Wikitravel - Changes related to "Tristan da Cunha" [en]

United Kingdom

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South Africa

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‎Do:

South Africa

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‎History:

United Kingdom

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copyedit including correct external link format, sp., ip and MoS fixes; wtsi, sh-f, wta

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United Kingdom

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‎By boat:

South Africa

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‎Money:

Cape Town

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‎By car:

United Kingdom

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remove duplicate mentions, correct external links format and more

United Kingdom

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‎Bank (public) holidays:

United Kingdom

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‎By plane:

United Kingdom

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‎Climate:

United Kingdom

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‎Respect: age groups are an important factor of tolerance and acceptance.

Wikitravel:How to edit a page

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 The '''United Kingdom of [http://www.visitbritain.com/ Great Britain] and [http://www.discovernorthernireland.com/ Northern Ireland'''] (the ''United Kingdom'' or the ''UK'') is a constitutional monarchy comprising much of the [[Britain and Ireland|British Isles]].
-This Union is more than 200 years old and comprises four constituent nations: [[England]], [[Scotland]], [[Wales]], and [[Northern Ireland]]. It occupies all of the island of Great Britain, the north-eastern portion of the island of Ireland and most of the remaining British Isles. It is important to remember that the [[Republic of Ireland]] is a completely separate country to the United Kingdom, seceding from the Union and gaining its independence in 1922. The [[Isle of Man]] and the various [[Channel Islands (United Kingdom)|Channel Islands]] are "crown dependencies", possessing their own legislative bodies with the assent of the Crown. They are not part of the United Kingdom, nor of the EU, but are not sovereign nations in their own right either. The UK has [[Ireland]], [[France]], [[Belgium]] and [[Netherlands]] as its nearest neighbours.
+This Union is more than 300 years old and comprises four constituent nations: [[England]], [[Scotland]], [[Wales]], and [[Northern Ireland]]. It occupies all of the island of Great Britain, the north-eastern portion of the island of Ireland and most of the remaining British Isles. It is important to remember that the [[Republic of Ireland]] is a completely separate country to the United Kingdom, seceding from the Union and gaining its independence in 1922. The [[Isle of Man]] and the various [[Channel Islands (United Kingdom)|Channel Islands]] are "crown dependencies", possessing their own legislative bodies with the assent of the Crown. They are not part of the United Kingdom, nor of the EU, but are not sovereign nations in their own right either. The UK has [[Ireland]], [[France]], [[Belgium]] and [[Netherlands]] as its nearest neighbours.
 The 'Great' in Great Britain (''Britannia Major'' in Roman times; ''Grande-Bretagne'' in French) is to distinguish it from the other, smaller "Britain": [[Brittany]] (''Britannia Minor''; ''Bretagne'') in northwestern [[France]].

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	* '''River Rafting:''' The Orange River on the border to Namibia is a popular destination for rafting tours. Several tour operators launch 4-6 day trips in blow-up boats from Vioolsdrif with camping under the stars.		* '''River Rafting:''' The Orange River on the border to Namibia is a popular destination for rafting tours. Several tour operators launch 4-6 day trips in blow-up boats from Vioolsdrif with camping under the stars.
		+	*<do name="GoVertical Mountaineering Adventures" alt="" address="" directions="" phone="+27(0)82 731 4696" url="http://www.govertical.co.za" hours="" price="" lat="" long="">Guided Drakensberg Trekking</do>

