To follow on from previous communications: have you ever wondered at the fact that when you walk down a road or indeed get the same train every day as others, you may see the same people doing this for literally years? Or even travel in the same carriage as them – day in, day out and yet no greeting or words are exchanged. Yet, if you go for a walk in the country or in the park nearly everyone you pass you says hello or gives out a warm smile. Why is that? Before anyone protests about this being a southern trait or even a London trait, I am fully aware that in different areas of the country there is often more communication, conversation and warmth between strangers.
Anyway, to get to the point and the link with Bales, on a similar trait you can often speak to any number of people when on holiday and perhaps even more particularly, when overseas. Why should this be? Perhaps we are more relaxed, maybe we take a greater interest or could it be there is an urgency to have some kind of dialogue as we want to learn about people and they way that they live during the short time that we are there.
I would guess for many of you, like me, some of your most cherished memories from a holiday are those unexpected exchanges, even without words, where a warm smile or even laughter is shared.
I realise that today Gordon Brown is meeting with Barrack Obama – yes only for a half hour slot, but it again shows the necessity of face to face meetings
I recently heard on Radio 4 Today programme a spokesperson for some research that had been conducted and it stated that with all the ways we communicate through technology, there is a drop off in face to face meetings. They have concluded that it not only affects interpersonal skills, it has a negative effect on health and well being.
Being a people person and wanting to be with people constantly, I can see that if I wasn’t, it would have a negative effect on me. It is just interesting when you do start smiling at people that some may find it awkward or strange and not smile back, but most do smile back and it is infectious.
About Mandy Nickerson
Other articles by Mandy Nickerson
Mandy endeavours to share her travel experiences (where she will 'tell it like it is') and also detail the latest exciting projects that she is involved in.
Mandy welcomes your feedback - please feel free to submit your thoughts, queries, comments and theories below. 
It is fantastic to know that that Bales is still around after all these years, i used to work for Bales tours & travel from 1969-1972, it was my first job at 15, i started as a boy friday graduated as a messenger boy with company scooter [vespa 180] then after 2 years became a travel clerk for most of the time i used to report directly to mr. Bales who used to occupy the very top office in those days the offices used to be in coventry st. directly above playland i think now it is the troccadiro. I certainly had happy memories of those days not leaste when mr. Bales took us all out for our xmas do it started at a local soho restaurant where i had t.bone steak for the first time in my life then on to see the film ben hur. Great days indeed.