People Watching

This is our absolute favourite people watching game because we aresurprised that we still see so much of it.

It is very simple, you need two players or more and you can decide to allocate a time limit if you wish.

Then whenever you see people either in real life , magazines or on TV and no matter what age or sex wearing the same thing the first to say TAMBIEN! scores the point(s).

Double points if it is more than one member of the family
Five point bonus if it someone famous!!
Five point bonus if it is matching pet outfit (with another pet or even the owner)

Why say tambien and not SNAP? Well experience has shown that players usually shout SNAP outloud. Not only can it be heard but it can also be easily understood and may offend the wearer.

Please correct me if I’m wrong but Tambien means ‘too” or “also” in Spanish so works just as well and is less likely to be understood unless you are in Spain at the time of course.

PS.  I have republished this as the link did not work the first time

A trip to the pub is something that we all do; maybe some more than others.

Next time try something different and sit either at the bar or as near as possible to the staff.  You will be amazed by what you see and hear and what actually goes on around you.

Before you go in, have a look around the car park and then try to match the people inside with their cars.

If you get more than one in four right then you are doing really well.

When we can, we use our local small town airport to go abroad. It has been upgrading itself over recent years from little more than a shed to the beginnings of one of the usual glass and chrome clones.

On our last journey from there I was pleased to hear that in some respects it is managing to retain its local quirkiness.

I was letting the early morning departure lounge noise wash over me sat listening to the usual announcements – “this is the last call for Ryanair flight to Reus, would all remaining passengers report immediately to gate 2 - failure to do this will result in your removal from the flight.”

The normal sort of stuff. Then I heard this. Word for word….

“Good morning, the Palmair flight to Tenerife will be boarding shortly. We board by row number and I have written your row number on the top left of your boarding card. Now, would rows 10 to 16 mind awfully coming forward with your passports ready. I would like to welcome you on board and wish you a very happy holiday.”

I was amazed to see the calm and gentle air with which all passengers then boarded when instructed by their allocated row number. No pushing no rushing or shoving. Brilliant!

Such a sharp contrast to the stampeed, which is so often invoked by those airlines that do not allocate seat numbers.

There is no getting away from the fact that in England there are queues. The upside is they are great for people watching. How people react all depends on their attitude (and probably where else they think they should be) when they join the queue.

Sometimes, I can join a queue and just accept that it will take time and enjoy the people and things around me. Sometimes, (more often than I would like) I just do my nut. I must be great people watching material.

I’ve done it all, tapped my foot, huffed and puffed, looked at my watch. I have even asked people if they need help or can get help etc. It doesn’t work though, it just makes me more cross, more stressed and probably even funnier to watch. I did once ceremoniously dump my basket of shopping on the checkout and walk off. The thing is it made me feel OK for about 3 seconds but then I realised I was the idiot with no food for tea and that I would have to do it all over a again – duh.

So no matter what queue you are in – check in desk, supermarket or post office. Enjoy those extra 5 minutes to yourself and have look around.

You might see me joining the slowest queue!

It was a random Sunday morning and we were waiting for a small car ferry to make a harbour crossing. It was a bit cold and very windy blowing up off the sea and there was this post which I suppose used to have some kind of road sign on it once but now it was just a grey post.

Not really odd in itself, and probably something I would not even have given a second look to, but on this windy day it was vibrating like mad in the wind and it looked and sounded so completely weird that it instantly made me giggle and I just had to stop to watch it.

I looked round to see if anyone else had noticed but most were just head down in the jacket and scuttling past.  Both my wife and our 6yr old son giggled and then others started to look as well. It was fascinating to see what people did.

Many didn’t see it.
I stopped, giggled and watched.
A bloke walked right up for a close inspection, walked all the way round it, shook his head and walked off. It obviously bothered him in some way but there was no way he was going to attempt to stop it or touch it.

Two kids, ran straight over giggling and gave it a big hug. It vibrated straight through them as they hugged and danced round it making them laugh even louder; it was great to watch and hear.

Its great to take time to look around you and amazing what might make you laugh. If you are as brave as a child, then hug a post today!

It's harmless, great fun and just about everybody does it.  It's time to share my family's own experiences and to hear from others.    Where are the best places for people watching?  What do you see and what games do you play?

We are lucky eneough to live pretty close to the coast and if our seven year old son would let us I'm sure my wife and I would sit for hours watching the world go by.

Did you see that hat she was wearing? Who do you think told her she looks good in that? ... and in the middle of summer as well !!!!!

Please join in and share your own people watching experiences