Shocks From Visiting the UK

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[@DanBmthUK]

As a Brit, I notice smoking is much more prevalent in some European Countries than the UK

[@wewenang5167]

yup

[@dogcatdogable]

I suspect London's huge European population is partly responsible for their impression

[@suburbia2050]

That is because it is particularly in South and Eastern Europe

[@fenman7147]

You should have been around Iin The 60s and 70s. Some pubs were like smog ridden

[@beefsuprem0241]

Oh yeah. I went skiing in Austria and they all smoke like troopers. In a bar you could barely see. The Dutch are similar also.

[@peterd788]

The US has 197 Michelin Star restaurants. The UK with a fifth of the population has 184. The terrible food in the UK idea comes from American soldiers returning from the UK after World War II when Britain had rationing.

[@christianking3915]

You gotta love Google, it knows everything 🤫

[@kevingrant7098]

Our teeth are better than Americans too

[@HootMaRoot]

And the UK had rationing long after the rest of Europe had stopped it

[@peterlangbridge4628]

@@kevingrant7098 In Mexico if someone has discolored, crooked teeth, they are said to have English teeth.

[@sandersson2813]

It is hilarious that Americans criticise British food when their staple is sugar filled, processed, fat filled, msg full rubbish.

[@sandiecooke1465]

“There were people in BROAD daylight smoking” Interesting that smoking is more shocking to Americans than guns being legal..

[@landofthefatties1727]

😂😂

[@mrkiplingreallywasanexceed8311]

It's absolutely preposterous. I particularly cackled at the bit where he said "we were always told at school not to do that"😏.... I know he's only a young kid but that's like an 8 year old, rather than an 18 year old. If he's shocked/upset/inconvenienced by that.... Well, put it like this, he's in for a rough ride. He has a lot of growing up still to do

[@susanpearson-creativefibro]

@@helenayamez I’ve noticed that, if it wasn’t for the fact they had I.D. to drink I would have guessed they were around sixteen.

[@georgecroney6168]

These are Americans who can afford to come to England, most Americans never leave the country

[@sammuddel7751]

Ikr smh 🙈

[@TimboTbagz]

Meals deals are the backbone of our construction industry 😂

[@havoc6021]

Cornwall you squeeze a couple meal deals in so you don't live off pasties

[@spazzymacgee5648]

@@havoc6021 haha very true

[@TheArgieH]

And picnics in a hurry when the grandkids drop by. Oh the agonies of making the choices!

[@mothmagic1]

Meal deals make sense when the whole deal usually costs only marginally more than the cost of the most expensive item alone.

[@BeckyPoleninja]

"They spoke our language", no, you speak our language 😉 Keep travelling, keep learning, its all out there

[@johnsmith-eh3yc]

Good point. What is British English? Its English English. The other nations have their native languages, its not our business that very few people speak it. Perhaps even Americans may hit upon the absurdity of comparing American English to English English

[@BeckyPoleninja]

@@johnsmith-eh3yc The book Proverbial Tongue is a great read around this

[@leechgully]

You don't own the Engish language mate

[@BeckyPoleninja]

Absolutely. correct. Although when I lived in London many U.S tourists said they were surprised we spoke English so well in the UK to me at work. I had to explain the truth 🤣🤣

[@IAMKIMBERLEYOFFICIAL]

English comes from England?! 😂🤦🏽‍♀️ what else would we speak….

[@Problembeing]

Actually, road safety in the UK is statistically safer than in the US: “Despite being much more densely populated with both people and cars, British roads are much safer than those in the United States. In 2013, there were 12.9 deaths per 100,000 vehicles in the US compared to 5.1 deaths in Britain.”

[@Netster1]

I was going to post a similar comment. UK roads are much much safer

[@colinfrancis8213]

We drive better

[@mdx7460]

I feel like our roads are quite hard to drive on, in the sense we have many built up roads full of obstructions, tight roads, lots of bends etc. But I feel like all of that makes are driving standards a step above, we have to be more aware of the hazards surrounding us. Compared to the us, which are mainly straight and wide roads. I can imagine Americans being terrified to drive here in what we find the norm.

[@ekcs3941]

safer but still not safe enough IMO

[@lumpyfishgravy]

@@mdx7460 They are. When we had people over for work they take public transport everywhere rather than deal with driving.

[@MrSamoDude]

I find it funny that Americans still call people your age kids. When I was your age I’d have felt offended if someone had classed me as a kid in the UK. I’d been working for a few years by then, and hadn’t felt like a kid for quite some time. Even older actual ‘kids’ in the UK tend to be known as young adults rather than kids. Great video, glad you had a good time 👍

[@Mr.Voysey]

I feel that, but at the same time still know that older people see me as a kid even though I rent and have my own business

[@rosesnow2013]

I find that really strange as well! As soon as we’re in our teens we don’t want to be called kids

[@josa3292]

I find this interesting too, at 16 in UK you'd generally be classed as a young adult, even younger kids in some NHS trusts, maybe at 14 can opt to "transition on' into adult services. Just highlights the different expectations ✨️

[@richtheunstable3359]

Everyone calls anyone under 25 kids in the UK. Or my experience anyway. I'm in London if that makes a difference.

[@margaretwilson8736]

Young 20s is still a kid… very little experience in the real world IMO

[@xXxSophieLouisexXx]

As a UK resident, this really made me chuckle. You lads are so lovely. Glad you had fun - and got to enjoy a pint!

[@user-qg1jb8rw8e]

Ditto I was thinking the very same and I'm from the s.e.

[@grantm9372]

So true but around 15-20 years ago smoking was much more accepted I guess and trends are definitely changing here around it

[@jamescullis7768]

I came here to say the same thing.

[@janephilpott6565]

I agree! Loved the fact they liked Tesco so much 🤣 Our country doesn't have enough space for wider roads!! Really interesting to hear their reaction to the roads as we are so used to it, but we do moan about ALL of the roads.

[@marycarver1542]

London in particular has more holiday makers from abroad, and more resident , diverse and"foreign" inhabitants than Brits. Brits are very rarely seen smoking these days, but we are so close to the mainland of Europe, where, believe me they, they smoke like chimneys!

[@darkmatter6714]

I always found it weird how in the US, by the time you reach 18, you’re allowed to drive, get married, join the army and die for your country, vote, (all pretty big adult decisions!), are considered old enough to be jailed for life or even face the death penalty….but you can’t have a beer?!

[@marycarver1542]

Dont forget the "biggie", from the age of 18 anyone can buy guns!

[@darkmatter6714]

@@marycarver1542 Oh yeah, that one! The thing that gets me is when I hear pro gun people saying, “guns don’t kill people, people do”, as if it’s some kind of clever come back to anti gun proponents. It’s not clever, it’s dumb…if people kill people, then don’t give them the tools to do so with such ease! I’d like to have seen how far that rooftop shooter would have gotten if he had been armed with a knife!

[@healingandgrowth-infp4677]

I find it weird if you are really mature grown up adults making sensible decisions why anyone wants to drink in thr first place n make it legal for any one of any age it is a drug and should be treated like any drug it affects you n people around you. My best friend was murdered by her ex while he was drunk. Not drinking isn’t the end of the world.

[@scottirvine121]

@@healingandgrowth-infp4677 whilst I have every sympathy I can have a beer quite easily and enjoy it, this issue is those that cannot stop and become aggressive when under the influence. Sadly these people ruin it for the 99% who drink responsibly

[@merlinmediagroup]

@@healingandgrowth-infp4677 Without coming across as a dick, your perspective is a little naive. People like to drink (and take drugs) because they feel good, and for some people it's a means/form of escapism. I agree that our attitudes towards alcohol and the cultural normalisation of excessive consumption is incredibly harmful and needs addressing though. Tobacco companies were banned from advertising their products and I believe the same should be the case for alcohol companies.

