Having spent almost two years in Luton, I would advise anyone going there to try and rent places within walking distance of the school, or directly on the bus routes. The taxis are plentiful but not cheap, though a good alternative to walking alone at night. I have walked alone at night, and never had a problem, though there are lots of unlit areas, such as smaller walking paths, Wardown Park, etc. If you have family, then try to rent a place in a more family friendly area, up Old Bedford Road, or even as far as Stopsley, if you're on the bus route. The schools are better and the housing is usually better. We even had a classmate who rode the bus from the neighboring town of Dunstable, and did very well, because the bus is regular and there is a lot of family housing there. (His house was FABULOUS!) The best places to nosh, depending on your tastes, are Roosters (fried chicken and chips, halal for those of you who need that) and New Ambala for Indian food on Dunstable Road in Bury Park. Don't listen to local chatter about Bury Park. Yes, its Little India/Pakistan, but I'm a gori (white person) and got along famously there, for shopping, eating, etc. There's also a Subway on the high street which is good, and you've got to try the noodles from the Thai stand on the high street. Pass on the Pizza Hut though, the buffet is usually packed at lunch, and the staff is super slow about refilling the buffet or providing much of a variety, same for the salad bar. Do take advantage of being there and do some traveling when you can. Northern England is very nice in the early summer and there are tons of historical places to see. Ireland is even more beautiful! RyanAir has tons of cheap flights for a quick weekend getaway to other European cities and my classmates enjoyed Amsterdam, Barcelona, Vienna, etc while there. My flight to Rome was $50 roundtrip with one of the "pence fare sales"! It was defintely a life time experience, and I still miss things from there, the bagpipers, the accents, donor kabobs, the beautiful countryside north of Luton, and the FREE parochial schools. Enjoy your time.