There's nothing passive about my anger so you need to get out of my space mate....

So back in London and really enjoying being here....I'm still taking photos and behaving like I'm a tourist on a holiday which I think will keep me sane during my hunt for a job and a home by focussing on the things I love about this city.

One of the things I love is catching London public transport....this is kind of sarcasm and kind of not.  

Sarcasm because...For a major European city, the public transport here is rubbish.  I've travelled.....as you well know ;)and I would have to say (in my personal opinion) it is definitely not in the top 10.  The biggest mistake they did was to privatise it (I think this was yet another Maggie Thatcher blame game) a lot of the trains are old and most of them are hugely overcrowded.  As the trains are so packed with random strangers, you need to create your own personal space where unfortunately there is none. This is done with the essential London tools...the newspaper/book and headphones.  I can't see you I can't hear you. Abracadabra....instant personal space.

For someone as short as me standing squished in on an overcrowded train this has a myriad of pleasures.  The inability to actually reach  the bar overhead to stop from falling over (on the upside you can use a fellow passengers body parts ;)), being at the perfect armpit level and then there's the morning breath (for christ sakes brush your teeth before getting on packed public transport).

Kind of not because....Londoners are funny whether they realise it or want to be.  They are fantastically passive agressive which amuses me to no end and I secretly love.  Also anthropologically it is completely and utterly fascinating. 

Something often heard during packed commuter travel time in London is.... "can you move down the train please?"(this is so you can squeeze as many people on the carriage away from the doors)....just try I dare you to test the patience of the most polite Brit by ignoring them.  British glares, tuts and looks of derision can hurt way more than you could ever imagine.  So you avoid so carefully stepping on their feet, knocking them with your bag or sitting on a small section of their coat that has moved on to your chair for fear of a raised eyebrow and a scathing eye roll.

 ...and whatever you do, don't dare strike up a conversation with them...unless you're feeling in a particular cheeky tricksy pixie mood :)