[@DaveBartlett]

The fact that smoking in public indoor places is illegal in the UK, means that people will congregate outside pubs and nightclubs to partake of their habit. It may seem that there are loads of people smoking, but if you compare that to the number of people INSIDE the venue NOT smoking, it doesn't seem too extreme. BTW, I can't let this go in passing without mentioning it: "They spoke with a Yorkshire accent in York" - That kind of remark is what is known over here as a "No-shit Sherlock?" moment! 😉

[@debnbhuy]

LOL !!!

[@seanhopton.]

When l was in New York,l came across signs " No Smoking Allowed" that was at the entrances of the parks,squares and gardens.l felt uncomfortable as a smoker,but l understood why this approach as been taken .

[@theaces3697]

@@seanhopton. its a good thing and if you feel uncomfortable then its doing its job, it would be fine to smoke if it only harmed you however second had smoke is very bad for younger teens and kids so in public places it shouldnt be allowed

[@helenagreenwood2305]

Yes but I think it's probably different from the Whitby accent (where I live) my sisters partner is Glaswegian and I can hardly understand a word he says

[@BardOfAndromeda]

@@theaces3697 And yet, we don't care nearly as much about breathing in the toxic fumes from the vehicles we drive. Compare the average exhaust nozzle with the average cigarette. I know what I'd rather be stuck in a garage with! Double standards are rife in this day and age! (I gave up smoking 11 years ago, fwiw)

[@danh4698]

Interesting about the smoking - as a Brit, I wouldn't have thought we had a smoking problem, because it's much less than there was even was I was a kid 20 years ago before smoking inside was banned everywhere. And smoking was very strictly warned against in schools, the effects very much explained. I also went to Italy a few months ago and I felt smoking was such a big thing there, I really noticed it compared to what I see in the UK. So I was surprised that smoking seemed so big to you, here. Glad to hear it's really rare round where you lot are though, it's a good sign

[@nomarxistspls90]

There is a massive smoking problem Wdym? Lmao. I work in a shop cause I’m at uni. I have like 20-30 kids from 13-18 coming in every single day tryna buy elf bars and vape pens. It’s massive here, especially in cities

[@MrMinimanmatt]

Im really happy that you guys got out of London on your trip. The uk has so much to offer outside of the capital

[@drivebyemusic]

Its OK if you want to shop and enjoy night life etc, but outside of that there are so many beautiful places to visit across great Britain. So much history and beautiful landscapes

[@deballen7031]

Yes, I also think they may have got more out of Matlock than Bath. 😁

[@RetroGamerDev]

You gentlemen are a credit to your country and I'm glad you had a great time in the UK - come back soon!

[@tamlamotownmagic2646]

The American myth about British food stems from American service personnel returning home after World War 2 and seeing what the UK population were having to eat owing to food rationing, which actually lasted until 1954. The same with dentistry in the UK, despite what some Americans think, the quality of dental hygiene and tooth care in the UK is among the highest in the world. These misconceptions really do need to be dispelled once and for all.

[@Knappa22]

Our dental care and hygiene is good but not the aesthetics and orthodontistry. When Americans judge our teeth it's because many of us have wonky ones and we don't routinely have them bleached white.

[@tamlamotownmagic2646]

@@Knappa22 Agreed, as they're meant to be and not looking like a row overly white tombstones, which actually look false.

[@colinfrancis8213]

Diversity is what improved British cuisine,seasoning ect were not not common place before the influx of people from the commonwealth,and the typical British cuisine before was very bland ,now Britain's enjoy Asian , Caribbean, and more exotic foods

[@garyhubball2749]

@colin Francis that’s not true, we traded in spices for centuries, we had plenty before ww1. After ww2, an whole generation had to cook without using any spices or seasoning, and were not taught to use them as at the time we had none, but before that we had plenty of herds and spices

[@mewvufxz8007]

@@colinfrancis8213 And the crime that comes with it

[@saragowen994]

As a brit, visiting Italy was a real shock in terms of smoking - it was everywhere! Step off the train and almost everyone on the platform instantly lights up. When I ate food on the street I got a smoky flavour from people passing by smoking. Was pretty grateful to get back to the UK where it is way more limited

[@sualdammacsamildanach8154]

What you have identified is that many things are relative. Here in the UK, there is much less smoking than there was before the ban. Back then, the atmosphere inside any pub, club, or even many offices was rank. I remember one of my Uni lecturers was a chain smoker and he used to smoke in the lecture rooms - and allowed students to smoke in lectures, too. That was the culture we once had, and the people who were involved in it are largely still around - and still smoking. It's also worth pointing out that the air is rank in a 30 metre radius around the smoking area at any pub or club (even when no one is using it). Having said that, it is much worse now than it was in the years after the ban, as people have found they can abuse the Law and still smoke without being prosecuted. But all of that is completely different to many European countries - France, Italy, and Germany especially. There has always been a smoking culture over there, and much stronger than ours even after the health risks with smoking became fully known. That is what you witnessed. Just different cultures. All these two guys are saying is that what they experienced in the UK was different to how it is in the US as far as smoking was concerned. It was an observation, not a judgement or quantitative statement. They were complimentary on pretty much everything else when compared to home. I'm glad they enjoyed it, because I remember my own first time travelling on my own once I turned 18. It is a major experience which everyone goes through.

[@littlemy1773]

@@sualdammacsamildanach8154I’m 41 and I remember smoking rooms on hospital wards lol

[@cuibono6872]

Guys, I'm a 60 year old brit who has lived in America, I absolutely loved your take on the UK, your innocence is incredibly endearing and made me smile out loud, I hope to read both your names many times in the future, good luck and God bless.

[@GodsCosmicBollock]

How do you smile out loud?

[@garethworthington7126]

@@GodsCosmicBollock I was wondering the same lol

[@deballen7031]

@@GodsCosmicBollock Maybe it's like when people can hear you smiling down the phone ?😂

[@ykrgfk]

@@GodsCosmicBollock With creaky lips?

[@8arcasticallyYours]

The bland food misinformation is from the well-fed US troops being stationed in the UK during WWII. They didn't actually realise that the UK population had almost no food because transport ships were being sunk by the enemy and what they DID have was rationed in tiny amounts along with what they could grow or barter. In many cases of US personnel being invited for a meal in a private home, they didn't know that, out of British pride, they were being offered most of the food that the family possessed in one meal that was supposed to last that family for one week. There was no way to make the food tasty as rationing was only designed to keep the people alive during wartime. So that idea that still persists for Americans is completely wrong.

[@JJfromPhilly67]

Excellent points and makes a lot of sense. Of course you have other cuisines that rely very heavily upon spices (Spanish and Mexican) and sauces (French and Italian). So if you took away the spices and sauces, what do you have: what seems to be bland food. Basic British & American cuisine have one adding spices after to the taste of the individual.

[@neilpatterson1615]

This is absolutely correct

[@OliverRPendle]

Saying that, whilst you are absolutely right, I know for sure that there are still a lot of hangovers from those times. I think there a lot of home meals which are quite bland - I remember occasionally getting the most dry, tasteless potatoes with overly hot, chewy stew, many times when I was young, and a few greasy spoons will still serve blandish and overly fattening, cheap food (There is definitely such a thing as a bad full English). But in terms of restaurants, national dishes, proper cuisine - I think the UK has a lot of diverse, tasty, filling, wonderful dishes. On top of that, our small comfort food dishes are also amazing, yes they are very simplistic (Beans on toast for example) but they are absolutely banging.

[@gruweldaad]

British people think their food is bland also. It’s the stupidest reason given in support of even more immigration.

[@LulaJake]

The Yanks called chips French fries when they were actually from Belguim. Not the brightest bunch were they.

[@andyneedham2888]

The food myth started during WW2. When Americans came over to Britain, we had strict food rations, so the American soldiers didn't have a good representation of British food. They then spread their experience of the food and thus began the British bland food myth.

