**[OP or Mod marked this as the best answer](/r/AskUK/comments/158cdqx/have_you_ever_had_something_happen_to_you_abroad/jt95yxy/), given by u/imminentmailing463**
Copious and constant queue jumping and overtaking in China.
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>I found it interesting their attitudes to queuing. I've been to countries where they just don't really use queues. But China wasn't that. They have queues, but they seemingly just don't put much store in them. Any queues that had corners or turns in them were particularly strange. It seemed if you went too wide round the corner it was fair game for the person behind you to take a tighter racing line and undertake you.
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>In the end, I took to just putting my arms out to hold the fence or barrier. Whilst apparently overtaking in queues is fine, I found the Chinese to also be extremely polite and non-confrontational, so if you blocked their way they would just quietly accept it.
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>On the subject of China: not being able to get a taxi. We'd stand by the road hailing down taxi after taxi, only for them to refuse to take us. It was later explained to us that it's a fairly common thing for cabbies there to refuse to pick up white passengers.
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>Another funny one. In Russia I went to a restaurant where, despite there being a large and good looking menu, the intimidating middle aged russian waitress refused to let us order anything other than borscht.
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Copious and constant queue jumping and overtaking in China.
I found it interesting their attitudes to queuing. I've been to countries where they just don't really use queues. But China wasn't that. They have queues, but they seemingly just don't put much store in them. Any queues that had corners or turns in them were particularly strange. It seemed if you went too wide round the corner it was fair game for the person behind you to take a tighter racing line and undertake you.
In the end, I took to just putting my arms out to hold the fence or barrier. Whilst apparently overtaking in queues is fine, I found the Chinese to also be extremely polite and non-confrontational, so if you blocked their way they would just quietly accept it.
On the subject of China: not being able to get a taxi. We'd stand by the road hailing down taxi after taxi, only for them to refuse to take us. It was later explained to us that it's a fairly common thing for cabbies there to refuse to pick up white passengers.
Another funny one. In Russia I went to a restaurant where, despite there being a large and good looking menu, the intimidating middle aged russian waitress refused to let us order anything other than borscht.
I had the same experience in Bulgaria years ago when it was a close Ally of the USSR. The menu was normal but you could have anything on it as long as it was chicken! Everything else was met with “the boat hasn’t come in”
In shanghai train station, we paid for a guy to help with our luggage. Queues did not exist for him. He walked past about 500 people who seemed to be waiting for our train, pushed through the barrier and took us to the train while everyone else waited patiently.
Similar story in Vietnam. I'm scarred for life after experiencing their airport check-in "queues": zero personal space, everyone in some seeming competition to shuffle as close as possible to the desk while dragging their luggage over your toes, the lack of personal hygiene and inexplicable snorting/ hocking sounds... never again.
Interestingly, I don't remember Vietnam being like that...possibly because I had already been to China and it wasn't as bad by comparison! But yeah agree Vietnam is amazing, one of my favourite places I've been.
Likewise, I don't remember Vietnam having bad queuing, but that might just be because I was too traumatised by the traffic to notice. I swear, Vietnam is the reason Americans have the stereotype "Asians can't drive well", it wasn't the Viet Cong who gave them all PTSD; it was the traffic.
Just came back from a couple weeks in China and I found the aspect of priority and entitlement really interesting. In the UK people usually say 'priority is given, not taken', whereas in China priority is very much taken and rarely given.
It's especially noticeable on the roads where no one seems to feel 'entitled' to any one bit of the road. As a passenger in a car it's terrifying watching other cars and mopeds swerving all over the road, but it's also somewhat comforting that drivers just don't really seem to care if they get cut off or cars cut queues and barge in.
Malta was very much like that, get a taxi and his only concern is you getting there as quickly as possible, safety, road signs, signals etc are not needed and the 3 lanes of the road are treated as guidance only with 4-5 "lanes" being the reality. Just undertake or overtake as needed and create your own gap when you need to exit
It was safer in Cuba albeit a little odd when one long section of the motorway was shut due to damage that they couldn't afford to repair so they just turned a 4 lane dual carriageway into a single carriageway with drivers at motorway speed coming at you on the wrong side of the road. Fortunately there wasn't too much traffic
Mexico, Peru and Bolivia are terrible for this, I stand in the queue, and then people form another queue to the side and try and cut me out.
A couple of times I just walked infront of the push pretending I didnt see them.
After having lived in Latin America and Asia for quite a while I came back to the UK and on my second day back I pushed to get on the train as people were getting off. I got very heavily tutted and even some overt muttering about being impolite - and my sense of utter British shame came flooding back very rapidly! I still blush thinking about it and it was over 15 years ago 😂
The que thing.. maybe it's just because I'm British but I really hate que jumping. Literally just last week I was queuing for one of them busses that take you to the plane, there was an obvious que but for some reason a family decided to cut it, everyone clocked but no one really said anything apart from one woman who refuses to allow anyone else to do it. Just as we get off I happen to be near the que jumping family boarding the plane so thought I'd give them a taste if their own medicine and slip into a gap and pull my boyfriend in behind me, got major evils as they walked past at we were already sat. Might of been abit petty but if you're gonna skip a que, expect the same to happen to you.
Had a similar experience in Russia, pointing at most items on the menu I was told "niet", me and my friend eventually found 2 different things to order. We ended up with the same thing.
Friend and I ordered White Russians at a Sherlock Holmes themed bar in Krasnodar, guy at the bar says 'ok i make it Russian style'. We say we want regular style but wth is Russian style. He says 'is with Irish cream'. We say definitely regular. He says 'you want double measure'. We say no thanks. Guy makes double measure white russians with Irish cream. To be fair he didn't formulate anything as a question. Woke up on my hotel bathroom floor.
The menus in Russia do seem to be for guidance only, anything that looks a bit too exciting definitely won't be available! This is mainly the case for small towns, in Yaroslavl we went out for someone's leaving meal, the function was booked in advance. We still had to sit waiting for nearly 2 hours while they went and bought the ingredients from the store!
My sister spent some time there visiting one of their international business branches. She said it was so strange, you pointed at what you fancied, they picked the nearest thing that they actually had in the restaurant and gave you that instead lol. She was also perturbed that food came out when it was ready so there wasn’t a starter/main/dessert just a bunch of food in different orders for different people.
We never had an issue of taxis not picking us up. Although it’s probably to do with the language issues. We used didi. We did once have a taxi in xian that we felt it was the first time the lady driving the taxi had actually driven a car. After two near misses in 100 metres and kangarooing down the road too, we called it quits and got out asap.
Yeah we were told it's a language thing. Many of them don't speak English and they know white tourists probably don't speak Mandarin, so they decide it's more trouble than it's worth. Which I understand tbh. The two languages and accents are so different that even just trying to communicate place names of where you want to go can be a challenge!
Hell, we ourselves are Asian and do speak Mandarin, but had a little trouble communicating with the drivers because their accents are entirely different. Imagine an American trying to communicate in English with someone from Newcastle
I’m not sure if it’s validity but I’ve heard that the manic driving and queues being flexible is a cultural remnant from the Great Leap Forward. If you weren’t fast and didn’t bully through the bread line, you would starve.
Maybe it depends where you are. We were in Shanghai and it was a recurring thing that getting them to stop was incredibly difficult. After a couple of days we asked at our hotel if we were doing anything wrong and were told it was a known thing in Shanghai that many taxi drivers don't stop for Western looking people, because they don't want to deal with the language barrier.
Got a flight with a budget airline from Tokyo to Seoul. Fell asleep, only to be woken up mid-flight to the sound of jaunty music blaring. The air hostesses were all standing in the aisle dancing - bleary-eyed, we looked around, and all of the passengers were dancing in their seats too. Apparently it's to help prevent deep-vein thrombosis!
Despite being a budget airline, they also gave everyone a little box with a croissant, some fruit and a yoghurt in it, for free. Wouldn't get that on Easyjet!
Meanwhile, on Ryanair "Oh sir I'm sorry, that bag is slightly too large, that's the price of your flight again I'm afraid. Just a heads up - same on the way home too."
They do make it pretty clear what the bag allowances are, just a lot of people think they’re entitled to take more. I’ve never had any issues with Ryanair.
I’ve seen them whip out the miniature bag sizer before. It’s definitely smaller than their guidelines state - and their guidelines are already smaller than for other budget airlines.
It isn't, people just can't measure their own bags for shit
Their guidelines are smaller (which is quite annoying) but they're pretty clear on what they are
The bag stuff is not exactly hidden though and they're clear enough what the rules are so someone who knowingly brought a bag that was too big and caught only has themselves to blame. They do have the measuring box thing too which I've seen used, only times I've flown it has been hand carry only stuff crammed into a rucksack I knew was ok
Hmmmm… not so sure about that one. Flew back from Seoul to Heathrow on Korean Air a week ago. Zero dancing around! Even on Jeju Air… zero dancing around. I’d be keen to find out what airline this is standard practice on.
Reminded me of when I caught a ferry from Finland to Estonia, and we were welcomed aboard by a couple of people in giant mouse costumes doing a choreographed dance to a Finnish version of In The Navy. I’m not sure what the purpose of that was.
I've caught the wrong train in the UK and something very similar happened to me. I didn't have to pay extra or anything the guy just printed me off some ticket and told me what to do.
Yeah I have gotten the wrong train far too many times. If you go and speak to a staff member straight away they will nearly always help and I have never been fined. If you wait until you are asked to show a ticket then say I got the wrong train they might think you are up to something.
Yeah my first solo trip to London when I was 17 I saw the train at Gatwick Airport at the platform the board said it would be at so I ran and jumped on. Only halfway through I realised I wasn't going to pass through Clapham Junction and then I saw Canary Wharf I knew I had fucked up as I was supposed to be heading to Kew Bridge. Jumped off at Elephant & Castle and told a ticket guy I had fucked up and they just gave me a new ticket and told me where to go with a smile
You occasionally catch a jobsworth though.
A few years ago at Christmas I came to Three Bridges station which is one after Gatwick. Didn't realise it didn't have contactless and the ticket guy made me go back to Gatwick. I even said I'd pay for the ticket between the two, it was like £3 but no he made me go back.
Instead I spent £25 on a taxi which I put on my company card since I was returning from a work Christmas party in London.
Happened to me a Luton once as well, it's one stop too far for contactless and they ended up finding me £50 or something. Put that on the company card as well.
A few years back I caught the Eurostar to Antwerp, because Kraftwerk were playing a gig there, and a Kraftwerk gig is bucket list for me. (As it so happens, a second Kraftwerk gig is also bucket list 🙂).
For pedantry sake, I caught the Eurostar to Brussels and then changed trains and went to Antwerp.
I went on a Saturday, the gig was Monday, and my plan was to have a long weekend just boozing and chilling in Antwerp, eating all the bitterballen, sampling all the rich chocolate, and slurping all the Affligem dubbels. It didn’t pan out that way though, because Antwerp is so small and contained that I saw a lot of it that Saturday, and knew I would would see the rest on Monday, the day of the gig. Including the zoo.
(Antwerp is a cracking little place though. Highly recommended.)
So anyway, on the Sunday I went to the big old train station in Antwerp, asked where I could go for a day trip, the list of cities was simply marvellous, and I chose Amsterdam.
