By 500 BC, throughout the British Isles, a celtic culture of Iron Age Britons was living in organised tribal groups, each ruled by a chieftain. They were a fractious lot, squabbling and quarelsome as one tribe challenged another over territory, space and resources.
In the last centuries before the Roman invasion, this tribal society flourished thanks to plentiful mineral reserves of tin, copper and iron. Their culture expanded as iron bars began to be used for currency, and trading, with each other and also with continental Europe, became their path to an increasingly sophisticated life.
Julius Caesar arrived in 55 BC and did not so much conquer Britain as he established the island under the sphere of Rome's political influence and promised the local chieftans peace in return for tributes and trading.
A dozen years later an invasion force led by Aulus Plautius took the south of Britain, and from this foothold in the south, the subsequent claiming of all Britain by Roman forces spread eventually to all corners of the island over the next hundred years.
Having conquered the far north of Scotland, the territory proved too remote and its tribes too volatile for the Romans to maintain control. The Roman border moved south again and ultimately led to the building of Hadrian's Wall, much of which can still be found today.
The Romans ruled Britannia for four centuries and created the first version of the United Kingdom. The tribes prospered and interacted in a common language. Flourishing city centers came into being, the most important of them Londinium, becoming the economic and administrative capital.
By Haydn Wrath
Airlines tell us that 95% of people check in one piece if baggage each that weighs less than 20 kilos. If you are part of this 95 %, then there isn't really any need to read further as you will sail through check-in procedures (though watch out for the some regional carriers whose check-in limit is 15 kilos)
If you are one of the 5% and either your check-in bag will weigh more than 20 kilos, or you will be checking in more than one bag per person you might be charged excess baggage fees depending on what route and what airline you are booked on.
Airlines have never got together to agree a global policy of baggage allowances. The most generous airlines on certain routes let you check in 2 pieces of baggage up to 32 kilos per piece (subject to dimensional limitations). The least generous (e.g. some regional carriers in Asia) will make a small charge per kilo for anything checked in weighing over 15 kilos. Other carriers have a weight and number of items limit - e.g. on many B.A. flights you can check in 23 kilos if it is all in one bag, but if you check in 15 kilos over two bags, they will charge you extra !
B.A. will also no longer accept any bag that weighs over 23 kilos. This is a policy that other carriers may well also adopt in the future.
If you are on a round the world ticket that includes flights across the Pacific and Atlantic oceans, it is likely that you will be entitled to check in up to 2 bags per person on all or most of your flights of either 23 or 32 kilos per bag.
Baggage restrictions also of course vary depending on the cabin class you are booked in as well as for children and infants. There are also sometimes often special allowances made for certain items - e.g. sets of golf clubs, surf boards or diving equipment.
Airlines also differ on the size of your carry on baggage - e.g. B.A. have recently reduced the maximum size of carry on bags to 45 CM x 35 CM x 16 CM
20 kilos is quite a lot of baggage - especially in addition to up to around 5 kilos of carry on baggage, but if you will be checking in more than this, you should check with your travel consultant who will be happy to give you more specific advice about how much baggage you can check in on your trip.
In another world, all airlines would get together and agree on a universal system of baggage allowance of 20 kilos and charge extra for additional baggage. This would reduce carbon emissions overnight as people would be less inclined to take so much with them. This especially applies to flights in and out of the country with the biggest carbon footprint in the world where allowances are currently up to a massive fuel guzzling 64 kilos per person.
Haydn Wrath is the owner at Travel nation specialising in round the world flight adventures. Travel Nation have a wealth of experience in putting together round the world itineries.
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