Cultural Differences, as observed by the Aussies

[longbich]

So up to multicultural Darwin in August for a couple of weeks. Then to the Philippines.
From Sydney to Darwin is only $109. This is extraordinary value, less than 1/2 price. Darwin is so much fun. And so warm. I'll be leaving 17C for 32C. Shame about the No Swimming . Shame about the saltwater crocodiles being so much a part of the environment.

To Manila. $99 there and an amazing $38.50 to return! Why wouldn't you?
There have been plenty of warnings. Some folks just say get out of there. I know that it'll be hot and wet. Maybe get out of there will mean island hopping but I'd rather delve into some local stuff. I will be in the Intramuros, old part of the city, for 3 days.
Our city, Sydney's, red light district, Kings Bloody Cross would seem to be going through one of its cycles of rage, murder and mayhem. Booze and young males o boy! Good training for Manila or will Manila be tame in comparison?
There will be Cultural Differences to report.

[longbich]

So up to multicultural Darwin in August for a couple of weeks. Then to the Philippines.
From Sydney to Darwin is only $109. This is extraordinary value, less than 1/2 price. Darwin is so much fun. And so warm. I'll be leaving 17C for 32C. Shame about the No Swimming . Shame about the saltwater crocodiles being so much a part of the environment.

To Manila. $99 there and an amazing $38.50 to return! Why wouldn't you?
There have been plenty of warnings. Some folks just say get out of there. I know that it'll be hot and wet. Maybe get out of there will mean island hopping but I'd rather delve into some local stuff. I will be in the Intramuros, old part of the city, for 3 days.
Our city, Sydney's, red light district, Kings Bloody Cross would seem to be going through one of its cycles of rage, murder and mayhem. Booze and young males o boy! Good training for Manila or will Manila be tame in comparison?
There will be Cultural Differences to report.

Might have to cancel the Manila part of the next trip. Looks a tad wet over there.
Maybe just go to Borocay for the whole time so there is no necessity for wading chest deep through downtown Manila streets. In Borocay the typhoon hasn't done so much damage. The snorkeling may not be as crystal clear though.

[uriel]

Good luck. I can't stand humidity.

[longbich]

Good luck. I can't stand humidity.

Appears that it has gone beyond humidity when water on the street is up around your neck. Might have to pull the pin on the Philippines and stay in a drier Darwin instead.
Will give it over the weekend before deciding on going to Borocay or staying in OZ. Have already decided against any time, apart from airport time, in Manila.

[samhouston]

Good luck. I can't stand humidity.

Appears that it has gone beyond humidity when water on the street is up around your neck. Might have to pull the pin on the Philippines and stay in a drier Darwin instead.
Will give it over the weekend before deciding on going to Borocay or staying in OZ. Have already decided against any time, apart from airport time, in Manila.

Darwin , You don't want to go there !!!! Worst than Flordia! Uriel I'll pick you up in my space ship....

Where do you want to go? Sammy

[uriel]

Saturn, of course. It's gotta have some fabulous views.

[longbich]

The Philippines were excellent. Manila was underwater but Borocay was beautiful.
A haircut cost me a buck.
The departure terminal was disgusting. Worst one ever.

[samhouston]

Saturn, of course. It's gotta have some fabulous views.

Nop , can't go there!!!! Sam

[longbich]

The Philippines were excellent. Manila was underwater but Borocay was beautiful.
A haircut cost me a buck.
The departure terminal was disgusting. Worst one ever.

There were lots of Koreans, Japanese, Chinese and Filipinos holidaying there.
Yes Filipinos having a holiday in their own country.
Not many Westerners. Only bumped into half a dozen the whole time there.
Although there were two typhoons at the time there were crowds of folks attempting to enjoy themselves.
The sun came out and everyone was happier.
It must be chaos in the actual high season for tourists.

No-one seems to go to Saturn anymore.


Uriel began this thread NOT longbich.

[longbich]

Was it ever mentioned about cutlery use?
Canadians and Americans use their forks more. They might cut up their food with a knife and fork but then they put down the knife and use their fork in their right hand (if right handed?) to eat with.
Aussies and Kiwis use their left hand with the fork to continue eating with. They do not discard the knife and switch hands to use the fork.

[uriel]

True. Europeans find our switching hands to eat amusingly inefficient, but I think the obesity stats prove that it gets the job done.

[ringotuna]

True. Europeans find our switching hands to eat amusingly inefficient, but I think the obesity stats prove that it gets the job done.

[longbich]

I am going to spend a week in the Outback. I have been before but not to Broken Hill, Lake Menindee or White Cliffs.
It will be strange trying to find some cultural differences in your own country. Darwin is a cultural smorgasbord but out there..........way out there is The Outback and the folks who live there are often deemed to be very different to the rest of us huddled in cities or clustered along the coastal fringes of Downunder.

