I would also add that it depends where you are. The main cities in former communist countries in Central and Eastern Europe tend to still be quite homogenous. It’s slowly changing as the cities become more and more cosmopolitan. The cities mentioned that I’ve been to (London, Paris, Amsterdam) are a lot more diverse.
Well, for starters they rarely get as fat as some of the people I’ve seen using a scooter in the US, although in Spain we’re doing our very best to reach American sizes: that means less mobility problems just by its lonesome, without even looking at the complications caused by being that size. And yes, if someone needs a knee or hip replacement, they get one. It’s called “UHC”.
Agreed, pulykamell, but I was answering for the ones in the question.
When I worked for a Japanese company and had to do a lot of international travel, there was a box on the expense report form called “Bribes and Ransoms (where local custom dictates)”. I never had to use it myself but I asked the finance lady about it. She said in her experience it was mainly used by people travelling through south east Asia where airport workers would “lose” your luggage or police/military would forget they walked off with your passport.
Now that sounds like an absolute blast. I could see doing that!
I get travel goodies at minimus.biz - they have tiny bog rolls, flake hand soap, all sorts of travel goodies ranging from condiments to beauty products to tiny laundry needs.
I just rummaged my carry on, I have these great lemon towelettes that are cloth, a tiny thing that has soap leaves that came with a coleman lantern, a tiny bog roll, a sewing kit, and a tube of dehydrated compressed towels. Last time we went on a cruise [Royal Caribbean] I also added in some condiments and ‘snacks’ for in the cabin.
Take it easy Charley! You’re blowing your bi-annual allocation of posts all in one thread!
I live in Mexico. I learned early on to check for water before putting on the soap I brought. Sometimes there is no water.
Got me confused there for a second–I don’t remember any hot air balloon rides over the desert. Your quote should be attributed to Broomstick.
Now this is something I’ve learned from this thread. I’ve seen pictures of people rolling round Wal-Mart or wherever in these mobility scooters, but it never occurred to me that the store provided them. I always assumed that the occupants went in them to the store. Here in the UK you do see the occasional old person trundling along the pavement to the shops in a scooter, but most shops aren’t big enough to allow them inside, so they tend to park up outside and then hobble in on foot.
I wasn’t aware that St. Pierre and Miquelon had declared independence.
I’m American, and I didn’t know that either, for what it’s worth. I know I’ve seen a reference to it on South Park (I think), but I can’t remember ever actually seeing it in real life.
I’m going by the Pew Research chart. I don’t even know what the hell St. Pierre and Miquelon are.
It’s a bit of France just off the coast of Newfoundland.
I should also correct the Pew Research survey by mentioning that Wallis and Futuna are not a country, either, and seem to be in the same category as St. Pierre and Miquelon.
Feast or famine, that’s me. I reckon it’s a biorhythm thing.
I would like to see more answers to hogarth’s bribery question (thanks to xizor for providing one interesting observation) as I’ve often wondered how much petty corruption retards a country’s progress – if at all.
If I were subtly asked for a little baksheesh, I suspect I would be completely oblivious to the suggestion. I’m not exactly an Ugly American, more of an Unaware one.
Is there anyone in Vatican City who isn’t Catholic? (Other than a tourist or head of state type visitor)
That must really suck for people who need to use a wheelchair full time. What do that do, sit outside the store and holler out their order, then wait for someone to bring it out to them?
Wheelchairs aren’t typically as big as those motorised scooters are they?
In the U.K. and in the southern U.S. I am constantly asked if I am Canadian. Evidently, I don’t speak 'Merricun.
You just fall into the generic white “foreign” bucket. That just means Canadian in their mind because how else would you get there? Don’t take offense. English, Irish, Australian, New Zealander. It is all the same thing - Canadian. They love you because of that and you could probably get anyone to do anything you wanted just based on that. Southerners are friendly especially to white Canadians like yourself 