<p>My parents are completely hopeless because they’re stressing out about me not being ready yet (even though I’m not departing until Saturday). </p>
<p>I really need some packing advice. I’m going to do a summer course in the UK and will be gone for two months. I have little idea what the weather will be like, but I guess variable. I have never packed for more than two weeks and have no idea what to bring, what to leave and how to go about this. I’ve got most of the basics sorted out, but I’m really struggling with clothes part. I’m tempted to bring my entire wardrobe, but of course this would not do. Do any experienced parents have some advice how to start packing and co-ordinating? How much will I need? There is a laundry service available, but I don’t want to wash clothes too often.</p>
<p>Firstly, where are you going? Scotland? Oxford/Cambridge? It does differ. What region do you come from here? What kind of weather are you used to? It would help in advising you.</p>
<p>I lived in the UK for a number of years. Generally, when the temperatures get up into the high 70s and low 80s in most of the UK, people find it uncomfortably hot. It often rains, but it is often a soft rain, not a driving downpour. </p>
<p>So I would bring a raincoat, and layers: long cotton pants, jeans, and skirts, short and long-sleeved tops, a couple of cotton sweaters. You are unlikely to encounter really hot weather, so don’t pack a lot of shorts and sleeveless tops. You may never wear them. If you have a collapsible umbrella, I’d bring that.</p>
<p>If you are from one of the hotter regions of the US, you may need the odd microfleece item.</p>
<p>I have never managed to bring enough warm clothes to the UK except 6 years ago when there was that unprecedented heat wave. Decide how often you want to do laundry vs. how much you can stand lugging around the airport. I would plan on no more than two weeks of clothes. As consolation says, bring layers, you may be wearing your US summer wear as layers to keep you warm, not because you ever get any warm weather. Definitely bring a raincoat or poncho and umbrella. Definitely bring some sweaters. I’d lean towards a little extra dressy when trying to pare things down. (ie sweater over hoodie if you’ve got too much stuff.) I wouldn’t have more than two suitcases and a backpack whatever you do. Make sure you have one dressy pair of shoes and one pair that’s good for walking. I personally wouldn’t bother with the fancy flop flops. Make sure you have electric adapters for anything electric and that it will operate on UK electricity (not the same plugs as the rest of Europe!) I find a simple black dress, black pants and/or black skirt can usually be dressed up or down as needed.</p>
<p>I live in Connecticut, but originally Scandinavian, so am not easily cold. I’m going to the south of England, so I really did expect it to be warm enough for summer outfits. Will it really be that bad?</p>
<p>Lena, I am also a CT native of Scandinavian descent, who doesn’t get cold easily. I would not expect weather that demands shorts and a tank top in the south of England in the summer, although it does occasionally happen. I would suggest bringing what you would wear in CT in April or early May. But do bring layers, and a nice, not too heavy waterproof outer layer. Remember that the British invented the Burberry. There’s a reason for that. :D</p>
<p>Some ideas that may prove helpful-My DD studied one summer at Cambridge-she made it a point to bring 1 carryon and 1 suitcase-and still leave room in the suitcase for new purchases. She was really glad she did, as the clothes were so different from CA, and all her girlfriends loved them! She did not bring an umbrella-bought a cheap one there, and then gave it away when she left. She did bring layers, along with 1 pair of tennis shoes, 1 pair of nice shoes, 1 pair of flip flops for the shower, 1 pair of flip flops for class.
She had problems with her ATM. The reason-her bank had her listed as under 18-which she was-and the bank in Cambridge would not accept her ATM-even in the wall unit. We had been told by her bank this would not be a problem-but it was! It was a real headache to sort it out-we ended up wiring her money. Parents-make arrangements to give your child a credit card with their name on it when they travel overseas.
I hope this helps-APOL</p>
<p>My daughter returned from spending a few weeks in the UK last Thursday.
I believe the weather is similar to Seattle- cloudy, cool- although reportedly before she arrived it had been warm and sunny.
