The following is the first installment of my journaling from the UK, where I am attending a wedding, speaking at a conference, and having my long-delayed honeymoon. H-band and I are writing our separate accounts...
"That will be three pounds eighty, Sir," the taxi driver said to us, dropping us off at the Crowne Plaza in Liverpool. We'd just endured a 10-hour flight, an additional security check (fodder for a separate dispatch) a two-hour layover, a two-hour delay, a half-hour wait in a train station, an hour-long train ride, and a short cab ride before this moment. H-band handed the driver a 20-pound note; then after receiving a small handful of coins and two fives as change, H-band gave back two pounds.
I waited until the cab driver was gone before saying anything.
"Two things, babe," I said. "One. You don't tip cab drivers out here. And even if you did, you don't have to give sixty percent."
From this point on, H-band and I would continue to misallocate funds, tipping where we shouldn't, and not realizing where we did have to pay for extras.
I thought I had the mojo down when I went shopping the next day and found that there was no additional sales tax added to the price.
"It's all included, Miss," the cashier said.
"You see," I said to H-band, "That's what I love about the UK: They don't ding you with extras. No additional charges, no taxes, no fees--you just pay a little bit more. It's worth it."
The next day, H-band showed me our hotel bill, and I saw that I was wrong. Apparently there are "non-inclusions" in the UK, but they are nearly the opposite of what you would expect in the U.S. The bottles of water and wireless in our room were free, but the rag I selected when the front desk asked what paper I wanted to receive in the morning, and the buffet breakfast I was ushered to when we came down to the lobby that morning, were not complementary. All told, my cold waffle cost me $30. Had I known the truth I might have gorged myself on the Weetabix they had laid out, or stuffed myself on blood pudding, justifying the price with more protein intake, or gone to Starbucks instead.
We realized that once you applied the $2 dollars to pound conversion rate, pricing really wasn't commensurate to San Francisco or New York, but rather double. Gas was almost $8 a gallon, making our super reasonable car rental not-so-reasonable. Yet it only took us a few hours to drive across the country and up to Scotland, hence we used less gas. Sure gas was outrageously expensive, yet H-band noticed that we hadn't seen ary an SUV; whole families fit in small sedans, without carpool lanes as incentives.
I thought H-band had learned his lesson about tipping, but he still insisted on putting down two pounds for our bartender in Edinburgh.
"At the end of the day," he said. "it's a nice thing to do."
They must adore the Americans, when we aren't complaining about the exchange rate and surcharges.
They adore you for the tip, yes.
And while gas is $8 a gallon - probably now people know why I laugh so hard when I see complaints about a gallon hitting 3 dollars or so - it is as you said, you can have smaller cars. :)
Posted by: Nicole Simon | June 04, 2007 at 12:37 PM
Hey, I want you guys to enjoy every minute and have lots of fun while you're there; but I don't want you coming back bloody paupers.
Actually, after all the horrid delays, layovers, waits and rides I guess I'm just happy you got there okay. I've been thinking about you two, and I hope the rest of the trip goes well...CHEERS! Love, Mom
Posted by: Joy | June 04, 2007 at 07:13 PM
Even after 3 years of living in London, we are still shocked at the prices of everything (probably more shocked than someone from large CA cities because we come from Houston). Still, the UK is a fabulous place to be with so much to see. Enjoy your holiday and pretend 1£ = 1$.
Posted by: Carrie | June 05, 2007 at 12:50 AM
Oh, London... I loved my trip there (I spent two weeks a few years back) and I remember nearly fainting when I went into Starbucks and paid 7 pounds for a coffee. When I did the conversion, I realized I was paying nearly $14 for a Starbucks coffee.
I hope you have an excellent trip and get to see many wonderful sights!
Sincerely,
Erin Blaskie
Business Services, ETC
http://www.bsetc.ca
Posted by: Erin Blaskie | June 05, 2007 at 10:02 PM