	==Buy==		==Buy==

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 The tip of [[Africa]] has been home to the Khoisan (''collective name for Hottentot (Koi) and Bushmen (San)'') people for thousands of years. Their rock art can still be found in many places throughout [[South Africa]]. It is estimated that Bantu tribes may have started to slowly expand into the northernmost areas of what is today [[Southern Africa]] at around 2,500 years ago and by around 500 AD the different cultural groups as we know them today had been established in the lush areas to the north and east of the what is today known as Eastern South Africa, Zimbabwe and Mozambique. The desert and semi-desert areas of the Western and Northern Cape provinces, as well as the western parts of the Eastern Cape province remained unsettled by the Bantu as the arid climate, limited seasonal rainfall, sparse vegetation and scarcity of natural sources of water could not sustain large migrations of people and herds of cattle, cattle being the primary livestock reared by the Bantu and fulfilling numerous cultural and economic functions within the tribal society (cattle served as a rudimentary currency and basic unit of exchange with a mutually agreeable value between bartering parties, thus fulfilling the function of money). The "Khoisan" existed in these areas as nomadic hunters, unable to permanently settle as the movement of desert game in search of dwindling water supplies during winter months determined their own migration. Not until the "Boers" (see next paragraph) moved into these areas and established boreholes and containment ponds could any permanent settlements be established in these areas. Today, with more reliable sources of water and modern methods of water conservancy the agricultural activity remains limited mainly to sheep and ostrich ranching as these animals are better suited to the sparse feed and limited water.
-The first permanent European settlement was built at Cape Town after the Dutch East India Company reached the Cape of Good Hope in April 1652. In the late 1700s, the ''Boers'' (''the settling farmers'') slowly started expanding first westward along the coastline and later upwards into the interior. By 1795, [[Britain]] first took control of the Cape, as a consequence of the Napoleonic wars on the Dutch, and in 1820, a large group of British settlers arrived in the region. In 1835, large numbers of ''Boers'' started out on the ''Groot Trek'' (the great migration) into the interior after becoming dissatisfied with the British rule. In the interior, they established their own internationally recognized republics.
+The first Europeans to reach South Africa were the Portuguese, who named the tipping end of the country "Cape of Good Hope" in 1488, when they managed to sail around it to reach India. But permanent European settlement was only built at Cape Town after the Dutch East India Company reached the Cape of Good Hope in April 1652. In the late 1700s, the ''Boers'' (''the settling farmers'') slowly started expanding first westward along the coastline and later upwards into the interior. By 1795, [[Britain]] first took control of the Cape, as a consequence of the Napoleonic wars on the Dutch, and in 1820, a large group of British settlers arrived in the region. In 1835, large numbers of ''Boers'' started out on the ''Groot Trek'' (the great migration) into the interior after becoming dissatisfied with the British rule. In the interior, they established their own internationally recognized republics.
 Two wars for control over the region were fought between the ''Boers'' and the British in 1880 and 1899.  The second war occurred after British settlers flooded into the area surrounding Johannesburg known as the "Witwatersrand" (white water escarpment) in response to the discovery of gold in 1886. The Second Boer War (Afrikaans: 'Die Tweede Vryheidsoorlog' or 'Second War of Independace') was particularly unpleasant, as the British administration contained the Boer civilian population in concentration camps resulting in one of the earliest recorded genocides. Boer farms, livestock, crops and homesteads were also largely destroyed.

