Americans in England: 10 Things That SURPRISED Us About the UK

Have you noticed these contrasts between the US and the UK? Or have you experienced your own surprises when traveling? And what are some good footpaths we should check out on a future trip to the UK? Let us know in the comments! Watch our reverse culture shocks video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h9nBhnBQhhc&t Why the UK feels like home: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UCSujGdXfJM&t Americans First Time Driving in the UK: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1f6GH9GIEf0 Our first time in Dorset: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n2KDqgt-fKM 3 days in Cornwall: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zB47qW1g-lw&t Exploring Newcastle: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IBs-rq0EjMk&t

Many footpaths are not just footpaths, they are 'Public Rights of Way'. Which means that no matter where a public right of way meanders across private land, the rights of the walker are paramount, but the walker is expected to be respectful of the property. Many footpaths are hundreds, and even thousands, of years old and provide links between communities.

In a pub, when they ask who's next, you point to the person who arrived 2 seconds before you.

as someone who works in retail in the UK. We are explicitly told in our training to never handle a customer's card directly.

The hot/cold tap thing is because traditionally hot water was taken from a heated water tank in the attic. As this would sit around full of warm water for hours at a time, it wasn't safe to drink. So the hot and cold were entirely separated so you could drink from the cold tap without contamination. As a kid, it was drilled into me that you should never drink from the hot tap as it would make you sick. Nowadays, most hot water is just mains cold water that's run through a heater as and when needed so it's fine, and mixer taps are far more common.

When Madonna lived in the UK her large house had a public footpath running by it and she couldn’t believe that she couldn’t get it rerouted or closed . It was because it was a right of way for so long and couldn’t legally be affected.

An absence of arrogance makes a difference in people's attitude to you, you guys are genuine

I think the reason people in the UK haven’t always been to other parts of the UK so much is the close proximity we have to Europe. If you can afford a holiday, it’s often cheaper to get a package holiday to somewhere warm than it is to stay in UK resorts like Cornwall or Dorset.

A lot of us in the UK seem to like to complain, and it's really nice to hear about people being impressed with our public transport! It's not always the cleanest and best-maintained, but at least it's there.

I think your reception here is a reflection of your behaviour here.

Many land owners would very happily get rid of the paths through their land. But fortunately these paths are ancient before land ownership and are preserved in law, so it's a real treasure in the UK

oh wow! Respect for driving in central London and rural roads on your first visit. That's probably some of the most difficult driving you could do! If you do want to drive more in the UK, you are certainly well prepared for it now :) The parking thing, because everywhere is so old and we don't have much space, parking space is at a premium here.

You are both clearly such lovely people that I am not surprised at all that you were welcomed and well liked. I hope you come and visit again. If all visitors were as delightful as you we would be truly blessed. x

I’m not surprised you had a positive reaction in the UK. You are both incredibly respectful, you are some of the few, if not only, American YouTubers who describe driving in the UK as being on the opposite side of the road instead of the wrong side.

In the UK, bringing the bill/check before you ask for it is seen as INCREDIBLY presumptuous.

Like a lot of things in the UK, the hot and cold taps are the result of having to retrofit old housing stock. So many British houses are a hundred years old or more, and they weren't built originally with hot water, or for washer/dryers etc. Those were bolted on later, and the first iteration of hot water typically used a tank in the attic that meant the water wasn't safe to drink and couldn't pass through the same outlet as potable water. Also, when old British houses had washing machines installed, typically the only place that had the space and the plumbing was the kitchen.

The Pembrokeshire coast path is probably the most stunning you'll ever walk. So varied.

It's not that our roads are too narrow, it's that cars have got way too big. Car parks don't seem to have adjusted their spacings accordingly.

Customer service in the UK is based on the principle that people don't want to be bothered and if they need something they will ask for it. We value our independence and having a waiter or shop assistant come over and constantly ask us if we need anything or need help with something, makes us feel like children who can't cope with adult life. The vast majority of us just want to be left alone to do what we need to do, it's why self-checkouts are popular. And in the UK you NEVER EVER hand your card to anyone else, except maybe the cashier at the bank. It's one of the most basic security measures alongside not writing down your PIN. You never give it to a waiter for them to take away to process the transaction because you don't know what they are doing with it. You need to enter your PIN anyway, unless it's contactless, so you ALWAYS put it in the machine yourself. This lets you inspect the machine for suspicious modifications, confirm the amount is correct, and make sure the transaction only goes through once.

The Kennet and Avon Canal (opened in 1810) towpath walk is a beautiful and historical 80 mile walk from Bristol Docks to The Thames in Reading, Berkshire. River and man made sections, liberally sprinkled with flights of locks and passing through towns, villages and open countryside. Many waterside pubs and brightly decorated narrow boats to watch as well as wild life and historic buildings. Hearing the cuckoo on an early spring morning and seeing drifts of bluebells in the canal side woods was magical.