[@superyachtchef]

What I'm not keen on with this type of channel/presentation style. Is that, this dude is on a global platform, coming from a G7 nation but pretending to be Amish! It's 2022 and everything shocks him/them, but when a few English lads engage them in the street, these two give them a load of attitude(not the innocent response of a couple of jocks).

[@superyachtchef]

@Awyatt 人生の ☮️ Fast forward to 04:00 on Day 2 in Bath and remember this is his/their edit)

[@tobyrouse9146]

I would say that following on from rationing food remained bland in the UK until the 80s. Its not any more

[@wyterabitt2149]

@Awyatt 人生の ☮️ Which is it, being obnoxious doesnt have anything to do with looking for trouble. Being obnoxious only ever causes trouble, if the other side are looking for it.

[@hanifleylabi8071]

Food was quite bland and not just because of rationing. In the 20th century We lost a lot of native animal breeds, apple species and our cheese making industry was nearly wiped out. The mass production of products like bread also hit quality and taste.

[@nikc888]

I'm in my forties now, but I'm remembering the 90's when you could smoke anywhere and in most night clubs people were smoking joints , doing coke and god knows what else. It seems strange to me that you find the modern sanitised England shocking. Goes to show how much things change.

[@infectedvoice7293]

We haven't smoked indoors since 2007 but the rest hasn't changed mate, coke is everywhere.

[@Joysticknerd]

@@infectedvoice7293 pepsi too

[@infectedvoice7293]

@@Joysticknerd Fuck Pepsi, horrible.

[@paulhunter123]

Yeah weve lost england now

[@craigboden9455]

It's not changed much lol, you just obviously don't go out much anymore lol 😂

[@annicethackray4865]

Tap water in the UK is safe to drink in most places. Cafes aren't allowed to refuse a request for water, as long as you don't stay in the cafe without paying for something. If you need to fill up a bottle just walk in and ask and they will fill it up or give you a glass of water. I think this is one of the main reasons we don't have many water fountains.

[@satsumamoon]

I believe no one is allowed to refuse water ie you can knock on someones door and they have to give you water if you need it. Water is needed for survival.

[@youreatoilet]

It's safe to drink but in some places it's pretty nasty, I've lived in Hertfordshire my whole life and was shocked how nice the tap water was in other parts of Britain, like up north in Yorkshire or even Scotland. The tap water where I'm from is full of limescale and chalks up a kettle really fast, that's why I mostly drink bottled water or filtered

[@Kari_B61ex]

Had to laugh at your winding/curvy narrow roads comment - In the UK we learn to drive on those roads, so they're not daunting. Most drivers in the UK are just courteous.

[@Inaflap]

When the were looking from that hilltop after their Tesco visit, they could see another hill nearby. That hill has an insanely narrow and steep winding lane. I wonder if that Ed guy drove up it on the way. Try driving on the roads above Funchal, Madeira. That's an experience you won't forget. They drive on the wrong side too.

[@DannyBoy89]

So true! I had my driving test on a winding country road I had never driven down before & no clue on speed limit 😂😂 that’s the uk for u

[@_Professor_Oak]

Winding roads are the fucking best, nothing worse than a boring straight road lol

[@HighHoeKermit]

@@_Professor_Oak I'm sure I read yesterday that one county is making their country roads 30mph

[@lclark6854]

I hate curvy windy roads, especially when someone is driving up your back wanting you to go faster than I feel safe to go. I'm glad there aren't many where I live!

[@mpmlopes]

As someone who's British-Portuguese, I'm surprised about the smoking thing, because to me, very few people smoke in the UK compared with what I see in Portugal. So maybe the reason people disagree is because the amount of smokers also reduced a lot in Europe, and especially the UK seems to have a lot less smokers than at least western Europe (I'm familiar enough with Portugal, Spain and France, and they all have a lot more smokers than the UK).

[@judithkelly2556]

I think these days it's people smoke when they go to clubs and not smoke all the time.

[@peterc.1618]

Smoking has gone down over the years; when my dad was young, you weren't considered a man unless you smoked. In recent years smoking among girls/women has been on the rise in the UK.

[@MARTIN-bd7gm]

@@peterc.1618 Bullshit

[@idgafcba]

I think the price is a factor too. In spain the tobacco costs over half the price of what it is in the UK.

[@christinaalexander5653]

U.S. rate is 12%

[@_YTA]

You can't beat an English breakfast lads and Tesco is a live saver for us Brits aswell. Respect from the UK🇬🇧

[@penname5766]

Next time you should also check out the south west of England, known as “the Westcountry” - the counties of Devon, Somerset, Cornwall and Dorset. Of course you saw a little of Somerset when you were in Bath but it’s not the same as exploring further south. Fantastic national parks with wild moorland in each county and incredible huge sandy beaches.

[@williamwilkes9873]

Though from London l spent time on Cornwall's north coast......simply beautiful......l had friends there who knew the little coves, etc., which were great.......ever seen the movie, "The Beach", similar...........

[@vikkib6337]

Glad we don’t have the headache of the tax thing here. Thanks again for embracing our culture boys was a great watch xx

[@c_n_b]

I don't see why they couldn't use our system in the states. Yeh the taxes are done state by state, but pricing on the shelves is done shop by shop.

[@countless6750]

@@c_n_b much easier than the way USA do it

[@JeremySpencerJJWS]

Our tax is hidden from the consumers. I'm not sure that's a good thing at all.

[@countless6750]

@@JeremySpencerJJWS same with america. U only find out at the till

[@iriscollins7583]

@@JeremySpencerJJWS It's not hidden, we all know it's added, one difference is that it is uniform. Makes life much easier. Price you pay divide by a sixth, that is the amount of Vat.

[@andrewgoatley9057]

I've just checked the stats on Wikipedia and the UK actually has the lowest rate of smoking in Europe it is also lower than in the US currently. I suppose it depends where you were hanging out that perhaps gave you that impression. London is not typical because of the tourists and racial mix.

[@more-reasons6655]

It's because people have only ever been in their own state, but somehow they speak for the entire 50 state union

[@davidshipp623]

I think in London particularly there are so many on the streets because it’s the only place left to smoke so they are often in clusters and visible, the sheer number of people make them more obvious. Living in the south west but working in London a lot the numbers of smokers always seems really high.

[@janettesinclair6279]

@@davidshipp623 Yes, smoking indoors is not allowed so all the smokers hang about in the street giving the impression that the %age of smokers is high.

[@corleth2868]

@@davidshipp623 Yeah it's all the people who come to London from the South West to work who are outside smoking on the street. If I'm in an office with 500 people and 10 of them go outside to smoke that might appear to be a lot to someone on the street but they don't see the 490 inside who aren't smoking.

[@davidshipp623]

@@corleth2868 haha, nice burn. But yes that the point I was badly making, you don’t see the people in the offices and indeed inside the bars/restaurants etc. For the record though, my business is based in the South West, I just have some clients in London.

[@WhitneyHouston4eva1]

Smoking has been banned in indoor public places since July 2007. I was working in a pizza restaurant and remember the managers putting the no smoking signs in the windows. Some pubs and clubs lost revenue when people stopped going due to the smoking ban. When I left school 40 years ago you could smoke anywhere. The bans first came in on public transport in the late 80s/early 90s.

[@ooffiihardwick3676]

I was working in a grotty student pub when the ban came in. I came into work 2 days after it came into effect and the smell was so bad - a mix of vomit and sweaty student BO. 😂

[@eleanorcrawford9978]

My last memory of my visit to the US was in LA we checked into our hotel we were just relaxing when we heard rapid gun fire, I phoned reception to see if there was a problem. She said quote “ it’s just two rival drugs gangs fighting”” we never unpacked our cases we left and went to Las Vegas that was safer than LA. I have been back since to NYC and loved that. But I must be honest I don’t feel safe in the US with the amount of guns in private hands.

[@thomashavard-morgan8181]

The smoking one, actually it has decreased a lot here in the UK in comparison to even ten years ago. It's much less accepted, but is tolerated. Most people tend to only socially smoke, which is why most bars and clubs have outdoor areas for this.