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 ===By bus===
-Coaches are the cheapest way to travel to the UK from [[France]] and the [[Benelux]].
+Coaches are the cheapest way to travel to the UK from [[France]] and the [[Benelux]]. Eurolines [http://www.eurolines.co.uk/] offer daily services from [[Paris]], [[Amsterdam]] and [[Brussels]] to [[London]] Victoria coach station. Daily overnight coaches and limited day coaches travel between the UK and [[Ireland]]. Connections are available to most parts of the UK via the domestic National Express coach system, for most destinations it is cheaper to purchase this when purchasing your Eurolines tickets as discounts are available. Journeys take about 8-14 hours.
 Eurolines offer daily services from [[Paris]], [[Amsterdam]] and [[Brussels]] to
-[[London]] Victoria coach station.  Daily overnight coaches and limited day coaches travel between the UK and [[Ireland]]. Connections are available to most parts of the UK via the domestic National Express coach system, for most destinations it is cheaper to purchase this when purchasing your Eurolines tickets as discounts are available. Journeys take about 8-14 hours.
 Eurolines will also take you to/from other major European cities. Taking a budget flight is normally cheaper (but with a greater environmental impact), and spares you from a 24h+ bus journey.
-Various other operators compete with Eurolines, mostly between [[Poland]] and the UK; these come and go.
+Various other operators compete with Eurolines on some routes. Megabus [http://uk.megabus.com] competes with Eurolines buses between [[Paris]], [[Amsterdam]] and [[Brussels]] and [[London]]. Other companies, such as Polonia Transport [http://www.poloniatransport.pl/], compete with Eurolines between Eastern Europe and the UK; companies such as this usually come and go.
 ===By boat===
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 There are a large number of ferry routes into the UK from continental Europe. [[Newcastle upon Tyne|Newcastle]] serves a route from [[Amsterdam]] in the Netherlands. [[Harwich (England)|Harwich]] has ferries from [[Esbjerg]] in '''Denmark''' and [[Hoek van Holland]] in the '''Netherlands'''. You can also sail from [[Rotterdam]] in the Netherlands or [[Zeebrugge]] in '''Belgium''' to [[Kingston_Upon_Hull|Hull]], or from [[Zeebrugge]] to Rosyth, near [[Edinburgh]] (note that this service will cease carrying passengers in Dec 2010 [https://www.norfolkline-ferries.co.uk/EN/Scotland_Belgium_ferries/News/Update_on_Rosyth_Zeebrugge_Service/]). There is a regular connection between [[Ramsgate]] and [[Oostende]] in Belgium. There are 4 sailings a day and prices vary between €50 to €84.
-[[Dover (England)|Dover]] is one of Britain's most popular passenger ports with sailings from [[Zeebrugge]], [[Dunkerque]] and [[Calais]] in '''France'''. The Dover-Calais route is particularly busy, with three companies competing and up to 50 sailings per day. The ferry between Dover and Calais costs around £12-18 each way if on foot or bicycle, and around £80 for a car, although big discounts are available if booked in advance or with special offers. Passengers travelling from Calais or Dunkerque by ferry to the UK go through UK passport/identity card checks after French exit checks before boarding, and UK customs checks on arrival in the UK.
+[[Dover (England)|Dover]] is one of Britain's most popular passenger ports with sailings from [[Calais]] and [[Dunkirk]] in '''France'''. The Dover-Calais route is particularly busy, with three companies competing and up to 50 sailings per day. The ferry between Dover and Calais costs around £12-18 each way if on foot or bicycle, and around £80 for a car, although big discounts are available if booked in advance or with special offers. Passengers travelling from Calais or Dunkerque by ferry to the UK go through UK passport/identity card checks after French exit checks before boarding, and UK customs checks on arrival in the UK.
 On the south coast, [[Portsmouth]] serves ferries from [[Le Havre]], [[Caen]], [[Cherbourg]], [[St. Malo]] and [[Bilbao]] in '''Spain''' and there are speedy services between [[Dieppe]] and [[Newhaven]]. The other route from Spain is  [[Santander]] to [[Plymouth (England)|Plymouth]], Plymouth also has ferries from [[Roscoff]], [[Poole]] has ferries to [[Cherbourg]] as well as the [[Channel Islands]].

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 Coins are in denominations of R5, R2, R1, 50c, 20c, 10c and 5c. Production of 2c and 1c coins was suspended in April 2002, but those still in circulation remain legal tender. All transactions are rounded down to the nearest lower 5c, so as not to require the use of 2c and 1c coins.
-[http://www.xe.com/ict/table.cgi?currency=ZAR&historical=false&template=ict-en Conversion rates] vary wildly depending on politics. It's best to import or carry US$, € or GB£, as conversion between any of them and the Rand can be done at any bank without trouble. South Africa is part of the ''Southern African Common Monetary Area'' and the Rand can be used in Namibia (''where it is an official currency along with the Namibian Dollar'') as well as [[Lesotho]] and [[Swaziland]] (''where it is widely accepted, but not an official currency'')
+[http://www.xe.com/ict/table.cgi?currency=ZAR&historical=false&template=ict-en Conversion rates] vary wildly depending on politics. It's best to import or carry US$, € or GB£, as conversion between any of them and the Rand can be done at any bank without trouble. South Africa is part of the ''Southern African Common Monetary Area'' and the Rand can be used in Namibia (''where it is an official currency along with the Namibian Dollar'') as well as [[Lesotho]],[[Swaziland]] and [[Mozambique]] (''where it is widely accepted, but not an official currency'')
 '''Traveller's Cheques''' are a safe way of carrying money around. You can exchange them at all banks (which are found throughout the country even in rural areas) and you will get a refund if they are stolen. The disadvantage is that you cannot pay with them and you will need change when exchanging them into Rand. Use ATMs instead if possible.

