Going Tubing

Being a Louisiana gal where most people enjoy recreational watersports, I’m used to tubes referring to giant inflatable thingamajigs pulled behind boats. In London, however, tubes are what they call subway trains. And the London underground tubes are an incredible thing to see. They have such an extensive tube system underground. They will sometimes go three or four stories underground.

There must be at least a dozen different tube lines and a hundred stops all around London. Plus these underground tube stops are really cool places to see. Each one is slightly different. Some have the classic porcelain subway tile that almost makes you feel like you’re in a giant toilet, while other have beautiful art-deco style tiling or intricate engravings on the walls.

The tubes are one of the most popularly used modes of transportation in London. Hundreds upon hundreds of thousands of people go through the tubes each day. According to an underground video advertisement shown in the stations, 800,000 people ride the tubes at 8AM alone. And evening rush hours on the tubes are even crazier. I’m talking like Rockefeller Center on Christmas crazy. People stand shoulder to shoulder pushing through the crowds to try to navigate through the stations to catch a crowded tube where people are crammed in tighter than clowns in a Volkswagon.

The tubes are so convenient though. You can get to any major tourist attraction in London by tube. The tubes are a little confusing to learn to navigate at first because there are so many different train lines and tube stops, but after a day or two of traveling with a handy tube guide, you get the hang of things pretty quickly.

So whether you’re a Louisiana boat enthusiast or a London tourist looking for the quickest way from Buckingham Palace to Harrods, tubing is a fun way to get around.

Til next time,
Cheers y’all.