[@AlainnCorcaigh]

most bars and clubs have outdoor smoking areas because it was banned indoors. There is no other reason. Businesses made these areas to stay in Business

[@rupertbailey1666]

The whole of Europe smokes a lot more than US. I can say france and Italy in particular. I was in Italy last week and I was told don't leave for outside the restaurant for cigarette, this is Italy!

[@interesting2491]

A lot more people have reverted to e-cigs as well

[@sairhug]

@@rupertbailey1666 Yuck - that would totally put me off visiting Italy, I have to say.

[@dbz9393]

Bs I've never had anyone come up to to me and tell me off for smoking everyone smokes here

[@geoffreythomas4145]

Will, 'they were speaking our language'. No, Will. You are speaking OUR language!!!

[@markscouler2534]

The yanks forget that and the water thing erm don't they know our water is fine out the tap and our food is not full of shit lol

[@MsKell35]

I just watched your whole trip to the UK 🇬🇧... I'm a women who's old enough to be ur parent but I had to subscribe as I enjoyed it so much. Travelling definitely helps us grow. Go see the world guys 🙏🇬🇧

[@suburbia2050]

The adult smoking rate in the UK as a whole is similar to that of the US, around 12-13% so I would suggest it was just a perception due to observation at that locality. Smoking outside on the street is the popular pragmatic approach to the public indoor smoking ban introduced in 2007. You might be confusing middle-class attitudes to the sort of heavy mix of socio-economic attitudes/behaviours you will see a typical UK town or city, US urban areas can be expansive and more mono-cultural which would equate to Middle Class suburbia in the UK (which in reality spreads all the way across old rural small towns and villages). Also cigarrette smoking rate is far higher in Mediterranean and Eastern European populations which have a large diaspora and visitors in places like London, there is a large Eastern European diaspora in my location and you see groups of their teenage children all smoking together which made me think of the 1970s and 1980s. The cultural habit of littering is probably more prevailant in the UK than the US and ugly cigerette ends can build up in areas quite quickly especially if there is only a weekly or less street sweep. Vaping is currently a new trend that is very unregulated as it was originally thought of as a way to get existing smokers to quit cigarettes (let the market decide) but there is evidence it now attracts a certain socio-economic group of teenager, I haven't read any report that claims it has become endemic though, unlike say Prozac or Fentanyl abuse in the US.

[@wilmaknickersfit]

Just to add that the weather in the UK, especially in England has been very warm (heatwave hot), so people out socialising would want to be outside not indoors.

[@user-je1ns9nt7t]

I mean you say its the vape industry is unregulated but TPD laws just made things awkward. I still vape and addicted to the nicotine but I haven't smoked tobacco in months now. I took tobacco out of my spliffs too so completely tobacco free. But getting off the vape cold turkey would probably be as hard as getting off the cigarettes cold turkey. TPD laws state that you cant have nicotine is a bottle bigger than 10ml, the consumer must add it in themselves. You cannot have a mod capable of going higher than 200w. Your tank or RDA juicewell cannot hold more than 2ml liquid. Your squonk bottle may not hold more than 2ml (killed the squonk industry in the UK) You cannot sell eliquids unless it was made in lab conditions. When I was in college I used to make my own liquids as a side hustle. Now it's pretty much like selling weed but instead of prison you get fined 1000s

[@suburbia2050]

@@user-je1ns9nt7t unregulated as to what sort of business can sell them (most young people get cigarettes and alcohol from small unscrupulous local retail outlets who do not have to worry about brand image), advertising and added flavouring. It's well known strategies for industry to specifically target youth for new lifetime consumers. Getting existing smokers off cigarettes via vapes is likely to have an overall positive impact but just making more nicotine addicts because they like the taste of apple and cherry and to see steam coming out of their mouth with devices that have hidden long term consequences is unlikely to be useful outside of making some money for a few landlords, ebay up-sellers and Chinese factories.

[@VoxelLoop]

In fairness, I live in a rural area and rarely ever see someone smoking in public. I know of a few people that do smoke, but they're the minority. More expensive areas, less smokers. I suppose it depends a lot on upbringing. In general, it's far less common amongst today's youth though! Thank God.

[@user-je1ns9nt7t]

@@suburbia2050 Sorry bro, I see what youre saying now. I thought you meant there was just no rules like back in 2015😂sorry man

[@marieparker3822]

Water: I never buy bottled water in Britain. (I might in a foreign country.) Any water from the Main water supply in Britain is drinkable, so a restaurant giving you tap water is safe.

[@Landie_Man]

My house isn’t very old but we don’t drink the water upstairs. I live in the U.K. water supply is fresh but for upstairs it’s in a storage tank which isn’t food grade

[@wyterabitt2149]

@@Landie_Man Your house is breaching building standards then. Hot water in a tank is still a thing in old houses, but cold water coming from a tank essentially barely exists. I've seen unchanged 200 year old houses that don't do that. Anything even slightly new means something has gone very wrong for cold water to be in a tank.

[@Landie_Man]

@@wyterabitt2149 only 1970s! Obviously downstairs is all straight off the mains.

[@Aaronsteel94]

The further North you are, the better the water is.

[@jackaitkenproductions3305]

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 second cleanest drinking water in the world

[@PokhrajRoy.]

Joel: “While we’re on the topic of food, I think we need to get into Tesco.” Me: “I feel like I understand everything that happened before he describes it any further.”

[@Paul_W.E_Ingham]

Other Supermarket Meal Deals are available 😉

[@danielshields7648]

@@Paul_W.E_Ingham lmao he was showing footage of Sainsbury's while talking about Tesco

[@thomashernandez8700]

But WHAT was the 3 for 3 deal? He didn't explain.

[@Paul_W.E_Ingham]

@@thomashernandez8700 It's 3 items for £3. Usually a choice of sandwiches or wraps, a savoury snack and a cold drink. Considered very good value if you chose the right options.

[@borisjefftrev6186]

This video gave me a good few laughs, especially the accent part. I'm from Nottingham and driving 7 miles away to Mansfield, which is still classed as Nottinghamshire, they got a slight Yorkshire twang in their speech. Carry on 20 mile after that and they talking some 'ye olde worlde' type stuff. If you guys struggled with Scottish accent, try going Newcastle 😁

[@eyeballpaul1792]

yo im from nottingham too!!!

[@Jrdnxy]

Hew us Newcastle lot are the bread and butter and Tyneside English is a delicacy 😂😅

[@scumbagcollege5351]

Scabs

[@user-je1ns9nt7t]

My dads side of the family is from Grantham, I know its Lincolnshire but its close😂Then he moved to Shropshire as a young adult and met my mum lol. Never been to that side of the country apart from when I was younger - do you think its much different to Shropshire??

[@ladyjane8855]

"When Americans travel abroad and realize how prissy Americans are" 😂😂

[@marycarver1542]

They are certainly very narrow minded.

[@johnloony68]

My most important advice for next time is: stay longer (3 or 4 days) in one place. Don’t rush to get a train to somewhere else every day. There are loads of museums and art galleries in London, as well as the London Eye.

[@annettemaxwell3816]

I totally agree with you. I see too many Americans, that come to the Uk. Do Europe in less than a week in each country or city. A week in one cityi sn't long enough,to really get a feel of anywhere. I personally don't take holidays for less than 3 weeks anywhere. 1st relaxing, getting my bearings,2 week really exploring 3 week whining down preparing to return home.

[@sean65xjrurwin61]

It's so great to hear how you enjoyed our country, your interest in Britain is fantastic and I'm sure you'll come back again and have a total blast. There is practically endless history here for you to explore and learn about. Europe is also brimming with history and stunning places to explore, and it's right on our doorstep.