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 '''Car Rental companies in Cape Town:'''
-'''Drive South Africa'''[http://www.drivesouthafrica.co.za/car-hire/cape-town/]
+* <listing name="First Car Rental" alt="Car Hire" directions="" address="" phone="+27 11 230 9999" email="reservations@cmh.co.za" url="http://www.firstcarrental.co.za" hours="" price="">Car rentals in Cape Town.</listing>
-Tel: 021 423 6957
-'''Reeds Car Rental'''[http://www.reedscarrental.co.za/]
+* <listing name="Drive South Africa" alt="Car Hire" directions="" address="" phone="+27 21 423 6957" email="" url="http://www.drivesouthafrica.co.za/car-hire/cape-town/" hours="" price="">Car rentals in Cape Town.</listing>
-Tel: 021 443 5250
-'''Wise Wheels'''[http://www.wisewheels.co.za/]
+* <listing name="Reeds Car Rental" alt="Car Hire" directions="" address="" phone="+27 21 443 5250" email="" url="http://www.reedscarrental.co.za/" hours="" price="">Car rentals in Cape Town.</listing>
-Tel:021 551 9515
-'''Value Car Hire'''
+* <listing name="Wise Wheels" alt="Car Hire" directions="" address="" phone="+27 21 551 9515" email="" url="http://www.wisewheels.co.za/" hours="" price="">Car rentals in Cape Town.</listing>
-Tel: 021 386 7699
-'''CapeXplore'''[http://www.findit.co.za/wpbdm-directory/car-hire-cape-town-capexplore/]
+* <listing name="Value Car Hire" alt="Car Hire" directions="" address="" phone="+27 21 386 7699" email="" url="" hours="" price="">Car rentals in Cape Town.</listing>
-Tel: 021 997 4544
 ===By bus===

