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[hemo memo]

I just spent a week in London for training, and man, was it a shock. I knew things would be different, but I didn’t expect it to feel so out of place.

First thing that hit me was the bathrooms. No water, no bidet—just toilet paper. It’s so basic, but I couldn’t help but wonder how people get used to that. It was a little uncomfortable at first, but I guess it’s just normal for them.

Then there’s the whole drinking water from the tap thing. People just grab a glass and drink straight from the sink. I thought it was a joke at first. I kept expecting to see a bottle somewhere, but nope, tap water’s the way to go. I eventually tried it, and it was fine, but it still felt a little odd.

Eating out was another experience. The tables are packed so close together, it feels like you’re sitting with strangers. I couldn’t help but overhear the conversations next to me, which felt weird at first, but after a while, it just seemed normal. Everyone’s packed in tight, and nobody cares.

Space was a big adjustment, too. My hotel room was tiny. Like, I couldn’t move around without bumping into things. The apartments I saw were just as small. But I guess that’s just how things are here—every inch of space is used. Even the streets are narrow, made for people to walk, not for cars. It felt like a completely different way of living.

But the biggest thing that stuck with me was the homelessness. I saw a lot of people sitting on the street with blankets or signs. It was hard to ignore. It just felt like a reality you can’t escape, and it made me think a lot about the city.

By the end of the week, I’d gotten used to some things, but London still felt a little alien. It’s a cool place, but it definitely made me see how different cities can be. Would I visit again? Most definitely. But it’s definitely not like anywhere I’ve been before.

Do you have any interesting or surprising stories about cultural differences you've experienced in London?

 

[The Cockatrice]

At least you didnt get stabbed.

 

[kruis]

This story has no context if we don't know where you're from.

 

[Majima Everywhere System]

This story has no context if we don't know where you're from.

Hold on, maybe we are meant to guess.

France seems too close but they definitely have butt sprayers in France.

 

[Hookshot]

London was the capital of the world for a long time, it's bound to be cramped and draw people to it who don't have the means to live there. I think it's a shithole compared to a lot of the UK but not because the water is safe to drink

 

[Hookshot]

Hold on, maybe we are meant to guess.

France seems too close but they definitely have butt sprayers in France.

I was in France and they shat in holes in the ground on the sides of their motorways. I don't think a few toilets is the best metric for judging a countries success or location.

 

[hemo memo]

This story has no context if we don't know where you're from.

Abu Dhabi

 

[cormack12]

OP can't be from Europe, they would have a heart attack in Amsterdam or Montpellier if they think we're bunched in tight.

Places like Germany e.g. Hamburg got a chance to really rebuild after the bar, we kind of just built over and replaced what went before. No real forward planning, just the same big centralisation. So generally we are 'cramped' in cities and towns. And yes its shit but the major cities suffer more.

Homelessness is a big thing in the UK at the moment, but again places like Athens, Los Angeles are much worse (in terms of visibility). A lot of this is related to immigration though with tent cities popping up but again you can just look at Berlin or Munich for similar.

We drink from tap water because we have (and have had) a strong water system for years (profiteering and aging leaky infrastructure aside). It also has higher standards than bottled water iirc.

The bogs are just bogs, have a shit or a piss then wipe your ass. It's the same experience at home much of the time except there's more to study on the floor.

Generally our houses are too small yes. And over-priced, even more so in the big 5 cities.

I'm a northerner and London is a shithole and stinks of piss but it's not been a unique experience when travelling to any other major city in Europe or otherwise.

 

[IDKFA]

I just spent a week in London for training, and man, was it a shock. I knew things would be different, but I didn’t expect it to feel so out of place.

First thing that hit me was the bathrooms. No water, no bidet—just toilet paper. It’s so basic, but I couldn’t help but wonder how people get used to that. It was a little uncomfortable at first, but I guess it’s just normal for them.

Normal in the UK and other places in Europe.

Then there’s the whole drinking water from the tap thing. People just grab a glass and drink straight from the sink. I thought it was a joke at first. I kept expecting to see a bottle somewhere, but nope, tap water’s the way to go. I eventually tried it, and it was fine, but it still felt a little odd.