[@theocurtis02]

As a Brit, nothing makes me happier than two Americans talking about meal deals and saying that they're "big fans of Tesco's"

[@deballen7031]

The Tesco meal deals bit did make me laugh.😂

[@tonyblack3401]

As a brit. This was really great to see an Americans view being changed and open to things like British food. Well done guys. Great video. 👍

[@johncrofts4393]

If you think it's difficult to understand the Edinburgh accent, just wait until you get to Glasgow. That is something else.

[@English.not.British]

"Purple burglar alarm" 🤣🤣🤣 if you know, you know 😏 🤣

[@finlaymacintyre8161]

I'm a Glaswegian and I can't understand a strong Glasgow accent

[@susie8130]

No one can understand a Glasgow accent everyone just smiles and say yes😊

[@peterd788]

Regarding the water fountain thing, anywhere that sells alcohol in a glass in the UK has to provide free water. Places like Wetherspoons have water coolers on the bar with glasses that people can help themselves to.

[@enemde3025]

NEVER seen a water cooler in any of the Wetherspoons that I have been in !

[@bowlingbill9633]

Water coolers in weather spoons !? Never seen one yet ,

[@grabtharshammer]

They used to be extremely common, all around Towns, Parks etc, mostly provided by the Town / Parish Councils. They started to disappear once Bottled Water became a thing that could be profited from. ... wonder why ;)

[@TheShmoo123]

I always get a free cup of water while in Spoons.

[@johnp8131]

@@enemde3025 Never seen one either? Then again they're not something I would look for when beer is near? It's only recently I found out tea and coffee had free refills in "Spoons"?

[@deepdale-dreamer]

I'm glad you guys enjoyed your visit to our little old island. You're a credit to the US.

[@caldoesstuff7290]

On the topic of roads: If you thought Cotswold roads are narrow, you haven’t been down to Kernow (Cornwall). You could be going down a road so narrow the hedge will give you a new paint job and meet a land rover and horse box coming the other way. Because that’s a two way road. You’ll often also meet horses, dog walkers, sheep, tractors etc. And come tourist season Emmet (tourists) pour down here with their shiny cars and refuse to reverse for a tractor coming the other way causing a massive traffic jam.

[@cornishmaid9138]

You can’t drink a beer until 21 because you’re not considered responsible enough. But you can own a gun! 🤔 You notice smokers because smoking is banned inside, so those who do will step outside. Hence, 2 or 3 people outside each establishment. Which, I must admit, would look like we’re all heavy smokers.

[@VivaCohen]

I don't know, smoking is banned inside in the US too and you don't see swatchs of people flocking out to smoke

[@sharnadixon-scott710]

Yes the usa has a higher amount of smokers and the amount of teenagers that smoke is roughly the same between countries so maybe they just don't notice ij the usa

[@peterhalse8531]

I think the smoking/vaping thing is something found more in cities here rather than all over the country. I live in a small town in the south-west of England, and you rarely see anyone smoking or vaping in public. Also your illness on return I think was due to contracting a virus from the recirculated air on the flight, which seems to be quite common. Will seems to be a very nice fella, a good travelling companion for you.

[@Inaflap]

I live in a medium sized town in the south-west of England. I'm going to use that word ... I've noticed a lot of used fags strewn about the benches in my local parks. The other thing I notice, not in the parks but on the roadside, are the tiny aluminium canisters that look like miniature scuba tanks. They once contained nitrous oxide (laughing gas).

[@peterjf7723]

@@Violet-to4qq I don't think that any official record is kept of respiratory infections after flights, but my experience matches yours. From around 2006 to 2014 I was taking several flights each year and often got chest infections, some of them really bad. Maybe we should be wearing masks when flying.

[@sejbomb]

I live in Poole and lots of people I see vape here. Including myself, I stand outside work to vape before work or on my break and lots of people walking around me vaping, more people vape than smoke here it feels.

[@TheSebiestor]

@@peterjf7723 you have it backwards how masks work, lol

[@lydiamichaels1976]

I live in a bloody provincial town in Devon and u see ppl smoking/vaping all the time. Any Americans who reads their comment - they are wrong u can see it everywhere city or not

[@lydialoveday]

As someone from the UK the smoking thing made me laugh 😂 when you were talking about the smoking shelter in Bath being unusual it was funny because most of our colleges (for people age 16-18 usually although I started at 14) have smoking shelters too 😂 I have never really thought about whether it is the same in the US or not haha, although I think compared to other parts of Europe we're not that bad

[@hmalik5232]

They’re smoking areas not smoking shelters. But yeh I don’t really get what he was on about, smoking cigs isn’t that common in the UK compared to other places and has decreased in the last few decades. Vaping and weed is pretty common though, but those are safer than cigarettes.

[@brittletip8191]

Weed is bad for your brain, don't be fooled by the in crowd types.

[@paksallion]

@@hmalik5232 I mean they're considered 'smoking shelters' aswell. Smoking has decreased maybe when the smoking ban came in but generally speaking its about 14% of the population smokes which is still significant. If we looked at New York for eg, recently the smoking demographic decreased significantly in 2 decades from around 21% smokers down to 12% in 2020. There seems to be many factors that can drastically alter our habits and I think the reason there isn't an actual ban on cigarette shows that there are still ulterior motives that our government have. In 2022-2023 guess how much the government made on cigarette tax? 10.9Billion. Sugar tax gives the government an extra £530 million a year. Alot of what happens in the UK is for the economy not for our wellbeing.

[@hmalik5232]

@@paksallion Yeh I suppose you could call them that. And yeh the government tax the shit out of cigarettes, it’s a rip off. They make billions from it and have strict regulations for it. But it’s people’s own choice if they wanna smoke. Cigarettes are bad for your health though. Most illegal drugs are safer than alcohol and tobacco, it doesn’t make sense why they’re not legal.

[@paksallion]

@@hmalik5232 ultimately yes it's our decision BUT the government had the authority to ban a substance that is extremely harmful to our health YET they choose not to.. That's the point I'm making. There's a ban on weed. It doesn't kill you BUT the government knows that if it were legalised there would be alot of independent weed factories that would diminish the government's taxes. Tobacco is being sourced cheaper but usually from behind the counter, we can't grow our own tobacco and alcohol can be very cheap or very expensive but there's options for all demographics. It seems like the economy relies on people purchasing alcohol and tobacco even though its 2 huge killers in the West. They added sugar tax as if they actually cared about our health but how is a few pence going to deter someone from sugar? It's impactless but very impactful for the amount of money the government makes off us.

[@Jay-lr3me]

I'm glad you lads had a good British experience!! 😁 I think all of your points are valid, and I'm glad you've realised that food here is mostly decent, that stereotype is one of the most false 😂

[@murasakino5304]

And the teeth… well idk actually 🙄

[@musicistheanswer6234]

@@murasakino5304 UK is 5th on the DMFT index. The USA is 9th. The UK has better dental hygiene than America.

[@murasakino5304]

@@musicistheanswer6234 we just have better healthcare as well tbh

[@musicistheanswer6234]

@@murasakino5304 Our healthcare is free but it isn't better. Private healthcare is much better than the NHS.

[@jt5765]

@@musicistheanswer6234 not for those that can't afford it 🤦

[@Broadcast1902]

"weren't expecting having chips and a kebab after a night out" That's the staple weekend diet here mate lol.

[@GTiR23]

and a punchup for good measure

[@christineunitedkingdom1824]

Need to be tipsy to eat one!

[@helenagreenwood2305]

I lost a few umbrellas because I stopped to eat a burger on a bench in the town centre and left them behind lol must have lost a dozen during my youth 🙄 happy days 😆

[@TheSebiestor]

In places like Norway, Finland - the goto good after a night out is a sheep's head

[@marycarver1542]

Only in certain sections of society !

