I didn't mean to upset you! Sorry! I find that people will pass on negative experiences far more readily than positive ones.
Re Tube: Having lived in and visited London numerous times (and other European cities) I still work out where I intend to go BEFORE I even enter a Tube Station (or railway, or bus etc.) - always carry street maps, and tube maps with me (you can even download one from the Internet) - they are also inside the carriages, plain for all to see. I guess, employing people like this woman, could (?) be part of a pro-active employment policy. She will learn, eventually!
I have had some unsatisfactory experiences with sales staff in many countries, including Australia - inattention and ignorance being the outstanding winners.
The suburb I live in now is a shining example of the opposite. People know each other and are kind and helpful to each other, no matter what they look like or what accents they have.
"Failure of multiculturalism" - does not concern me greatly. The word is just a buzzword, people work things out in the microcosm of their lives.
External stressors like climate change, lack of jobs, too many mouths to feed etc. are what will change the face of any country. I just hope we can get on top of those more urgent problems.
