Toiletries purchase upon arrival

Look for a Boots the Chemist.

I would just find something along the way or when you arrive. Boots is probably the largest chain of drugstores that also sell personal items, if you see one of those, head there.

There is a Boots in the arrivals area of both Terminals at Gatwick. You can even order off their website and pick up there if you want.

Any supermarket will do just fine.

If you go to Boots you will pay too much.

But I do question - sorry - your opinion that Gatwick to Cambridge is a short drive. I regularly go to both Gatwick and Crawley and all around there, and Cambridge, and I promise you it isn't all that easy or short.

It may look like you just go north M23 to A23 through London and out on the A11 to the M11. Unfortunately it ain't all that easy. Better might be M23 to M25 to Dartford Crossing to M25 to M11. Trust me, that's no fun either.

Honestly, and for you having a first crack at driving here, and after a transatlantic flight, I would Strongly suggest just getting on a train at Gatwick airport - the station is under the airport, just down an escalator or lift - sitting comfortably and watching the countryside roll by, then catching a glimpse of the Thames, the Shard, St Pauls Cathedral and the City of London, and then the countryside rolling by again until you step off into Cambridge station. Get your car there, or the next day, or Monday, and chill out. It is just so very easy. No stress. Somebody in the party might even drop off to sleep on the way. Faster, too.

I figure, on a Saturday, going straight through central London by car will probably take at least 3 hours, probably closer to 4. The M23 is undergoing rebuilding to make it "smart" which means average speed cameras the whole length, and hidious traffic jams. The A14 in Cambridge, similar but different. You may not even be on the A14, but the M11 suffers from this as do many other Cambridge roads, especially the A428.

Going around by the M25 and Dartford Crossing all depends on how many accidents there are in and near the tunnel, and on the M25. You still have the problem of the M23 and the traffic around Cambridge, too. I figure around 2 to 4 hours. You can't imagine the fun and games around the Dartford Crossing. And you have to pay for the priviledge - you must pay electronically by midnight of the day after you pass through - it is all on camera.

The train takes 1:54, no muss no fuss.

Does your Cambridge hotel have free parking?

Let me know where you are going and I can tell you all about supermarkets and pharmacies near most of Cambridge.

Boots or Superdrug on any high street.

Alternatively if you’re driving, just find a big supermarket on the edge of town - Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Asda will all have what you want.

But I agree: Gatwick to Cambridge is a pig of a drive when jet lagged.

Boots is one of many Europeam chains I have visited in a fruitless search for a travel-size solid ajti-perspirant. The one I tried in London did have other travel toiletries

Yes, we have free parking in Cambridge. I must clarify. A short drive from where we are in Canada is 2-4 hours. I expect it will be a zoo getting out of London and we just plan on circling the city counter clockwise. We don't want to fall asleep, we will have been in paid for upgraded seats on our flight that will hopefully allow us 2-4 hours of sleep. Plus we need to return the car to Gatwick for a flight to Paris 9 days later so it's very convenient to do the "short" drive despite the hassles. I have no intention of getting anywhere near downtown London with a car.

You will get a better choice of toiletries at a supermarket than at Boots. Other than at an airport, I can’t remember the last time I shopped at Boots. The Superdrug chain is better value than Boots and their own range products are good. One of the reasons I don’t travel with only hand luggage!

Sorry, but I undertaking such a long drive whilst jet lagged on some of the busiest roads in Europe is a really, really bad idea. The M25 will be the easiest route, but you will have to pay the Dart toll online for the bridge if heading in this direction. I drove most of this route a few weeks ago and it took me about double the expected drive time due to 3 accidents, 2 involving foreign vehicles whose drivers probably weren’t used to driving in the UK. Take the train and hire a car the next day in Cambridge. Safer for everyone.

Most people take the train to Paris because it is so much faster. 2:15 centre to centre. In other words you'll get off the train before your plane has pushed back at Gatwick. Even counting the hour check-in at St Pancras (the train from Cambridge goes there).

If you want to go around the M25 clockwise, as it sounds like you mean, you still have the M23, and then on the M25 Junction 10 is usually bound up in traffic, but it really gets bad from Junction 9 (Leatherhead), stays slow or stopped all the way to the Wisly turn for the A3, bad again all the way then to beyond Heathrow and sometimes opens up by the M40, unless you get backups at the road works around Kings Langley until Maple Cross. Be especially careful around Maple Cross - there are frequent accidents around there. The traffic eventually breaks free and people lose concentration. Then it will back up again before the M1. If you are lucky it may open up again until you get to the tunnels near Waltham Abbey - another accident hotspot.

Just because it is a Saturday don't expect lighter traffic on the M25 - just different traffic than during the week. Saturdays on the M25 really are as bad as I say. I've been dealing with the world's longest parking lot for decades and I only speak from experience. I'm sorry to say that going the way you suggest will take even longer than the other options.

