London 101

Morgan and I will be heading to London on Saturday with one mission in mind - To find the most incredible and unique opportunities for our guests to experience while in London. We have secured Leeds Castle and the chance to attend the Olympics itself will be amazing, but we want to add the icing to the cake. We will look for the best pubs, restaurants, exclusive tours of London landmarks and private shopping experiences. However, in our conversations we have had thus far, we realize that the British culture is slightly different than the culture we have come to know in America. The British are some of the most polite people. We can hardly hang up a call without hearing "lovely" or "are you well?" or "cheers" and all email are signed "kind regards". We have also noticed that Morgan in Great Britain is commonly a boy’s name, and on several occasions, Morgan has been addressed as Mr. Morgan or as a ‘lad’.

To be prepared on any cultural differences we may encounter, Morgan and I have decided to brush up on our etiquette. We will call this London 101.

London is the largest metropolitan area in Britain and ranks first in population within the European Union, at around 3.0 million.  The city was founded in the first century by the Romans and today serves as the capital of England and the United Kingdom (England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland). London is situated on the River Thames and is distinguished by dynamic culture and timeless heritage. 

The Language

The official language in the U.K. is British English, which is the root of the English language commonly used throughout the world today. However, below are some examples of how even a “native” English speaker may get lost in translation.

American English       British English
French Fries                Chips
Line                               Queue
Elevator                        Lift
Bathroom                     Loo
Friend                            Mate
Trash                              Rubbish
Cash                               Dibs
Sweater                          Jumper
Awesome                       Ace
Unpleasant                   Beastly
Car Trunk                    Boot
Goodbye                      Cheerio
Fanny Pack                  Bum Bag

Local Etiquette

A one to two pound tip is appropriate for housekeeping, bell service, and porters. For cab rides or food service a 10% tip is expected. Many restaurants include the service charge on the bill, and only tip at a pub if table service is provided. Although, we will be much too busy to be checking out the local pubs, tipping is an important concept to understand in every country.

Minding our “P’s” and “Q’s”

Polite behavior and good manners are expected. Standing patiently in queues (this will be challenging for Laura who is one of the most impatient people around), waiting your turn and respecting a person’s space and privacy. Also, in our research we learned we should avoid shouting, “WHAT?!?!?!”

Transportation

We will most likely avoid driving in the city, but we did make sure to understand that motorists drive on the left side of the road. In addition, we learned there can be congestion charges on days when the traffic is heavy. We will be sure to look both ways when crossing the street with cars coming at us in all directions.  Morgan and I will be testing the local transportation including the double decker buses and the tube. We were told to “mind the gap” between the platform and the tube for our safety.

With our bum bags in tow, we are ready to take on the city. Cheerio!