Sound of the Underground

The London Underground is positively archaic when compared to Shanghais modern metro system. However， it is notable that the first London underground railway was opened in 1863， 130 years before Shanghais first line opened in 1993. Perhaps， then， it is due to its younger age that Shanghais metro is quite literally a breath of fresh air in comparison. Unlike the London Underground， searing， stagnant， air does not saturate the metro stations in this city. The stations in Shanghai are also distinctly cleaner – I am yet to see any scurrying rodents， an archetypal feature of the tube stations in London.

I made the most wonderful dis- covery when I first hopped on a train at line 6 - perhaps the ancient Chinese belief that 6 is a lucky number is more than a superstition. Whoever was involved in building the metro stations whole-heartedly believed in air conditioning！ Feeling a world away from the furnace-like tubes in my home city， I was able to comfortably breath a sigh of relief.

However， my initial spell of comfort was shattered on my homeward bound journey after work. Both metro systems possess the ability to induce a serious state of panic during rush hour， but Shanghai undoubtedly wins the crown. Although the English might be mocked for their penchant of queuing， I found myself yearning for some sort of order. Generally in London， the unspoken rule is that people inside the tube must get off before those on the platform board. This concept does not exist in Shanghai. A tidal wave of backpacks， laptop cases and sharp elbows surge forward with monumental force and apparently this is absolutely acceptable. No muttered curses or icy stares， this is merely a cultural norm. The same rules （or lack of them）， also apply to the escalators in Shanghais metro stations during the rush hour period. A system to allow a swifter commute has not been implemented. Even in the wake of a life and death situation， you will not be able to squeeze past the person standing in front of you. Here， the escalators pose the opportunity for a rest， albeit a short-lived one. In London， the stand to the right and walk to the left system is a godsend when youre running horribly late – a daily occurrence for me. However， I am yet to carry out any serious cardio（exclusively on the left-hand side） up the escalators in Shanghai. Sprinting up the steps as though youre competing for the Olympic gold is a sight that can only be witnessed in London.endprint

I am a serial offender of people watching on the tube. I cannot resist the temptation of subtly averting my eyes away from the novel I feign interest in， to observe the passengers sitting opposite me. However， being a foreigner in the city of Shanghai， I have experienced being at the other end of this not-so-subtle stick. Rush hour on the underground is decidedly unpleasant – the unwanted physical contact with strangers， being so close to some- ones face that their breath has the ability to fog up your glasses. Being in close proximity of people who you do not know， skyrockets to the most awkward experience imaginable when eye contact is not broken （although admittedly， it is vaguely amusing）. No matter how out of the ordinary you might perceive someones appearance or behaviour to be， a rigid rule must be adhered to on the London tubes. One must never noticeably look at or interact with another human being. Even if a highly intoxicated individual decides to take an unsolicited nap on your lap （a sight I have witnessed twice on the Northern line）， chapter five of your novel is far too captivating for you to care or even warrant a glance at the offending body. It is as though eye contact could legitimately result in arrest. This is not the case in Shanghai， where genuine intrigue presides over self-restraint （something that would be deemed imperative in London）. I experienced a full five minutes of a passenger staring directly into my eyes whilst standing about 2 millimeters away from me. After a few attempts of staring down at the floor with the hope that once I raised my head the individual would have tired of this incessant eye contact， I made the decision to embrace it. After all， the majority of us secretly relish feeling like a celebrity， even if only for a few moments on a claustrophobic subway train in Shanghai！

One factor that both metro systems share is a lack of sociability. If you arent reading or your headset isnt firmly lodged in your ear， you are probably tampering with your smart phone. Generally， signal can be reached on the trains in Shanghai， but it is inaccessible on London tubes. Therefore， it is perplexing as to why people insist on pretending to send a text or access social media when it is clearly an impossibility. Only once has a stranger on the tube ever verbally addressed me –previously， there was an unfortunate time when I had the overwhelming desire to take a power nap. Regrettably， I dozed off in a priority seat， which was perfectly acceptable when I first boarded the tube， as the carriage was virtually empty. This was not the case after a few stops. Abruptly， I was woken by a woman screeching directly in my face （which I imagine bore an extremely bewildered expression）. Friendly conversation is not on the menu. I firmly believe that the ‘smartphone generation is epitomised by passengers who travel via a metro system – whether that be London or Shanghais. The social environment inside the train carriages is an effortless depiction of this recently coined term.endprint