Pounds and Pence

Posted on 12 Comments

For the first 15 years of our marriage,we spent most of our family vacations in Disney World.  Our children were not really interested in going anywhere else.  Every other place we took them was probably against their wills. However, when they look back on the photos,  I am sure they have fond and fun memories.  I would have never even considered vacationing in England, so when my husband and I got to London, it was not really what I expected at all.  I eventually got used to the carbonated lemonade, lukewarm apple juice, and small bathrooms with very little water in the toilet.  You would think a toilet with a little bit of water is not a big deal, but believe me, it is!  It seems to me that the English are not as wasteful as Americans.  Boy, I really hope I don’t get blasted for that comment.  Let me just add that I am American and I fully indulge in and appreciate our wastefulness.  Anyway, there were some things I just had to get used to and I did rather quickly.  But there is one thing I just could not get the hang of, the money.  Pounds and Pence!  I could not count that darn money to save my life.  I missed my pennies, nickles, quarters, and dimes.  At one point I handed the cashier my money and said, “Just take what you need.”  Oh and even crazier than that, I was tipping folks left and right.  If we went some where more than once, workers remembered us well.  I told my daughter how friendly they were to us at this one restaurant so we just kept going back.  She said me if we were tipping and explained that they do not tip in England like they do in America.  Who knew?  No…I didn’t read up on English customs before I went.  It was kind of a last minute trip, but I will have to explain that in another post.

Oh, it is time for a photo break.  I wouldn’t want you to get bored:

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Can you imagine your face being on money and you’re still alive?!

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Pence

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The pound was worth 40 cents more than the American dollar : /  So, if you purchased as hat for $2 pounds, that would cost you $2.80 in American dollars.  That may not seem like a big difference, but it is when you are purchasing something for $200.

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Me: Excuse me, but I asked for lemonade.

Waiter:  That is lemonade.

Me:  With bubbles?

Thank you for stopping by!  I will post more about our week in Europe another day : )

12 Responses

  1. lexa says:

    Oops! The double like! Lol! Luke warm apple juice, I like, bubbled lemonade… Not so much. Thanks to you, I know how to get good service in England–tip!

  2. adetokunbohr says:

    My face on a legal tender? With me still alive?…WOW

  3. totsymae1011 says:

    I had a long layover at Heathrow Airport last year. That’s about all I saw of London ’cause I don’t venture out during layovers. I think my luck would land me in some unlucky circumstance like getting lost. Anyway, I shopped in there. Still have a few postcards and the money they exchanged. So pricey.

    And yeah, they’re not about drinking cold stuff in Europe. You do get used to it though. After living in Germany for awhile, it’s my preference now.

  4. Yahobahne says:

    Great blog. The pounds and pence were interesting to see. Even more interesting was your sharing the importance of researching before visiting another country, etc. outside of U.S. I aprececiate this being bought to my attention. Thank you.

  5. Well, I think everyone has this problem when they go to a country for the first time and dealing with a new currency. You just want to make sure you don’t get ripped of in the process! And yes, having ones face on ones currency must be a very strange thing for one to deal with! But maybe that’s why the lady on the notes never carries money!!!
    Suzy 😆

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