The water in the UK, especially in the south east is perfectly safe to drink straight from the tap. I've been doing it for decades without issue.

Eating out was another experience. The tables are packed so close together, it feels like you’re sitting with strangers. I couldn’t help but overhear the conversations next to me, which felt weird at first, but after a while, it just seemed normal. Everyone’s packed in tight, and nobody cares.

Nope. This isn't a standard UK experience. Purley depends on the venue.

Space was a big adjustment, too. My hotel room was tiny. Like, I couldn’t move around without bumping into things. The apartments I saw were just as small. But I guess that’s just how things are here—every inch of space is used. Even the streets are narrow, made for people to walk, not for cars. It felt like a completely different way of living.

Hotel rooms can be big or small. Depends what you pay for. Same with apartments.

I never drive in London, so can't comment about the roads.

But the biggest thing that stuck with me was the homelessness. I saw a lot of people sitting on the street with blankets or signs. It was hard to ignore. It just felt like a reality you can’t escape, and it made me think a lot about the city.

I'm not sure what you expected London to be like? Go to any major city in the US or Europe and you'll find homelessness. London is no different.

By the end of the week, I’d gotten used to some things, but London still felt a little alien. It’s a cool place, but it definitely made me see how different cities can be. Would I visit again? Most definitely. But it’s definitely not like anywhere I’ve been before.

Where are you from?

Do you have any interesting or surprising stories about cultural differences you've experienced in London?

London has changed a lot in 20 years. It used to feel like the capital of England and the UK. Now it feels like a crime ridden shit hole. Crime has always been an issue, but the past 10 years it's just exploded.

My cousin and his wife used to live in Notting Hill. The crime rate got so bad that they packed up and moved Paris (which has now become a shit hole)

 

[V1LÆM]

i live in Scotland. i went to London for the first time in 2023. it almost felt like i was in another country (well technically yes i was but it's still the UK). It felt closer to being in New York. I had never been in such a busy city in my life outside NY. I'd say it rivals or even beats NY.

i had to keep reminding myself I was still in the UK. of course a lot of it was familiar. you still speak english, same money, lots of famous landmarks i'd seen growing up on TV. but it just felt totally different to anywhere else in the UK.

maybe it was just how huge, dense, and populated the city is. the transport is a lot better too. i didn't go on a bus but the tube/trains got me anywhere i needed to go and i loved going on the tube.

the place i stayed first time was quite small. a double bed took up all the space between the walls and the only other thing in the room was a desk, chair, and wardrobe. the next time i went the room was a bit bigger but still small compared to my own house. next time i went the room was TINY. a single bed and a desk. the bed and desk were right up against each other and i only had a tiny bit of space to stand. i moved house a few years ago and my new house is much smaller than my old one but when i came home i felt like i was living in a mansion lmao so much space to move about.

i've been to london 5 times in the last couple years. first 3 were just traveling for fun. 4th was when i was getting the eurostar to paris and 5th when i came back.

going back next June for a couple days. i love London and wish I could stay there but it's expensive as fuck.

 

[Hookshot]

The UK has been blindly taking in near a million people a year

Net migration hit record 906,000 last year, revised figures show

The number has since fallen to 728,000 in year to June, the Office for National Statistics estimated in its latest figures.

www.bbc.co.uk

Be tents on every street corner if that keeps up.

 

[V1LÆM]

The UK has been blindly taking in near a million people a year

Net migration hit record 906,000 last year, revised figures show

The number has since fallen to 728,000 in year to June, the Office for National Statistics estimated in its latest figures.

www.bbc.co.uk

Be tents on every street corner if that keeps up.

and has fallen this year. still a lot though.

 

[Hookshot]

and has fallen this year. still a lot though.

Fallen to a total that is still a Nottingham sized city. We aren't building cities like that to accommodate them or even improving the existing cities to deal with increasing numbers.

Edit - hmm depends what you google, some sites say 720,000 is between Sheffield and Bristol, either way they are large cities worth of people that need homing and educating etc.

 

[Go_Ly_Dow]

I just spent a week in London for training, and man, was it a shock. I knew things would be different, but I didn’t expect it to feel so out of place.

