Jono, Ben & Megan - The Podcast - BONUS: Ex-Pat Kiwi Kim on Paying Respects To The Queen

Episode Date: September 13, 2022

Kim tells us what's it like to queue for the Queen, to pay respects as she lies in State. We find out what's it like in London right now, how long the wait is (hint: it's over 20 hours), and the rules on bringing Marmalade sandwiches...really interesting, check out the episode.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome to a bonus podcast from Jono and Ben on The Hits. The Queen's coffin has arrived in London just this morning, just arrived now, and there are many people lining up already. They reckon there's going to be like a million people over the next few days prepared to wait hours and hours and hours to pay their respects to the Queen. And we've got an expat on the phone right now. Her name's Kim. How are you? Yeah, good, thanks. How are you? Lovely to have you on. Jeez, what have we got you on?

Are you running through a WhatsApp over there or something? Yeah, yeah, calling through WhatsApp. Cheapest way, isn are you? Yeah, good, thanks. How are you? Lovely to have you on. Geez, what have we got you on? Are you running through a WhatsApp over there or something? Yeah, yeah. Calling through a WhatsApp. Cheapest way, isn't it? Crystal, crystal clear quality. Now, Kim, you are going to wait in line when the Queen arrives in London. Now, bearing in mind we've heard reports of waiting over 10 hours in Edinburgh, Scotland. Yeah, yeah.

Some people call me crazy. So how long do you think it's going to take over there? How long are you going to be prepared to wait in line for? Well, from what we've heard, the minimum wait time is going to be about 8 hours with the maximum up to 27 to 30 hours. That is a huge window. That is a huge window.

Too big. 8 to 27 hours. So you're willing to wait over 24 hours to see essentially a wooden box. So over're willing to wait over 24 hours to see essentially a wooden box. So over there in the UK, have people started lining up already? Do you know if there are crowds forming to pay their respects? Yeah, definitely. As far as we've heard, people started queuing from yesterday afternoon.

The Queen obviously arrives there at 5 p.m. tomorrow, so English time. So yeah, there's been people queuing since yesterday afternoon through the rain all day today and I guess they're going to wait all day tomorrow as well so they've been already 24 hours or so waiting in line and I understand it's like if a queen or a royal

was coming along to kiss some babies do some waving, get some flowers shake some hands and stuff but there's no not much action. Like Ben was saying before Seven, it was kind of like you wait for a ride at Disneyland. Yeah, but I guess, yeah, I know what you're saying. There's a payoff. But you're paying your respects, which obviously is a bit more than,

it means a lot more than riding a roller coaster in a theme park. You know, the years of service, 70 years, if you're a Royal fan, I mean, this is paying your respects. This is a small thing to do if you're a Royal fan to what she has done, I guess, in their minds. So what will you bring along? Can you bring along flowers or something there, Kim? No, they're actually being really strict on it

when you actually go in. So I think you can't even take a bag or food. I think you're allowed to take like a really small handbag. Everything else is like airport security checked. You're constantly moving, not allowed to take seats or sleeping bags or anything. So you've got to stand in that queue that entire time. Jeez. And then walk on through.

With no food. I think you're allowed to take food for the queue. Oh, you got it. But you don't give it all up at the door. Yeah, right. Well, I suppose they do have to have strict protocols. It's not like they'd be selling hot dogs and stuff. Yeah, exactly. What is it like over there? I'm wondering how many bathrooms are going to be there. Well, that's protocols. It's not like they'd be selling hot dogs and stuff. Yeah, exactly.

What is it like over there? I'm wondering how many bathrooms are going to be there. It's busy already. What's it like over there? Are there people lining the streets everywhere? There are queens. We see on the news thousands of people, flowers everywhere, pictures of the queen.

It must be just a surreal time to be in the UK. It really is. You can definitely feel it. There's so many more people in the city in the UK. It really is. You can definitely feel it. There's so many more people in the city at the moment. There's queues all the way down Pall Mall and Buckingham Palace. They've had to put an official warning out to not take marmalade sandwiches

down because it'll set the wildlife off. I think a few people were dropping them off for her. She loves marmalade sandwiches. The Paddington Beth. It'd be a nightmare for ants as well. Bring them all in. Yeah. Well, that's amazing. Can I just say

you have the most wonderfully quaint British accent, Kim? Oh, yeah. Well, I got stuck in the country over quarantine, didn't I? No. Yeah, I've been here about eight years now, so it's rubbed off on me a little bit. Oh, amen. I went over there. How long were you over there for? Been about four days. So I came back with a, G'day Governor, how are ya?

Oh, I was pretty close, that. Oh, that's incredible. Well, good on you for paying your respects to the Queen, and they reckon over a million people will be walking through. Yeah, I think it'll be at least that. I think, you know, it's one of those things that it's the first time it's ever happened for our generation,

so quite a few people want to be a part of that experience, I guess. Well, we'll keep in touch with you, Kim, when you're in the line. Yeah, absolutely. I'll check in. Yeah, we'll do hourly updates. You're still there if you move. I'm worried about your cell phone battery too.

That's got to run out pretty quickly. Don't you worry. I'll have a couple of portable charges with me. Oh, good. Yeah, good on you. She's got it sorted. All right, Kim, well, you keep safe and good luck getting into that line. We'll be in touch in a day or two.

Thanks so much, Sean and Ben. Take care. You've been listening to a podcast from The Hits. For more audio, search up Megan Puppis on the 3 p.m. pickup or Brad and Laura on The Hits. Available now on the iHeartRadio app.