Monday 8 March 2010

More business travel: stuck on a stinky tube

stuck on a stinky tube
I got another spell of business travel tomorrow - to London again; I'm usually up there every fortnight or so now at industry meetings / various working groups etc. 
Like so many people, I abhor public transport in general but at times, it just can't be avoided.  The tube, though, provides a fascinating insight into the weird and wacky characters out there. And they seem be flock to London in spades.

There's something very comforting about the smell of a tube station - that oily, dry, stale warm air rushing up your nostrils.  It seems to be a smell common to underground train stations across the world in my experience - having been on few in the US and across Europe.  I don't know what it is about this smell, but I'd buy an Ambi-Pur refill of it!  ;-)

The aromas given off by many of the commuters, though, tend to be far less pleasurable to one’s olfactory sense - particularly after a long day at work.  I frequently clothes-peg my nose when travelling after 4.30PM on the tube.... maybe you've seen me?  I cut quite a distinctive figure in the carriage!  :p

Let’s hope tomorrow passes without major mishap.

11 comments:

  1. There's a word for the underground smell in German, you know!

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  2. I can't remember! I've been googling for hours and still nothing. I'll get back to you on that one... ;D

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  3. You don't really wear a nose peg, do you?!

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  4. Is it U-Bahn-Geruch, Andro?

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  5. Oh, and people seem to have written songs and poems about the special German underground smell!

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  6. That sounds about right (according to google.translate)!

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  7. I looked that up on Monday night but it seemed too much of a literal translation.... I thought from what you said, Andro, that there was a discrete quirky word for it!

    And AW, no, don't worry - I don't really resort to the clothes peg. Well, not usually! :p

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  8. Too funny! :) And thanks for leaving a comment on my blog, I appreciate the advice and vote of confidence!

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  9. German is a very literal language!

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  10. Indeed - and very gutteral! :p

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