From June to November 2015, sports fanatics from every corner of the world will converge on Britain for six glorious months’ of sporting events and this is how to play nice and stay safe…
Tennis champions will don their whites at Wimbledon from 29 June to 12 July, as the cricket elite clash in the Ashes 2015 series from 8 July to 24 August. The holy trinity then culminates with the ultimate battle of brawn – the Rugby World Cup from 16 September to 1 November.
With divine intervention delivering so many sporting events one after another, it’s no surprise Britain are anticipating a bumper year of tourism, with 18.2 million¹ projected visitors expected to spend ￡22 billion during 2015.
Up to 466,000 overseas rugby fans (86,000 of which are from Australasia) are expected to arrive on British shores for the Rugby World Cup alone. That’s a whole of lot of face painted sports fanatics spread across a country the size of Victoria. So to ensure we all play nice and stay safe, here are 10 commandments all travelling fanatics should follow while enjoying Britain’s bumper summer of sports.
1. Thou shall not chant Aussie Aussie Aussie Oi Oi Oi at any given opportunity
Let’s just get this one out of the way nice and early. We’re all for a roar-inducing ‘Aussie Aussie Aussie Oi Oi Oi’ when Nick Kyrgios slams an ace at the base line.
But in confined spaces, such as the Tube, just remember there’s a time and place for everything. The green-and-gold war paint and Australian flag draped proudly over your shoulders are a pretty clear indication of which team you’re supporting.
2. Thou shall be a good sport
Take a page from the book of our sporting heroes and respect your rivals. If not for the sake of sportsmanship, then for the sake of your personal safety. Just remember whose territory you’re in and whose team you might happen to be badmouthing at the pub.
We’re afraid that ending up in hospital because you were involved in a bar brawl is not covered by your travel insurance.
3. Thou shall be prepared for any weather
You’re in British country now, and that means the weather is predictably unpredictable. While London can turn on the sunshine and blue skies, she can also threaten rain at any second.
Pack a poncho and leave your umbrella at the hotel, unless you want angry stadium-goers hurling hotdogs because your brolley is impairing their view.
4. Thou shall respect silence on the Tube
With Southfields tube station a 15 minute walk from Wimbledon, and Twickenham a 45 minute ride from Waterloo, there’s a good chance you’ll be using the Tube to get to your desired sporting stadium. Grab yourself a TFL Oyster card and be prepared to get up close and personal with the local Londoners.
Don’t forget to stand on the right of the escalator and most importantly, respect the Tube’s self-enforced rule of silence (see the 1stCommandment).
5. Thou shall be patient
Heathrow Airport was the 3rdbusiest airport in the world in 2014 and with 18.2million travellers expected to visit the British isles this year, you can bank on one thing when you arrive: queues.
Whether it’s passing through immigration, catching a shuttle bus to the stadium or simply ordering some bangers and mash, remember patience is a virtue.
6. Thou shall respect the Welsh
Cardiff, the capital city of Wales and the home of the Millenium Stadium will host eight matches and two quarter-finals during the Rugby World Cup. If you’re crossing the border into Wales, be sure to respect its local countrymen.
The Welsh are British, but if you call them English they’ll pull the welcome mat out from under you. Wales is bi-lingual and there are parts where they refuse to speak English.
Try and get your hands on a reliable map in a language you understand, or good luck finding your way toGyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllanty.
7. Thou shall watch thy valuables
London streets have been on high alert ever since the London bombings in 2005. Don’t leave your bag unattended anywhere in case you cause unnecessary panic, or it just gets pinched.
Sadly, petty theft is pretty common, so keep your bag closed, zipped up and on your body at all times.
8. Thou shall get in the spirit
Make sure you’re representing Australia in style. Get out your sartorial best for sitting court-side at Wimbledon and while watching the boys take some wickets at Lords. When it comes to the Rugby World Cup, however, we want to see war paint, fake Aussie flag tattoos and the good ol’ boxing kangaroo.
9. Thou shall take out travel insurance
Don’t miss out on one ace, try or wicket simply because you didn’t take out travel insurance. If you need to cancel your trip before you leave, TID covers your pre-purchased tickets and travel arrangements.
If you get a bit excited watching the Wallabies win against England and end up with a broken bone, you’re medical treatment, cancellation costs and additional travel expenses are covered. Lost or delayed luggage is also included. After all, your signed Wallabies guernsey isn’t much use when it’s been delayed in transit.
10. Thou will believe in miracles
Worried you’ve missed out on all the fun? Despite 1.85 million tickets and 170,000 supporter packages sold for the Rugby World Cup, you may still be able to pick up seats for the Wallabies games through the official re-sale service available at tickets.rugbyworldcup.com.
Last minute premium Wimbledon seats can also be snagged on the day of play by lining up at The Queue and travel packages for the Ashes are still available at the Cricket Travel Office .
This article was brought to you by TID (http://www.tid.com.au)