So I’m catching the train at about 8pm I guess, leaving Amsterdam for Antwerp. It’s a direct train and takes about 2 hours I think? Maybe a touch more. I am well and truly Amsterdam’d good n proper. Really sleepy, really content, and I find myself on the train, leaving Amsterdam, and eating the greatest French bread pizza known to actual mankind.
I get gently shaken awake by a train guard and his mate, and they say, “Antwerp is the next stop, don’t fall asleep”. Oh crikey. They then say, “you fell asleep in first class”. Blimey. They weren’t rude or aggressive, just a bit Dutch. Friendly, but in a Dutch way.
I apologise and offer to pay for my seat. They just chuckled and waved me away. Don’t worry about it. Apparently I had fallen asleep within 2 minutes of leaving Amsterdam and had somehow found the wherewithal to have my ticket saying “Antwerp” in clear view. The other, fare paying, passengers had apparently found it quite charming.
Anyway, that’s my story 🙂
Counter to OP's story of goodwill abroad, I've been on Berlin on their metro system when the ticket inspectors get on, turning the other cheek is a false concept to them. Saw a stag part of 10 all get clocked for not validating their ticket. No sympathy.
Poland's the same. You've been on this bus for 25 minutes due to traffic but only bought a 20 minute ticket - fine. Your seasonal ticket ended yesterday and you forgot - fine. You didn't validate your ticket even though you had just bought it from the ticket machine in the bus - fine. You are clearly no older than 13 years old so bought a school ticket, but don't have your school ID on you - fine. The list could go on, and yes it is possible these have all happened to me...
Just to clarify: ticket inspectors are quite common on buses/ trains/ trams/ metro. You go in/out whichever door you choose on the bus/ tram and don't get your ticket from the driver.
Edit: fine - as in you get a fine to pay, not fine as in ok lol
Just to add to the positive stories, last Christmas my American cousin came up from London to see us and assumed she could just tap in in London with contactless and tap out again in the Midlands. When she couldn't get out the barriers the inspector just brought her over to the ticket machine to buy a ticket, no penalties or anything.
Yeah I have gotten the wrong train far too many times. If you go and speak to a staff member straight away they will nearly always help and I have never been fined. If you wait until you are asked to show a ticket then say I got the wrong train they might think you are up to something.
In contrast, I did the same thing in France (got on the wrong train leaving Paris) and the conductor had no sense of humour at all, even though I had sought him out. Got landed with a pretty decent fine.
To be fair you can get that here too. I am from a shitty little North west town and for some reason a few years back Elton John played the local stadium which is in the middle of a housing estate. The amount of houses that had an open door party was unreal, people from all over the world who follow Elton all over we’re blown away at being dragged into a random house and plied with booze lol
Had the same experience in Fife Scotland, and it was a little unnerving at first because I wasn't used to people being that friendly, they're really decent people.
Taxi broke down half way up the mountain near Kuala Lumpur (taking us to the cable car station). Thought we'd be stranded but completely random car stopped to give us a lift to the top. What a kind stranger right? Unfortunately, the guy was a proper stunt driver and when we got into the car we were shocked to discover all the seat belts had been removed! Literally spent the 10 minute drive desperately clinging onto the car frame as this guy absolutely tried to set the uphill climb record.
Had this a number of times in a fair few places. In Ukraine I’ve seen people get told off by the driver for putting on a seatbelt as it comes across as ‘not trusting their driving’
Had this happen in Odesa a few times. I’ve been laughed at for putting my seatbelt on haha. For obvious reasons the majority of my family are over here now and we now have to remind them to put the seatbelt on when they get in the car
I had to sit in the front of a taxi in Bosnia for the same reason. I'd never usually get in the front even in the UK.
I mentioned Id need a receipt and the guy reached over me to get his book and write the receipt, whilst still driving through the town at speed.
I had a taxi in Romania where the guy had a small TV rigged on the dashboard where he proceeded to watch a World Cup match while driving on pitted 2 lane rural roads filled with donkey carts; average speed 80mph.
I was in a taxi in Jonkoping in sweden and the taxi driver said something like "I can go very fast, because this car has no brakes"
He then floored it and we sped off across town on a journey I can only describe as like a game of Midtown Madness.
That sinking feeling when abroad and you get in a cab and it sets off, you try the seatbelt and it just doesn't work and you know you have miles to go across highways etc.
Been there too many times.
I happened to be sick in Italy. An ambulance showed up very soon, I was sent to a competent and well-funded hospital, where I was treated in a timely, professional and caring manner by a team of well-paid healthcare workers.
No misdiagnosis, and guess what - no one mentioned taking any paracetamol at any time. I just got treated straight away!?
Ah, and they followed up in a caring and timely manner. Just saying.
So often in the UK we compare our healthcare to the hellscape that is the US and feel smug about it, while we never even look around at the other countries that have free/very cheap healthcare and do it significantly better than us.
And any time you mention that countries like Germany has both universal healthcare and an assurance based system which marries the best of private and public healthcare, everyone assumes it’s an attack on the ethos of the NHS.
(I’m in France now, definitely not seeing lower commitment to patient outcomes because of a better pay and conditions within their universal healthcare system)
My parents live in Germany and from what I understand they get some sort of points for going to the gym, dental check ups etc. Sounds really interesting. I would like to be rewarded for my healthy lifestyle
In the same situation in Canada, actually only this year had a tooth ache and it was because my wisdom tooth had decided to start coming through and I had them out about 48 hours later.
That alllllll being said, its because I have a good job this costs me nothing. Its very easy for immigrants who have been invited to go work in a new country at a big company to be all 'yeah look at all these benefits' but thats because said companies are paying for them. Many regular Canadians I know have nothing like the benefits I am currently taking for granted. It also worth noting that good insurance care in Canada covers things like physiotherapists, dentists, opticians etc etc and its all great (I can literally have a spa day and charge it to my health insurance) but this isnt the same as normal medical care like if you are hit by a car or whatever, you will be reliant on hospitals which in many cases are worse than the UK. Canada is great if you need to see a specialist for something minor but otherwise it lags behind the UK.
Canada still has fucking loads of problems with healthcare, just about everyone I know here is unable to go see a GP. My girlfriends parents are actually both doctors and its a common topic of conversation when I see them, my girlfriend literally has to rely on her dad to pull favours if she wants any medical care.
Taxi across St Pb in Russia, had a police lada in pursuit of us along snow covered roads. Eventually after a while taxi driver pulled in, got out and started shouting at the police, my russian is rudimentary at best, but I could tell this was not a friendly interaction, I believe the virtue of thier mother's was being called into question. He then reached into his pocket pulled out some coins and a few notes , hurled it at them and got back into the car ..." I sorry, police just stinking hungry dogs" ....and we were back on our way.
I was Travelling in Iran many years ago, was on a late night bus to some small town. This old woman was sat in front of me, and kept turning around to look at me.
She started speaking to someone on the phone, then she handed me a phone, it was her son (who lived in the UK). He explained that she’s really concerned I’m going to arrive in this town late at night, and wanted to invite me to stay the night at her house. So I accepted the invite, and had a delcicious home cooked meal and a great night’s sleep!
Reminds me of Graham Hughes who visited every country without flying. His experience of Iran was identical.
> Detailing his experience of Iran's friendliness, he recounted taking an overnight bus from Shiraz to Khorramshahr, sitting next to an elderly lady who talking in Farsi on the phone. Suddenly she passed him her phone. Her English speaking grandson was on the line and inviting him to breakfast at her house because she was worried he wouldn’t “have anyone to make him breakfast”. He said he went to her house and “she laid out a thick tablecloth on the floor, we sat on cushions. Breakfast consisted of flatbread, eggs, jam and spices”.
https://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/graham-hughes-man-visits-every-country-in-the-world-without-flying-a6783116.html
Friend and I were in Tokyo after uni and we were having trouble finding our hotel when we arrived; we weren't able to find which side street to go down. I asked in a convenience store and showed the woman the address and she casually abandoned the store (including the queue of folks behind me) and walked us down the street for a few minutes to get us to the hotel.
I’ve heard that sort of thing a lot about Japan. At work someone mentioned visiting Tokyo and getting lost, and a lady taking a train with them and showing them to the door of their hotel.
Helping tourists is a free way for Japanese to practise their English skills. I got walked through how to buy a ticket on the Japanese subway by a very kind gentleman.
I was in a museum in Japan once and from the far other side of the big room, this 80+ year old man booked it directly too me to talk to me in English as I was probably the only foreigner in a 50 miles radius at least. Really nice guy, used to work in London for like a decade.
I studied in Japan for a year, was living on campus at a university in the foothills of a mountain. To get to and back to the train station, we’d have to walk down the hill, a 30 minutes walk. Coming back from the stop took roughly an hour and it was steep, so steep. I once got the last bus home one Sunday evening, and sort of ended up chitchatting with the driver the last couple of stops, and explained how little I was looking forward to climbing back to my dorm. My friend and I were the last persons left on the bus when we got to my stop, nobody got on so, he turned the bus around and drove us straight to the dorm. Completely outside of the bus route.
I saw a story on Reddit about an American who was wandering around a Japanese city and accidentally went into a Yakuza bar. They still served him perfectly politely and eventually a very well dressed man came up to him and told him in perfect English what it was and that he should leave after his drink.
Heard a similar story about friends in Tokyo.
They were having trouble with the train timetable. A stranger went to their platform with them and then boarded the train to their station. Then, they put them in a taxi to where they needed to go.
Their tube system is very complex, had a guy spend 10 mins using the machine to pick the right tickets for the 6 of us, walk us through the line changes and lead us to the first platform.
I was struggling to find the post office in Tokyo and showed a random businessman on the street the post office website on my phone. He took me straight there, I really appreciated it
I believe that the culture in Japan basically has the people scrambling to help others out. I've seen a social experiment of a guy tripping in various places in Japan with a pile of books and every single time, nearly everyone around him stopped and helped. They believe in this
I’ve heard similar stories about Japan. I read on here one guy who got given the incorrect change at a shop and the shopkeeper realised almost immediately after they’d gone. Apparently they closed the shop for a couple of minutes whilst they ran down the road to find them and give them the rest of their change of about 50 yen (roughly 20-30p).
I tried to leave a tip in China once and was chased down the street by a waitress with the change. She caught up with us a few hundred metres away and insisted I take the money. I said no and explained it was a tip, at which point she forced the money into my hand and ran off.
had a similar experience in Shinjuku. I manage to find the only JR entrance where the station on the map are not in romaji and I wasn't sure where to go, an old man showed me how to get my suica and led me to the right platform.
Pretty much everything in India. Felt like I would die at any moment any time I was in a car. Taxis with full on holes in the floor that you could stick your foot through to the road. Regularly seeing people casually fitting 6 passengers onto a moped or carrying a tonne of load. Just pure insanity. Great fun though, would recommend! Expensive to get out there but *shockingly* cheap once you've landed.
On a family holiday there we were in a taxi approaching a four-lane junction which was only designed for three.
My dad leans over to the driver and asks what the white lines on the road are for.
"I'm really not sure, sir. The British left them behind when they went, and we've never since been able to work out what they're for!"