( Incidentally, while Seattle had a record for days without rain, the evening she arrived it began clouding up and sprinkled- I think she should hire herself out)</p>
<p>Couple suggestions- fleece/nylon skirts, pants or tops from someplace like REI or Moosejaw, can be washed in a sink and dry by morning ( also comfortable on the plane or in sudden downpours- they do dry really quickly)
OK I just noticed you are leaving in a couple days- I still think it would be worth it to hit up REI or a local sporting goods to get some fast drying things :o
While some are quite * Jane does Safari in Swaziland* others are much more stylish.
Columbia, Patagonia, Prana, Royal Robbins,The North Face all make cute clothes that will last a long time. Prana, Patagonia and TNF, are probably sized more for the " youthful" body type than the others.</p>
<p>Although my daughter has longed to visit England since she was little, she was disappointed and thought it was very expensive. ( which could have added to her disappointment- however it didn’t stop her from buying clothes in London)
She also found it freezing and was wearing two sweatshirts at a time, when others were wearing sundresses prompting them to think she was ill, however she had just spent three months in India where the climate was 40 deg C.</p>
<p>Plan to buy some clothes there- a sundress or two, you can wear with a top or sweater to look like a skirt ( if styled right you could even wear a tee underneath) & if you are going to have anytime to do some walks in the country, you may want to bring good shoes ( which you should wear on the plane instead of flip-flops just incase-
I don’t know why I am assuming you are a girl, because a boy probably wouldn’t think about clothes until possibly the night before )</p>
<p>( yes bring a rainjacket- but you can get away with a jacket like Sierra designs that folds up into its own tiny bag- I bet- I don’t know if you would want to hassle with an umbrella- living in Seattle, I only use it watching my daughters soccer games in a December deluge)
and if you are in London on the 18th of August and * just happen* to see Pearl Jam, can you get me a t-shirt or a sticker ? * or a bootleg*</p>
<p>I’d suggest bringing a medium sized dufflebag, rolled up in your suitcase. Then when you fly home this will give you extra capacity for whatever you buy there. </p>
<p>I’d also suggest a small backpack, similar to what you use for school. Odds are that you will have day trips as part of your stay and a backpack is invaluable for keeping your camera, guidebooks, sweater/jacket etc. in when you are traveling.</p>
<p>As for clothes, I agree with the posters above. Plan on spring type weather - rainy temps in the 50s. Plan for dressing in layers. I’d suggest laying everything out on a large bed or floor and see how you can mix and match everything. If something can only be worn in one combination, leave it at home!!!</p>
<p>a word to the wise- it may be much cheaper to mail your extra things home, than to take them onto the plane- we had to put several hundred dollars more than we expected into D’s account when she had too much stuff traveling through Abu Dhabi and London
( also- look at your luggage tag for your name- or use a distinctive tag- D took someone elses bag through customs in Seattle and it was a big mess)</p>
<p>Where you are going will make a huge difference. I was in London in July, and one week the temps reached 100 F…which is especially bad there because hardly anyone has air conditioning. However, the next week we were in Scotland and it was a comfortable 75 F and cooler at night. It was shorts weather in both places, but can just as easily be sweatshirt weather. </p>
<p>When it’s hot, though, it’s really icky…especially in the tubes and buses (assuming you are going to London).</p>
<p>I would pack shorts, pants, t-shirts, and a couple of sweatshirts. Most importantly, I would bring a good, lightweight rain coat. </p>
<p>Capris are a good choice. Even the guys were them in London…which took some getting used to!!</p>
<p>P.S. Bring your North Face fleece just in case. Since you are in CT like I am, I’m assuming you own one!</p>
<p>England in July. What fun. It’s the month of sales. Everyone is having sales – month long sales. Pack lightly, and plan on getting a few things during the sales. Marks and
Spencers is a great store. Their sales aren’t quite on the level of our sales, but they are fun. Definitely plan on layering. Oh, if you plan to go to the theater in London, you don’t have to dress up. It is pretty casual. There are only a few restaurants in London that require a coat and tie, and it is very unlikely you would need something that would require that much dressing up.</p>
<p>Probably the most important thing to bring is a waterproof jacket, and do yourself a favor and make sure it has a hood – and a pocket with a zip inside. </p>
