Tube Talkin' with Aunt Karen

Every nation has their list of quirks or unique pastimes that make zero sense to those on the outside who witness them. A few of our favourities from our three years living here are:

• Queuing for everything
• The ubiquitous inclusion of the letter U in seemingly randoum wourds.
• Using naught for 0 instead of zero because it’s not possible to pronounce Z in proper English without the following ed.
• Teatime (this may actually be my favourite and will be returning with me to the states. I just need to find someplace to sell me clotted cream!)
• Ingenious use of swear words. Of course, why wouldn’t they considering they invented the bloody language.
• The food. I still haven’t been able to wrap my head around the fact that this nation, at one point, claimed that the “sun never set” on it’s Empire and yet despite that impressive geographic expanse the common food staples are still HP sauce, canned beans and mushy peas.
• Very friendly once you get past the stiff upper lip.
• Health and Safety. Yes, other places in the world focus on this too but it is truly unique in the UK.
• Talking on public transport is strictly verboten. Particularly if you’re on the tube in London.

Frequently as we welcome guests to the country and prepare them for what to expect on their visit some version of this list will come up as they ask what we find unique and endearing in the native Britain. Aside from no one being able to grasp the culinary deficiencies of the British diet the most common surprise is the lack of conversation that occurs on public transport. Enter Aunt Karen.

When you visit London it is almost impossible to avoid using the tube at some point. The distances between tourist sights isn’t necessarily great but there are enough of them that you would easily clear 20,000 steps a day trying to “walk” the city. And while cabbies and busses are virtually everywhere on the roads most of the time Amanda and I never used them because 1) the buses are relatively slow going place to place and 2) the cabbies are either always full or not accepting fares’ because they’re on their way to pick up another customer or heading off shift. Which leaves us the rail network or tube.

I personally LOVE the tube. It’s relatively clean as public transport goes, always on time and there’s a unique energy that surrounds it which makes taking the tube an experience in and of itself for visitors. It also has a number of points of etiquette and safety that you are encouraged to follow while riding, such as Minding the Gap, standing on the right side of escalators, don’t crush yourself into an overcrowded car and “it’s okay to be quiet”. Of course, this last point of etiquette is written in the most British way possible.

If you’re not familiar with British parlance you can be mistaken for believing that this is just a nicely worded suggestion, however for those of you from or familiar with the American south “it’s okay to be quiet” has the same sense about it as the great southern Americanism “Well bless your heart”. On the face of it the saying sounds considerate and thoughtful but what we’re really saying is “well of course you idiot”. Similarly, “it’s okay to be quiet” happens to be the #1 point of etiquette on the tube according to the visit Britain website. So we can then infer both from it’s high ranking and the overtly polite form that it was written it’s meaning is far more important than a mere suggestion of politeness. With that being said, no one really cares if you talk on the tube or not. It’s just a great way to identify yourself as a foreigner when you do:). And it’s immensely entertaining to watch young teenage girls realize that everyone else around you aren’t speaking while your Mum recaps your day to the rest of the passengers in the car. Love you both!!!

Of course, riding the tube wasn’t the only thing Aunt Karen and Becca did. Some of my personal highlights from their visit were the Churchill War rooms, Traditional Tea at the National Gallery and visiting the Camden and Burrow Markets. But if you want to know there’s you’ll just have to ask them.