People, people and more people!

Once you look up the population of Tokyo it should come as no surprise that it is a busy place.  With around 13 million people living in Tokyo (there are only 2.5 million living in Toronto) it is no wonder the city streets, trains and buildings are crowded places.

This crosswalk in Shibuya is the busiest crosswalk in the world!

So how does a city with so many people work so smoothly.  Rules!  There are labels on the ground showing you what side of the pavement to walk on, crosswalk signs that everyone follows, lines that people never try to cut in front of, rules that all citizens follow.  This keeps things running smoothly without jams, pushing or shoving.  Things always stay organized because everyone always stays calm and most importantly they don't rush.

A sea of people floats along this shopping street in the neighbourhood of Harajuku.

Think of your school, what are some rules that keep things running smoothly? (Do you only walk up one side of the stairs?  Do you wait patiently at the water fountain?)

The most important rule to remember when among a large crowd of people.

Magic in a Big City.

London is a pretty big city.  It has a population of around 7.5 million people.  That is 3 times more people than Toronto.  So what are the chances of bumping into two people you just emailed the day before?  That is exactly what happened to me when I bumped into Franda and Steven, a lovely couple who just last year moved from Toronto to London.  You can imagine how weird it was to run into them without having planned it.  I wonder what other magic will happen as my trip continues.