[@sangfroidian5451]

Whatever happened to the 'We'll only have one beer per day because we don't want to get into trouble??' 😂🤣

[@101steel4]

They were drinking with Brits. It was never going to happen lol

[@jaggmeeler2039]

Love it boys! The algorithms gifted me this one glad you enjoyed the food and hope you tried a curry because that’s the true national dish and flies in the face of popular perception of British food. Definitely try Wales next time experience the Welsh language and insane picturesque views. In terms of Europe I would recommend the Netherlands next up for a similar kind of of trip, everyone speaks there English too

[@steveramsey8415]

That should be "their" lol

[@nevrmynd9635]

@@steveramsey8415 it should actually be "everyone speaks English there too"

[@Razah.]

Curry ain't the national dish that's India lmao

[@nevrmynd9635]

@@Razah. English Curry is nothing like Indian Curry

[@jaggmeeler2039]

@@Razah. curry is literally a national dish in the U.K.? Owing to the large number of people who immigrated to the U.K. from South Asia after the Second World War... if you are from the U.K. I’m either surprised you don’t already know this or I am gonna make some assumptions based on the nature of your comment and what it really means...

[@alexsmith4689]

You guys should definitely travel more on your own. You will grow as people. It’s great to hear your experiences from the UK.

[@iankings6405]

Smoking in the UK has dropped dramatically, in the last few years, due largely to government taxes, and the banning in so many places particularly pubs, also being made to feel a criminal by smoking even in open spaces.

[@theConquerersMama]

So the UK, is kind of where California was with smoking in the 90s?

[@suburbia2050]

@@theConquerersMama Errr no smoking in the UK hasnt dropped "dramatically in the last few years" its been on a steady decline since the 1970s due to public health campaigns. The tax rate per packet has been increasing steadily since the 1990s and public indoor smoking ban 2007. The "feeling criminial smoking in open spaces" is hyperbole on the OPs part, I wonder if they pick up their cigerrate ends?

[@chickenmadness1732]

The younger generations are all smoking now.

[@suburbia2050]

@@chickenmadness1732 What a load of a crap, where are your statistics?

[@chickenmadness1732]

@@suburbia2050 Just real life experience having been to University 6 years ago and then returning recently. smoking and vaping is way more popular with gen z than it was with millenials. Found it pretty surprising how much more pervasive it is now.

[@barryhumphries4514]

The UK's roads are actually pretty good. Our driving standards are quite high so the roads are safer than you would think. You need to check out Cornwall for beautiful countryside and the narrowest roads you’ve ever seen. If you meet oncoming traffic you have to either pull into a passing place or one of you might have to reverse to one. It keeps you awake!

[@alicec.6195]

I'm from Brazil living in the UK for 5 years. The smoking habit was a culture shock for me too. In Brazil is literally old people and lower class habits. Extremely rare to see anyone young smoking. In the UK everybody smokes something. I think the eletronic cigarettes are hilarious because it looks like everybody is smoking flash drives. In Germany is worse... you see 13 year olds smoking with their parents at restaurants.

[@williamwilkes9873]

If l were a Brazilian six year old and incredibly wealthy would l be a Columbian drug baron or merely cast aside by the locals............though English l love Argentinian football ..............

[@mountainclimb]

Brit here. When you said there were 'no water fountains', my mind immediately went to the old metal fountains we would have in school; that squirt a messy little arch of water about an inch into the air.... Took me a while to realise that's probably not what you meant... 🤔

[@thedirector7107]

Will comes across as being a really nice and pleasant dude. Shout out to Will! Great content Joel 👍

[@patriciacarter1147]

I remember once when I went to Scotland to see my daughter and family we called at a chip shop and as I was paying I stayed in whilst the others waited outside, the man there talked to me the whole time and being 'older' hearing is fading a bit so I watched his face carefully and copied what he did like when he looked angry I shook my head and smiled when he did - still don't know what we talked about.

[@riotagus]

LOL. 🤣

[@dogwithwigwamz.7320]

I once lived in / studied in the Republic of Ireland. On the first day of meeting my fellows we all had to pair up and have a discussion. I am English and was `paired` to a chap from County Donogal ( they have extremely broad Irish accents ). Each pair talked to each other for about 20 minutes, and I didn`t understand a word of what this lad said, so God knows what he must have thought to my nodding and shaking of my head and "Oh, really... ?" at the times I was guessing were appropriate. Then, when the discussions were over with, each of us had to tell the life story of the stranger we had just met and spent 20 minutes chattting with. `Nightmare ! But I am also well acquainted with how difficult it can be understanding our northern Scottish neighbours.

[@dogwithwigwamz.7320]

Hey up. I don`t know where you are from, but thrice people then, Englishman and Scotsman and Irishman met at Heathrow Airport to catch flight BA747 JFK to New York City. The Englishman said that he`d like to have a seat in Upper Class.The Scott couldn`t care less ( and it surprises me that the Englishman did ) so long as there were drinks available and bag pipes playing... and the Irish fella could hardly care less either way - so long as his seat was on the inside of the f`cking plane. I was there when the Irish bloke said it. I`m 1/3 English, 1/3 Irish and 1/3 Scottish - which makes the world a rather amuzing place for me. have a laugh today, JMO.

[@PapaLazarou1977]

The reason why the speed limit has the white sign with the black slash through and not the actual number is that on single lane roads it's 60mph, but on dual-carriageways (2 lanes) it's 70mph

[@robg5654]

In France 16 year olds are allowed to smoke in school during breaks. I think that’s why we don’t think it’s too bad over here , it’s used to be much more prolific smoking inside was permitted pre health and safety

[@andrewgilbertson5356]

Ones first solo trip is a big thing. You were lucky to get along so well together . Planning trips is a big part of the fun. I think European youth travel to other countries a lot more than American kids do.

[@stevefarrow9210]

Joel, you and Will make the perfect travelling companions!!! You’ll have to do another trip together next year!! You were only in UK for one week so you were only able to scratch the surface. My advice is for you to consolidate on what you’ve gained, by doing a two or three week trip, staying at people’s houses rather than hostels. I am sure there are so many people who would be delighted to offer you both accommodation in their homes. You have a huge number of fans and followers who are really interested in what you do and in your reflections of life in Britain 🇬🇧 I have literally been amazed at the sheer detail and length of the comments you received - and around 200 and 300 of them for each Vlogging!!! PS If you stayed for 3 weeks you could take a short trip by train to say Paris from London for 2 or 3 days!

[@paulbromley6687]

Ireland is about half an hour cheap flight time from Leeds Bradford also.

[@paulhayday8212]

Yes! As previously offered you 2 are welcome to stay here - 4 lads is a bit of a push!

[@droopylaws]

Only recently come across your channel and it is a breath of fresh air to see things through young eyes again! Especially England as I live here and know the Cotswolds and London well. Tip for the future, when in a restaurant or eaterie, if you want water beside your drink of choice, ask for 'a glass of tap water' as well. This comes free in nearly all restaurants and eat-ins when you are buying a meal especially if you have bought other drinks as well but if you want to be sure, ask the cost of a 'glass of tap water first'

[@malcolmharris3916]

How wonderful to see two worldly young Americans travel to the U.K. and report on it, warts and all. Come back soon.

[@johndare3576]

Many 18-year-olds in Britain take what’s known as a gap year. This is after they finish school and before they go to university. Typically they will spend a lot of the time travelling during this time . Countries like Thailand and Vietnam are popular destinations. Many will then head off to Australia or New Zealand where they can obtain a young persons temporary work permit which allows them to legally work while in the country. This helps them to continue funding their trip. The gap year was very much a right of passage for middle-class kids before lockdown. It will be interesting to see if it becomes popular again now countries are opening up.

[@_Professor_Oak]

@@Violet-to4qq I've always found "working class" to be a weird term. It's almost like saying middle & upper class don't work? 🤷‍♂

[@gart9680]

Many middle class/upper middle class kids, perhaps? Working class kids (who make up the majority) do not go off on gap years funded by Daddy.