It is no skin off my nose which way you go (but please don't nod off in traffic or you will cause the jams to get even worse for me and everybody else), I am just hoping to convey some personal experience from having driven these very roads dozens or hundreds of times. And save you hassle. And discord in the car.

If by circling around clockwise you don't mean the M25 but rather the South Circular and North Circular - please don't. Not on a Saturday. Really. And if you do I hope you can see through cars because the information you need will painted on the road lanes, and only a vague approximation will be on signs. The lanes are extremely narrow, especially on the South Circular and around Hangar Lane Gyratory. Honest to goodness - stay off the North and South Circular on a Saturday. Honest.

If you do drive, please learn how to work the car audio system before you leave the lot, ensure that the RDS is switched on and TA is selected. And that the audio system is switched on. Then just wait for the Radio London and 3 Counties Radio and Radio Cambridge traffic bulletins to come through.

I would like to second Nigel's comments. The train is far preferable but it sounds like you're already committed. The M25 is stressful for a passenger, let alone a driver. At this moment, Google Maps shows heavy traffic over a long stretch if you travel clockwise from Gatwick, and heavy traffic south of the Dartford Crossing - complete with two accidents - if you travel counter-clockwise. There are service areas at Thurrock on the M25 (north side of Dartford Crossing) and Bishop's Stortford on the M11. I would strongly recommend pausing at both of them.

The only problem with DavidM's good suggestion about stopping at the services just north of the crossing is the access from the motorway to the services, and the access from the services back onto the motorway is not brilliant, and often clogged by articulated lorries (what some may call tractor trailers).

If you want to stop there it is worth considering the left hand tunnel (if it is open) because access from the right hand tunnel is very difficult.

A short drive from where we are in Canada is 2-4 hours.

Please confirm you’re aware of the difference in population density and car numbers per square mile compared to Canada.

It’s not central London we’re warning you about, it’s the M25 around London.

I won't drive in the UK for all the reasons (very good ones) cited by people actually living and driving there.
Please listen to them and get the train to Cambridge.
Then you will be alive and well,( and still speaking to your traveling companions) to report back on your trip to us afterward!

I agree that SuperDrug stores , and all the supermarkets; have a better and cheaper selection of toiletries than Boots stores.
(Boots No. 7 cosmetic line sold here in my local drugstore is cheaper than sold in Boots in the UK!)

Yes, well aware. I used to drive through rush hour in Toronto regularly where a normal 30 minute drive could take hours with an accident or two. Though not London I'm well aware of what a highway parking lot is and i'll expect to be in a few of them. For those doing them daily or weekly I'm sure it's a constant headache. For me doing it once, I'll survive. No plans on changing my own plans, I'll grin and bear it.

Thanx for the tips and suggestions though. It has made me even in the last hour review a few things to make sure I know what I'm up against.

I drive all the time in Los Angeles and have done so for 50 years! Traffic is awful, and all going in the same direction, on 8 to 12 lane freeways, is no picnic!
I recently spent time in London with my niece . She took me out of the city by car! I was a nervous wreck! Please listen to the posters from the U.K.! Please take the train!

hey hey
thanks to all the “England” posters and more about feelings of driving after a long flight. I live in San Francisco’s Bay Area with our nightmare traffic, thank gosh I’ve retired and not in it anymore! I’d be this first in line for that train ride, knowing different strokes for different folks with jet lag and driving on the other side. It’s a no brainer to me. will be in France September and it’s train and taxis, no stress and gray hairs, leave the driving to someone else, i’m Stubborn and determined but not that foolish.
have a fabulous and safe vacation
aloha

Regardless of how nightmarish British traffic is compared to LA, NYC, Toronto, MTL, etc., all of it's on the OTHER side. And it's not just the CARS, it's everything that's opposite. I wouldn't rent a bike when we were in London for fear I'd run into something because I'm going the wrong way - and I've driven in LA, MTL, NYC, BOS, DET!

Well, Nigel and DavidM gave OP excellent information, but it seems like he is determined to drive and go through London. Hope he has good insurance coverage!!!!!

For toiletries, shampoo, hand sanitizer etc, most supermarkets have an aisle for these, there is also a chain called Wilko, my barber gets his supplies from them,

I hate to mention or patronise about driving after a long flight when in an unfamiliar environment, but when you drive at home, you can do it on auto pilot, even in busy Toronto 401 traffic, Gatwick to Cambridge is min 2 hours if clear, but will still requires full concentration the whole way, even I would be drained after the drive.

You may not know, but there are now about 3 direct trains per hour from Gatwick to Cambridge,
if you change trains at London St Pancras there are even more services.

You still have the faff at Gatwick of collecting the car and doing paperwork, I would get to Cambridge, checkin, dump luggage and rent from there when ready.

I'm not going to get involved in the train/car argument but want to add to your question about buying toiletries.