First thing that hit me was the bathrooms. No water, no bidet—just toilet paper. It’s so basic, but I couldn’t help but wonder how people get used to that. It was a little uncomfortable at first, but I guess it’s just normal for them.

Then there’s the whole drinking water from the tap thing. People just grab a glass and drink straight from the sink. I thought it was a joke at first. I kept expecting to see a bottle somewhere, but nope, tap water’s the way to go. I eventually tried it, and it was fine, but it still felt a little odd.

Eating out was another experience. The tables are packed so close together, it feels like you’re sitting with strangers. I couldn’t help but overhear the conversations next to me, which felt weird at first, but after a while, it just seemed normal. Everyone’s packed in tight, and nobody cares.

Space was a big adjustment, too. My hotel room was tiny. Like, I couldn’t move around without bumping into things. The apartments I saw were just as small. But I guess that’s just how things are here—every inch of space is used. Even the streets are narrow, made for people to walk, not for cars. It felt like a completely different way of living.

But the biggest thing that stuck with me was the homelessness. I saw a lot of people sitting on the street with blankets or signs. It was hard to ignore. It just felt like a reality you can’t escape, and it made me think a lot about the city.

By the end of the week, I’d gotten used to some things, but London still felt a little alien. It’s a cool place, but it definitely made me see how different cities can be. Would I visit again? Most definitely. But it’s definitely not like anywhere I’ve been before.

Do you have any interesting or surprising stories about cultural differences you've experienced in London?

One of the reasons, London's stock of social housing is used up, a lot of it by people from outside of the UK.

London isn't representive of how people live in most of the country I think. It's a lot less cramped where I am, in Cambridgeshire, but the population increase and lack of infastructure will eventually mean other cities become as cramped as London.

The great thing about the UK is that the countryside is a lot more affordable, spacious and laid back because for some reason people still want to live in the stinky City's! There loss and my gain I say.

 

[Big Baller]

How was the fish and chips

 

[hemo memo]

How was the fish and chips

We eat at Poppies. I would say very good. Although overpriced.

 

[Paasei]

Abu Dhabi

Yeah, I can see how your experience was not like you expected. But hey, it’s always nice to not get shanked or have some bloke bragging about his degree in street racing.

 

[Werewolf Jones]

Went through London when I was going to Japan the other week. The most miserable cunts on an island full of miserable cunts.

 

[Mr Reasonable]

London is lots of towns, rather than one cohesive place, the character of an area a few tube stops away can be very different, so other parts might feel more / less of a culture shock.

I lived in London for about 5 years, and still work there, to address the big points in the opening post, the homelessness is nothing compared to when I went to the West Coast of the USA, the restaurant tables were packed together more in Paris, and the hotel rooms are smaller in New York.

As for bottled water, it seems absolutely crazy to me that water standards are so low elsewhere that people have to buy water in bottles to drink. As mentioned in this thread drinking water in the UK is held to a higher standard than bottled water. I'm sure that marketing has a lot to do with how many people drink bottled water here needlessly, but perhaps also with indirect influence from other countries where it's more necessary.

With regard to toilet paper, welcome to the west.

To some degree, you're going to get what you pay for, you can go to a restaurant where you can't listen in on your neighbours, or get a bigger room and apartment. But it'll probably cost you more. London's roots goes back centuries, where city planning wasn't done with cars in mind. It's how it is!

Tbh, even through the eyes of someone more local, the last time we were out late in central London, I did find myself thinking it felt quite alien to me, and in central things are ridiculously busy. But, I didn't love being in Times Square last time either.

 

[SJRB]

Drinkable tap water is easily one of the most underrated things that you take for granted until you travel to a country where you need to buy bottled water by the gallons every day just to function properly.

 

[Mistake]

Is the tap water no good in Abu Dhabi? I've lived in all sorts of places, and that's pretty much a must for me. One time I accidentally drank Beijing tap water and it was like liquid chalk

 

[DKehoe]

The water in the UK, especially in the south east is perfectly safe to drink straight from the tap. I've been doing it for decades without issue.

Isn't the water in the South East generally harder than most other parts of the UK? Not that it makes it unsafe to drink, just surprised to see that area particularly highlighted.

