Sugandha Bhandari (India)

I am Sugandha Bhandari from India, currently doing my Masters in Corporate Communication at Bournemouth University. During my time in the UK I joined a few of the popular pub quizzes and learned a few facts, which can be a good conversation starter.

The London Eye – did you know that the London Eye is the tallest Ferris wheel in the world and one rotation takes about 30 minutes?  So, while you enjoy the beautiful London skyline you can tick that off your bucket list.

Heritage Sites – London is also home to 4 World Heritage Sites: The Palace of Westminster, The Tower of London, Maritime Greenwich, and Kew Botanical Gardens.

The longest escalator – Angel Tube Station has the longest escalator in Western Europe, make sure you hop on it.

London Tubes – despite being the first and the largest underground system in the world, the tube system in the UK, is also the most expensive.

Can you tell the time, Ben?  No, Big Ben is not a clock, it is a bell! It can make a lot of noise!

Chicken Tikka Masala – don’t be surprised but chicken tikka masala is as British as Sherlock Holmes and can be found in many restaurants throughout the country.

Older than the pyramids! Stonehenge is older than the Pyramids. It was created in around 3000BC, making it older than Egypt’s pyramids and is just one hour away from Bournemouth.

Do people really call you Big Smoke? There have been many different names for London throughout history, such as Londonium, Ludenwic, and Ludenburg. I am happy with London and definitely glad that Big Smoke in now history!

Talking about names… it is not a joke! There are actually over 30,000 people named John Smith! So, if you happen to meet someone with that name, just be glad that you have a unique name.

Spooky Bridge – London Bridge is said to be haunted, as many people have witnessed a woman dressed in black roaming around it in the night.

French, really? Yes, French was the official language in the UK for about 300 years!

Hot chocolate – did you know the first hot chocolate store was opened in London? It makes sense, since the English drink more of it than anyone else in the world.

GB vs UK – Great Britain isn’t the United Kingdom! Great Britain and the United Kingdom are actually two different things. The United Kingdom includes Northern Ireland, but Great Britain doesn’t.

Love for books – London is home to the largest library in the world with over 170 million items in its catalogue.

There you go! You now have a few more ways to start a conversation and avoid the weather cliché.

Sugandha Bhandari, India, Masters in Corporate Communication, 2017/18