Supermarkets (Sainsburys, Tesco, Morrisons, ASDA, etc) usually have a decent selection and are less expensive than pharmacies. You can find supermarkets everywhere.

Pharmacies (Boots and Superdrugs are the largest and most common) usually cost more but are also plentiful.

If you are looking for travel size items, it will depend on the location. Some carry them, some don't.

If you want to see if they carry the brands you like, each one has "online ordering" where you can see what is available. (You don't have to order but can just search.) They also show prices.

You willl probably find a few of these near your first night's accomodation. If you are at a hotel, they will know. If an apartment, the person you deal with will know.

I have noticed that the Boots in airports generally has a larger collection of travel sizes. Since I don't usually want to be carrying large bottles of anything at any time in my luggage - even while on the ground - I opt for travel sizes. I would hit the airport Boots and be done with it.

Please think carefully about Nigel's comment "discord in the car". Years ago, my husband was attempting to drive in the Windsor area. Although traffic was not a problem, when he stopped for gas, his parents and I decided that he would be turning in that car sooner rather than later. Last year, despite driving surprisingly successfully in Ireland(which lacks the wonderful train service we love in the UK) in 2015, he decided to turn in the car early in Scotland, which meant we could not go to Alnwick castle because we would have luggage. We did not complain. On none of those occasions was he attempting to drive immediately after getting off the overseas flight. An accident will not get your trip off to a good start and if someone is injured, might end it.

Dang... you people are persuasive. Trying to reorganize the entire first two days of my vacation to avoid driving on the M25. Yes, the train does sound lovely.

We really need to hear your trip report when you get back home, regardless if you drove or not!

I was listening to the travel news on either Monday or Tuesday and there were seven mile tailbacks around the Dartford Crossing mid-afternoon...

Relieved to see you see the wisdom in using the train for your commute from Gatwick following an overnight flight. Getting a good nights sleep (not just a few hours of shut-eye on a plane) is important before renting a vehicle. Drowsy driving is just as bad as drunk driving.

Well, help me out here folks. Now that you've convinced me to take the train tell me the best way to do it. Obviously you can't count on planes arriving when they're supposed to so you just have to buy a train ticket when you arrive for whatever comes first? We would change our first night there to Sheffield, for a variety of reasons. How do we get there?

That's not so hard as it sounds. By a wonderful coincidence trains which are headed via St Pancras from Gatwick to Cambridge stop at St Pancras International which is the London terminus of East Midlands Railway which shoots up north right to Sheffield.

St Pancras International is an interesting station. Nearly demolished and abandoned, the station was saved after a public outcry let by the poet John Betjeman. It and its companion building of the beautiful hotel which is now operated as a Marriott Renaissance, are true iconic buildings. They are next to Kings Cross station. Apparently St Pancras has the longest champagne bar in the world. whoopee.

Trains from Gatwick, in fact all Thameslink trains, arrive under the station in an underground tunnel. The platforms are reachable by a double set of escalators and two sets of lifts. The Thameslink station is in the top left of the station. Directly above it, also served from the main concourse by lifts and escalators is the station for East Midlands Trains.

In the top right, upstairs, is the station for the Javelin high speed trains of Southeastern which run on the HS1 high speed line to Canterbury, Stratford (not Shakespeare), and many parts of Kent. It is the same line which Eurostar use for their trains to Paris, Brussels, Lille and Amsterdam.

Speaking of Eurostar, their station is in the middle of the concourse, about half way between the tube station (and hotel) and the other stations I have just mentioned.

So those are the main services at St Pancras. Each railway gets its own part of the station, but it is well integrated and flows very well. The live piano music (available to all to play the pianos) is usually pleasant, and the station is light and airy.

Oh, and the food. There are all sorts of food outlets in the station. Pretty much everything you can imagine. If you don't like the selection there, just cross the street into Kings Cross and they have even more. Even a supermarket.

Also shops. Books, Boots, coffee, toys, Belgian chocolate (Godiva), magazines, clothing - you name it.

Boarding the train to Sheffield is easy - you need your ticket for the barriers, and then the train is directly ahead. Sometimes they stack the trains so your train may be further along the platform than another train which follows you out of the station. Just read the notice boards. Staff are in easy to spot distinctive uniforms and will help you.

There is a train every half hour to Sheffield, at xx:31 and xx:02. The 02 train is a little faster, just 11 minutes, but that is so close to not make much difference.

The xx:31 usually calls at Leicester, Loughborough, East Midlands Parkway, Long Eaton, Derby, and Chesterfield (see if you can spot the crooked spire) on its way to Sheffield. Takes about 2:10. The xx:02 only calls Leicester, Derby and Chesterfield and is 11 minutes faster.

The train station at Gatwick is directly under the South Terminal, lifts and escalators.

I don't think we know when this trip is - day of the week, arrival time at Gatwick. It might help answers. Oh, and next week or next year?