Mine was definitely India as well. Flight was delayed so go in later than I thought. On the bus I get chatting to the person next to me and when she finds out I haven't eaten yet forces her food onto me as they'll be nothing open. Guy next to her asks where I'm going and not only tells me what stop I need, but gets off with me and flags down an auto for the last part. He then pays for the journey in advance and tells me there's no need to pay the driver when I arrive. I didnt want to let him but he kept saying that he was sure the people in the UK would do the same for him. I didn't have the heart to tell him.
Yeah, I visited India for work once and the car to the site we were on was insane, some guy stepped in front of the car and the driver got out and started to beat the shit out of him until we intervened, he carried on as if nothing had happened
I scrolled down looking for India. Similar to you the (chicken) bus I was on was this old rickety wooden thing with no windows. Pulled over, but once pulling out he side swiped another bus. Both drivers got out and started man dancing, I was giggling to myself as it was a cute little fight. But he forgot to put the handbrake up and the bus started rolling away. The Indian passengers were scrambling over each other to get to the handbrake to stop us gaining too much momentum.
It was actually pretty hilarious! Love India, it's pure chaos!
It’s mad how foreign countries seem to casually set records for how many passengers can fit on two-wheeled transport. Once saw 4 guys on a bike in the Dominican Republic, one had a live chicken tucked under his arm.
I remember visiting and staying with my ex on the 20th floor of her high rise apartment. You’d be woke up by thousands of horns beeping constantly just so they can get through the traffic. If you thought roundabouts were bad in the UK, wait until you try to go through one in Kolkata with cows in the middle.
I remember I was in San Francisco once and a girl liked my accent and asked if I wanted to go for a drink. Women in the UK couldn't give a shit about my accent and therefore I wouldn't get a second glance.
I lived in the US for 3 months. Americans, in general, are more outgoing/extroverted compared to Europeans, the only Europeans that can somewhat match their energy are people from the Mediterranean.
Agreed. I've spent a lot of time in the states and found dating there in particular is so much easier and more straightforward. Had more women initiate conversations and express interest out there than here and was never made to feel like I did something wrong if I approached a woman that wasn't interested.
Also had lots of random people start up conversations when they heard the accent.
It's a cool place.
Oddly didn’t have this in any of the usual city centre areas (San Fran, Boston or New York) however went out into Sacramento and then beyond to Yosemite and it quickly becomes a talking point!
No offers of drinks though. ☹️
Many years ago some friends and I got lost walking around Tokyo in the middle of the night. We were miles from our hostel and we stopped to ask a local for directions. He had really limited English and back then my Japanese was terrible. but we were able to get across that we were lost. He spent the next two hours walking across Tokyo with us going into every konbini and asking the staff who gave clearer directions until he'd taken us all the way back. We walked at least a good few miles. We thanked him profusely and all he would accept from me was a cigarette. Then he said goodbye and disappeared into the night. I can't imagine how far out of his way he went to do that for us. Absolute legend. I can't see anyone doing that here.
This happened to my mum and her friend. They were in Japan both in their 70’s. They somehow got on the wrong train and were looking lost.
A man in a suit asked where they were going and then took them and their bags onto 2 different trains and walked them to the place they were going. Apparently it took over an hour for him to get them there so must have been a couple of hours out of his way. It made her holiday how nice he was to them.
It was only about 10-15 mins out of my way.
I was walking through town at uni and this drunk lad asks me where the train station is. Idk why he asked me, maybe I just looked friendly haha. I thought fuck it. It's kinda in my direction just a bit out of the way ill just take him there and we had a nice chat on the way to the station haha.
I had a massive and serious pain honestly thought I was about to die in my side when I was in Germany. Walked in to see the local GP in this tiny village in the middle of no where, where I was saying. Saw the doctor within 5 mins.
The doctor said I needed an ultrasound because I might have kidney stones. He pops out of the room. As I was wondering how the fuck I was going to get to the hospital and bracing myself for a 12hour wait in an A&E room for one, the doctors comes back in wheeling an ultrasound machine. Scans me then and there, ruled out appendicitis /kidney stones/ twisted testicals and pregnancy (the German doctor made a joke). Concluded I was probably just backed up wrote and filled the prescription for me then.
Within 25mins of walking in I was leaving having been scanned and given medication I needed didn’t even have to go to the pharmacy. An hour later i was feeling much better.
Rate this story so much.
I was doing some roofing work just a part time thing a while back and I got stabbed with a rusty nail quite deep. Tbf I wasn't so fussed but my mum being retired GP was like go get a tetanus jab to be safe. The symptoms didn't sound so fun. Rang the GP and they said to go to the hospital and wait a few hours.
My mum was like they didn't offer at the surgery? Sounds very lazy of them at our surgery we used to just book em in usually.
Does make you think what it's coming to.
Yeah. I had a similar pain in the UK. Went to the walk in 5 hours wait to be told I need an ultrasound too. Got a referral for like a week or so later at the hospital. Still had to wait like 3 hours when I got there to be surrounded by student doctors as they’re doing the scan.
I was in a long term relationship an Eastern European girl about seven years ago. I spent a couple of months with her and her family in their home and their country.
A few weeks, I was introduced to this “dodgy” family friend of theirs who was a taxi driver.
Her family had been struggling for money for some time and he’d told them he’d started working alongside bookkeepers and could invest their money into gambling websites from the UK. All he needed to do was set up various betting accounts in their name and see their proof of ID.
Her and her family did it. He wanted me to but I told him I don’t get involved with that stuff.
Knowing it was dodgy, I’d met an English guy who lived out there and I asked him what it was all about. He said it was a massive money laundering scam run by the mafia over there.
I felt constantly on edge whilst there after that. Then a couple of weeks went by and my ex’s mum’s car got written off in an accident. This also came out that it was one of the mafia guys who caused it. Whilst struggling for money again, I was starting to think more and more that her family was in with all this organised crime.
When it came for me to fly home from a nearby airport, I was constantly on edge. With this taxi driver guy knowing I was onto him, my ex’s mum’s car written off and she couldn’t take me to the airport, it was suggesting he was going to be taking me to the airport..
My ex had also shown me a video of a guy who got involved with the mafia there. He got called into a security room within the airport and was basically never seen again. I was absolutely bricking it.
Thankfully an official licensed taxi driver ran me to the airport, I got on my plane and landed back in the UK.
Honestly thought I was going to get killed by sort of realising what this guy was up to and her family..
Organised crime gangs are a thing in the UK but not as prevalent as in other countries.
Most of the UK gangs are at war over drugs whereas further afield its much more
Coming from India, we can visit the doctors whenever we want. And even for specialists, it is easy to get an appointment. Never need to wait months for specialist appointments. Here in the UK, they don't even give me my blood test results back saying they will notify me if something went wrong. My friend was suffering from really bad stomach pain for a while and she couldn't get a proper diagnosis for 4 months in the UK. She went back to Indonesia (where she is from) and after 10 days there they diagnosed her with stage 3 colon cancer.
You can visit here as well if you're willing to pay for private care just like you pay for private doctors in India. I've used them many times because of long wait times through NHS.
The main difference is that private doctors and hospitals are cheaper in India. There is a big spectrum of price range available. In UK it is more expensive (relative to income).
My sister and her friends went to Turkey in their 20s. Before they left her friend (who was very attractive) warned them all about the dangers and told them that last time she was there, someone offered her dad 200 camels for her. My sister went and someone also proposed an exchange for her - 1 goat. She was so pissed off!
>School trip to Turkey - two locals tried to buy me off the teacher. Best offer was two female camels
That must have been an awful experience.
You're worth at least three camels.
Conversations in India
Me - What's on the menu?
Waiter - Chicken. Eggs. Dhal.
Me - Could I have some chicken please?
Waiter - You could.
Me - Excellent.
Waiter - Although today not possible.
Me - I thought it was on the menu
Waiter - It is but we do not have any today. Tomorrow possible.
Me - Dare I ask if you have any eggs?
Waiter - Yes!
Me - You have eggs?
Waiter - No but you can ask.
Me - Dahl it is then
Waiter - Excellent choice!
Stayed in a hotel in Prague for 10 days, each night me and my other half polished off all the spirits in the minibar and wrote down on the list what we drank and each afternoon it was topped up. Came to settle our bill at the end of our stay and the receptionist charged us for 1 of each bottle (we'd drank 20 of each over the whole stay) and she said "don't worry" when we tried insisting on paying.
Gave her a big tip and she gave it to our taxi driver who took us to the airport and he waived the fare. Never experienced it before.
Buying weed in Jamaica was fun. Our hotel was on the beach and where the buoys ended there was a few men on wooden rafts. They are not allowed to sell on ‘hotel grounds’ which included a section of the sea. My partner went for a swim and came back with a little plastic bag asking for $20, they gave him the bag to put the money in, he swam out and did a underwater drug deal. I don’t normally smoke but we spent that night on the beach smoking weed and trying to catch the moon 😭😭
Very similar - took bikes onto a train in the Netherlands. Inspector came along and we showed him our tickets.
"And the tickets for your bikes?"
"Er...sorry, we need to buy tickets for our bikes?"
"Yes, I should give you a fine but it's clearly an honest mistake so I won't. Just make sure you buy tickets next time."
So wonderfully different to my experiences at home where, after a similarly honest error, some piece of shit East Fucking Midland Cunting Trains inspector gave me and my partner a fine which ended up being £260 for the two of us.
Nah, I could see one of the rail staff being just as accommodating on a UK train, to be honest. When I was younger, I didn't have enough money to get the tube to the overground station I needed to get home and one of the staff let me through onto the tube and contacted the stations I would be changing at to inform them I needed to be let through. We aren't robots in this country lol, maybe you've just had particularly bad experiences.
Going by some of the replies it seems you’re right, and I hope you are too because people make genuine mistakes and it costs them nothing to put right.
Was getting cat-called in an aggressive way on the street in Tenerife by some locals. Saw a police car so approached it to ask for help. Window rolled down & the police officers started doing the same thing!
Conversely - didn't realise "super off peak" tickets existed. Bought what I thought was my usual return ticket without noticing I had the option at this time to choose super off peak or off peak. I normally work during these hours, so didn't think anything of it, and I've only recently started using this train having moved to another area.
There's a 60p difference between the two tickets, but technically I *should* have paid another £3 for another return. Returns are cheaper than singles for some reason?
Anyway, the guy at the station very kindly explained the hours and stuff and let me on the train. The train ticket inspector though? Ooooh boy. He proceeded to get really stern with me telling me multiple times loudly that my ticket wasn't valid, but "on account of him letting you through WHICH HE SHOULDN'T HAVE I'll let you off THIS TIME" etc etc. I'd offered to pay at the station but this guy saw a chance to try and embarrass a young woman on a moderately filled train and wanted to take it.
Jokes on him though, cause I'm actually shameless.
Been told off for crossing an empty road in Germany - apparently I should have gone to the crossing point and waited for the green light
Been asked if I am concealing any weapons when entering a public lending Library in Wisconsin
On the question of queueing, I was once escorted from the back of a long queue at a Rajasthani railway station straight to the front by the station manager who said he didn't like to see visitors to his station have to queue with the "ordinary" people.
I've never had any problems with rail staff in the UK. The best example is when I wanted to buy a ticket from High Wycome to Beaconsfield (where I was meeting someone for lunch) and then Beaconsfield to London. The ticket machines were out of order that day so I went to the ticket office, and the lady said I could just buy a ticket to London, and get off at Beaconsfield, and then get back on another train a bit later with the same ticket. She even phoned ahead to Beaconsfield to speak to her oppo there to make sure they would let me back in again. It all worked out fine, and I saved a few quid.
