Some things to love about the UK

#1: They take public transport seriously over here

Though it isn't fun when you have service outages or have to share a journey with nutters or drunk a-holes, it's very easy to get all over the place quite efficiently using public transport, which is great for us backpackers. One thing that surprised us was the extent of bus services on Skye in Scotland - buses frequently run in the middle of nowhere on one-lane roads, though this can obviously be a bit of an issue when your tour bus meets one!

#2: Vegetarians are treated like actual humans

Though we're not fully vegetarian anymore, it's been refreshing to find this diet well catered for, even in traditional pubs where you wouldn't expect it. There are usually several vege options on menus (rather than one in NZ - usually pasta), all vege dishes are clearly marked and even traditional food such as haggis and bangers and mash is available in vege versions. (though this might seem crazy to the connoisseur). The only problem with comprehensive labeling is that it gets over used - did you know that water is vegetarian?

#3: Long grass

OK, it might seem strange to get excited about grass but I like the way that lots of the urban parks are left quite natural with long-grass and areas left to run wild. In NZ, there seems to be a obsession with perfectly manicured grass and an emphasis on creating gardens in urban parks rather than creating a bit of the country in the city. It's great seeing wildlife such as squirrels in the middle of Hyde park.