Curling Iron

Linda D

From what I have read, even though my curling iron is dual voltage, it'll still pull too much juice. I'll send it back and purchase one in St. Andrews ..... with that work in all areas of the UK?

Claudia Sails

Your post got a bit garbled so it's hard to answer but I'll give it a go. Assuming you're doing this tour this year you should be able to find a curling iron in Edinburgh that will work everywhere on this tour.

Princes street is a short walk from the Sheraton. There's several dept store, at least one Boots pharmacy and the Waverly shopping center.

To get there, exit the hotel at the front entrance (the second floor of the hotel where the restaurant is not the lower floor where your driver will bring you and you'll check in). Turn left along Lothian road and walk about a 1/4 mile until you run right into Princes st. One side goes along the park and the other has tons of shopping.

Enjoy. We loved this tour.

Ken from Vegas

I don't know what you read. You may have been confused by some of the posts about ship or riverboat travel. The electrical systems on vessels are limited. Or perhaps you were confused by warnings about not using voltage converters with a heating device. If you truly have a dual voltage curling iron (i.e. its rated for 110v and 220v) you will have no problem using it on land anywhere in the world. You will simply need an adapter to convert the American plug to a British style plug (i.e. something that changes the plug shape - not a voltage converter).

If you buy one in Britain, it will have the big British style plug. It will only be usable in Britain unless you buy adapters.

By the way, be aware that British electrical codes do not allow electrical outlets in the bathroom (other than one that is rated for shavers only). So you will have to use your curling iron in another room.

British

I would never try using a dual voltage curling iron from the US in the British isles, I would buy one when I get there, they are not expensive. Not worth the risk of blowing a fuse. A dual voltage hairdryer would be fine. Better still, change your hairstyle.????

Choc

We did this same tour last August. We walked to Boots and purchased a curling iron for 9 euro. It was great. Boots is a ten minute walk and there are great places to get a lunch on the way.

Ken from Vegas

British wrote:

I would never try using a dual voltage curling iron from the US in the British isles, I would buy one when I get there, they are not expensive. Not worth the risk of blowing a fuse. A dual voltage hairdryer would be fine. Better still, change your hairstyle.????

You have far more likelyhood of blowing a fuse (or tripping a breaker) with a blow drier than with a curling iron. Blow driers typically use about 1200 to 1400 watts of power. This is near the limit of the 15 amp circuits common in the US (not sure what the current limit of UK outlets is). Curling irons typically use less than 100 watts. If you can plug in a lamp, you can plug in a curling iron, so long as the curling iron is dual voltage.

My wife has a dual voltage curling iron purchased in the US. She has used it several times in countries with 220v power with no problems.

It makes little sense to me to buy a UK curling iron, if you are an American. Better to buy a dual voltage iron with a US plug. You can use it at home and in any country with the right adapter. Getting an adapter for a US plug to a foreign plug is far easier in the US than getting an adapter for a UK plug.

lovestravel

It's been 20 years since we were in Britain and I don't remember what kind of curling iron I used there. However, I've used a dual voltage curling iron in Ireland as well as in the numerous countries on the European continent that we've visited on both land and river cruises. I've also used a dual voltage one in Egypt, Jordan, and China without any problems.

British

I was going by people I know telling me of problems with curling irons, so thanks Ken. After doing more research I see that flat irons use twice the power of curling irons. I don’t know how often you use a hairdryer but the modern ones are often 1875 Watts. That’s the type I use. ????

joycesw

I am on this great tour ( presently kicking back editing photos and emailing with a glass of wine after touring, walking , and eating lunch...). I don’t use an iron, flat or curl, and use the hotel dryer which is located in all sorts of interesting spots outside the bathroom! None of those areas, so far, have had very good lighting. The group’s biggest challenge ( and chuckle) has been dealing with the bathrooms! Light switches are in weird places, buttons on the outside wall start the shower, one might need a PHD to figure out the shower at Langdale, there are no extra magnifying mirrors ( the mirrors might be a big magnified, but not what I need for good vision). A number of the ladies have made a pact to tell each other if our make- up is askew and some have given up on makeup altogether! And then there were those color light displays in the bathroom in the Sheraton! So, maybe British has a point about adopting a new hairstyle!! Hah!

AlanS

joycesw wrote:

I am on this great tour ( presently kicking back editing photos and emailing with a glass of wine after touring, walking , and eating lunch...). I don’t use an iron, flat or curl, and use the hotel dryer which is located in all sorts of interesting spots outside the bathroom! None of those areas, so far, have had very good lighting. The group’s biggest challenge ( and chuckle) has been dealing with the bathrooms! Light switches are in weird places, buttons on the outside wall start the shower, one might need a PHD to figure out the shower at Langdale, there are no extra magnifying mirrors ( the mirrors might be a big magnified, but not what I need for good vision). A number of the ladies have made a pact to tell each other if our make- up is askew and some have given up on makeup altogether! And then there were those color light displays in the bathroom in the Sheraton! So, maybe British has a point about adopting a new hairstyle!! Hah!