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 ===By plane===
+Given the short distances involved, flying is rarely the cheapest or most convenient option for domestic travel within the UK with the possible exception of between southern England and Scotland, or where a sea crossing would otherwise be involved, such as between Britain and Northern Ireland or travel to and from many Scottish islands. The main domestic hubs are [[London]], [[Belfast]], [[Birmingham (England)|Birmingham]], [[Manchester]], [[Glasgow]] and [[Edinburgh]]. The arrival of budget airlines have seen a boom in domestic UK air travel, and have forced fares down considerably. To get the best fare, it is advisable to book as far in advance as possible. Many regional airports are not connected to the national rail network, with connections to the nearest cities served by relatively expensive buses. '''Photo ID''' is required before boarding most domestic flights in the UK, although British Airways does not require this. Check your airline's requirements carefully before setting out.
-Given the short distances involved, flying is rarely the cheapest or most convenient option for domestic travel within the UK with the possible exception of between southern England and Scotland, or where a sea crossing would otherwise be involved, such as between Britain and Northern Ireland or travel to and from many Scottish islands. The main domestic hubs are [[London]], [[Belfast]], [[Birmingham (England)|Birmingham]], [[Manchester]], [[Glasgow]] and [[Edinburgh]]. The arrival of budget airlines '''Flybe''' [http://www.flybe.com/] and '''easyJet''' [http://www.easyjet.com/] have seen a boom in domestic UK air travel, and have forced fares down considerably. To get the best fare, it is advisable to book as far in advance as possible. It is worth noting that many regional airports are not connected to the national rail network, with connections to the nearest cities served by relatively expensive buses. '''Photo ID''' is required before boarding most domestic flights in the UK, although British Airways does not require this. Check your airline's requirements carefully before setting out.
 'Screen-scraper' comparison websites can be a useful way to compare flight costs between airports or even city pairs (suggesting alternative airports, for instance). Beware that some airlines, such as Ryanair, object to being included in these searches, so these sites are not always comprehensive. Ryanair no longer operates any UK domestic flights.
 The following carriers offer domestic flights within the United Kingdom:
-*British Airways [http://www.britishairways.com/]: Domestic routes radiate from London Gatwick, Heathrow and City Airports.  BA no longer operate non-London routes.  Aberdeen, Belfast, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Isle of Man, Jersey, Manchester & Newcastle.
+*[http://www.britishairways.com/ British Airways]: Domestic routes radiate from London Gatwick, Heathrow and City Airports.  BA no longer operate non-London routes.  Aberdeen, Belfast, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Isle of Man, Jersey, Manchester & Newcastle.
-*Flybe [http://www.flybe.com/] - Aberdeen, Belfast City, Birmingham, Bristol, Cardiff, Campbeltown, Doncaster-Sheffield, Edinburgh, Exeter, Glasgow, Guernsey, Inverness, Isle Of Man, Jersey, Leeds/Bradford, Liverpool, London Gatwick, Manchester, Manston-Kent, Newcastle, Newquay, Norwich, Southampton and Southend airports
+*[http://www.flybe.com/ Flybe] - Aberdeen, Belfast City, Birmingham, Bristol, Cardiff, Campbeltown, Doncaster-Sheffield, Edinburgh, Exeter, Glasgow, Guernsey, Inverness, Isle Of Man, Jersey, Leeds/Bradford, Liverpool, London Gatwick, Manchester, Manston-Kent, Newcastle, Newquay, Norwich, Southampton and Southend airports
-*Loganair [http://www.loganair.co.uk/] operating as a franchise carrier for FlyBe - Eday, Kirkwall, North Ronaldsay, Papa Westray, Sanday, Stronsay, Westray airports.