 

[Go_Ly_Dow]

London is lots of towns, rather than one cohesive place, the character of an area a few tube stops away can be very different, so other parts might feel more / less of a culture shock.

I lived in London for about 5 years, and still work there, to address the big points in the opening post, the homelessness is nothing compared to when I went to the West Coast of the USA, the restaurant tables were packed together more in Paris, and the hotel rooms are smaller in New York.

As for bottled water, it seems absolutely crazy to me that water standards are so low elsewhere that people have to buy water in bottles to drink. As mentioned in this thread drinking water in the UK is held to a higher standard than bottled water. I'm sure that marketing has a lot to do with how many people drink bottled water here needlessly, but perhaps also with indirect influence from other countries where it's more necessary.

With regard to toilet paper, welcome to the west.

To some degree, you're going to get what you pay for, you can go to a restaurant where you can't listen in on your neighbours, or get a bigger room and apartment. But it'll probably cost you more. London's roots goes back centuries, where city planning wasn't done with cars in mind. It's how it is!

Tbh, even through the eyes of someone more local, the last time we were out late in central London, I did find myself thinking it felt quite alien to me, and in central things are ridiculously busy. But, I didn't love being in Times Square last time either.

Would agree, sure the UK has more homelessness compared to let's say Japan and a few other wealthy countries, but comparatively speaking it's quite low having travelled quite a lot.

Also a lot of homeless people you see begging aren't necessarily homeless either. A few will be out to exploit public generosity as Britain is quite a charitable country - see foreign aid budget, national aid/fundraising campaigns, charity shops, food bank donations etc and other public policies in education, health, welfare etc..

 

[nush]

One time I accidentally drank Beijing tap water

 

[NeoIkaruGAF]

Your comments about the streets being made for people to walk gave me a good chuckle. And the packed tables at restaurants too, I’d love to see you visit the average Italian city or town. You can practically get to know some people by just sitting at a table next to them, lol.

I love London as a tourist. So much to see and visit. Being used to Italian public transport, the good ol’ Tube is like an amusement park ride for me. I just love using it to move around.
Last time I visited was in November 2019, just before Covid hit. I’d been there in 2008 and 2015, and what struck me most were the two things that seemed to have multiplied exponentially in the last decade - namely, Muslim people and surveillance cameras. I never witnessed troublesome situations or met dangerous people, but it’s clear something has changed in the general feel of the city.

Still, it’s a great place to visit. So many attractions, shows, museums, buildings. So many different towns shoehorned into a giant monster of a city. Just walking around is nice, especially on weekends when some areas of the city become almost ghost towns. You can eat stuff from virtually any place in the world - deciding what to eat is one of the hardest challenges in London, every time. There’s shops for anything you may want. In 2015, just visiting a London graveyard felt surreal. So different from our cemeteries.

 

[INC]

london is a shit hole, hate it, have to drive and work around it all the time

why anyone would wanna visit it, is beyond me.

 

[Reizo Ryuu]

Drinkable tap water is easily one of the most underrated things that you take for granted until you travel to a country where you need to buy bottled water by the gallons every day just to function properly.

I traveled to poland for work, and just opened the tap to drink some water, figured I'm still in europe so should be fine; my colleagues stopped me and said it's better to use the water filter machine thing on the counter instead.
Tasted the tap water and yeah it wasn't great.

 

[Dr.Guru of Peru]

Abu Dhabi

That explains it. This is pretty much how every big western city is nowadays, give or take. The homelessness and crime is worse in the USA, crowding is worse in some other countries, etc. but all of them have the same problems. Things are more similar to what you're used to in the UAE if you head to smaller cities/the burbs.

 

[Tams]

I agree with the lack of bidets, but then I got spoiled by Japan (bar some ancient ones).

But being suprised by drinking tap water... bruh, that's normal developed world behaviour. Though London tap water has been through about seven people, lol.

Anyway, London is a bit of a shithole these days. Has been since about 2010.

 

[12Goblins]

shit food, shit weather, shit people. It's why the best artists come out of there

 

[Insane Metal]

I just spent a week in London for training, and man, was it a shock. I knew things would be different, but I didn’t expect it to feel so out of place.

