Surprises when traveling (routes, route, resort, old)
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I was surprised Africa changed so little in 40 years (1976-2016). A lot more motorized traffic, but still not enough to congest traffic. Phones now, but few can afford more than emergency calling plans. Power outages daily. and little night lighting. Women still in conservative dress, men long pants, rare to see bare feet
1. Pepsi rules. Coca-Cola is rare in restaurants.
2. two button (mounted on the wall) flush toilets. one for #1 and the other for #2.
3. no cash payments anywhere. card/phone exclusively. we did use Krona for maid tips.
Vancouver was the ONLY city where our rental car was burglarized.
Related things I noticed in Europe:
Water that you get in restaurants by default is carbonated. I had to specifically ask for "egy csésze víz, gáz-mentes" (one cup of water without gas). I'd heard about ice in drinks being uncommon but not this.
I saw 0 bidets the whole time (but plenty of those two-button toilets, and the placement of the buttons was interestingly varied). Maybe they're only a thing in people's houses?
None of the shops in the Vienna Christmas market accepted cards, but most of the ones in the Christmas markets in Hungary and the Czech Republic did. Would have thought if anything Austria would be the most modern.
Location: We_tside PNW (Columbia Gorge) / CO / SA TX / Thailand
34,687 posts, read 57,985,728 times
Reputation: 46166
Quote:
Originally Posted by TheTimidBlueBars
Related things I noticed in Europe:
...
None of the shops in the Vienna Christmas market accepted cards, but most of the ones in the Christmas markets in Hungary and the Czech Republic did. Would have thought if anything Austria would be the most modern.
Probably seasonal sellers prefer cash. While most have 'tap-to-pay', in my current EU location, the vendors much prefer cash with no receipt.
Likely onerous oversight on finances with reported transactions. I get it. Every transaction I do in my state (as a business owner) has to be reported by county and municipality and zip code to allocate appropriate tax due. EU is known for very burdensome reporting.
Vancouver's homeless are mostly in an area between two tourist areas. Gastown and Chinatown.
The actual number of homeless hovers around 3,000 in the city overall.
Although this is an issue, it is not as big an issue as in some other cities where the homeless are more hidden and tourists are oblivious to them.
I think it was near Gastown. We were being driven to our hotel and the driver had to keep diverting because of a marathon or similar.
Canada tends to have a reputation here of being very safe, but my daughter had clothes and her passport stolen in Vancouver.
I was surprised Africa changed so little in 40 years (1976-2016). A lot more motorized traffic, but still not enough to congest traffic. Phones now, but few can afford more than emergency calling plans. Power outages daily. and little night lighting. Women still in conservative dress, men long pants, rare to see bare feet
We just got back from two weeks in South Africa and our previous visit was to there and to Zimbabwe in 1998.
We were very saddened and a bit surprised about how so little has changed; if anything the situation has gone backwards. At least in 1998 they had power, whereas now “load shedding” is up to level causing the power to be out for up to eight hours a day. Predicted to become much worse as winter progresses.
I've been traveling around Europe for almost a month now.. I've enjoyed my time and have seen great things.. but the one thing that annoys me is the lack of public restrooms or having to pay for them. It's 2 euros to use the public restroom in Paris and they're not even that clean or nice..
I'm also quite surprised how most French people seem to be nice and pleasant. I've always heard rumors that they were rude.. Paris is quite pretty, but there is a lot of garbage and graffiti, which surprises me.
I think it was near Gastown. We were being driven to our hotel and the driver had to keep diverting because of a marathon or similar.
Canada tends to have a reputation here of being very safe, but my daughter had clothes and her passport stolen in Vancouver.
Canada is extremely safe compared to most countries, but tourists are more vulnerable than the local population in any country.
I've seen things stolen off tourists, plus the many scams tried on tourists in several other countries. Things that usually don't happen to locals since they know the lay of the land.
Bus in transit from airport in Quintana Roo. Highway workers taking their afternoon siesta in the ditch and (newcomer?) tourist behind me exclaims, "Oh look. They're all sleeping on the job."
I thought, "Just go have lunch, lady, and see how much you need a nap before going to work in the heat."
A ferry captain in WA state giving us driving directions. "Don't take that route. The road's so bad you can't fly over it and the drop-off's so deep you'll starve before you hit bottom."
Feast of the Seven Fishes on Christmas Eve with other strangers at the home of a young Italian couple in the jungle of Yucatan. The air was lit up with fireflies and an electric snowman was on the balcony.
And no matter where I visit eventually a kitty comes to say, "Hi."
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
