The UK and Ireland

[foxymom]

hi mga sis! how much should i spend in 1 store before i can apply for vat refund? is it 30pounds or 75pounds? im getting confused :S

thank you!

[wowry]

^ sis depende sa shops yan

[mama squeak!]

@foxymom, here's a good read for your London holidays. 

[polymath2012]

To those who've been to London, can you let me know if this is doable or masyado tight:

For our first full day (we arrive at night the previous day):

AM - Trafalgar Square
National Gallery
National Portrait Gallery
Lunch-somewhere in Trafalgar Square area
PM - Houses of Parliament/Big Ben
Westminster Abbey (not sure yet if we'll go inside)
Late PM -  Thames River Cruise + London Eye just before sunset.

Is the walk from Trafalgar Square to Big Ben reasonable?  Di naman super malayo?  Sa maps mukhang ok naman, but you can not really tell until you're actually there kasi.

I think its doable, as long as you're not going to spend too much time in Museums. I would suggest u get a map (£1) from the National Gallery then piliin nyo lang puntahan yung most popular artworks (like Van Gogh's, Rembrandt's, Gauguin's) kasi medyo nakakalito din pasikot sikot sa loob. If you're an art enthusiast, you may spend a good 3 hours or so. Otherwise, ayos ng libutin in less than 2 hours. You're also not allowed to take pictures inside. Unlike the Louvre.

You can walk from Trafalgar Sq to Westminster in 20 mins or less.

can anyone suggest a good venue in london for new year's eve?

You can go to the London Eye to see the fireworks display

source: im a Londoner

[foxymom]

^ sis depende sa shops yan

sis di fixed yung amount? in paris you need to purchase minimum of 175 euros to claim vat refund

[foxymom]

@mama squeak: once again a life saver! thanks soooo much for this! i'm so excited already

@polymath2012: thanks for the tip!! we will try to position ourselves near the london eye. but i think we will take a thames river cruise on new year's eve - cross fingers!
 
sis, can i also ask if you know how much is the minimum purchase to apply for vat refund? and would you know if rimowa luggages go on sale after boxing day? hubby want to purchase 1 more set, and i was thinking it might be cheaper in london

[polymath2012]

sis, can i also ask if you know how much is the minimum purchase to apply for vat refund? and would you know if rimowa luggages go on sale after boxing day? hubby want to purchase 1 more set, and i was thinking it might be cheaper in london

No idea sis since hindi lahat ng commercial/business establishments nagpa-participate sa tax free scheme. U can ask the till operator or any shop assistant, then they'll give you the VAT form to fill in.
 
You can find useful info here:

http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/vat/sectors/consumers/overseas-visitors.htm

Quick tip lang, if you're planning on purchasing expensive items like jewellery, gadgets etc its better to put these in your handcarry bag cos sometimes hahanapin nila mismo yung items na binili mo. This happened to my cousin when she visited us here. Although hindi naman lahat ata hinahanapan.

No idea about the rimowa luggage, but most of the shops are on sale after new year. Kaka-excite na nga mag-shopping, some shops can even give 80% discounts. Try to go to Harrods or Selfridges baka meron dun

[foxymom]

@polymath2012: thank you! after christmas ba wala pa masyado sale? ack! pupunta na kami sa prague by jan 3, sana meron kami mabili! will check out harrods & selfridges

and yes i usually put the expensive stuff that will get a refund in our handcarry. i'm worried they might get stolen in our check-in! lol

[polymath2012]

actually napapadalas na nga ang mga sale dito. may summer sale, autumn sale, winter sale at spring sale, hehe. meron din boxing day sale pero the best pa rin talaga ang after new year sale !!

[foxymom]

^thank you! sana madami ako mabili on sale! ang marks & spencer ba mura dyan?

[polymath2012]

^^im sure you will, pero hinay hinay lang baka mag over baggage

when it comes to clothing & apparel, halos di nagkakalayo ng pricing dyan sa Pinas, what i love buying from M&S e yung mga chocolates, colognes, perfumes & body wash. i remember nag hoard kami ng perfumes, body wash and lotion last January sale tapos pinapakete namin sa Pinas to give to our relatives

[foxymom]

hehe thanks! ready na ako sa over baggage! found a shipping company in london who can do door to door for us hehe, sana madami ako ma shop!