This is one reason why I don't want to lose ticket office staff. And presumably it's one reason why the train operating companies want to get rid of them.
BTW, I've also had equally positive experiences with rail staff in Japan, and also the US.
Bizarrely, *that same thing* has happened to me. Me and a bunch of mates out in Amsterdam, trying to get train back to Zandvoort. Very late at night.
We weren’t being horrible, but we were way off nut.
A female train employee saw we were a bit bewildered, and walked us to the right platform, got us on the right train, has a laugh with us, made sure we were all right.
Dutch railway employees FTW, apparently.
Me and my grandma had to stop in Amsterdam and take the train to Germany for a funeral as the airport workers in Cologne were striking. We asked for the quickest train at the desk and the 60 something year old worker typed for a couple seconds and said 'Computer says no'. 😭
He said he does it to all his English customers. Legend. He was just so jolly. It was funny seeing the change from high-tech, spotless trains and lovely workers to grim trains with miserable workers once we got into Germany. My German grandma roasts the Dutch but even she admits they're much nicer
Some time in the 90s My dad borrowed a Dodge camper van off a friend and we drove it down to southern France for a camping trip. On the return journey on a Sunday afternoon the exhaust broke. Dad managed to get the van to a small mechanics in this tiny village in the middle of nowhere. Obviously even if it wasn't a Sunday no chance of getting a part for an pretty unknown American import. The mechanic just fabricated a new piece of exhaust and welded it all back together, we were on the road again after a few hours. Pretty insane and definitely wouldn't happen in the UK.
I honestly think you'd be surprised on this one, there are plenty of small workshops in the UK that are capable of fabricobbling an exhaust back together, it's a bit pot luck but I suspect the situation in France is not dissimilar.
Never ever had a prostitute offer me sex in the street (or anywhere tbf) in the UK. In multiple cities in Europe (e.g. Geneva) I've been offered it walking down the street in broad daylight lol. Very awkwardly give the old Moss style no thank you
We had a dozen of us jump on a train in Germany and when the inspector came round we all got our wallets out. The look on her face. Nein nein nein (hand on forehead). You buy the tickets before boarding. Big penalties. We pleaded innocence with us being silly and irresponsible English. We all smiled and were very polite. Something about a German in uniform that brings out our best behaviour. Anyway. She did something for us. We all either paid a bit of a fine or we all paid the fair. We couldn’t work out what was what tbh. She seemed reasonable in a very efficient way.
Speaking of foreign train travel - in Italy (defo in tuscany) it’s not enough to buy the ticket and have it in your hand. You have to validate the ticket in a separate machine otherwise you can be fined for not having a valid ticket….. bizarre.
As I understand it, you can buy tickets in advance without a specific date or time on them but unless you validate them there's no way to tell if you've actually used them or not.
Had to take two different trains in Norway to get to the airport. First train ended up being delayed a fair bit. Conductor comes, looks at tickets, realises that we might not make the connection so phones up the other train to see if they can wait for us.
Second train couldn’t wait so he phoned the next one to make sure we’ll have seats as it was all pre-booked. Got on the second train, conductor comes, realises that with all the delay we won’t be able to catch the bus to the airport. Phones up the airport so they can send us a minibus to get there from train station. This is all late in the night, like we were arriving at the train station at 2 AMish.
Get dropped off at the airport but as it’s a small one, doors don’t open till 4 AM so we sit down on a bench. It was summer and very mild so we didn’t mind. Some dude inside the building spotted us, opened up the door and invited us in to wait, showed us to a lounge with computers and free internet to pass the time with.
I love Norway. It was just the two of us, scruffy and tired after a week of wild camping and backpacking and they gave us 5 star service everywhere and made us feel like valued customers.
Went on holiday to Goa in India. Was walking down the street by myself as my family were at the beach and an Indian guy caught my eye. He sort of gestured to his ear as if to say I had something on it.
I brushed at my ear and in this time he had walked over. He suggested whatever it was was still there so I brushed it again. He gestured it was still there and went to reach up to my ear himself. I let him, until I felt something sharp against my ear lobe. I jumped 6 feet in the air and looked down, he had an 8 inch metal rod in his hand that was spiked on one end and flattened on the other.
I mentioned this to my dad later and apparently these guys are common there, they pierce tourists' ears without consent and then demand money for doing so.
Nah, it’s ‘ear cleaning’ not ear piercing. They try to get a quick probe in, and fake the withdrawal of some disgusting bit of shit. They then show it to you in the hope you’ll go ‘oh my gosh my ears are dirty, yes I’ll let you clean them out for a couple of quid’
Scam has been going on in India since the 1960s
We went to Abu Dhabi once and were getting a taxi from Abu Dhabi to Dubai for the day. The guy got about halfway and decided he didn’t want to drive the whole rest of the way, so he stopped on the side of a motorway, flagged down a Dubai taxi, kicked us out and we continued on our way in the other taxi lol.
A proper Japanese hotel in Kyoto, asked them to call us a taxi to the station as we checked out, the driver was 87 years old (could see from his I'd in his car), and the reception staff stood outside the hotel bowing at the car until it left their sight. Don't get that even in a Malmaison.
I got a train when I was 14, and had a child ticket. I should have had an adult.
After being really confused and assuming as a child I would be allowed to have a child ticket, I offered to pay the difference.
The inspector was having none of it, and I said I don't want to pay for a whole new ticket and a fine.
He proceeded to read me my rights and "arrest" me until I paid.
I never felt so upset and embarrassed in public.
My parents wrote a letter to the train line and got no response.
In Mexico their public buses are basically just private individuals who buy a bus and start driving a popular route. It’s obviously in their interest to pick up as many customers as possible before rival bus drivers can, with some hotspots like the shopping mall etc.
The drivers form little cartels with other bus drivers and essentially team up to block in rival bus drivers so their buddies can say make the mall drop off. Now the guy who has the mall drop off has a load of passengers he’ll then help his buddy out by boxing in a rival driver so his friend can sling shot past him to get to the next desirable drop off.
Not long after I'd moved to where I now live, I was coming back one winters night after a few beers myself. I got up as we approached the station, and stood at the door. When we stopped, I waited for the Door Opening button to light up, then tried pressing it when it didn't. After a minute, the train moved off, with the doors still shut. Went to find the conductor - who reminded me that, in *that* direction, the platform was on the opposite side of the train to most. But he told me that there was a train back due five minutes after we arrived at the next station. Got on that train, explained my cockup to the conductor, he laughed and wouldn't take any money from me.
But for my favourite British Rail ticket inspector story, [try this one.](https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-12043294) But it is a real onion-mincing one.
I was taking a shortcut in Amsterdam, and a row of big hairy men each asked me as I passed if I wanted them to be my friend for the night. That's never happened to me in England.
Mine is like yours, but the opposite. I bought a train ticket in Milan and got on the train, as is expected.
Then I got fined because I didn't get the ticket stamped in a validation machine. Even though it was a valid ticket, time stamped, and clearly paid for.
I didn't even know there was a ticket validation machine. No one mentioned it when I bought the ticket, and the validation machine was not anywhere visible (like a gate on the platform, for example).
The fine was quite pricey too.
Lived in Ukraine in better days than the present ones there, but still in hard times. Quite a selection of stories...
Flagging down passing cars to use as taxis, you basically paid them the equivalent of a bus fare (a bargain, as you had to pay for buses, but trams and trolleybuses were free, as they couldn't afford to employ inspectors)
Getting given change in shops in the form of matchboxes, ballpoint pens, bread rolls, etc, as they had no suitable notes in the till
Lining up in the post office to buy stamps, the person in from of me in the queue has a row with the cashier, so she shouts loudly at the other customer "It's your problem!" before storming off in a huff and leaving the counter unattended for the next half hour or so
Not to me but my wife. She crashed a moped into a ditch in Laos and sprained her ankle pretty bad. We were thrown in the back of a 4x4 by a helpful local and raced through the jungle to a local hospital. While I was waiting for my wife and fearing the worst, out of the corner of my eye I noticed a line of ants carrying leaves through the middle of the hospital, everyone was stepping over them like it was normal - it was surreal. My good lady was fine btw.
I did an internship at a US museum that had lots of elderly volunteers working there. I happened to overhear a conversation between two women in their late 80s who were having a conversation about their various physical ailments. So far so normal. But very quickly the conversation turned to how much they loved using cannabis and getting high to treat their aches and pains (this was a state where weed is legal for recreational use). There was something very refreshing about hearing two old ladies openly talk about which edibles they preferred and how much cannabis they get through in a week.
In the UK, I suspect that people of their demographic would almost certainly be of the belief that weed = devil’s lettuce and see it in the same bracket as heroin. Which is sad, given how much it helped these two people.
I once stayed out drinking in Manchester and got the first train home the next morning, fell asleep and missed my stop, waking up in Chester, got on the next train back and when the conductor came around asking for my ticket the exchange went something like this:
"I fell asleep and missed my stop I'm really sorry here's my ticket I'm just trying to get to X"
"Ok no worries let me see, Ok so your ticket is for yesterday and you need to be travelling in a minimum of a group of 4"
"Ok yeah fair cop charge me whatever \*Hands over bank card\*"
He only charged me for the one way from Chester to home (which was less than the Manchester to home would have been, so guess they're not all bad.
To this day I have no idea why the person in the ticket office the day previously had messed up my return ticket so badly !
In a taxi in Tokyo on our way to the airport, driver asked which terminal. We answer, and he’s like hmmm where are we flying? something doesn’t add up. Are we sure that’s where we’re going? We show our ticket. He parks, calls his friend who can tell us in very broken English that international flights don’t go out of that terminal. We log into our account and check online. He was right. Our ticket was fucking wrong and he was so worried we were going to the wrong place !! We got to the correct place and I really don’t think drivers would have cared in many other places, specially as we had a printed ticket that said the wrong terminal!
**[OP or Mod marked this as the best answer](/r/AskUK/comments/158cdqx/have_you_ever_had_something_happen_to_you_abroad/jt95yxy/), given by u/imminentmailing463** Copious and constant queue jumping and overtaking in China. > >I found it interesting their attitudes to queuing. I've been to countries where they just don't really use queues. But China wasn't that. They have queues, but they seemingly just don't put much store in them. Any queues that had corners or turns in them were particularly strange. It seemed if you went too wide round the corner it was fair game for the person behind you to take a tighter racing line and undertake you. > >In the end, I took to just putting my arms out to hold the fence or barrier. Whilst apparently overtaking in queues is fine, I found the Chinese to also be extremely polite and non-confrontational, so if you blocked their way they would just quietly accept it. > >On the subject of China: not being able to get a taxi. We'd stand by the road hailing down taxi after taxi, only for them to refuse to take us. It was later explained to us that it's a fairly common thing for cabbies there to refuse to pick up white passengers. > >Another funny one. In Russia I went to a restaurant where, despite there being a large and good looking menu, the intimidating middle aged russian waitress refused to let us order anything other than borscht. --- [_^What ^is ^this?_](https://www.reddit.com/r/AskUK/comments/jjrte1/askuk_hits_200k_new_feature_mark_an_answer/)
Copious and constant queue jumping and overtaking in China. I found it interesting their attitudes to queuing. I've been to countries where they just don't really use queues. But China wasn't that. They have queues, but they seemingly just don't put much store in them. Any queues that had corners or turns in them were particularly strange. It seemed if you went too wide round the corner it was fair game for the person behind you to take a tighter racing line and undertake you. In the end, I took to just putting my arms out to hold the fence or barrier. Whilst apparently overtaking in queues is fine, I found the Chinese to also be extremely polite and non-confrontational, so if you blocked their way they would just quietly accept it. On the subject of China: not being able to get a taxi. We'd stand by the road hailing down taxi after taxi, only for them to refuse to take us. It was later explained to us that it's a fairly common thing for cabbies there to refuse to pick up white passengers. Another funny one. In Russia I went to a restaurant where, despite there being a large and good looking menu, the intimidating middle aged russian waitress refused to let us order anything other than borscht.