[@joshs7372]

@@Violet-to4qq when I was 18 the only kids I knew doing travelling were the middle class well off kids not one of my working class mates went on a year long trip 😂

[@healingandgrowth-infp4677]

Never heard of this before are you sure it’s middle class sounds like posh brats

[@healingandgrowth-infp4677]

@@joshs7372 man when I was a teen I was in an abusive family home n tried to work my way out of it but wasn’t even allowed holidays until I earned it over many years up to 5 years n even then no matter how hard I worked if bosses were envious of you they can just fire you for no reasons and prevent you getting more work. Had envious female employees who done this too. And discrimination due to gender by male bosses who didn’t want females working. If it weren’t for a friend n getting into the abuse care. I’d probably be dead now. Kids are getting spoilt and spoilt now a days no wonder teens are getting more and more disrespectful and lack morals and don’t respect their elders. Using disrespectful phrases like I’m dead to boot. When someone they love dies those words will haunt them forever.

[@lyndarichardson4744]

Boys , I had to laugh when you said the alcohol was partly responsible for your tiredness, after you said before your trip you were going to restrict yourself to a couple of pints per evening 🙂 glad you didn't find the cultural differences too difficult . You sound as if you really enjoyed yourselves !

[@jannertfol]

I'm originally from Michigan, but I've lived in Scotland for the past 36 years ...but I can certainly relate to your concern about roads. When I first moved here, I was horrified at the fact that most roads don't have any verge running alongside. If you have to pull over, you have to find a layby or in an emergency, some driveway. It still bothers me, tbh. Especially as there are lots of people riding bikes as well. There is no margin for error. I'm used to it now, but it scared me A LOT when I was first here. And in the cities, there is often nothing between the sidewalk (which they call pavement) and the actual street. So cars whip past you at a fairly great rate of speed, when one stumble, and you'd end up right in their path. That still bothers me a bit. However, that being said, the drivers here are very well trained, and the cars are required to be maintained and checked over once a year ...the dreaded MOT. It's really hard to get a driving license here, and many people fail the first few times they try. This is country that was NOT built for cars, and it shows. The roads ARE narrow-including the motorways-compared to the USA. No getting around that, I'm afraid. I'd definitely recommend another trip to Scotland. There is so much more to Scotland besides Edinburgh. Go north ...up to the far north! All the way to the north coast ...a trip you will NOT forget, I guarantee. Try going to one of the islands ...like Orkney, Barra, etc. (Skye is lovely, but it's so big it doesn't really feel like an island.) One of the smaller islands is probably a more unique experience. The Ayrshire coast is great. And so is what they call the Northeast ...the area between the A9 and Aberdeen. And I suspect you'll find accents that are easy to understand in many places. (Inverness in particular.) Glasgow is FUN, and very friendly. One of my favourite places ...I now live nearby. Try to avoid the tourist traps, ie the Loch Ness Monster, the Outlander movie set trail, etc, and go places that are real and NOT overrun with tourists. Stop often, and stay a while. Do research beforehand. I love your attitude ...don't lose it. You came over to enjoy yourselves and learn about the place, and didn't come loaded with prejudices and expectations. That's great. Obviously I loved it when I first visited ...because I'm still here!

[@cara9467]

Great comment, loved you mentioned Barra but... shhh! 🤫😂 Argyll and whole West Coast of Scotland is magical too and I feel very blessed to live here. So heartening you have made it home here. Lang may yer lum reek!

[@remove574]

Isle of Arran would be great for them too

[@tonywells6990]

There's a huge vape smoking problem in the UK. I know many young people who never used to smoke, some even very against cigarettes, and now many are suddenly vaping all day and addicted to nicotine.

[@DavidJohnson-rj8zu]

N0 Farmers in UK do not shoot their cows but most are allowed to have 12 bore shoot guns for the protection of their flocks from foxies and other vermin.

[@discogareth]

Loved your UK vlogs. So glad you enjoyed our country!

[@marksmith-ew7ir]

I stayed at my mates house in USA in North Carolina and live through hurricane ike, we had no power for three day's as my mate live just out side a main town that was feed by power line's. I found it nice to drive on your side of the road when going to a near by target for shopping.

[@XclusiveAaron]

13:40 - every time I come back from the US or Canada I cannot believe how small and narrow our UK roads look🤣 so used to it and you really do become accustomed to narrow roads but yeah when spending time away it definitely highlights it!

[@Cjbx11]

Even in Britain we can struggle with strong accents. My Dad who was from Yorkshire and worked in Glasgow for a short time and he struggled with the strong Glaswegian accent . Sometimes it can be a language of its own.

[@peterjf7723]

When I moved from an Oxfordshire village to Bristol it took me a while to understand what was being said by the locals.

[@ClaireTee123]

My mother is from N Yorkshire and I grew up in the Midlands, every time we holidayed up with my Yorkshire grandparents (out in the middle of nowhere) took me at least 36 hours to tune in to their accent!

[@helenreid4174]

Scots IS a language!

[@Cjbx11]

@@helenreid4174 I know there is a Scottish Gaelic language but it’s accents we are really talking about and not just from Scotland but different parts of the UK that often have very strong accents which can make it difficult for people from outside to understand.

[@davegb99]

I am a Yorkshireman and when I visited the US I was barely understood and had to repeat myself regularly.

[@gailknight3128]

If you ever go to Devon or Cornwall the roads there will terrify you. My brother drove a fire engine, and even in the towns the roads are very narrow. He used to take off peoples wing mirrors often lol

[@_starfiend]

I did some ambulance driver training (St John Ambulance) in Kent. The instructor found all of the narrow, bendy roads he could, and took us down them, at or as close to the legal speed limit, in an ambulance sized vehicle. Now that was truly scary.

[@grabtharshammer]

In the 80's in Devon we used to have a game in the Summer time of racing around the country roads at breakneck speed to scare the Grockels (holidaymakers) Best done in the evenings where you know the road like the back of your hand and can see headlights coming the other way - Not that I would approve of such things nowadays

[@MrRaisin56]

Being from London I can say kids do get into smoking from a very young age, I recon around 15-16 is when people start. Kinda depends where you go in the UK but generally a large percentage of young adults are smokers. Recently vaping has caught on in a major way as well with the introduction of disposable vapes.

[@babaradavis]

You 2 are so ADORABLE X hugs from the UK

[@xHopex1000]

I've just returned from a month in the US. I've driven many miles in the UK and some in Europe, but US roads were by far the easiest to drive on. Larger, straighter, more signage etc. I can see why people visiting the UK from the US might be terrified of our roads considering how twisty and narrow they can be.

[@theConquerersMama]

Some of the roads are more narrow that our driveway. It's an adjustment.

[@leechgully]

Its the product of a culture that has fetishised and privileged the motor car far more than in Europe and built a huge industry around it that used its economic power to entrench its dominance over the culture.

[@VoxelLoop]

I think my scariest experiences when driving in the US were the lack of lane discipline and the lack of a speed cap on HGVs. Seeing people bounce from lane edge to lane edge would be enough to get the police called on you for DUI in the UK, but in the US it's every other car. Also what's with everyone following 1 car length behind at 80mph? The lack of a speed limit on HGVs is also pretty scary, getting overtook by a HGV doing 80mph is wild. Heaven forbid someone slams on the brakes in front of them! Fast way to get obliterated.

[@xHopex1000]

@@VoxelLoop That's a good point! It was rather unnverving seeing trucks zooming past over 70mph. The overtaking and undertaking meant I had to keep an eye on both mirrors rather than just my right, it kept traffic flowing but at the same time kept me on my toes.

[@Wonderkid44]

Twisty and narrower roads actually encourage drivers more alert and force you to slow down and pick up speed again, which is much safer than a big road where you can put your foot down and switch off. Why do you think amercians run into buildings

[@sharonduxbury9149]

Glad you have recovered from the bug you caught, you and Will appear to be finding the transition of being back home quite hard. I know our country has its faults but we love all we have here and its nice that you both got to experience that as many of your fellow Americans are not able too. Your honesty has been a breath of fresh and for that I thank you both. Hope you come back we would greet you with open hearts.