First thing that hit me was the bathrooms. No water, no bidet—just toilet paper. It’s so basic, but I couldn’t help but wonder how people get used to that. It was a little uncomfortable at first, but I guess it’s just normal for them.

Then there’s the whole drinking water from the tap thing. People just grab a glass and drink straight from the sink. I thought it was a joke at first. I kept expecting to see a bottle somewhere, but nope, tap water’s the way to go. I eventually tried it, and it was fine, but it still felt a little odd.

Eating out was another experience. The tables are packed so close together, it feels like you’re sitting with strangers. I couldn’t help but overhear the conversations next to me, which felt weird at first, but after a while, it just seemed normal. Everyone’s packed in tight, and nobody cares.

Space was a big adjustment, too. My hotel room was tiny. Like, I couldn’t move around without bumping into things. The apartments I saw were just as small. But I guess that’s just how things are here—every inch of space is used. Even the streets are narrow, made for people to walk, not for cars. It felt like a completely different way of living.

But the biggest thing that stuck with me was the homelessness. I saw a lot of people sitting on the street with blankets or signs. It was hard to ignore. It just felt like a reality you can’t escape, and it made me think a lot about the city.

By the end of the week, I’d gotten used to some things, but London still felt a little alien. It’s a cool place, but it definitely made me see how different cities can be. Would I visit again? Most definitely. But it’s definitely not like anywhere I’ve been before.

Do you have any interesting or surprising stories about cultural differences you've experienced in London?

Sounds like you were in Brazil lol

 

[Zathalus]

shit food, shit weather, shit people. It's why the best artists come out of there

Shit food in London? Nah, London has many faults but shit food is not one of them.

 

[EerieArcade]

I'm from Bradford and even I think London is a bit naff.

 

[Dr. Suchong]

Last time I was in London was around 2005/6
When I see footage of it now on tv, social media, or whatever, it looks like a third world turd hole.

 

[FunkMiller]

I loved living in London so much, I moved to Sydney. Which is the best city in the world.

 

[EviLore]

Central London is still nice.

 

[INC]

Central London is still nice.

Only where the rich people live (knightsbridge, canary wharf, oxford street, the jewish section etc) the rest is dirty, full of wastemen and women, rubbish everywhere, barely hear a london accent anywhere.You can literally drive 2mins from any of these areas and it's a complete shit hole again, it's an embarrassment
Even the night life has been destroyed.

Just stay away tbh

 

[XXL]

Abu Dhabi

You should have just let people guess. Lol. It would be have been a great thread.

 

[Durien]

Interesting. My daughter is in the Harry Potter phase and we were thinking of taking a trip to Europe, hitting London, Paris, and Rome. Since we have never been, we are looking at doing a group tour (we are also pressed for time due to multiple conflicting school schedules) lol we narrowed a window to where everyone is free over a 10 period. Is 3 days about right to see stuff in London?
Lol whenever I think about London, I think of the scene in Snatched, when customs says, "Anything to declare?" And he goes , "Yeah, don't go to England."

 

[Ovek]

Went through London when I was going to Japan the other week. The most miserable cunts on an island full of miserable cunts.

This is so perfect it should be London's tag line.

 

[Hunter 99]

Born and Lived in North London until my mid 20s and moved out to the countryside now for 9 years or so.
Best thing I ever did, growing up in London teaches you one thing ( be streetwise) I was having to check over My shoulder or change directions/walk into a shop whenever I could see a gang of youths as I grew up in the 'Grime era' 2004-2010 and people were getting robbed/stabbed/jumped/happy slapped for being in the wrong area or looking in their direction for a second too long.

It was so dumb,even if you were from the area these guys were hanging about you say 'I live here,like 2 roads down' they would still rob you.

Central London is pretty good for a day out as there is lots to see and do but living there.NEVER AGAIN.

Whenever I go and see family and friends who still live there,the best bit about going is the road back out.

