What as a English man should I look out for on a trip to the USA.
Bring a printed copy of your ESTA / visa for immigration. Get some kind of travel insurance that covers health emergencies, and have proof of that printed as well.
This could vary depending on the situation, but as someone who works in healthcare in the US (pray for me), it doesn’t really matter if you’ve got proof of traveler’s insurance, unless I’m able to bill them directly and get a paid claim for it. In every case I’ve dealt with traveler’s insurance (admittedly not a ton, but these things are usually handled similarly across the industry), I’ve been instructed by the insuring company to bill the patient/ client, and that the client will be submitting a claim.
If it’s something relatively inexpensive like medication, you’ll probably be charged at the pharmacy, pay out of pocket and get reimbursed.
If, God forbid, you need to stay at a hospital, or dare to mention the word “ambulance”, you’ll be given a bill for $1 million, which you’ll forward to the insurance company. They’ll handle paying the hospital, then follow up with you on any kind of copay you’re meant to be left with.
Bring your own marmite.
You can buy marmite in many stores in my area (LA).
Customs maybe be unhappy at bringing in food.
What is it with the US and marmite if you all like it so much import it
Tarrifs :(
Irn-Bru too, funnily enough.
The FDA aren’t a fan of how it (or was) made.
Marmite is nasty
Take that back
Did I just insult the entirety of the UK?
50% at most
Only part of it.
There was a successful ad campaign based on how many people in the UK find it repulsive.
https://www.creativereview.co.uk/you-either-love-it-or-hate-it/
USA is really quite safe, just remember to not be black or a woman
Oh and wear a ballistics vest if you’re going anywhere near a school
Also not arabic or queer. Also dont cross streets without a green light or you might get vaporized by an orbital drone for the royal offense of “jaywalking”
And don’t try to stand in some place idly outside for more than a minute. They call that “loitering” and it’s the barbaric act of experiencing being alive in public without spending a dime.
When does the freedom kick in?
As a free American, you have the right to have your teeth kicked in by cops.
When you swipe your credit card and leave a generous tip, of course!
You’re free to choose between 25, 30 and 35%.
I think Italian and Irish are now acceptable. Maybe choose one of those.
My condolences
Don’t take your real phone with you. Just get a cheap burner phone that you can reset after customs went through it.
Good luck not getting shot mate.
I’ll try my best
Just avoid schools
Where in the USA are you going. Saying you’re going to the USA is like saying you’re going to europe. There’s a vast difference between the different states and regions within those states.
It’s a single country with a single currency, a single government, a single history, and a single language. Yes there’s a lot of variance within the country, but it’s really nothing compared to visiting Europe.
Single currency, true, nothing else you wrote was
Single language made me lol.
Sure, most signs have English on them… but that’s it.
I think they meant where, as in are they visiting mountains, desert, rainforest, plains, or certain city or state. There’s a huge range of cultures across the very different regions in the country.
I honestly love it when such profoundly misinformed statements are put forward with absolute authority like this.
a single history
You know that half the country went to war with the other half, right?
a single government
In California, you can order weed through an app and get it delivered to your front door. In Idaho, get pulled over after picking up for the month, you’re a felon.
a single language
Single official language sure. At my work I’m the only native English speaker and a majority of our customers are foreigners who speak little English.
Arozona mate just a short stay
My condolence, I’m not joking.
I lived in Tucson for a while. Very good food scene.
Weather is actually pretty nice this time of year.
Nothing really special to be aware of. Stay away from cholla cactus. Lol
If you’re doing activities outdoors: Always bring an extra bottle of water. That is to say, bring a bottle to drink, and then another for when you get thirstier than expected. This season is relatively cool, but you really don’t want to be caught unprepared. Also: Arizona has a law requiring businesses to serve water for free if you ask. Don’t let anyone bullshit you and ask for money.
Keep an eye on the weather reports, and do not hike down washes, ravines, or narrow canyons if there’s a rain storm anywhere nearby. Heavy rainfall several miles away can turn a sunny, dry ravine into a raging torrent that can kill. If you see a road that’s currently flowing with water, don’t try to cross it, even in a big car. You don’t know how deep it really is, and even just a few cms of fast water is enough to sweep a person off their feet and drown them. It doesn’t take much more to get a car stuck.
If you’re going to Northern Arizona, bring warm clothes. People can be caught unprepared when they leave Phoenix for a day trip and it’s 60⁰F, but when they get to Flagstaff 2h later it’s snowing.
If you see a Jumping Cholla:
Don’t get too close. Their spines are longer than they look because they get so thin as to be nearly invisible.
My condolences.
Mostly joking, I dont know a damn thing about Arizona. There should be some beautiful national parks there but other than that it’s pretty empty. Vastly different landscape than the UK though so that should be interesting. Also you’re definitely visiting durring the right time of year.
If you want to avoid getting shot, you should now wear a red hat, not a red coat.
deleted by creator
Don’t forget your gun. America is extremely dangerous but only if you’re unarmed. All the criminals and cops can smell if you have a gun and they’ll be too afraid to do anything to you if you have one.
Also you can’t trust our water, so it’s purely Soda and Budweiser while you’re here. Locals might tell you to eat at local restaurants but their stomachs are habituated. You’ll need to stick to McDonald’s. Luckily there is one on every single corner.
If you get injured you should avoid using an ambulance as they will take you directly to a hospital. In the US that’s just where we go to die. You need to drive yourself to an Urgent Care doctor. If you can’t drive yourself and have to use an ambulance then there is a complimentary memorial wreath that can be sent to your family. Along with the invoice for your death care of course.
The US is smaller than it appears on maps. This is because most maps are not American centric and have to expand the US to show the ratio properly. You might have budgeted multiple days to travel between the coasts but you really can just do New York one day and the Grand Canyon the next day.
Did I miss anything? Oh yeah it’s traditional to make a bomb joke with the customs agent as you come into the country. Especially if you can manage a middle eastern accent. All of us do it. It’s a grand joke.
Did I miss anything?
Cops are usually chill and laid back, but they get tired of the monotony of their job sometimes and appreciate the use of erratic, unpredictable movement when interacting with them. They also like someone who is proactive, so instead of waiting for them to ask you for your licence and registration, just jump right out of your car as soon as they step out of theirs and pull your wallet out of your pocket as quickly as you can for them. You’ll never have an issue with the cops again after this.
🤣🤣🤣
If you go to NYC a slice of pizza is all you need to fuel your entire day.
I recommend travel health insurance. It’s affordable and a good piece of mind considering their healthcare can be extremely expensive.
Remember not to be black.
Or brown
There really is no such thing as ‘The USA.’
I live in New York City and what’s cool here will get you arrested in other places.
Some towns are fine with you having a rifle on open display. Some towns are fine with you smoking pot on the street.