[@cara9467]

This was illuminating! I live in Scotland, interesting takes you lads had on the smoking area, I found it really refreshing that smoking a cigarette was almost like a novelty to you, " like, why?" - such a great attitude (I am a smoker btw). So glad yous had a good trip, yous are welcome back anytime.

[@Jamal_Tyrone]

I think the difference is night-life smoking verses what you'll see in the day-time. There's also the social divide, poorer people getting trapped into the addiction of smoking early on in life. However, in the quiet suburban area I live where lots of people are retired I don't think I know of any people who smoke.

[@dereknewbury163]

Again, really good to hear you guys reflecting upon your trip and I am very happy that most of these reflections are positive. You gave us a fair go. Smoking is not good of course but life consists of balancing risks with rewards and individual freedom is being able make a free choice having balanced those factors. As a lifelong pipe smoker, the pleasure of puffing on my pipe in the garden on a beautiful summer evening (suitably distanced from non smokers, of course) is priceless. But there are lots of simple pleasures in life so I am not advocating smoking by any means

[@peterjf7723]

It's not uncommon to come down with respiratory infections after flights. Before I retired, I was for a few years flying several times a year and was always getting coughs and colds, some quite bad.

[@michaelpolansky2195]

I hope they took Covid test when they got back. Symptoms sounded like Classic Covid virus.

[@alanmon2690]

Strangely enough, a lot of these bad reactions started after smoking was banned on planes because the ventilation system was redesigned and the air was no longer replaced so often and it was easier for fumes from the engines to intrude.

[@Koxocw]

Hearing Americans say “Tesco” is funny and I don’t know why 😂🤣

[@helenayamez]

Haha yes I thought so too. I wonder if they think the same when we say 'Publix' or 'JP Penney' lol.

[@davidmurphy6256]

I moved to London from Australia 3 years ago and I also was shocked by how many British people smoke. When I mentioned it to somebody she said "no" "no" we dont smoke much at all, like she was completely oblivious to how bad it is over here.

[@janesmith8831]

If you got a shock with smoking in U.K….you definitely would if you visited countries in southern & Eastern Europe where it’s much more prevalent…not forgetting Amsterdam with their (completely legal) marijuana cafes😀 The narrow country roads, you just drive carefully & learn to give way if need be. We have many accents, our country is small but diverse both its people & landscape. I have enjoyed watching you both discover it (although I was amazed at the amount of travelling you did in a week). Favourite bit…your attempt at a Yorkshire accent….Valiant….but doomed😂

[@january39]

It's not legal in the Netherlands.

[@janesmith8831]

@@january39 The Dutch government allows sale up to 5 grams in licensed coffee shops.

[@gapa1982]

You two are literally the coolest folks. Proper appreciative of your experiences - I think a lot of people could learn from that. Will looks like the perfect travel companion too… glad you got to share it JPS. Hope you get back to our country soon!

[@nieldooley2906]

I enjoyed this video. in train stations in Liverpool we have machines where one can refill water bottles for free. Wales is a must to go to, especially North Wales, it is a beautiful country.

[@alithealien]

So great to see you guys enjoy our country.

[@Ponkelina]

In restaurants if you want free water you have to ask for Tap water. The noticing smoking is because smoking indoors is banned in public places so you are seeing all the smokers get their chance whilst outdoors.

[@Phil_A_O_Fish]

As a smoker from northwest England here's a funny take on things for both of you. I've lost track of the number of times that I've been asked by someone if they can 'borrow' a cigarette from me when they've seen me out in public smoking. My usual response to that is " How are you going to 'borrow' one from me? Are you going to give it back to me after you've finished smoking it? " More often than not the same person will ask me for a light as well and my typical British response, i.e. the sarcastic one, is " What do you expect me to do? Smoke it for you as well? " The other one is " Can I buy a cigarette off you? " and my usual immediate response to that is " Okay, that'll be 2 quid please! " - of course I'm only joking with them and usually just give them a ciggie.....anything for a quiet life, innit? On this same subject and also speaking as someone who once lived in Canada the terminology for this is quite different, isn't it? I remember from personal experience over there the first time that a man asked me if he could " Bum a smoke off me? " and I turned it into a joke and responded with " Oh aye, what's your game, Sailor? ". A word of advice to you if you do make a return trip to the U.K. and happen to have the West Country, i.e. Cornwall, Devon, Dorset, Somerset and Avon, on your itinerary to visit is that f@ggots are a traditional culinary delicacy especially in that part of England - they're also known as savoury ducks over here for some unknown reason because while they're very savoury and yummy they don't contain duck and are usually made from pork with some herbs added for flavouring. They're especially good with chips and peas with a nice thick brown gravy smothered all over them. The best thing about both of you visiting the U.K. is that you managed to see how we actually live over here rather than relying on either other Americans or your media to tell you what things are really like over here, didn't you? The only piece of advice that I can give to you and your friends is that if you decide to return to the U.K. you stay for at least a fortnight or longer so that you can take in other parts of the U.K. that you missed during this first visit - you'd also be a lot less stressed and tired if you did that and you wouldn't have to cram everything into just one week, would you? ✌😎✌

[@bedroomno1755]

The bit where they were so shocked that we have smoking areas in the uk is so funny 😭

[@sozilla]

I'm British and I know someone who went to America to celebrate their 18th, forgetting that they couldn't drink once they got there

[@elizabethw.454]

😂😂😂

[@shadybacon3451]

I like the fact we use both imperial and metric measurements in the UK, I believe metric is the official system to be in line with the rest of Europe, but I hope we never change to metric only. Also to be even more confusing for you guys, our imperial measurements for volume, i.e. pints and gallons etc are larger than the US system.

[@tomdriver4866]

What stands out for me in this vlog is the brightness of Will's teeth. In your basement that smile lights up the room

[@Audit-The-Auditors-UK]

The metric vs imperial is Europe’s doing. I am glad you enjoyed your visit. My sister moved to Texas and is enjoying it. Have a great time now as age slows you down. 👍 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

[@diegestive4167]

Don’t worry about the accent thing I’m English with an accent … once I was asked by a Belgian what native English speaker do I least understand… he said Americans Australians etc…? I said no ,it’s British people … he was surprised. My accent is a midlands accent covers a big area but stops in my town 10 miles on the other side of the forest they speak with a total different accent. 10 miles east another accent …it does define where you’re from.

[@dotregan1506]

Thanks guys, I always do my shopping at Tesco too. They deliver every week without fail. Glad you enjoyed your trip here.

[@ruigwallace1401]

I was intrigued to watch this video having watched the other ones from your trip. There is a complex history as to why our current social and political landscape is what it is across the UK. Each country is fiercely patriotic but when the chips are down we all pull together. As a tourist you get a snapshot. The Welsh, Scottish and Irish, Celtic nations have all at some point rebelled against England. To get the full picture of the whole UK I would suggest a much longer trip. The Highlands of Scotland has some of the most beautiful scenery in the world. Wales is outstanding and Ireland is glorious. England is bigger and diverse. We are all Jock Thomson's bairns. Come back and explore some more.

[@sammillar3561]

😂😂 ohhhh lads! The smoking ‘problem’ is Far less a problem than it was a decade or more ago. I started at 11 years of age and it was so acceptable I was able to smoke openly with family by 13 years old. I’m now 45 and still smoke. It’s different now. Lots and lots of people now have given up. Shops are less happy to sell to underagers than they used to be.

[@Chris-uh7cw]

I've been to America a few times and always found it difficult to find decent food, I think it's the same for most countries, if you're not local, you don't know the best places to eat, unless you go to France, where the food is nearly always great, Italy is not bad either 👌

[@marycarver1542]

On a recent visit in years to France, especially around Paris, I found the food very mundane and unremarkable. The best food was to be found in the small villages we passed through. Paris, unless you can afford Michelin Star prices, has succumbed to the burger, pizza, chips etc etc theme! Very disappointing, I agree though about Italian food !