Sometimes the HOHO can give one a cultural revelation to events in a city other than a through the age’s glimpses of the architectural facades and whims and fancies of the financially gifted.
Just had a couple of days in London in early April at the Lincoln Suites on Kingsway. It was Monday morning and while my son spent the morning catching up with some members of his team in London at News Corp, (the main reason for our visit) my wife decided we could pass the time and do a quick Red Bus tour of the city. She had aggravated a leg injury from past equestrian mishaps. (most dangerous sport and pastime of all time) and was hobbling with aid of a walking stick. Was about as good using the stick as I am riding a horse. Both equally laughable.
On Aldwych could not work out where the pickup/drop off points were. The street was full of fellow vagrants who had no clue. So as always one asks a black cab driver for help. On this occasion the cabbie was contemplating a family problem. As we spoke to him a Red Bus went past, he got us to jump in and drove in front of bus to its next stop and refused to take any money for the short trip.
My wife got on the bus first to show the driver our tickets on her mobile phone. The driver wearing a skirt and ill-fitting blonde wig, gruffly said to show the conductor. The driver also had a two- or so-day stubble growth. Welcome to multicultural SOHO and Westminster on a HOHO. Competent driver who a couple of stops later swapped with another driver. Morning tea break methinks.
Maybe because it was Monday morning or April the tour was at a comfortable pace with no traffic holdups. Just lucky or not overly fanciful expectations. London traffic as one would expect. However, for the rest of the tour I could not help humming Ray and Dave Davies hit song, and occasionally turning to my wife, and softly singing, “girls will be boys and boys will be girls. It’s a mixed up, muddled up, shook up world.” I think she laughed at my pathetic singing. I am sure the South African couple seated behind were laughing at my singing.
Done a few, without any lofty expectations, and found them useful.
Regards Ron
PS Bet you won't get that experience on Google Maps.