Just a note I found on my phone

I found the following in the notes app on my phone. I wrote it on the plane returning from England in March, and thought it might be worth sharing. Also, be on the lookout for Pickles to Pipes posts. I'm resolved to post at least once a week during the school year. 

-ES 





Things I'll miss about the UK

1) The public transportation. I relied entirely on public transportation. I never used a cab, car, or uber, and it was a great experience. Doing the same in America would be horrific. 

2) Prices. Although the exchange rate sucks, I will miss the prices--or how the price shown is what you actually pay. When a drink was £1.99, you would actually get a penny back. Unlike in the U.S., where tax is factored at the last second, which is just annoying, 

3) The drinks. The attitude toward alcohol is better in the UK. The spirit of 19th-century teetotalers is still alive in America, so alcohol is unnecessarily taboo. And honestly, the drinking age being 21 creates more problems than it solves. Come to think of it, I doubt the ridiculously high drinking age in the US solves any problems. 

Things I won't miss so much. 

1) Street signs. The U.S. prominently displays street signs and makes them intuitive to strangers. England hides their street signs, which can be quite frustrating--especially navigating London's catty-wompus streets. 

2) Plumbing. Yes, England may have invented the toilet, but it seems they've not updated the original 1870 design. I prefer the way commodes in the U.S. operate, especially commercial ones. 

3) Change. Actually I have mixed feelings about British coinage. There are many varieties of change, well pence. They come in all shapes, and sizes, and colors. And unlike the U.S. where coins are of little worth, their's has value because there isn't a £1 note, only a coin. Sometimes it's nice being able to pay with just a coin, other times it was annoying paying with a bill and getting back an assortment of coins. I think it would be nice if gold dollars in the US became more common.