

I'm staying in Matlock for a few days in mid-February. I don't know the area at all. We want to do some walking and are otherwise interested in museums, history and art stuff. Any recommendations for things to do and see would be great, plus interesting shops (we have bookshops covered) or cafes and restaurants. I've seen the website for Cromford Mills and we are very likely to do that. Thanks.
posted by paduasoy around Derbyshire Dales, England at 1:46 AM - 16 answers

We are three adults (late 40s) and two kids (12 & 9). Can you suggest a place to us to stay in London? We live in Chicago (Rogers Park) and know that cities are The Neighborhoods and that's where we'd like to stay. We're looking for something that has access to parks for the kids, local shops for local people, and not terribly touristy. [more inside]
posted by Wink Ricketts around London, England at 11:17 AM - 11 answers

What are the pros and cons of bringing a 2yo male neutered golden retriever, to live for January through May in a flat just west of Paddington station, with hybrid work hours, some travel within what's left of the UK, some theatre-going and restaurant dining? [more inside]
posted by Mngo around London, England at 3:04 PM - 9 answers

I'm in Italy, and need to leave for a few weeks for visa reasons (to avoid running out of my 90 days in the Shengen zone while paperwork sorts itself out). Covid-wise, is the UK a safe place to wait this out? [more inside]
posted by niicholas around London, England at 11:17 AM - 18 answers

Another UK car question. Just bought new insurance but I won't be covered for one hour in the early morning of the first day of cover. How worried should I be? [more inside]
posted by rd45 around England at 5:00 AM - 7 answers

I'm not sure what to do for the best. My car's MOT is about to run out (runs out on Sunday) and I won't be able to drive it anywhere apart from to the MOT test centre after that date. It's still taxed for a further month, and insured until July next year. I know I don't want/need this car anymore and mean to sell it. It's a pretty knackered old thing but due to its make/model it's still likely to sell relatively easily. I think it's unlikely to sail through its MOT but should pass without to much work being needed. [more inside]
posted by dance around England at 3:58 AM - 8 answers

My mother lives in the US, but my sister and her children live in the UK. My fully vaccinated mom has been planning on flying to London and back in October to visit them, and she says that she can't do this because the travel restrictions don't lift until November. I believe she is confused and those restrictions only apply to UK citizens going to the US. What are the actual rules for US citizens flying to UK and back as of October 20th? Is there a simple guide I can give to my mom to reassure her? [more inside]
posted by JZig around London, England at 9:31 AM - 7 answers

I'm a fully vaccinated citizen of the USA. I'm planning on a trip to Scotland, where the self-isolation rules have recently been lifted, and where the definition of a "vaccinated" person have been updated to include those vaccinated in the USA. But it still seems that I have some protocols to follow, involving taking a test on and before Day 2. My questions center around this process. [more inside]
posted by avoision around Scotland at 5:56 PM - 8 answers

Some time in the next two months I (US-based, US citizen) will be starting an extended visit to the UK as part of setting up for a relocation to join my fiancee (UK-based, UK citizen) there. I would like to bring my cat with me. Prior to COVID this process was reasonably straightforward but options look very limited now. Maybe there are more options/solutions available than I think? [more inside]
posted by 4rtemis around London, England at 12:26 PM - 10 answers

I'm in the UK for the foreseeable future, caring for a sick parent. Help me stave off cabin-fever (by going outside). [more inside]
posted by girlalex around Newbury, England at 4:11 PM - 9 answers

Am going to London tomorrow with my husband and three small children. For sightseeing and fun. However...so much of what we would normally do is either fully booked (due to it being a rainy Saturday in October) or closed due to the 'Rona. Any tips, which won't break the bank, and possibly not already all over the "10 best things to do in London with the kids!" lists as I've scoured them all!! :-D Thanks all. Dropped the ball on this one...shoulda checked the websites BEFORE booking train tix. Kids are 9, 5 and 5 (twins).
posted by dance around London, England at 3:42 PM - 5 answers

We have to drive from Belfast to London (taking the ferry to Stranraer, I think, unless you can think of a better way to go!) at the end of August/early September. We have young children who are hardly ever in cars (and will struggle with the long distances) and so will need to stop once, or probably twice, overnight. Ideas? General tips for car travel with kids? [more inside]
posted by caoimhe around Belfast, Northern Ireland at 9:24 AM - 13 answers

Before the coronavirus, I was learning to drive in England (thanks, Metafilter for recommending that I switch instructors). When we came to a stop at a crosswalk, the first thing we had to do is "make it safe": to pull the manual brake up, protecting pedestrians ahead of us in case of a rear-end collision. My buddy back in the States, however, insists this is ridiculous and refuses to believe that braking like this saves lives. Is there any safety data out there that I could cite to uphold the UK braking style? [more inside]
posted by johngoren around England at 2:26 AM - 38 answers

My credit card comes with Primary collision damage waiver for rental cars up to $75,000. Great. What it doesn't come with is liability. I don't own a car anymore so I don't have regular car insurance. I only drive internationally - soon to be Northern Ireland AND Republic of Ireland. What's the best way to deal with liability coverage?
posted by rileyray3000 around Northern Ireland at 2:35 PM - 7 answers