How to Retire Without Money
BEST PLACES TO RETIRE: GREAT BRITAIN (page 2)
ENTRY REQUIREMENTS. England, like our own country, is one of the toughest nations to enter. Elsewhere in the world, you get a token inspection of your luggage by customs and a quick stamp in your passport and you're through. But in England they definitely inspect your luggage and an immigration official questions you on your reason for your trip. Simply tell them "tourist" and that's enough.Another hazard. They'll ask you how much money you have with you. If it seems too small an amount, say less than $300, they simply won't let you in. England has no desire to have you on her hands broke. Of course, you aren't bodily searched. The contents of your wallet are never examined. So you can tell them any amount you wish, and they accept your word-unless you're a down and out looking tramp, I suppose.
When you enter your passport will be stamped: Permitted to land at Dover (or whatever your entry port) on condition the holder does not remain in the United Kingdom longer than two months and does not enter any employment paid or unpaid. Sometimes the time limit will read three rather than two months.
This puts you in a spot if you had looking for work in mind. Even if you do find a British firm that wants to hire you, the Ministry of Labor can refuse you a work permit simply on the grounds that you shouldn't have been looking for work in the first place. However, they aren't always as tough as all that.
TRANSPORTATION. All the great airliners of the world serve London. In fact, the gigantic new London airport handles 90,000 flights a year. As I write this, there is discussion of fares being reduced but right now First class, New York to London is $400 one way, $720 round trip. Tourist class is $290 one way and $522 round trip. The new Economy class is $453.60 round trip.
Cheaper still, as we've mentioned elsewhere in this book, are the Icelandic Airlines flights which run, at this writing $424.20 round trip in the thrift season ($45 more in the summer). Icelandic has always cut prices and now that the other airlines have introduced the economy class it is expected Icelandic will cut their rates even further. It's worth checking. Their U.S. offices are at 15 West 47th Street in New York City.
Ships to England are as numerous as to any land in the world. It would take the balance of this page and most of the next to begin to list them. Consult your travel agency. Fares run from $155 on the student ships sponsored by the Netherlands and Swiss governments to astronomical figures First class on the Cunard Queens and the other top liners. Basically you can figure on a minimum of $175 tourist class on a liner but are more apt to be paying just about as much as you would going by air unless you wish to sleep in dormitories.
Trains within England are a bit on the grim side. Fares aren't high by our standards, but equipment is largely antiquated and usually dirty. There is a new project to modernize the British railroads which will cost a billion dollars before they're through but it's going to take several years to complete.
England's buses charge only l1/2 a mile but although this is a better way of seeing the countryside than by train, the buses aren't much better than trains as far as being modern and comfortable is concerned.
To see rural England best you should do it either by car or bicycle, if possible. Driving, as you know, is to the left, passing on the right. The principal highways are good, although traffic is getting too heavy for the facilities and trucks in particular are everywhere and just as objectionable in England as they are at home. The Esso gasoline company distributes a good free road map and there are ample service stations and garages. Renting a car in England is as practical as anywhere in the world. Even in season you pay only $3.50 a day plus .05 a mile. If you take a car by the week it comes to $35 with unlimited mileage, and including everything except gas and garage.
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