Broken Hill is a mining town. Used to be the biggest silver, lead and zinc deposits in the world.
Lake Menindee holds 4 times the amount of water than Sydney Harbour.
The opal seekers in the town of White Cliffs live underground due to the heat.

I'm going from Sydney to Broken Hill on the train. I really like train travel but then where I live I do not have to rely on trains for daily commuting.

[longbich]

There must've been a serious outbreak of filthy language, obscenity and abusiveness just before I arrived in The Outback. There were signs everywhere. In pubs, galleries, clubs, museums, cafes...everywhere. "Insolent, Aggressive or Offensive Language Will Not be Tolerated"
It worked. I didn't hear one word that was offensive.
It was hard even to hear one word.
It's pretty *darn* quiet in The Outback or at least in Broken Hill.


*sorry* for the Offensive Language.

[longbich]

Okay I'm abandoning home on the south east coast of OZ for the duration of the silly season & beyond.
Darwin for Christmas. What could be more opposite than having Christmas in the hottest, humid-est, oddest place Downunder.
Then Singapore over New Years. Fun, food, cultural stuff.
Finally another blast in Vietnam. Starting north in Hanoi, Halong Bay for a sail in amongst the weird islands, train to Hue, motorbike to Hoi An, fly to Ho Chi Minh from Da Nang, float to a village in the Mekong Delta.
Home to OZ for Australia Day in the Big Smoke. Watch the Bridge lit up and he fireworks first hand.

[longbich]

Deleted! No more than 3 consecutive Posts, please!

[longbich]

Deleted! No more than 3 consecutive Posts, please!

[ringotuna]

bump for longbich

[longbich]

bump for longbich

Thanks ringotuna.
I think I said something here about Vietnam.
Eating ON the road in Hanoi, Hue, HoiAn & HoChiMinh because there's no room on the sidewalk(footpath) because the motorbikes are taking up all the room.
Lots of great food. Healthy, fresh and cooked right there in front of you while you sat on your kindergarten sized chair at the plastic table the same height as your knees.
Lots of hiding your eyes behind hands during taxi rides from airports or over the high pass between Hue & Danang.
Wow it's always a surprise in Vietnam.
The "fresh" beer went up from 15c to 20c since I was there last. tsk tsk.

[longbich]

Well, we seem to have a pretty well-travelled bunch here, so I was wondering if any of you would like to share the little national eccentricities that you've encountered here and there?

I know one thing that has caused me endless amusement (or embarassment, or frustration) in my travels is the seemingly mundane task of visiting the bathroom/restroom/powder room/loo/oh, let's just call it the crapper.  Just when you think you've mastered the simple art of flushing, you take a tour of Europe and find yourself spending five minutes every time you have to go acquainting yourself with some new mechanism you've never seen before ... and couldn't even locate for a moment or two!

And I still wish I'd had a camera when I met the French toilet seat that rotated and disinfected itself for you ....

And of course, any and all of these problems were preferable to using Japanese facilities, where you get to squat over a hole in the floor, and you hope you remembered to bring your own toilet paper, 'cause it isn't provided ....

Electricity is another pitfall.  I won't even go into the 220/110 issue or the various configurations of plug prongs out there, but I remember it taking me at least two nights to figure out how to turn on the bathroom light when I visited my dad in England!  Light fixture, check.  Light bulb in it, check.  Switch ... uh, well, not inside the door, not outside the door, not next to the mirror, not under or on the fixture itself ... WTF?  And what exactly is the purpose of this rope hanging next to the toilet like some antiquated bell-pull ... oh.  So that turns on the light.

And then there are languages.  I spoke German as my first language, took a couple of years of Spanish in high school, a year of French, and a semester of Chinese, and managed to worm my way out of taking anything in college, which means that now I'm basically not qualified to speak anything but English.  But my mother spent 10 years in Germany and was quite fluent in German ... and still managed to find out the hard way that a simple statement regarding ambient temperature can have unexpected sexual connotations!

Any of you all run into anything similar that you found interesting enough to mention?

Yep Uriel started a great thread. It has slowed down but looking back every now & then there have been some terrific stories and experiences along the way.
One of the main things I've noticed is that once you have got yourself through the front door, past the Immigration, Customs, Officials and bureaucracy then the real people in every country are friendly and helpful. Oh and past the taxi drivers too.
It's only the occasional few who are trying to exploit the gullibility of the new tourist/traveller.
The bulk of people all over the world are hospitable & very happy to show you their local stomping ground.