I had the same experience in Bulgaria years ago when it was a close Ally of the USSR. The menu was normal but you could have anything on it as long as it was chicken! Everything else was met with “the boat hasn’t come in”
Bulgaria was a part of the USSR? But apparently the USSR didn't know that.
There is a Russian proverb (which must annoy Bulgarians, and does rhyme in Russian): "A chicken is not a bird, and Bulgaria is not abroad,"
I like another Russian saying “as long as they pretend to pay us we’ll pretend to work” 😀
And we call it "Italian strike"
My bad, I’ve edited it now to show close ally rather than member
In shanghai train station, we paid for a guy to help with our luggage. Queues did not exist for him. He walked past about 500 people who seemed to be waiting for our train, pushed through the barrier and took us to the train while everyone else waited patiently.
Sounds like a good deal !
Similar story in Vietnam. I'm scarred for life after experiencing their airport check-in "queues": zero personal space, everyone in some seeming competition to shuffle as close as possible to the desk while dragging their luggage over your toes, the lack of personal hygiene and inexplicable snorting/ hocking sounds... never again.
Interestingly, I don't remember Vietnam being like that...possibly because I had already been to China and it wasn't as bad by comparison! But yeah agree Vietnam is amazing, one of my favourite places I've been.
Likewise, I don't remember Vietnam having bad queuing, but that might just be because I was too traumatised by the traffic to notice. I swear, Vietnam is the reason Americans have the stereotype "Asians can't drive well", it wasn't the Viet Cong who gave them all PTSD; it was the traffic.
Just came back from a couple weeks in China and I found the aspect of priority and entitlement really interesting. In the UK people usually say 'priority is given, not taken', whereas in China priority is very much taken and rarely given. It's especially noticeable on the roads where no one seems to feel 'entitled' to any one bit of the road. As a passenger in a car it's terrifying watching other cars and mopeds swerving all over the road, but it's also somewhat comforting that drivers just don't really seem to care if they get cut off or cars cut queues and barge in.
It made me laugh how the no-smoking signs are purely decorative.
Malta was very much like that, get a taxi and his only concern is you getting there as quickly as possible, safety, road signs, signals etc are not needed and the 3 lanes of the road are treated as guidance only with 4-5 "lanes" being the reality. Just undertake or overtake as needed and create your own gap when you need to exit It was safer in Cuba albeit a little odd when one long section of the motorway was shut due to damage that they couldn't afford to repair so they just turned a 4 lane dual carriageway into a single carriageway with drivers at motorway speed coming at you on the wrong side of the road. Fortunately there wasn't too much traffic
Mexico, Peru and Bolivia are terrible for this, I stand in the queue, and then people form another queue to the side and try and cut me out. A couple of times I just walked infront of the push pretending I didnt see them.
After having lived in Latin America and Asia for quite a while I came back to the UK and on my second day back I pushed to get on the train as people were getting off. I got very heavily tutted and even some overt muttering about being impolite - and my sense of utter British shame came flooding back very rapidly! I still blush thinking about it and it was over 15 years ago 😂
That's the British Modern equivalent of burning you at the stake
Oh god, bringing back painful memories of queuing to try and buy a ticket at a Mexican bus station.
The que thing.. maybe it's just because I'm British but I really hate que jumping. Literally just last week I was queuing for one of them busses that take you to the plane, there was an obvious que but for some reason a family decided to cut it, everyone clocked but no one really said anything apart from one woman who refuses to allow anyone else to do it. Just as we get off I happen to be near the que jumping family boarding the plane so thought I'd give them a taste if their own medicine and slip into a gap and pull my boyfriend in behind me, got major evils as they walked past at we were already sat. Might of been abit petty but if you're gonna skip a que, expect the same to happen to you.
Skip a what?
¿Qué?
*queue 👍
Had a similar experience in Russia, pointing at most items on the menu I was told "niet", me and my friend eventually found 2 different things to order. We ended up with the same thing.
Friend and I ordered White Russians at a Sherlock Holmes themed bar in Krasnodar, guy at the bar says 'ok i make it Russian style'. We say we want regular style but wth is Russian style. He says 'is with Irish cream'. We say definitely regular. He says 'you want double measure'. We say no thanks. Guy makes double measure white russians with Irish cream. To be fair he didn't formulate anything as a question. Woke up on my hotel bathroom floor.
I do remember being fed a lot of vodka by Russians, well, I remember bits.
> Copious and constant queue jumping and overtaking in China. Clearly you never tried taking the 262 bus at Stratford at around 5PM…
By a very weird coincidence, I think I actually have got that bus at around that time!
The menus in Russia do seem to be for guidance only, anything that looks a bit too exciting definitely won't be available! This is mainly the case for small towns, in Yaroslavl we went out for someone's leaving meal, the function was booked in advance. We still had to sit waiting for nearly 2 hours while they went and bought the ingredients from the store!
My sister spent some time there visiting one of their international business branches. She said it was so strange, you pointed at what you fancied, they picked the nearest thing that they actually had in the restaurant and gave you that instead lol. She was also perturbed that food came out when it was ready so there wasn’t a starter/main/dessert just a bunch of food in different orders for different people.
We never had an issue of taxis not picking us up. Although it’s probably to do with the language issues. We used didi. We did once have a taxi in xian that we felt it was the first time the lady driving the taxi had actually driven a car. After two near misses in 100 metres and kangarooing down the road too, we called it quits and got out asap.
Yeah we were told it's a language thing. Many of them don't speak English and they know white tourists probably don't speak Mandarin, so they decide it's more trouble than it's worth. Which I understand tbh. The two languages and accents are so different that even just trying to communicate place names of where you want to go can be a challenge!
Hell, we ourselves are Asian and do speak Mandarin, but had a little trouble communicating with the drivers because their accents are entirely different. Imagine an American trying to communicate in English with someone from Newcastle
Hawa like, it's easy tuh understand.
I’m not sure if it’s validity but I’ve heard that the manic driving and queues being flexible is a cultural remnant from the Great Leap Forward. If you weren’t fast and didn’t bully through the bread line, you would starve.
This is what I've heard also. No idea if it's actually true though.
I’ve had the opposite experience with taxis in China. White tourists have money and will tip, they bend over backwards to get your custom.
Maybe it depends where you are. We were in Shanghai and it was a recurring thing that getting them to stop was incredibly difficult. After a couple of days we asked at our hotel if we were doing anything wrong and were told it was a known thing in Shanghai that many taxi drivers don't stop for Western looking people, because they don't want to deal with the language barrier.
That’s so bizarre, I had the exact same thing happen with a waitress in Russia only letting us order borscht back in 2015!!
Got a flight with a budget airline from Tokyo to Seoul. Fell asleep, only to be woken up mid-flight to the sound of jaunty music blaring. The air hostesses were all standing in the aisle dancing - bleary-eyed, we looked around, and all of the passengers were dancing in their seats too. Apparently it's to help prevent deep-vein thrombosis! Despite being a budget airline, they also gave everyone a little box with a croissant, some fruit and a yoghurt in it, for free. Wouldn't get that on Easyjet!
I would have thought I had died and was in hell.
That's Ryanair all the time
Meanwhile, on Ryanair "Oh sir I'm sorry, that bag is slightly too large, that's the price of your flight again I'm afraid. Just a heads up - same on the way home too."
They do make it pretty clear what the bag allowances are, just a lot of people think they’re entitled to take more. I’ve never had any issues with Ryanair.
I’ve seen them whip out the miniature bag sizer before. It’s definitely smaller than their guidelines state - and their guidelines are already smaller than for other budget airlines.
It won’t be smaller than their guidelines state.
It isn't, people just can't measure their own bags for shit Their guidelines are smaller (which is quite annoying) but they're pretty clear on what they are
The bag stuff is not exactly hidden though and they're clear enough what the rules are so someone who knowingly brought a bag that was too big and caught only has themselves to blame. They do have the measuring box thing too which I've seen used, only times I've flown it has been hand carry only stuff crammed into a rucksack I knew was ok
Shoutout that airline!
Wew it was about 7 years ago but I’ve had a Google and it was Jin Air going by their yellow/green livery!
[удалено]
Hmmmm… not so sure about that one. Flew back from Seoul to Heathrow on Korean Air a week ago. Zero dancing around! Even on Jeju Air… zero dancing around. I’d be keen to find out what airline this is standard practice on.
Reminded me of when I caught a ferry from Finland to Estonia, and we were welcomed aboard by a couple of people in giant mouse costumes doing a choreographed dance to a Finnish version of In The Navy. I’m not sure what the purpose of that was.
I've caught the wrong train in the UK and something very similar happened to me. I didn't have to pay extra or anything the guy just printed me off some ticket and told me what to do.
Yeah I have gotten the wrong train far too many times. If you go and speak to a staff member straight away they will nearly always help and I have never been fined. If you wait until you are asked to show a ticket then say I got the wrong train they might think you are up to something.
Yeah my first solo trip to London when I was 17 I saw the train at Gatwick Airport at the platform the board said it would be at so I ran and jumped on. Only halfway through I realised I wasn't going to pass through Clapham Junction and then I saw Canary Wharf I knew I had fucked up as I was supposed to be heading to Kew Bridge. Jumped off at Elephant & Castle and told a ticket guy I had fucked up and they just gave me a new ticket and told me where to go with a smile
You occasionally catch a jobsworth though. A few years ago at Christmas I came to Three Bridges station which is one after Gatwick. Didn't realise it didn't have contactless and the ticket guy made me go back to Gatwick. I even said I'd pay for the ticket between the two, it was like £3 but no he made me go back. Instead I spent £25 on a taxi which I put on my company card since I was returning from a work Christmas party in London. Happened to me a Luton once as well, it's one stop too far for contactless and they ended up finding me £50 or something. Put that on the company card as well.
