Charging for a bag is to encourage you to bring your own reusable bags. This has happened across the western world as an environmental measure. It reduces wasteful use of disposable bags.

Thanking bus drivers is a thing in quite a few western countries.

English people love Indian food so I’m not sure you can say they universally don’t like spice.

16 years old kissing and also doing “other stuff” is not really that acceptable on a public bus.