15 thoughts on “Saying Hello.”

  1. Part of the problem is that there are so many people in London, you may as well be a member of an ant heap. FAST. Someone once came up behind me snarling why the hell I was walking so slowly (meandering being a better term). Well … you know … I am not in a hurry. I think he’d pushed past me before he heard my reply.

    On the other hand, people will take service for granted, and it was funny beyond belief and I may have related this before: Last time I went to London the Angel and I visited Harrods. Harrods to me is a museum. A playground. An amusement park. A zoo. It’s amazing. And I adore the food halls. In absence of the normal doorman, courteous being that I am, I held one of their many doors open for someone behind me. I was still there some two and more very long minutes later. People streaming past me without so much as a thank you. The Angel who thought I was right behind him eventually turned round thinking he’d lost me, traced me down and rescued me: “Mama, what the hell are you doing?” He didn’t say “let go of the door and let them deal with their own shit” but I think the implication was there. At least I wasn’t black or any other dark hue. Then it would have become a race issue instead of people just being thoughtless and inconsiderate – regardless.

    U

  2. well headphones are definitely an “enemy of mine” – I try not to sit down next to a pair on any bus/train/ferry…as they don’t even seem to understand a “smile” let alone a word

    often they also have their little “pad” thing on their radar, punching in things. I love trying to look at those with foreign languages…but then they might actually notice you looking, and they either move seats or move pad thing to the other side…

    I quite like that “movement” as then they are at an angle that is bad for their posture… actually most of these actions are bad for them! I understand that “buds can damage both your inner ear and later your hearing” whereas the “round overcovered ones are not as bad for you…

    these things can “kill” – plenty of cases where the silly “listening device” has made them unaware. A young man jogging last year was killed by not realising that the bells were sounding and a train, couldn’t stop in time…

    if they notice you mouthing something they might swish their hair up (f) and remove a bud – and say “what?” by then I’ve lost my thought train…

    oops I’m off track…more or less forgotten we are chatting about the key words “saying hello”

    but I will say I’ve had some interesting chats on my journeys…going on a couple today, as it is definitely going to be sunny/fine – not necessasrily warm as there was a “frost” – still evident on the green roof tiles next door…sun not quite reached their place, as large tree beyond blocking sun..

    1. so I did a few trips, a few hello’s including when we hailed a bus…it stopped – but not quite where we were and I casually said to the guy “oh one of those sticklers…” as she drove her bus right to the yellow squared off bit and we had to walk down to her!

      then the same guy about a 10mins later asked me “does this bus go up Khyber pass after we passed the turn off?”

      “yes it does, but goes down there, loops around and comes back out of that street, back to that bus stop over there and around the corner…of course it will depend where you want to get off, it turns about 1/4 way up past the Grafton Station”

      “i need to get off near the BP service station…”

      “oh, yes it stops there for sure”

      “I’m not used to Auckland, I’m from Wellington where you can walk anywhere in the CBD…”

      as I got off at Newmarket, he said “thanks…and have a nice day” – I hope he got off where he wished to be!

        1. thanks…

          I noted I wrote Khyber pass – it’s actually Khyber Pass Road – and it’s a real road in Auckland… “google will find you the map page pretty quickly – it starts at Newmarket and almost all uphill to the top connecting with various other roads, including Symonds Street…

    2. During my travelling days, I have had all kinds of experiences with fellow travellers, and mostly of the pleasant nature. We did not have these modern gadgets like earphones and tablets on permanent use and one could get into pleasant conversations. You are right, nowadays, it is difficult and there is also quite a bit of wariness that friendly souls experience in our cities from locals expecting trouble from strangers.

  3. well they gave this ‘Okie’ a very warm reception when I quickly got on the tube and my brother and his wife DIDN’T! somewhere in London! I was mortified since directions are not a natural gift of mine.
    a group of them asked me where I was going and suggested I get off at the next stop and just wait. sure enough the marine went to the next stop.
    I will never forget their kindness and friendliness.
    but nevertheless the clip above is hilarious!

    1. This Indian too has had good experiences in London but, this clip is a spoof! It is indeed hilarious and that is why I shared it with my readers.

    1. I suspect you are right CM – I know in cities there are many streets but they are not all created equal. But also in a city you can be anonymous whereas in a small town, you may well be “seen” when you don’t want to be “seen”….

  5. Pingback: Connecting momentarily with strangers… | random thoughts from a non-warped mind

  6. Londoners would be even more terrified if they came to Belfast. Northern Irelanders will talk to anyone about anything. They’ll tell anyone they meet their life history or at any rate something highly personal, as if they’ve known you for years. Keeping a detached silence is totally foreign to them.

    1. India too is a friendly country as if the opportunity arises like you are standing in a queue, Indians will start conversations and ask very personal questions too! The one topic that never comes up however is the weather which is always taken for granted.

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