Is it Something in the Face(s)?

We don't understand it. It must be something in one of our faces. No, that can't be it, because it happens to us both. Must be something in BOTH our faces! It started our very first week in London and it continues to this day. It's an almost expected experience every time we go walking anywhere in London. Don't people know we're still somewhat new here ourselves?

Then why do they, with such amazing regularity, stop us to ask directions? They ask us where specific streets are; where tourist attractions are; where Underground stations are. This started the very first weekend we were free to walk in the West End, explorers ourselves. But even then, when we'd only been in this city for a few days, someone asked us for directions. And, as we said, it hasn't ever stopped. It happens when we're together; and it happens to us individually when we are alone. (Alas, little do any of them know that Kathi is "navigationally impaired" and not a good source for directions.)

We wondered, at first, if we looked like typical Londoners. But after 17 months here we are convinced there is NO ONE here who looks like a typical Londoner. In fact, in this most cosmopolitan of cities, there is NO typical Londoner.

So, it must be something else in our faces. But what???