Adapting to the UK outlet
2010-07-12
Traveling abroad carries with it a number of considerations. As connectivity becomes critical to both business and leisure travel, those who head overseas need to know whether their devices will work in a European outlet. Travelers to the United Kingdom should know that the British use their own plugs and wiring that differ from that of the U.S. or Europe. These plugs require special travel adapters to work correctly.
There are a wide range of travel adapters for the UK available. The good news is that these adapters also work in countries that have British wiring, like Ireland and Hong Kong. The bad news is that they won't work if the traveler plans on continuing onto Europe after the UK.
The British plug looks like three rectangles arranged in a triangular formation. The two bottom rectangles are horizontal, and slightly smaller, while the top hole is slightly larger and vertical. In picturing the device, American travelers can turn their own outlet upside down, then turn the paired holes sideways, and they'd have a pretty good idea of what it looks like. While these plugs are known to be the safest in the world, they also require a bulkier plug.
Frequent travelers might be tempted to buy an "all-in-one" travel adapter. These devices are advertised to work in nearly any outlet, but can be expensive and unreliable. Travelers would most likely be better served by buying a kit of adapters that include all the places they plan on visiting.
Whether its a business meeting in Hong Kong or a family vacation in London, UK travel adapters will keep visitors connected.
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