How not to start a friendship

My error was born upon an attempt to instigate conversation with a person I had just met who said they were interested in visiting New Zealand. "Oh, do you like tramping?" I asked, thinking she might like to see the photos Kristy and I took when we walked the Kepler Track (which is probably going to be one of those things we only do once and yet go on and on about like a hamster on a wheel every time the family comes to visit).

Her mouth dropped open. She seemed shocked and echoed my question back at me. My move.

"Uh, tramping. Do you like ... tramping?"

There was an uncomfortable pause as she processed this and I wondered what the problem was. "You mean, like prostitution?"

Now it was my turn to be shocked. I tried without success to elucidate the connection. "Prostitution?" I echoed back (has anybody else tried to start a friendship this way?).

"Yeah, like a tramp."

"Oh."

So, apparently the acceptable terms here are trekking, hiking, or backpacking. Absolutely not tramping. It is not advisable to say "I hear the Queen likes tramping," or, "would you be interested in some tramping," or, "everybody in the office is going tramping this weekend." And I thought coming to England would spell the end of these kinds of misunderstandings.

Ian