+*[http://www.loganair.co.uk/ Loganair] operating as a franchise carrier for FlyBe - Eday, Kirkwall, North Ronaldsay, Papa Westray, Sanday, Stronsay, Westray airports.
-*bmi Regional [http://www.bmiregional.com/] - Aberdeen, Belfast City, Birmingham, bristol, East Midlands, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Inverness, Manchester, Norwich, Southampton airports.
+*[http://www.easyjet.com/ easyJet] - Aberdeen, Belfast International, Bournemouth, Bristol, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Inverness, Liverpool, London Gatwick, London Luton, London Stansted, London Southend and Newcastle airports.
-*Eastern Airways [http://www.easternairways.com/] - Aberdeen, Birmingham, Bristol, Cardiff, Durham, Humberside, Inverness, Isle Of Man , Leeds/Bradford, Manchester, Newcastle, Norwich, Nottingham East Midlands, Southampton, Stornoway, Wick airports.
+*[http://www.aurigny.com/ Aurigny Air Services] - Alderney, Bristol, Guernsey, Jersey, London Gatwick, London Stansted, Manchester, Southampton airports.
-*easyJet [http://www.easyjet.com/] - Aberdeen, Belfast International, Bournemouth, Bristol, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Inverness, Liverpool, London Gatwick, London Luton, London Stansted, London Southend and Newcastle airports.
+*[http://www.blueislands.com/ Blue Islands] - Alderney, Bournemouth, Brighton, Cardiff, Guernsey, Isle Of Man, Jersey, Southampton airports.
-*Aurigny Air Services [http://www.aurigny.com/] - Alderney, Bristol, Guernsey, Jersey, London Gatwick, London Stansted, Manchester, Southampton airports.
+*[http://www.manx2.com/ Manx2] - Belfast City, Isle Of Man, Blackpool, Leeds, Newcastle, Oxford, Anglesey, Cardiff, Gloucester airports.
-*Blue Islands [http://www.blueislands.com/] - Alderney, Bournemouth, Brighton, Cardiff, Guernsey, Isle Of Man, Jersey, Southampton airports.
+*[http://www.ios-travel.co.uk/ Isles Of Scilly Skybus] - Bristol, Exeter, Isles Of Scilly (St. Mary's), Newquay, Southampton airports.
-*Manx2 [http://www.manx2.com/] - Belfast City, Isle Of Man, Blackpool, Leeds, Newcastle, Oxford, Anglesey, Cardiff, Gloucester airports.
+*[http://www.jet2.com/ Jet2] - Belfast International, Blackpool, Leeds/Bradford, London Gatwick, Newcastle airports.
-*Isles Of Scilly Skybus [http://www.ios-travel.co.uk/] - Bristol, Exeter, Isles Of Scilly (St. Mary's), Newquay, Southampton airports.
+*[http://www.cityjet.com/ CityJet] (now part of AF/KLM) - Dundee and Edinburgh from London City.
-*Jet2 [http://www.jet2.com/] - Belfast International, Blackpool, Leeds/Bradford, London Gatwick, Newcastle airports.
+*[http://www.islesofscillyhelicopter.com/ British International] - Isles Of Scilly (St. Mary's), Isles Of Scilly (Tresco), Penzance airports.
-*CityJet [http://www.cityjet.com/] (now part of AF/KLM) - Dundee and Edinburgh from London City.
+*[http://www.atlantic.fo Atlantic Airways Faroe Islands] - Stansted and Shetland Islands (Sumburgh) airports.
-*British International [http://www.islesofscillyhelicopter.com/] - Isles Of Scilly (St. Mary's), Isles Of Scilly (Tresco), Penzance airports.
+*[http://www.blueislands.com/ Blue Islands Airline] - Flights from Guernsey, Jersey, Southampton to Europe, Channel Islands and the UK.
-*Atlantic Airways Faroe Islands [http://www.atlantic.fo] - Stansted and Shetland Islands (Sumburgh) airports.
-*Blue Islands Airline [http://www.blueislands.com/] - Flights from Guernsey, Jersey, Southampton to Europe, Channel Islands and the UK.
 ===By train===
-[[Image:Aberdeen large station sign.JPG|thumb|right|200px|The double-arrow symbol signifies a railway station or the rail network throughout Britain. It appears prominently on all stations as well as road signs and maps.]][[Image:UK rail map.png|thumb|right|Simplified UK Rail Network]]
+[[Image:Aberdeen large station sign.JPG|thumb|The double-arrow symbol signifies a railway station or the rail network throughout Britain. It appears prominently on all stations as well as road signs and maps.]][[Image:UK rail map.png|thumb|upright=1.8|Simplified UK Rail Network]]
 '''See also [[Rail travel in the United Kingdom]]'''