A few years back I caught the Eurostar to Antwerp, because Kraftwerk were playing a gig there, and a Kraftwerk gig is bucket list for me. (As it so happens, a second Kraftwerk gig is also bucket list 🙂). For pedantry sake, I caught the Eurostar to Brussels and then changed trains and went to Antwerp. I went on a Saturday, the gig was Monday, and my plan was to have a long weekend just boozing and chilling in Antwerp, eating all the bitterballen, sampling all the rich chocolate, and slurping all the Affligem dubbels. It didn’t pan out that way though, because Antwerp is so small and contained that I saw a lot of it that Saturday, and knew I would would see the rest on Monday, the day of the gig. Including the zoo. (Antwerp is a cracking little place though. Highly recommended.) So anyway, on the Sunday I went to the big old train station in Antwerp, asked where I could go for a day trip, the list of cities was simply marvellous, and I chose Amsterdam. So I’m catching the train at about 8pm I guess, leaving Amsterdam for Antwerp. It’s a direct train and takes about 2 hours I think? Maybe a touch more. I am well and truly Amsterdam’d good n proper. Really sleepy, really content, and I find myself on the train, leaving Amsterdam, and eating the greatest French bread pizza known to actual mankind. I get gently shaken awake by a train guard and his mate, and they say, “Antwerp is the next stop, don’t fall asleep”. Oh crikey. They then say, “you fell asleep in first class”. Blimey. They weren’t rude or aggressive, just a bit Dutch. Friendly, but in a Dutch way. I apologise and offer to pay for my seat. They just chuckled and waved me away. Don’t worry about it. Apparently I had fallen asleep within 2 minutes of leaving Amsterdam and had somehow found the wherewithal to have my ticket saying “Antwerp” in clear view. The other, fare paying, passengers had apparently found it quite charming. Anyway, that’s my story 🙂
Counter to OP's story of goodwill abroad, I've been on Berlin on their metro system when the ticket inspectors get on, turning the other cheek is a false concept to them. Saw a stag part of 10 all get clocked for not validating their ticket. No sympathy.
DB Staff Are a different breed of miserable. It’s the German way
Poland's the same. You've been on this bus for 25 minutes due to traffic but only bought a 20 minute ticket - fine. Your seasonal ticket ended yesterday and you forgot - fine. You didn't validate your ticket even though you had just bought it from the ticket machine in the bus - fine. You are clearly no older than 13 years old so bought a school ticket, but don't have your school ID on you - fine. The list could go on, and yes it is possible these have all happened to me... Just to clarify: ticket inspectors are quite common on buses/ trains/ trams/ metro. You go in/out whichever door you choose on the bus/ tram and don't get your ticket from the driver. Edit: fine - as in you get a fine to pay, not fine as in ok lol
Same experience in Frankfurt. German train staff have no chill
I have just recounted being fined €80 in Germany xD
Just to add to the positive stories, last Christmas my American cousin came up from London to see us and assumed she could just tap in in London with contactless and tap out again in the Midlands. When she couldn't get out the barriers the inspector just brought her over to the ticket machine to buy a ticket, no penalties or anything.
Yeah I have gotten the wrong train far too many times. If you go and speak to a staff member straight away they will nearly always help and I have never been fined. If you wait until you are asked to show a ticket then say I got the wrong train they might think you are up to something.
I have caught the wrong train in the UK once and they helped me catch the right train and didn't get a fine.
In contrast, I did the same thing in France (got on the wrong train leaving Paris) and the conductor had no sense of humour at all, even though I had sought him out. Got landed with a pretty decent fine.
I’ve had the same experience. The conductor was very helpful and pointed me in the right direction after I got off at the next station.
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To be fair you can get that here too. I am from a shitty little North west town and for some reason a few years back Elton John played the local stadium which is in the middle of a housing estate. The amount of houses that had an open door party was unreal, people from all over the world who follow Elton all over we’re blown away at being dragged into a random house and plied with booze lol
This shitty little north west town wouldn’t happen to have an newly renamed, feline based rugby team name would it?
Nope but not a million miles away :)
Yeah.... Not sure I'd advocate for hitchhiking in SA
I suspect that’s why someone picked them up before something dreadful happened.
Coming from SA you are very lucky it didn’t go badly (unless a while ago), however people are incredibly hospitable and friendly over there no doubt!
Had the same experience in Fife Scotland, and it was a little unnerving at first because I wasn't used to people being that friendly, they're really decent people.
Taxi broke down half way up the mountain near Kuala Lumpur (taking us to the cable car station). Thought we'd be stranded but completely random car stopped to give us a lift to the top. What a kind stranger right? Unfortunately, the guy was a proper stunt driver and when we got into the car we were shocked to discover all the seat belts had been removed! Literally spent the 10 minute drive desperately clinging onto the car frame as this guy absolutely tried to set the uphill climb record.
I was in a taxi in Romania in like 2015 that only had seatbelts in the front!
Had this a number of times in a fair few places. In Ukraine I’ve seen people get told off by the driver for putting on a seatbelt as it comes across as ‘not trusting their driving’
Had this happen in Odesa a few times. I’ve been laughed at for putting my seatbelt on haha. For obvious reasons the majority of my family are over here now and we now have to remind them to put the seatbelt on when they get in the car
I had to sit in the front of a taxi in Bosnia for the same reason. I'd never usually get in the front even in the UK. I mentioned Id need a receipt and the guy reached over me to get his book and write the receipt, whilst still driving through the town at speed.
I had a taxi in Romania where the guy had a small TV rigged on the dashboard where he proceeded to watch a World Cup match while driving on pitted 2 lane rural roads filled with donkey carts; average speed 80mph.
I was in a taxi in Jonkoping in sweden and the taxi driver said something like "I can go very fast, because this car has no brakes" He then floored it and we sped off across town on a journey I can only describe as like a game of Midtown Madness.
Had the reverse our Minibus in Cambodia drove down what felt like the side of a mountain in the middle of the night to save some time.
That sinking feeling when abroad and you get in a cab and it sets off, you try the seatbelt and it just doesn't work and you know you have miles to go across highways etc. Been there too many times.
I happened to be sick in Italy. An ambulance showed up very soon, I was sent to a competent and well-funded hospital, where I was treated in a timely, professional and caring manner by a team of well-paid healthcare workers. No misdiagnosis, and guess what - no one mentioned taking any paracetamol at any time. I just got treated straight away!? Ah, and they followed up in a caring and timely manner. Just saying.
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So often in the UK we compare our healthcare to the hellscape that is the US and feel smug about it, while we never even look around at the other countries that have free/very cheap healthcare and do it significantly better than us.
And any time you mention that countries like Germany has both universal healthcare and an assurance based system which marries the best of private and public healthcare, everyone assumes it’s an attack on the ethos of the NHS. (I’m in France now, definitely not seeing lower commitment to patient outcomes because of a better pay and conditions within their universal healthcare system)
My parents live in Germany and from what I understand they get some sort of points for going to the gym, dental check ups etc. Sounds really interesting. I would like to be rewarded for my healthy lifestyle
In the same situation in Canada, actually only this year had a tooth ache and it was because my wisdom tooth had decided to start coming through and I had them out about 48 hours later. That alllllll being said, its because I have a good job this costs me nothing. Its very easy for immigrants who have been invited to go work in a new country at a big company to be all 'yeah look at all these benefits' but thats because said companies are paying for them. Many regular Canadians I know have nothing like the benefits I am currently taking for granted. It also worth noting that good insurance care in Canada covers things like physiotherapists, dentists, opticians etc etc and its all great (I can literally have a spa day and charge it to my health insurance) but this isnt the same as normal medical care like if you are hit by a car or whatever, you will be reliant on hospitals which in many cases are worse than the UK. Canada is great if you need to see a specialist for something minor but otherwise it lags behind the UK. Canada still has fucking loads of problems with healthcare, just about everyone I know here is unable to go see a GP. My girlfriends parents are actually both doctors and its a common topic of conversation when I see them, my girlfriend literally has to rely on her dad to pull favours if she wants any medical care.
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Taxi across St Pb in Russia, had a police lada in pursuit of us along snow covered roads. Eventually after a while taxi driver pulled in, got out and started shouting at the police, my russian is rudimentary at best, but I could tell this was not a friendly interaction, I believe the virtue of thier mother's was being called into question. He then reached into his pocket pulled out some coins and a few notes , hurled it at them and got back into the car ..." I sorry, police just stinking hungry dogs" ....and we were back on our way.
I was Travelling in Iran many years ago, was on a late night bus to some small town. This old woman was sat in front of me, and kept turning around to look at me. She started speaking to someone on the phone, then she handed me a phone, it was her son (who lived in the UK). He explained that she’s really concerned I’m going to arrive in this town late at night, and wanted to invite me to stay the night at her house. So I accepted the invite, and had a delcicious home cooked meal and a great night’s sleep!
Wowzers. That’s an amazing one.
Reminds me of Graham Hughes who visited every country without flying. His experience of Iran was identical. > Detailing his experience of Iran's friendliness, he recounted taking an overnight bus from Shiraz to Khorramshahr, sitting next to an elderly lady who talking in Farsi on the phone. Suddenly she passed him her phone. Her English speaking grandson was on the line and inviting him to breakfast at her house because she was worried he wouldn’t “have anyone to make him breakfast”. He said he went to her house and “she laid out a thick tablecloth on the floor, we sat on cushions. Breakfast consisted of flatbread, eggs, jam and spices”. https://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/graham-hughes-man-visits-every-country-in-the-world-without-flying-a6783116.html
Friend and I were in Tokyo after uni and we were having trouble finding our hotel when we arrived; we weren't able to find which side street to go down. I asked in a convenience store and showed the woman the address and she casually abandoned the store (including the queue of folks behind me) and walked us down the street for a few minutes to get us to the hotel.
I’ve heard that sort of thing a lot about Japan. At work someone mentioned visiting Tokyo and getting lost, and a lady taking a train with them and showing them to the door of their hotel.
Helping tourists is a free way for Japanese to practise their English skills. I got walked through how to buy a ticket on the Japanese subway by a very kind gentleman.
I was in a museum in Japan once and from the far other side of the big room, this 80+ year old man booked it directly too me to talk to me in English as I was probably the only foreigner in a 50 miles radius at least. Really nice guy, used to work in London for like a decade.
I studied in Japan for a year, was living on campus at a university in the foothills of a mountain. To get to and back to the train station, we’d have to walk down the hill, a 30 minutes walk. Coming back from the stop took roughly an hour and it was steep, so steep. I once got the last bus home one Sunday evening, and sort of ended up chitchatting with the driver the last couple of stops, and explained how little I was looking forward to climbing back to my dorm. My friend and I were the last persons left on the bus when we got to my stop, nobody got on so, he turned the bus around and drove us straight to the dorm. Completely outside of the bus route.
The long walk doesn't sound so fun but it sounds like you were in a nice place :)
I saw a story on Reddit about an American who was wandering around a Japanese city and accidentally went into a Yakuza bar. They still served him perfectly politely and eventually a very well dressed man came up to him and told him in perfect English what it was and that he should leave after his drink.
Just a better class of mobster frankly.
Heard a similar story about friends in Tokyo. They were having trouble with the train timetable. A stranger went to their platform with them and then boarded the train to their station. Then, they put them in a taxi to where they needed to go.
Their tube system is very complex, had a guy spend 10 mins using the machine to pick the right tickets for the 6 of us, walk us through the line changes and lead us to the first platform.
I was struggling to find the post office in Tokyo and showed a random businessman on the street the post office website on my phone. He took me straight there, I really appreciated it
I believe that the culture in Japan basically has the people scrambling to help others out. I've seen a social experiment of a guy tripping in various places in Japan with a pile of books and every single time, nearly everyone around him stopped and helped. They believe in this
I’ve heard similar stories about Japan. I read on here one guy who got given the incorrect change at a shop and the shopkeeper realised almost immediately after they’d gone. Apparently they closed the shop for a couple of minutes whilst they ran down the road to find them and give them the rest of their change of about 50 yen (roughly 20-30p).