 

[DKehoe]

Interesting. My daughter is in the Harry Potter phase and we were thinking of taking a trip to Europe, hitting London, Paris, and Rome. Since we have never been, we are looking at doing a group tour (we are also pressed for time due to multiple conflicting school schedules) lol we narrowed a window to where everyone is free over a 10 period. Is 3 days about right to see stuff in London?
Lol whenever I think about London, I think of the scene in Snatched, when customs says, "Anything to declare?" And he goes , "Yeah, don't go to England."

Like a lot of major cities you aren’t going to see everything in three days. For example, you could easily spend a few days in the British Museum alone. But you could probably fit a decent amount of the “greatest hits” over three days, especially if you’re part of a tour group where the organisers will know what they’re doing schedule wise. Hope you all enjoy yourselves.

 

[Go_Ly_Dow]

What £850,000 gets you in a small village in Cambridgeshire that is very well linked to Cambridge and other places.

Check out this 5 bedroom detached house for sale on Rightmove

5 bedroom detached house for sale in Longstanton Road, Oakington, CB24 for £850,000. Marketed by Villager Homes, Brampton

www.rightmove.co.uk

What £1,000,000+ gets you in London

Check out this 2 bedroom apartment for sale on Rightmove

2 bedroom apartment for sale in Nottingham Terrace, Regent's Park, London, NW1 for £1,000,000. Marketed by Park Lord, London

www.rightmove.co.uk

You could also get a place much cheaper or bigger than the first one in other parts of the country, such as slightly further up North or just slightly further away from Cambridge.

I just see London and major city living as a scam, unless you have a salary to justify it that you can't make elsewhere. Also this is a tiny country compared to others and I can get to Central London in 50mins by direct train from a train station which is a 10min drive from my house. Yet can enjoy all the benefits of not being in that rat race, of which there are many.

 

[Kenneth Haight]

Couldn’t pay me enough money to live in London. It’s nice for a weekend trip if you have plenty of money, there are nice restaurants and shows to see.

Living there is another thing, unless you’re in the top 10% of earners you’re probably paying 2k a month for a 1 bedroom shithole.

No thanks

 

[DKehoe]

Couldn’t pay me enough money to live in London. It’s nice for a weekend trip if you have plenty of money, there are nice restaurants and shows to see.

Living there is another thing, unless you’re in the top 10% of earners you’re probably paying 2k a month for a 1 bedroom shithole.

No thanks

What if they paid you enough to live in a big fancy place? What then!?

 

[Kenneth Haight]

What if they paid you enough to live in a big fancy place? What then!?

“Couldn’t pay me enough money”

Absolutely not, I live in a house that is fancier than I ever thought I could afford in a location that’s 5 minutes from the beach, access to a country park nearby, fresh air. Don’t have to worry about getting your iPhone stolen when you’re walking down the street.

London is an overpriced shithole

 

[Mr Reasonable]

It's always a bit strange to me how much vitriol London generates. It routinely wins best city in the world awards (for what that's worth), but between it and New York, there can be surely few real pretenders. I'm not saying it's for everyone, but when you travel to other cities and assess things to see, do and experience, London has a lot going for it. It's ok to not like cities and extoll the virtues of a beach or rolling fields, but that's generally not part of a city.

I'm also surprised that people throw out "bad food" as a criticism. London has some the best restaurants in the world and offers great examples of every cuisine.

This is just a general response to the discussion, not a rebuttal of any single post, I should say.
I'm not saying anyone's wrong for not liking the experiences they've had, but failing to find good things to see, do and eat in London seems easily avoided with a couple of minutes googling, just as with most cities. All, imo, of course.

Agree that it's expensive, but that's supply and demand. Agree that it's very crowded in some places, but that's cities, I was in Rome recently and that was very crowded and quite expensive too. I think that's just how it goes.

 

[Lord Panda]

Is the tap water no good in Abu Dhabi? I've lived in all sorts of places, and that's pretty much a must for me. One time I accidentally drank Beijing tap water and it was like liquid chalk

 

[Kenneth Haight]

London has some the best restaurants in the world and offers great examples of every cuisine

This is very true. Some of the best food I have had have been in restaurants in London. People saying that the food is bad is completely wrong

 

[Nitty_Grimes]

At least you didnt get stabbed.

I would take this as the only positive from your week in London.