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 Where a bank holiday falls on a Saturday or Sunday, it is moved to the following Monday. If both Christmas Day and Boxing Day fall on a weekend, the Boxing Day holiday is moved to the following Tuesday.
-A full list of bank holidays for future years can be viewed at [http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Governmentcitizensandrights/LivingintheUK/DG_073741].
+A full list of bank holidays for future years can be viewed [http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Governmentcitizensandrights/LivingintheUK/DG_073741 here].
 ==Regions==

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 ===Climate===
-The UK has a benign humid-temperate climate moderated by the North Atlantic current and the country's proximity to the sea. Warm, damp summers and mild winters provide temperatures pleasant enough to engage in outdoor activities all year round. Having said that, the weather in the UK can be changeable and conditions are often windy and wet. British rain is world renowned, but in practice it rarely rains more than two or three hours at a time and often parts of the country stay dry for many weeks at a time, especially in the East. More common are overcast or partly cloudy skies. It is a good idea to be prepared for a change of weather when going out; a jumper and a raincoat usually suffice when it is not winter. In summer temperatures can reach 30º in parts and in winter temperatures may be mild, i.e. 10º in southern Britain and -10º in Scotland.
+Because the UK stretches nearly a thousand km from end to end, temperatures can vary quite considerably between north and south. Differences in rainfall are also pronounced between the drier east and wetter west. Scotland and north-western England (particularly the Lake District) are often rainy and cold. Alpine conditions with heavy snowfall are common in the mountains of northern Scotland during the winter. The north-east and Midlands are also cool, though with less rainfall. The south-east and east Anglia are generally warm and dry, and the south-west warm but often wet. Wales and Northern Ireland tend to experience cool to mild temperatures and moderate rainfall, while the hills of Wales occasionally experience heavy snowfall. Even though the highest land in the UK rarely reaches more than 1,100&nbsp;m, the effect of height on rainfall and temperature is great.
-−
-Because the UK stretches nearly a thousand kilometres from end to end, temperatures can vary quite considerably between north and south. Differences in rainfall are also pronounced between the drier east and wetter west. Scotland and north-western England (particularly the Lake District) are often rainy and cold.  Alpine conditions with heavy snowfall are common in the mountains of northern Scotland during the winter.   The north-east and Midlands are also cool, though with less rainfall. The south-east and east Anglia are generally warm and dry, and the south-west warm but often wet. Wales and Northern Ireland tend to experience cool to mild temperatures and moderate rainfall, while the hills of Wales occasionally experience heavy snowfall. Even though the highest land in the UK rarely reaches more than 1300 metres, the effect of height on rainfall and temperature is great.
 ===Bank (public) holidays===

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 If you are bringing or hiring a car, be sure to lock the doors if you leave your car, and always park in a busy, well-lit area. Don't leave valuables on display in a parked car - satellite navigation systems are a particular target.
-The age of both heterosexual and homosexual consent is 16 throughout the United Kingdom. Teenagers are generally seen as still children (except those 18 or over, but '''always ask for proof of age, e.g. passport to prove someone's age, just to be safe.''') and you could be termed a paedophile and treated as such. Homosexuality is generally accepted amongst people throughout the whole country.
+The age of both heterosexual and homosexual consent is 16 throughout the United Kingdom. However, even though the law support LGBT rights, British society is still homophobic. Young people, especially male teenagers and young men are likely to physical attack as well as hurl insults at openly gay travellers.
-Racism is not common in the UK, and racially motivated violence is very rare. The main concern for Britons isn't racism; the government strongly encourages the notion of a multi-cultural society, but recent high levels of immigration have been of debate. However, the UK is generally regarded by its own immigrant population as being amongst the most liberal and tolerant of European countries in this respect, but obviously there will be some people who are exceptions. Most Britons will go out of their way to make tourists and immigrants feel welcome and it's not uncommon for police to impose harsh punishments on any form racial abuse - physical or verbal.
+Racism is not common in the UK, and racially motivated violence is very rare. Most Britons are strongly opposed to racism. The main concern for Britons isn't racism; the government strongly encourages the notion of a multi-cultural society, but recent high levels of immigration have been of debate. However, the UK is generally regarded by its own immigrant population as being amongst the most liberal and tolerant of European countries in this respect, but obviously there will be some people who are exceptions. Most Britons will go out of their way to make tourists and immigrants feel welcome and it's not uncommon for police to impose harsh punishments on any form racial abuse - physical or verbal.
 ===Police===
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 Do the V sign with the '''palm facing outward''' to indicate either "peace" or "victory"; do the '''reverse''' with the palm facing inward if you wish to be extremely offensive.
-Same-sex displays of affection will not likely cause upset or offence apart from some areas such as the rural towns like the Yorkshire valleys and rural Lincolnshire, and in rougher parts of many cities. Cities and towns with larger gay populations include [[London]], [[Birmingham]], [[Manchester]], [[Brighton (England)|Brighton]], [[Bournemouth]] and [[Edinburgh]]. Cities such as Brighton host pride festivals each year. Civil partnerships have been legal since 2005. However, someone looking to start a fight may decide to treat this as a pretext. Try to avoid eye contact with drunken men in city centres at night, especially if they are in a large group. It is also important to note, if in [[Northern Ireland]], same-sex displays and activities are rarely shown, outside [[Belfast]], where many will still hold conservative values. Keep in mind, while in [[Belfast]] some areas are safer than others in showing affection.
+Same-sex displays of affection will not likely cause upset or offence to middle-aged and older adults apart from some areas such as the rural towns like the Yorkshire valleys and rural Lincolnshire, and in rougher parts of many cities. People who are generally homophobic are younger people from all parts of the UK and all socioeconomic levels, with males often intimidating and physically attacking them. Females will often mock and socially isolate. Older people are often tolerant with a small minority of Britons who are accepting. Cities and towns with larger gay populations include [[London]], [[Birmingham]], [[Manchester]], [[Brighton (England)|Brighton]], [[Bournemouth]] and [[Edinburgh]]. Cities such as Brighton host pride festivals each year. Civil partnerships have been legal since 2005. However, someone looking to start a fight may decide to treat this as a pretext. Try to avoid eye contact with drunken men in city centres at night, especially if they are in a large group. It is also important to note, if in [[Northern Ireland]], same-sex displays and activities are rarely shown, outside [[Belfast]], where many will still hold conservative values. Keep in mind, while in [[Belfast]] some areas are safer than others in showing affection.
 Urinating in public is against the law; if you're caught, you'll be given a telling off by the police, made to pay an £80 fine and, in some areas, be made to clean up your own urine with a mop and disinfectant.