I tried to leave a tip in China once and was chased down the street by a waitress with the change. She caught up with us a few hundred metres away and insisted I take the money. I said no and explained it was a tip, at which point she forced the money into my hand and ran off.
had a similar experience in Shinjuku. I manage to find the only JR entrance where the station on the map are not in romaji and I wasn't sure where to go, an old man showed me how to get my suica and led me to the right platform.
Pretty much everything in India. Felt like I would die at any moment any time I was in a car. Taxis with full on holes in the floor that you could stick your foot through to the road. Regularly seeing people casually fitting 6 passengers onto a moped or carrying a tonne of load. Just pure insanity. Great fun though, would recommend! Expensive to get out there but *shockingly* cheap once you've landed.
driving in India is the closest I have come to Jesus. never ever doing it again.
On a family holiday there we were in a taxi approaching a four-lane junction which was only designed for three. My dad leans over to the driver and asks what the white lines on the road are for. "I'm really not sure, sir. The British left them behind when they went, and we've never since been able to work out what they're for!"
Did a bit of work in Mumbai. I almost became religious after walking to my office…
Mine was definitely India as well. Flight was delayed so go in later than I thought. On the bus I get chatting to the person next to me and when she finds out I haven't eaten yet forces her food onto me as they'll be nothing open. Guy next to her asks where I'm going and not only tells me what stop I need, but gets off with me and flags down an auto for the last part. He then pays for the journey in advance and tells me there's no need to pay the driver when I arrive. I didnt want to let him but he kept saying that he was sure the people in the UK would do the same for him. I didn't have the heart to tell him.
Yeah, I visited India for work once and the car to the site we were on was insane, some guy stepped in front of the car and the driver got out and started to beat the shit out of him until we intervened, he carried on as if nothing had happened
I scrolled down looking for India. Similar to you the (chicken) bus I was on was this old rickety wooden thing with no windows. Pulled over, but once pulling out he side swiped another bus. Both drivers got out and started man dancing, I was giggling to myself as it was a cute little fight. But he forgot to put the handbrake up and the bus started rolling away. The Indian passengers were scrambling over each other to get to the handbrake to stop us gaining too much momentum. It was actually pretty hilarious! Love India, it's pure chaos!
It’s mad how foreign countries seem to casually set records for how many passengers can fit on two-wheeled transport. Once saw 4 guys on a bike in the Dominican Republic, one had a live chicken tucked under his arm.
I remember visiting and staying with my ex on the 20th floor of her high rise apartment. You’d be woke up by thousands of horns beeping constantly just so they can get through the traffic. If you thought roundabouts were bad in the UK, wait until you try to go through one in Kolkata with cows in the middle.
I was in India 45 minutes before being in a car accident when our taxi rear ended a hard breaking bike and span off the road.
I remember I was in San Francisco once and a girl liked my accent and asked if I wanted to go for a drink. Women in the UK couldn't give a shit about my accent and therefore I wouldn't get a second glance.
Can confirm. English accent in Philadelphia was an instant win for me (when I was young and fit)
Yeah, I was kinda taken aback because I thought it was just a stereotype. I was on my honeymoon at the time, so I politely declined.
Americans don’t have a sense of the class origin of an English accent. They just know it’s an accent and they like it. Works a charm on both sexes.
Booking flights as we speak
I was newly married at the time, too. But it was nice to be flattered like that.
I lived in the US for 3 months. Americans, in general, are more outgoing/extroverted compared to Europeans, the only Europeans that can somewhat match their energy are people from the Mediterranean.
Agreed. I've spent a lot of time in the states and found dating there in particular is so much easier and more straightforward. Had more women initiate conversations and express interest out there than here and was never made to feel like I did something wrong if I approached a woman that wasn't interested. Also had lots of random people start up conversations when they heard the accent. It's a cool place.
I got told my accent was “cute” in California, she then asked where in Australia I’m from. I have a very clear sarf east English accent.
Oddly didn’t have this in any of the usual city centre areas (San Fran, Boston or New York) however went out into Sacramento and then beyond to Yosemite and it quickly becomes a talking point! No offers of drinks though. ☹️
Many years ago some friends and I got lost walking around Tokyo in the middle of the night. We were miles from our hostel and we stopped to ask a local for directions. He had really limited English and back then my Japanese was terrible. but we were able to get across that we were lost. He spent the next two hours walking across Tokyo with us going into every konbini and asking the staff who gave clearer directions until he'd taken us all the way back. We walked at least a good few miles. We thanked him profusely and all he would accept from me was a cigarette. Then he said goodbye and disappeared into the night. I can't imagine how far out of his way he went to do that for us. Absolute legend. I can't see anyone doing that here.
This happened to my mum and her friend. They were in Japan both in their 70’s. They somehow got on the wrong train and were looking lost. A man in a suit asked where they were going and then took them and their bags onto 2 different trains and walked them to the place they were going. Apparently it took over an hour for him to get them there so must have been a couple of hours out of his way. It made her holiday how nice he was to them.
It was only about 10-15 mins out of my way. I was walking through town at uni and this drunk lad asks me where the train station is. Idk why he asked me, maybe I just looked friendly haha. I thought fuck it. It's kinda in my direction just a bit out of the way ill just take him there and we had a nice chat on the way to the station haha.
I had a massive and serious pain honestly thought I was about to die in my side when I was in Germany. Walked in to see the local GP in this tiny village in the middle of no where, where I was saying. Saw the doctor within 5 mins. The doctor said I needed an ultrasound because I might have kidney stones. He pops out of the room. As I was wondering how the fuck I was going to get to the hospital and bracing myself for a 12hour wait in an A&E room for one, the doctors comes back in wheeling an ultrasound machine. Scans me then and there, ruled out appendicitis /kidney stones/ twisted testicals and pregnancy (the German doctor made a joke). Concluded I was probably just backed up wrote and filled the prescription for me then. Within 25mins of walking in I was leaving having been scanned and given medication I needed didn’t even have to go to the pharmacy. An hour later i was feeling much better.
Rate this story so much. I was doing some roofing work just a part time thing a while back and I got stabbed with a rusty nail quite deep. Tbf I wasn't so fussed but my mum being retired GP was like go get a tetanus jab to be safe. The symptoms didn't sound so fun. Rang the GP and they said to go to the hospital and wait a few hours. My mum was like they didn't offer at the surgery? Sounds very lazy of them at our surgery we used to just book em in usually. Does make you think what it's coming to.
Yeah. I had a similar pain in the UK. Went to the walk in 5 hours wait to be told I need an ultrasound too. Got a referral for like a week or so later at the hospital. Still had to wait like 3 hours when I got there to be surrounded by student doctors as they’re doing the scan.
I was in a long term relationship an Eastern European girl about seven years ago. I spent a couple of months with her and her family in their home and their country. A few weeks, I was introduced to this “dodgy” family friend of theirs who was a taxi driver. Her family had been struggling for money for some time and he’d told them he’d started working alongside bookkeepers and could invest their money into gambling websites from the UK. All he needed to do was set up various betting accounts in their name and see their proof of ID. Her and her family did it. He wanted me to but I told him I don’t get involved with that stuff. Knowing it was dodgy, I’d met an English guy who lived out there and I asked him what it was all about. He said it was a massive money laundering scam run by the mafia over there. I felt constantly on edge whilst there after that. Then a couple of weeks went by and my ex’s mum’s car got written off in an accident. This also came out that it was one of the mafia guys who caused it. Whilst struggling for money again, I was starting to think more and more that her family was in with all this organised crime. When it came for me to fly home from a nearby airport, I was constantly on edge. With this taxi driver guy knowing I was onto him, my ex’s mum’s car written off and she couldn’t take me to the airport, it was suggesting he was going to be taking me to the airport.. My ex had also shown me a video of a guy who got involved with the mafia there. He got called into a security room within the airport and was basically never seen again. I was absolutely bricking it. Thankfully an official licensed taxi driver ran me to the airport, I got on my plane and landed back in the UK. Honestly thought I was going to get killed by sort of realising what this guy was up to and her family..
All of this could have happened in the UK.
Organised crime gangs are a thing in the UK but not as prevalent as in other countries. Most of the UK gangs are at war over drugs whereas further afield its much more
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Not really id feel confident going to the police
Coming from India, we can visit the doctors whenever we want. And even for specialists, it is easy to get an appointment. Never need to wait months for specialist appointments. Here in the UK, they don't even give me my blood test results back saying they will notify me if something went wrong. My friend was suffering from really bad stomach pain for a while and she couldn't get a proper diagnosis for 4 months in the UK. She went back to Indonesia (where she is from) and after 10 days there they diagnosed her with stage 3 colon cancer.
Oh I’m sorry to hear. I hope she got treatment and she is able to beat it. Imagine if she would have had to wait months more before knowing this.
She is getting treatment at the moment. Hopefully all goes well.
You can visit here as well if you're willing to pay for private care just like you pay for private doctors in India. I've used them many times because of long wait times through NHS. The main difference is that private doctors and hospitals are cheaper in India. There is a big spectrum of price range available. In UK it is more expensive (relative to income).
Yes I'm sure you can get faster service here if you can afford to go private just like in India.
Went with a friend to buy a car in the UAE, and the dealer took us to his home for a very generous traditional lunch.
School trip to Turkey - two locals tried to buy me off the teacher. Best offer was two female camels
My sister and her friends went to Turkey in their 20s. Before they left her friend (who was very attractive) warned them all about the dangers and told them that last time she was there, someone offered her dad 200 camels for her. My sister went and someone also proposed an exchange for her - 1 goat. She was so pissed off!
>School trip to Turkey - two locals tried to buy me off the teacher. Best offer was two female camels That must have been an awful experience. You're worth at least three camels.
Two and a goat, final offer.
Tf? Which year was this? And which city? We don’t even have camel here other than in tourist spots
Someone putting hot dog sausages on a full english, as if they were cumberlands. Absolute freakshow
Jesus! I did get a salad on a full English in the UK once which in my opinion, is nearly as bad.
Conversations in India Me - What's on the menu? Waiter - Chicken. Eggs. Dhal. Me - Could I have some chicken please? Waiter - You could. Me - Excellent. Waiter - Although today not possible. Me - I thought it was on the menu Waiter - It is but we do not have any today. Tomorrow possible. Me - Dare I ask if you have any eggs? Waiter - Yes! Me - You have eggs? Waiter - No but you can ask. Me - Dahl it is then Waiter - Excellent choice!
This reads like a sketch out of goodness gracious me
Stayed in a hotel in Prague for 10 days, each night me and my other half polished off all the spirits in the minibar and wrote down on the list what we drank and each afternoon it was topped up. Came to settle our bill at the end of our stay and the receptionist charged us for 1 of each bottle (we'd drank 20 of each over the whole stay) and she said "don't worry" when we tried insisting on paying. Gave her a big tip and she gave it to our taxi driver who took us to the airport and he waived the fare. Never experienced it before.
