My first trip to the UK...

[Diane]

New security may limit what you carry now....

I'm thinking laptop, flash drive, what can you carry with you, now?

Diane

[John R]

We are told to the USA...

Hand luggage

All cabin baggage must be processed as hold baggage and carried in the hold of passenger aircraft departing UK airports.
The only items that may be taken through airport security search points and in to the cabin, in a single (ideally transparent) plastic carrier bag, are the following:

• pocket-size wallets and pocket-size purses plus contents (for example money, credit cards, identity cards, etc - handbags are not allowed.
  travel documents essential for the journey (eg, passports and travel tickets)
  prescription medicines and medical items sufficient and essential for the flight (eg, diabetic kit), except in liquid form unless verified as authentic
  spectacles and sunglasses, without cases
  contact lens holders, without bottles of solution
  for those travelling with an infant: baby food, milk (the contents of each bottle must be tasted by the accompanying passenger) and sanitary items sufficient and essential for the flight (nappies, wipes, creams and nappy disposal bags)
  female sanitary items sufficient and essential for the flight, if unboxed (eg, tampons, pads, towels and wipes)
  tissues (unboxed) and/or handkerchiefs
• keys (but not with electrical key fobs)

Nothing may be carried in pockets.

No liquids or books may be taken on any flight to USA even if purchased in DF after security check.... So its one hell of a long boring flight back home if they are still in place...

So make sure you ins will cover any laptops that are to be put in the hold... Most won't..... Hell if a bag goes astray now you are well fooked as you aint even got a toothbrush with you....

Advice from UK gov to traverlers

[John R]

All change....

Security downgraded now..

this from the BBC Baggage advice for UK passengers

Security measures for baggage apply at all UK airports


Following the decision to downgrade the UK terrorism threat level from "critical" to "severe", the following security measures will apply at all UK airports.
Each passenger is permitted to carry one item of cabin baggage through the airport security search point.
The dimensions of this item must not exceed a maximum length of 45cm, width of 35cm and depth of 16cm (17.7"×13.7"×6.2" approx) including wheels, handles, side pockets etc.
Other bags, such as handbags, may be carried within the single item of cabin baggage. All items carried by passengers will be screened by X-ray.
No liquids of any type are permitted through the airport security search point, other than the following items:

• Prescription medicines in liquid form sufficient and essential for the flight (eg diabetic kit), as long as verified as authentic.
• Baby milk and liquid baby food (the contents of each bottle or jar must be tasted by the accompanying passenger).

The definition of liquids includes gels, pastes, lotions, liquid/solid mixtures and the contents of pressurised containers, eg toothpaste, hair gel, drinks, soups, syrups, perfume, deodorant, shaving foam, aerosols etc.
To help their progress through search points, passengers are encouraged not to include items capable of containing liquids (eg bottles, flasks, tubes, cans, plastic containers etc) in their cabin baggage.
All laptops and large electrical items (eg large hairdryer) must be removed from the bag and placed in a tray so that such items neither obscure nor are obscured by the bag.
Pushchairs and walking aids are permitted but must be x-ray screened. Wheelchairs are permitted but must be thoroughly searched.
In addition to the above, passengers boarding flights to the US and items they are carrying, including those acquired after the central screening point, will be subjected to secondary search at the gate. Any liquids discovered will be removed from the passenger.
The Department for Transport say they will work closely with operators to introduce these new arrangements, seeking to keep disruption to passengers to a minimum. They say they will keep these measures under review. If passengers have any questions on their travel arrangements or security in place at airports they should contact the airport or their airline. Airport operator BAA has asked passengers not to bring hand baggage until the latest changes have been phased in at Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted

Sorry buy cant link to page as its a UK only thing from the BBc...

[Pete Hanlin]

As someone who will fly 150,000 to 200,000 miles this year, can I just say that- personally- I think this extra "security" is pretty much hooey?!? Background checks and profiling have a lot more to do with security than removing shoes and laptops.

Terrorists don't even need to carry out terrorism anymore to disrupt travel- we do it for them with all these ridiculous screenings and regulations!

I know they've loosened the recent security measures a bit, but let's think about the poor folks who have traveled from the UK to the US lately- no computers, and not even a book to read! I can write almost an entire PowerPoint presentation on a flight that long- but not with my computer stashed away somewhere down below.

I sincerely hope this nonsense is over with before my flight!

[britopt]

Hi! Sheffield is my home town (30 mins from Derby) so I know the area quite well. We swapped the "pie 'n' peas" and Friday night city centre fights (really, avoid the city centres at the weekends!) for California five years ago but go back to visit once a year if we can.

These would be my "must-see" places around Derby:

Chatsworth House - England's finest Country House, home to the Duke of Devonshire. Take a guided tour of the house and enjoy the grounds.

The Peak District National Park. The villages of Castleton (complete with castle ruins) and Eyam (where the first reported deaths from the bubonic plague occurred, the village was subsequently quarantined in it's entirety) are beautiful. The towns of Buxton and Bakewell are also pretty. There are fantastic hiking trails through totally unspoilt granite countryside. Also, nice friendly pubs with good "pub grub".

I would agree that Nottingham is a nice city to visit. I wasn't overly impressed by Sherwood Forest (been a bit spoiled by the California Redwoods!) but it's certainly rich in history. York is a little further afield but crammed full of museums, attractions and history.

Hope this helps - enjoy your trip!

[Pete Hanlin]

That certainly does help! Thank you very much! I will be sure to catch Chatsworth House (completely unrelated, but I grew up in an area called "Devonshire Heights").

Anyway, is there a local cathedral that is particularly worth seeing?

PS- The plague location will be interesting as well (I read a rather lengthy trilogy by an author named Neal Stephenson- which is set back in the times of Newton, the plague, and the great fire).

[britopt]

York Minster, Lincoln Cathedral and Beverley Minster are probably the most spectacular in the area...all date from medieval times, beautiful stained glass windows etc...

Makes me quite homesick!

[optispares]

That certainly does help! Thank you very much! I will be sure to catch Chatsworth House (completely unrelated, but I grew up in an area called "Devonshire Heights").

Anyway, is there a local cathedral that is particularly worth seeing?

PS- The plague location will be interesting as well (I read a rather lengthy trilogy by an author named Neal Stephenson- which is set back in the times of Newton, the plague, and the great fire).

York minster is a wonderfull old cathedral and only 20 miles from me so if u decide to visit maybe we could have a beer.http://www.yorkminster.org/

[rsandr]

York minster is a wonderfull old cathedral and only 20 miles from me so if u decide to visit maybe we could have a beer.http://www.yorkminster.org/

I pitched our tent at Castle Howard the other week.
If I had had my mobile with me I would have dropped you a line.

[Pete Hanlin]

Is "minster" just another word for church- or does it refer to a particular type of church building?

Having a pint with an Optiboarder from the UK would be the highlight of my trip! However, given the limited time I'll have for roaming around, Derby and Nottingham are probably the only places I'll get to this trip. Thanks much for the suggestions (both driving and places to visit)- I'm really looking forward to this trip!