[miksha]

sis mama squeak! you have been to prague right? in your opinion ok lang ba umikot ikot with doon with 2kids in tow (one is a toddler na mahilig pakarga)? saka madami ba marunong mag-english na people? we have been advised kase na when you travel tingnan daw ang transportation/commuting doon dahil like what happened sa isang kakilala namin hirap na hirap sila sa venice dahil panay hagdan at lakad ang gagawin (they also had a toddler and had their stroller with them) so hirap na hirap sila unlike when they were in switzerland everything went so smoothly with regards to transportation/commuting

[polymath2012]

I have been to Prague, one of my favourite cities in the world! We went there September last year, summer nun sa Prague so medyo maraming tao especially sa New Town Square. I dont think there will be any problem bringing children on stroller kasi bihira akong makakita dun ng steps, medyo mahihirapan nga lang siguro if pupunta kayo sa Charles Bridge at maraming tao, kasi apart from tourists ang dami ring mga traders dun sa bridge, otherwise you'll be fine. Kung pupunta kayo sa St Vitus Cathedral mejo mahihirapan din siguro pababa, i remember we had to take the steps...ewan ko kung may ibang way, i was so busy taking pictures, hehe...

no problem commuting too cos they have trams....Czech people are good english-speakers too..

enjoy the beautiful Prague! <3

[mama squeak!]

Ladies, there is an existing Prague thread. Please post your questions and answers there para di tayo off topic. Thanks!

[little_princess]

will be spending 3 weeks in Cornwall this February to visit family and friends and was thinking of going up to London for a few days to shop.

any shops on sale that time? and since it would be the coldest of the coldest month, what would be nice places to go?

[polymath2012]

Never been to Cornwall 

Not sure if there will still be sale during Feb, kasi most of the shops go on sale after new year. But im sure meron pa ring shops na may sale around that time, hindi nga lang lahat ng stores. You can try going to Oxford Street, Regent Street or Knightsbridge, otherwise you can also try going to flea markets in Camden town & Portobello in Notting Hill.

Yes, Feb is the coldest month  in the UK so  if i were you i'd rather stay indoors to keep warm. Why not checkout the British museum, National Gallery, Natural History Museum, Victoria & Albert museum, entrance is free. You can also watch a musical on West End

[little_princess]

where in the UK are you from? haha hubby is from Cornwall and it's faaaaar from London. Quiet area and i might go crazy!

i guess not a good time to go to stonehedge and bath? how cold does it get ba? thank you for the tip! we did get to go to west end and catching a musical might be good. what is there to see at the flea markets? i have the impression that price might be not so good? for sure will go to oxford and knightsbridge, really love it there.

how about venturing to wales, scotland or northern ireland?

[polymath2012]

^^ Im a Londoner for 10 years now

The temperature depends on the area you're in. Pinakamalamig around Scotland. London only gets -2deg the lowest, parts of Scotland can go as low as -10deg.

I've never been to Wales nor Ireland, but i've been to Edinburgh in Scotland. Beautiful city & one of my favourites. Kaso baka hindi nyo masyado ma-enjoy kasi super lamig dun during winter.

I guess its ok to visit stonehenge and Bath even during winter time. Kaso the UK has probably the most depressing weather, madilim na pagdating ng 3pm, minsan maulan din so not good if you want to take pictures.

Flea market is parang tiangge lang sa Pinas where u can find anything & everything. Its cheaper compared to shops kasi u can haggle. Yun nga lang its still outdoors, not good kung lamigin ka.

Tower of London is a must visit for tourists too

[little_princess]

that -2 degrees is in the daytime? cornwall i think is around 3degrees if i'm not mistaken but that can be really cold if it's windy and if it snows. i know how depressing UK weather can be. I was there last July and the whole 2 weeks I was there, it was cloudy, rainy and sad but it was supposed to be summer time! it only got sunny the week after i left.

i think we are skipping anything outdoorsy this february, it will be too cold and won't be able to take any good pictures. we're delaying our stay in london to early march, hopefully weather would be better.

how much can you haggle sa flea markets?