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Dry at Last in the British Isles

Immersing yourself in a new culture is one of the best ways to learn when travelling.

During my short time here in the British Isles, I have come to learn that there is one versatile item that all travellers should have if they wish to stay dry and happy: a simple garbage bag.
 
This handy and cheap item can be used in a number of ways. Cut a hole for your head, and it becomes a rain poncho. Use it to tote around a pair of soaked running shoes, or fasten it around your backpack as a cover during sudden storms. Yes, you may look homeless, but you will remain dry. Indeed, you can always use a good garbage bag.
 
As you can probably guess, we've seen our fair share of rain while travelling in Ireland and Scotland. Especially interesting was our trip to the Giant's Causeway – very cool rock formations in Northern Ireland – where we managed to survive a downpour without rain jackets. My shoes took two days to dry, but the breathtaking scenery more than made up for the weather!
 
As chilly as the climate here may be, we've yet to find nationalities with warmer character than the Irish or the Scots (although it's wise to never, ever confuse the two). I've found that if you stop to ask an Irishman for directions to a pub, there's a good chance that he'll not only walk you to your destination, but also buy you a pint inside!
 
In Scotland the people are no less gracious. We've been staying with relatives, who live in a small village outside of Edinburgh. Not only have they supplied us with endless amounts of chocolate and biscuits, but they have also generously taught us some colourful Scottish language.
 
This is what I've learned so far: if something is “minging” it's disgusting, if it's “pish” it's garbage and if you hope to get a free dinner out of your hosts, you'd better not bring up the English!

Looking for more travel tips? Here's some great travel advice for backpackers!