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| *Travel Tips>>>Edinburgh Travel Tips |
Weather/Safety in Ediburgh? |
Travel Info I will be traveling to Edinburgh, Scotland in January for a 5-month study abroad program. I hear I'm in for some very cold weather, and coming from Texas, I have no idea what to wear or to expect. Can anyone suggest some neccessities as far as jackets/shoes/etc? Is it so windy and rainy that all of my jackets should be waterproof because an umbrella will not hold up in the wind? Will I be able to wear shoes other than waterproof boots? I hear that Scotland is a very safe country, so should I worry about pick-pocketters as I would in the rest of Europe? Are money belts even neccessary? Thanks in advance for any advice that you can lend me! Travel Tips You've generally got the right idea, though Edinburgh poses fewer problems than most US cities. Remember it's quite a small town of about 500,000 people. Umbrellas are indeed useless and a waterproof jacket is indeed a good idea. Forget about trainers/sneakers as everyday January wear (though plenty of the locals wear them. Decent-quality shoes that don't leak would be a good idea though. But make sure they're comfortable -- you'll end up doing quite a bit of walking. No worse for pickpockets than most places, probably much less bad from the tourist's point of view. No significant gun crime -- in Scotland knives are more dangerous. However, I lived in many different parts of Edinburgh and I wouldn't be afraid to walk out at night. Obviously don't draw attention to yourself as an American and therefore perceived as being "rich pickings." That means, in effect, dressing as you might expect people to dress in NYC or Philly. And practise talking in such a way that you can't be heard 100 yards down Princes St. in the rush hour! None of the locals would even think of wearing money belts. Though there was a girl who had to take a urine specimen to the doctor and could find only a whisky miniature as a receptacle for her specimen. She set off withj it in a shopping basket, but when she arrived at the doctor it was no longer there :-). The bus service is vastly improved and a day fare system makes it very usable. Enjoy yourself. It's one of the best cities I've lived in -- and I've lived coast to coast in North America. Was actually in Dallas earlier this year. Others I think you're worrying about the weather too much. I wouldnt expect it to be especially windy, but it will be wet and very cold, at least by a Texan's standards. Bring a warm and waterproof coat, and umbrella. I wouldn't say you need waterproof shoes, just well made ones that won't get soaked through if you accidentally walk in a puddle. You're not going hiking, you're just walking round a city. Scotland is safe, but you should still be vigilant of pickpocketers and thieves, as in any tourist city. Maybe a money belt isn't necessary, but keep bags close and dont put money in exposed pockets. I'd be worried about the knife problem in Scotland. Check out the research conducted by the Medical Research Council. http://www.mrc.ac.uk/newsviewsandevents/... |
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