The Sheraton room and bathroom lighting were a confusing surprise when we did E, S & W a few years ago. We never did learn the pattern. One of the best memories of Edinburgh and the Sheraton is when we got back from a day trip to Rosslyn Chapel. I was working on my laptop at the desk by the window and looking up at Edinburgh Castle while also watching and listening to the huge crowd that packed the plaza in front of the hotel. They cheered (reservedly, like only the Brits/Scots can do) as they watched Andy Murray win Wimbledon (the British commentators kept calling him an English or British tennis player, but in reality he is a Scot!).

Ken from Vegas

joycesw wrote:

The group’s biggest challenge ( and chuckle) has been dealing with the bathrooms! Light switches are in weird places...

We are two cultures separated by a common language that diverged after that little misunderstanding in 1776. There's a fun little set of short videos that were made a few years ago (I believe for BBC America) that highlight bits of British culture that we Americans are unused to. Episode 28 deals with "Confusing things about British Homes." Fun viewing even if you're not visiting our cousins across the pond.


The videos can be found here:


https://www.youtube.com/user/AnglopheniaTV/videos

British

joycesw wrote:

I am on this great tour ( presently kicking back editing photos and emailing with a glass of wine after touring, walking , and eating lunch...). I don’t use an iron, flat or curl, and use the hotel dryer which is located in all sorts of interesting spots outside the bathroom! None of those areas, so far, have had very good lighting. The group’s biggest challenge ( and chuckle) has been dealing with the bathrooms! Light switches are in weird places, buttons on the outside wall start the shower, one might need a PHD to figure out the shower at Langdale, there are no extra magnifying mirrors ( the mirrors might be a big magnified, but not what I need for good vision). A number of the ladies have made a pact to tell each other if our make- up is askew and some have given up on makeup altogether! And then there were those color light displays in the bathroom in the Sheraton! So, maybe British has a point about adopting a new hairstyle!! Hah!

Hilarious Joyce. I am always in envy when I stay with my girlfriend because her bathroom has a button you press by the door that turns on the shower and changes color when the water reaches the temp you want, I gather it’s a pretty standard feature in British bathrooms now. But not being able to use a hairdryer in a bathroom though sensible is a pain. I really cannot figure out how it is safe to dry your hair over a sink in the US. I purchased an expensive Dyson hairdryer fairly recently and for those who are interested, it is wonderful, dries hair much more quickly and at lower temperatures. It’s too bulky to travel with though.

BKMD

British - Maybe I'm confusing you with someone else, but I think you're doing the China trip next year? If so, you'll enjoy the toilet in the Beijing Waldorf-Astoria.

Claudia Sails

joycesw wrote:

I am on this great tour ( presently kicking back editing photos and emailing with a glass of wine after touring, walking , and eating lunch...). I don’t use an iron, flat or curl, and use the hotel dryer which is located in all sorts of interesting spots outside the bathroom! None of those areas, so far, have had very good lighting. The group’s biggest challenge ( and chuckle) has been dealing with the bathrooms! Light switches are in weird places, buttons on the outside wall start the shower, one might need a PHD to figure out the shower at Langdale, there are no extra magnifying mirrors ( the mirrors might be a big magnified, but not what I need for good vision). A number of the ladies have made a pact to tell each other if our make- up is askew and some have given up on makeup altogether! And then there were those color light displays in the bathroom in the Sheraton! So, maybe British has a point about adopting a new hairstyle!! Hah!

Ah yes, fond memories of the lighting system at the Sheraton. Three nights there and we never did figure those out. Even the TD said he couldn't help. The worst part was my husband would be hitting switches by the bed and I'd be by the room door panel so we could never figure out what combination did the trick.

Don't remember a problem with the Langdale except that the safe didn't work like any other we'd seen so my husband (who's allergic to written instructions) immediately locked himself out of it and had to call the front desk. On the other hand they had fantastic Sticky Toffee Pudding.

AlanS

Claudia Sails wrote:

Ah yes, fond memories of the lighting system at the Sheraton. Three nights there and we never did figure those out. Even the TD said he couldn't help. The worst part was my husband would be hitting switches by the bed and I'd be by the room door panel so we could never figure out what combination did the trick.

Don't remember a problem with the Langdale except that the safe didn't work like any other we'd seen so my husband (who's allergic to written instructions) immediately locked himself out of it and had to call the front desk. On the other hand they had fantastic Sticky Toffee Pudding.

Ah, Langdale- during the heat wave of 2013! No AC so they had to break out desk/pedestal fans, even in what would normally be a cool forest location. oooh, Sticky Toffee pudding, yummmmm!