Tubed

Anybody who has spent anytime in London will know, the tube network is amazing. You can get from North to South in 20 minutes, central London (while very easy to walk) is easily planned out and accesible for the regular tourist with a long list of locations and things to see.

What some people don't get to experience, is the less glamourous side to tubing around London. Each day, I catch a tube between 8.00 and 8.30 into central London. I experience grumpy, sweaty and at time mannerless people. I feel compelled to write a poem to help me out here:


A good service he says. Mind the gap he says. His voice reassuring the start of the day is bright.

Let them off first he says, move down the carriage he says. Reminding us our movements must be right.

EXCUSE ME she shouts. Leaning left, leaning right. No tenderness accompanies the touch of the strangers. 

MOVE DOWN she shouts. Leaning left, leaning right. She knows touching the door comes with dangers.

The tube slows, a stop approaches. The sleeping are now alert. Eyes dart from seat to seat.


Who will depart? Who will remain? As I switch from standing to sitting others feel beat.


London's tubes in the morning come with cold robotic personailites, during the day the tubes turn into a colourful mix of languages filling the air with plans. At night, they turn into silent disco's.

You will get people that will not force past you to take the free seat, but you will get people who will. You will get people who will offer their seat to the elderly, disabled and pregnant - but you will get people who will not. You will get weirdos, kids with loud music, conversationalists, readers, studyers, sleepers and all types of people.Either way, tubing around London truly is the most efficient way to get around. The trouble is, London's tube map is not really an accurate presentation of where you are in London. If you are moving here and really want to know your way around - get the bus!



Haunted?
Lets take a step away from the Tubers and have a look t the underground itself. The tube system is the oldest rail network in the world and has been active for almost 150 years.  It no wonder there are stories of the underground being....haunted.

The paranormal database lists different ghost stories of the London underground. One particular story which frightened the bejeezus out of me, is the story of the "Old Woman" at Algate tube station seen stroking a man's hair before he touched a livewire sending 20,000 volts of electricity through his body. It begs the questions though, is there paranormal activity on the undergrounds or are out late night underground engineers just a little sleep deprived and delusional?? Make up your own mind by checking out the 5 part documentary on You Tube about London's haunted underground - check out the first installment here - and continue to watch...if you dare.

Published by GhostWatching

Check out the rest of the episodes on my you tube channel - scroll to the bottom of the page to subscribe.