<p>Put your passport, money, credit/debit card in one of those pouches you wear under your clothes or in the zipped jacket pocket. </p>
<p>Don’t bring lots of stuff. I agree with the idea of rolling up a nylon duffel and putting it in your suitcase for overflow. Waterproof shoes or Wellies will save you grief. Take as few valuables as possible, just trust me on that. </p>
<p>I and others have posted tips on travel to Europe on CC before. Have a look through the archives, there is a lot there.</p>
<p>Ah - one important tip - go to a copy store and make 3 color copies of your passport. Leave one at home, place one in your suitcase and the other in your carry on bag (assuming it is not where your passport is going to be). In the unlikely event that your passport is lost or stolen, the color copy will greatly speed the process of getting a replacement.</p>
<p>Most helpful item my D packed on a summer trip to England: a lightweight windbreaker type jacket. Took up next to no room and was useful for both chilly and rainy weather.</p>
<p>Today in London it’s quite hot; if it’s like this at the weekend I’ll definitely be wearing shorts. But then it is very likely you will see the natives dressing as if it’s much warmer weather than it seems to you because our body thermometers seem to work at a lower setting.</p>
<p>One thing not mentioned so far is to make sure you carry layers if you’re going to be outside and away from your hotel into the evening. It can get a lot cooler in the evening unless there has been an extended hot spell to build up a lot of ambient temperature. Although it’s hot at present it hasn’t been hot enough for long enough to keep the evenings warm. </p>
<p>Another aspect of layers is ones to take off! Someone else has already said that it’s a humid heat - especially in London. Also bear in mind that London has a significant “heat island” effect which means the centre of the city can be 6 degrees C hotter even than the suburbs.</p>
<p>Finally someone mentioned taking wellies. Unless they are something different in the States, don’t. People only wear wellies here (colour is an indication of class pretensions) if they are expecting to be wading through mud or farmyards. If you wear them in town people will think you are seriously weird.</p>
<p>Yes, it’s pretty hot today in London! But humid, sticky hot. As oldspc says, temperatures in London are always at least a few degrees C higher than elsewhere in the UK. So thin layers are definitely a good idea. </p>
<p>Don’t bother bringing an umbrella - they sell them everywhere here, very cheap. Remember to take a bottle of water on the Tube with you, as there’s no air-con and in the summer those carriages get seriously hot, especially during rush hour when the trains are crammed to full capacity. Don’t take canned drinks though, they’re banned. </p>
<p>And yes, wellies… unless you are going to the Glastonbury music festival or helping out on a farm, you don’t need them!</p>
<p>You also won’t need to dress up to go to the theatre or a concert. We’re pretty casual about things like that.</p>
<p>Also, whatever you do, DO NOT push cash or valuables into a backpack and carry it on your back in London. Things will get stolen. Ditto on the Tube. Take a small zip bag and carry it on your shoulder if you’re walking around and hold it on your lap on the Tube.</p>
<p>That’s funny – I wore my Wellies all over London and got loads of compliments on them. (maybe it helps that I have nice legs?) I bought them at the Marie Curie charity shop in London, feet dry for a worthy cause and they are cute, too! (daffodil pattern).</p>
<p>Anyway, wear anything with confidence, and guess what, you’re stylish.</p>
<p>Probably NOT news to you, but do yourself a favor and pack really lightly. You’ll be glad when you don’t have lots of stuff to lug around! Take things to mix and match your outfits so you’re not bored with your clothes. It really isn’t necessary to take dressy things. Get a pre-loaded debit card and/or a credit card. Pre-loaded makes life easier lost or stolen–all your money won’t be lost. We got a passport caddy (basically a cloth zippered envelope on a cord) at AAA (got the debit card there, too) and S found that he almost always wore his passport around his neck and under his clothing. We added more money to the debit card as he needed it. I second the idea of making photocopies of your travel documents as well as the debit card/credit card and leave a copy at home with family members. If all else fails, they can facilitate replacements. Also take a tiny first aid kit as you never when you’ll need a band-aid or your favorite analgesic when traveling. Yes, I know they have such things in the UK, but I really appreciate my own little kit when I’m on the move. Have a wonderful time!</p>
I’m going to the south of England, so I really did expect it to be warm enough for summer outfits. Will it really be that bad?</p>