Relocating to UK in middle of winter

burning_angel_ · #1 (**permalink**) 16th September 2009, 10:01 PM

Hey there all,

I have just stumbled across this forum and I hope to pick your brains as much as I can before I relocate to the UK in Dec/Jan.

I'm from Australia and therefore I have never have never lived in snow and my idea of a cold day/night is 10 degrees celcius. My point is - what warm clothing will I have to buy before I enter the country? I have thermals already but I'm wondering what else is absolutely essential to have before I enter the country?

I intend on buying lots of warm clothes when I get there from op shops so I only really need to now the essentials.

Oh and another question - I have just set up my Skype account but I heard that it sucks lots of your download capacity. Is this true and what's the cheapest deal/internet that you know of for unlimited download - or even any companies to steer clear of?

Thanks so much for your help...I'm sure I will continue to ask more and more questions as the time becomes closer.

Minuvweyna · #2 (**permalink**) 17th September 2009, 12:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by burning_angel_

Hey there all,

I have just stumbled across this forum and I hope to pick your brains as much as I can before I relocate to the UK in Dec/Jan.

I'm from Australia and therefore I have never have never lived in snow and my idea of a cold day/night is 10 degrees celcius. My point is - what warm clothing will I have to buy before I enter the country? I have thermals already but I'm wondering what else is absolutely essential to have before I enter the country?

I intend on buying lots of warm clothes when I get there from op shops so I only really need to now the essentials.

Oh and another question - I have just set up my Skype account but I heard that it sucks lots of your download capacity. Is this true and what's the cheapest deal/internet that you know of for unlimited download - or even any companies to steer clear of?

Thanks so much for your help...I'm sure I will continue to ask more and more questions as the time becomes closer.

I'm not going to even try to answer your question on warm clothing, I'm just not qualified... (I had the opposite situation when I moved to Scotland, since I'm from the US midwest which is MUCH colder than anywhere in the UK other than maybe Shetland).

I do however use Skype, and I'm sure it uses quite a lot of your download capacity. I've not really used many different options in the UK for internet, but I have Virgin cable, and it's wonderful. It probably depends on where you are going to be, since I don't think it's available everywhere, but it's very fast and unlimited. If you are planning to get a television package or even a landline phone the Virgin packages make getting a lot of services for a reasonable price possible. Certainly something to check out, I'm sure the folks at Virgin can give you many more details than I possibly ever could.

You may also be interested in the Skype to Go option in the UK. I spend about £1.50 per month and can make unlimited calls to the US from my mobile, and it only uses my mobile minutes like I was making a call to a UK number. I've found it really nice for keeping in touch with family back home without having to talk to my computer.

Best wishes,
Elizabeth

Bevdeforges · #3 (**permalink**) 17th September 2009, 01:17 AM

Probably the main thing you'll want to have on arrival to the UK mid-winter is a nice warm coat or jacket. If you don't have a coat with you on the plane (i.e. wear it or carry it on), it can be a real nasty surprise when you come out of the airport and try to get wherever you're going.

You may want to have a pair of gloves to go with that, and maybe a scarf to keep the wind off your neck. But that's probably the main thing you need right away. England is still relatively mild compared to places like the American Midwest (as Elizabeth has already pointed out). You could start out with a water resistant trench coat that has a warm liner you can put in or remove as needed. I found that to be very practical for the UK, as it's often the rain and the moisture that makes the cold that much more unpleasant.
Cheers,
Bev

Stevan · #4 (**permalink**) 17th September 2009, 08:14 AM

With out knowing where you will be I would say British Telecom which is available everywhere. Upto 20gb download speed. You will need a BT line anyway unless you are on cable (not available everywhere yet)

burning_angel_ · #5 (**permalink**) 17th September 2009, 11:33 AM

Thanks so much for your speedy replies!!!

Sorry about not telling you where we are headed...Bristol is where we plan to settle

Keep the advice coming...

jojo · #6 (**permalink**) 17th September 2009, 12:38 PM

It'll be cold and wet, the temperatures are usually around 4 - 15C at this time of year, but it will feel cold!! It doesnt tend to snow that often or very much, so I wouldnt worry about that to begin with. As long as you take a warm winter coat, jumpers, vests/tee shirts and warm socks and shoes/boots, you'll be fine. You can always go out and buy more when you get there!

Jo xx

Joppa · #7 (**permalink**) 17th September 2009, 01:36 PM

Remember Aussie dollars go a long way in UK - down to 1.89 to the pound!

Stevan · #8 (**permalink**) 17th September 2009, 02:14 PM

Bristol should have cable and normal telephone lines. You should have a choice on internet provider. Speed will vary by area so i would wait until you arrive and check the best deal at the time. expect to pay £15 to £30/ month for telephone and internet. Many companies will also offer low rate calls to australia.

I use skype to/from south africa on 8mb broadband with no problem. If you are going to use video messaging the sound can get a bit distorted.

Bristol being in the south is generaly warmer than the rest of the uk. But look out if it does snow. A couple of milimeters will bring the whole area to a standstill. You will find it will be realy wet and windy in the winter.

You are well placed in bristol being close to M5 motorway to take you north and south and M4 to london. Well conected on the train network. The local airport is growing all the time. you are not to far form heathrow either about 100 miles or a couple of hours.

A word of warning i am not from bristol but i am lead to believe there a some areas that you realy do not want to live (as with most places) do your home work.

fiona705 · #9 (**permalink**) 18th September 2009, 07:52 PM

England is more damp than cold!! The winds tend to make it feel more cold. A decent waterproof warm jacket will do - gloves, scarf - but dont forget an umbrella!

Pesky Wesky · #10 (**permalink**) 19th September 2009, 10:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stevan

Bristol being in the south is generaly warmer than the rest of the uk. But look out if it does snow. A couple of milimeters will bring the whole area to a standstill. You will find it will be realy wet and windy in the winter.

You are well placed in bristol being close to M5 motorway to take you north and south and M4 to london. Well conected on the train network. The local airport is growing all the time. you are not to far form heathrow either about 100 miles or a couple of hours.

A word of warning i am not from bristol but i am lead to believe there a some areas that you realy do not want to live (as with most places) do your home work.

I agree with all the above. You'll need something to keep out the wet as well as the cold. I would definitely get gloves and a scarf, but you could wait till you get to the UK