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 If you are [[Special:userlogin|logged in]] to a [[Wikitravel:How to create a user account|user account]] there will be a '''This is a minor edit''' checkbox for marking your changes as "minor". The idea with this is that people reviewing page history or recent changes can filter out unimportant changes. It's up to you to determine what makes your changes "minor" -- usually, spelling corrections, grammar, or formatting changes are "minor", and changes to the real information on a page are not.
-The '''Watch this article''' checkbox puts this article on your [[Wikitravel:Watchlist help|watchlist]]. Any changes to the article, or to the article's talk page, by you or anyone else will show up in your watchlist, so you can keep an eye on the article.
+The '''Watch this article''' checkbox puts this article on your ''[[Wikitravel:Watchlist help|Watchlist]]''. Any changes to the article, or to the article's talk page, by you or anyone else will show up in your Watchlist, so you can keep an eye on the article.
-The default setting -- whether these checkboxes are checked or not by default -- can be set in your [[Wikitravel:User preferences help|user preferences]].
+The default setting -- whether these checkboxes are checked or not by default -- can be set in your user ''[[Wikitravel:User preferences help|Preferences]]''.
 ==Starting new pages==
-If you are starting a new page from scratch, please make use of our '''[[Wikitravel:Article templates|templates]]''' which helps to organize the information on a page and give a consistent look. See [[Wikitravel:How to start a new page]] for more information.
+If you are starting a new page from scratch, please make use of our '''[[Wikitravel:Article templates|Article templates]]''' which help to organise the information on a page and give a consistent look. See [[Wikitravel:How to start a new page]] for more information.
 ==Restoring previous article versions==
-If an editor changes or removes content from an article the old versions of the article are still available from the article's history.  To view article history, click on the "history" tab for any article, then click on the date for the revision that you are interested in.  To revert the article to the specified revision, simply click on the "edit" tab while viewing the old version and then re-save the version.  Alternately, if you just want to revert a single edit click on the "undo" link from an article's history next to the edit that is being reverted.
+If an editor changes or removes content from an article the old versions of the article are still available from the article's history.  To view article history, click on the "'''View history'''" tab for any article, then click on the date for the revision that you are interested in. To revert the article to the specified revision, simply click on the "edit" tab while viewing the old version and then re-save the version.  Alternately, if you just want to revert a single edit click on the "undo" link from an article's history next to the edit that is being reverted.
 ==See also==