Getting around the UK
Introduction
Public transport in England is great compared to South Africa. The English however laugh and make jokes about it but in reality it is excellent. Driving in the UK is also a breeze but remember to obey the rules of the road!
Learning the area
A good idea is to familiarize yourself with your area that you are staying in, go for long walks around the neighborhood.
There are great paths and you won’t get run over by heavy traffic. It is safe to walk around alone in most areas - remember that the police services are excellent and the crime rate is very low in the UK. Always keep the phone number of the hotel or house that you are staying at in your pocket. You can easily get lost as most houses and streets look alike.
Get hold of a map of your area, you can buy these at any stationery store, e.g. WH Smith or Dillon’s. These stores are like CNA (well what's left of it!) back home.
Public Transport
Whether you use the bus, train or tube, the transport system is excellent. However, when you look at the cost of the transport it can be a bit of a fright to begin with if you convert it back into Rands. If you are going to use public transport a lot, get yourself a season ticket as this works out the cheapest.
Trains: Don't travel before 9:30am if you can help it. Cheaper rates kick in after this time and you can save a lot by doing this.
Buses: These are reliable and cheap. Get yourself a season ticket as this allows you to hop on and off whenever you want.
Taxis: Every area has a local taxi company. Get a card or number and carry it around with you. You can call them at any time and they will come and pick you up.
Get hold of a map of your area, you can buy these at any stationery store, e.g. WH Smith or Dillon’s. These stores are like CNA (well what's left of it!) back home.
Driving
In the UK, they drive on the left, just like us back home, so you will not have a problem adjusting. The only difference is they have traffic circles (UK term: roundabouts) instead of robots (UK term: traffic lights).
Driver’s license
You have a year in which to get a UK drivers license. Your South African drivers is valid over here only for the first year that you are resident here after that you will have to convert your license. They have just introduced the ability to convert your SA license into a UK license. The forms can be obtained at any post office (D1 and D750). You will need to send your ID book with your license in it or the new credit card license, your passport and colour passport photos. The cost is approximately £25.
Insurance
It is compulsory in the UK to have Car Insurance. In order to get the best deal (usually between £100 -£200 a year) you should get a letter from your insurance company back home stating your no-claim bonus history. This will reduce the amount of the premium a lot.
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