Country Focus: United Kingdom

The United Kingdom (a.k.a. Great Britain) lies west of the European Continent and is separated from the continental mainland by the English Channel. The climate in the UK is temperate with lots of rainfall. Frequent visitors to London can attest to the rainy climate all year around and the more observant visitor will have noticed that most London residents usually carry along a small umbrella with them. as they go about their daily business.

Singapore is about 10,847 km (6,740 miles) from London. Many international airlines fly direct between Singapore's Changi International Airport (IATA: SIN, ICAO: WSSS) and London's Heathrow Airport (IATA: LHR, ICAO: EGLL) with the total flight time usually around 12 hours and 30 minutes. From London, one can easily get connecting flights to other cities in the UK and Europe.

The iconic Clock Tower, London, United Kingdom (2011)

I have visited the UK more times than I have visited any other European countries. London is my favourite destination city in Europe. I absolutely enjoy going to both the British Museum and the Natural History Museum in London. Besides the museums, there are also the spectacular performances at the plays and musicals in the West End. To date, my favourite musicals in London are The Lion King, Phantom of the Opera and Les Misérables.

Watching musicals is a favourite activity for locals and tourists in London, United Kingdom (2017)

And the UK is definitely more than just London! Interesting places to visit which are relatively near to London include the world famous Stonehenge, Bath, Cambridge, Canterbury, Epping Forest, Portsmouth, Windsor and York.

Include Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland into the travel plans and the possibilities for travelers to the UK become exponentially increased.

A small inn which offers bed & breakfast as well as simple dining options for travelers, Scottish Highlands, Scotland, UK (2011)

While the UK, especially London, is definitely not a low-cost destination for travelers (probably because of the exchange rate of the British Pound to other major currencies), those traveling on a budget may be interested to know that I had always managed to get good bargains of "ready-to-eat" meals, salads and pastries at supermarkets all across London just before store closing times! ;-) The increasing popularity of alternate accommodation options such as Airbnb have also contributed to vastly reduced travel costs in the UK for the less fussy traveler.