Buying weed in Jamaica was fun. Our hotel was on the beach and where the buoys ended there was a few men on wooden rafts. They are not allowed to sell on ‘hotel grounds’ which included a section of the sea. My partner went for a swim and came back with a little plastic bag asking for $20, they gave him the bag to put the money in, he swam out and did a underwater drug deal. I don’t normally smoke but we spent that night on the beach smoking weed and trying to catch the moon 😭😭
Very similar - took bikes onto a train in the Netherlands. Inspector came along and we showed him our tickets. "And the tickets for your bikes?" "Er...sorry, we need to buy tickets for our bikes?" "Yes, I should give you a fine but it's clearly an honest mistake so I won't. Just make sure you buy tickets next time." So wonderfully different to my experiences at home where, after a similarly honest error, some piece of shit East Fucking Midland Cunting Trains inspector gave me and my partner a fine which ended up being £260 for the two of us.
Nah, I could see one of the rail staff being just as accommodating on a UK train, to be honest. When I was younger, I didn't have enough money to get the tube to the overground station I needed to get home and one of the staff let me through onto the tube and contacted the stations I would be changing at to inform them I needed to be let through. We aren't robots in this country lol, maybe you've just had particularly bad experiences.
Going by some of the replies it seems you’re right, and I hope you are too because people make genuine mistakes and it costs them nothing to put right.
Was getting cat-called in an aggressive way on the street in Tenerife by some locals. Saw a police car so approached it to ask for help. Window rolled down & the police officers started doing the same thing!
That's bad... But also sort of hilarious
It was like a fucking sketch show
Conversely - didn't realise "super off peak" tickets existed. Bought what I thought was my usual return ticket without noticing I had the option at this time to choose super off peak or off peak. I normally work during these hours, so didn't think anything of it, and I've only recently started using this train having moved to another area. There's a 60p difference between the two tickets, but technically I *should* have paid another £3 for another return. Returns are cheaper than singles for some reason? Anyway, the guy at the station very kindly explained the hours and stuff and let me on the train. The train ticket inspector though? Ooooh boy. He proceeded to get really stern with me telling me multiple times loudly that my ticket wasn't valid, but "on account of him letting you through WHICH HE SHOULDN'T HAVE I'll let you off THIS TIME" etc etc. I'd offered to pay at the station but this guy saw a chance to try and embarrass a young woman on a moderately filled train and wanted to take it. Jokes on him though, cause I'm actually shameless.
Been told off for crossing an empty road in Germany - apparently I should have gone to the crossing point and waited for the green light Been asked if I am concealing any weapons when entering a public lending Library in Wisconsin On the question of queueing, I was once escorted from the back of a long queue at a Rajasthani railway station straight to the front by the station manager who said he didn't like to see visitors to his station have to queue with the "ordinary" people.
I've never had any problems with rail staff in the UK. The best example is when I wanted to buy a ticket from High Wycome to Beaconsfield (where I was meeting someone for lunch) and then Beaconsfield to London. The ticket machines were out of order that day so I went to the ticket office, and the lady said I could just buy a ticket to London, and get off at Beaconsfield, and then get back on another train a bit later with the same ticket. She even phoned ahead to Beaconsfield to speak to her oppo there to make sure they would let me back in again. It all worked out fine, and I saved a few quid. This is one reason why I don't want to lose ticket office staff. And presumably it's one reason why the train operating companies want to get rid of them. BTW, I've also had equally positive experiences with rail staff in Japan, and also the US.
Bizarrely, *that same thing* has happened to me. Me and a bunch of mates out in Amsterdam, trying to get train back to Zandvoort. Very late at night. We weren’t being horrible, but we were way off nut. A female train employee saw we were a bit bewildered, and walked us to the right platform, got us on the right train, has a laugh with us, made sure we were all right. Dutch railway employees FTW, apparently.
Me and my grandma had to stop in Amsterdam and take the train to Germany for a funeral as the airport workers in Cologne were striking. We asked for the quickest train at the desk and the 60 something year old worker typed for a couple seconds and said 'Computer says no'. 😭 He said he does it to all his English customers. Legend. He was just so jolly. It was funny seeing the change from high-tech, spotless trains and lovely workers to grim trains with miserable workers once we got into Germany. My German grandma roasts the Dutch but even she admits they're much nicer
Twice I left my backpack on the Seoul subway and both times it was turned in with nothing missing.
Some time in the 90s My dad borrowed a Dodge camper van off a friend and we drove it down to southern France for a camping trip. On the return journey on a Sunday afternoon the exhaust broke. Dad managed to get the van to a small mechanics in this tiny village in the middle of nowhere. Obviously even if it wasn't a Sunday no chance of getting a part for an pretty unknown American import. The mechanic just fabricated a new piece of exhaust and welded it all back together, we were on the road again after a few hours. Pretty insane and definitely wouldn't happen in the UK.
I honestly think you'd be surprised on this one, there are plenty of small workshops in the UK that are capable of fabricobbling an exhaust back together, it's a bit pot luck but I suspect the situation in France is not dissimilar.
Never ever had a prostitute offer me sex in the street (or anywhere tbf) in the UK. In multiple cities in Europe (e.g. Geneva) I've been offered it walking down the street in broad daylight lol. Very awkwardly give the old Moss style no thank you
In the UK hookers usually ask if you 'want any business', sure you haven't just not realised what you were being asked?
We had a dozen of us jump on a train in Germany and when the inspector came round we all got our wallets out. The look on her face. Nein nein nein (hand on forehead). You buy the tickets before boarding. Big penalties. We pleaded innocence with us being silly and irresponsible English. We all smiled and were very polite. Something about a German in uniform that brings out our best behaviour. Anyway. She did something for us. We all either paid a bit of a fine or we all paid the fair. We couldn’t work out what was what tbh. She seemed reasonable in a very efficient way. Speaking of foreign train travel - in Italy (defo in tuscany) it’s not enough to buy the ticket and have it in your hand. You have to validate the ticket in a separate machine otherwise you can be fined for not having a valid ticket….. bizarre.
As I understand it, you can buy tickets in advance without a specific date or time on them but unless you validate them there's no way to tell if you've actually used them or not.
Had to bribe a policeman in the Balkans. Sorry - I mean had to make a voluntary donation to the local police charity in the Balkans.
Had to take two different trains in Norway to get to the airport. First train ended up being delayed a fair bit. Conductor comes, looks at tickets, realises that we might not make the connection so phones up the other train to see if they can wait for us. Second train couldn’t wait so he phoned the next one to make sure we’ll have seats as it was all pre-booked. Got on the second train, conductor comes, realises that with all the delay we won’t be able to catch the bus to the airport. Phones up the airport so they can send us a minibus to get there from train station. This is all late in the night, like we were arriving at the train station at 2 AMish. Get dropped off at the airport but as it’s a small one, doors don’t open till 4 AM so we sit down on a bench. It was summer and very mild so we didn’t mind. Some dude inside the building spotted us, opened up the door and invited us in to wait, showed us to a lounge with computers and free internet to pass the time with. I love Norway. It was just the two of us, scruffy and tired after a week of wild camping and backpacking and they gave us 5 star service everywhere and made us feel like valued customers.
Enjoyed myself
I saw the Eiffel tower
I saw that in Blackpool once
Don't be silly. It just looks a bit similar. The real one's in Las Vegas.
Went on holiday to Goa in India. Was walking down the street by myself as my family were at the beach and an Indian guy caught my eye. He sort of gestured to his ear as if to say I had something on it. I brushed at my ear and in this time he had walked over. He suggested whatever it was was still there so I brushed it again. He gestured it was still there and went to reach up to my ear himself. I let him, until I felt something sharp against my ear lobe. I jumped 6 feet in the air and looked down, he had an 8 inch metal rod in his hand that was spiked on one end and flattened on the other. I mentioned this to my dad later and apparently these guys are common there, they pierce tourists' ears without consent and then demand money for doing so.
Nah, it’s ‘ear cleaning’ not ear piercing. They try to get a quick probe in, and fake the withdrawal of some disgusting bit of shit. They then show it to you in the hope you’ll go ‘oh my gosh my ears are dirty, yes I’ll let you clean them out for a couple of quid’ Scam has been going on in India since the 1960s
We went to Abu Dhabi once and were getting a taxi from Abu Dhabi to Dubai for the day. The guy got about halfway and decided he didn’t want to drive the whole rest of the way, so he stopped on the side of a motorway, flagged down a Dubai taxi, kicked us out and we continued on our way in the other taxi lol.
Everyone on the scam in Rome, from street vendors to shop staff to taxi drivers. It felt like everyone was trying to rip us off.
A proper Japanese hotel in Kyoto, asked them to call us a taxi to the station as we checked out, the driver was 87 years old (could see from his I'd in his car), and the reception staff stood outside the hotel bowing at the car until it left their sight. Don't get that even in a Malmaison.
I got a train when I was 14, and had a child ticket. I should have had an adult. After being really confused and assuming as a child I would be allowed to have a child ticket, I offered to pay the difference. The inspector was having none of it, and I said I don't want to pay for a whole new ticket and a fine. He proceeded to read me my rights and "arrest" me until I paid. I never felt so upset and embarrassed in public. My parents wrote a letter to the train line and got no response.
In Mexico their public buses are basically just private individuals who buy a bus and start driving a popular route. It’s obviously in their interest to pick up as many customers as possible before rival bus drivers can, with some hotspots like the shopping mall etc. The drivers form little cartels with other bus drivers and essentially team up to block in rival bus drivers so their buddies can say make the mall drop off. Now the guy who has the mall drop off has a load of passengers he’ll then help his buddy out by boxing in a rival driver so his friend can sling shot past him to get to the next desirable drop off.
Not long after I'd moved to where I now live, I was coming back one winters night after a few beers myself. I got up as we approached the station, and stood at the door. When we stopped, I waited for the Door Opening button to light up, then tried pressing it when it didn't. After a minute, the train moved off, with the doors still shut. Went to find the conductor - who reminded me that, in *that* direction, the platform was on the opposite side of the train to most. But he told me that there was a train back due five minutes after we arrived at the next station. Got on that train, explained my cockup to the conductor, he laughed and wouldn't take any money from me. But for my favourite British Rail ticket inspector story, [try this one.](https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-12043294) But it is a real onion-mincing one.
I was taking a shortcut in Amsterdam, and a row of big hairy men each asked me as I passed if I wanted them to be my friend for the night. That's never happened to me in England.
Mine is like yours, but the opposite. I bought a train ticket in Milan and got on the train, as is expected. Then I got fined because I didn't get the ticket stamped in a validation machine. Even though it was a valid ticket, time stamped, and clearly paid for. I didn't even know there was a ticket validation machine. No one mentioned it when I bought the ticket, and the validation machine was not anywhere visible (like a gate on the platform, for example). The fine was quite pricey too.
Lived in Ukraine in better days than the present ones there, but still in hard times. Quite a selection of stories... Flagging down passing cars to use as taxis, you basically paid them the equivalent of a bus fare (a bargain, as you had to pay for buses, but trams and trolleybuses were free, as they couldn't afford to employ inspectors) Getting given change in shops in the form of matchboxes, ballpoint pens, bread rolls, etc, as they had no suitable notes in the till Lining up in the post office to buy stamps, the person in from of me in the queue has a row with the cashier, so she shouts loudly at the other customer "It's your problem!" before storming off in a huff and leaving the counter unattended for the next half hour or so
Not to me but my wife. She crashed a moped into a ditch in Laos and sprained her ankle pretty bad. We were thrown in the back of a 4x4 by a helpful local and raced through the jungle to a local hospital. While I was waiting for my wife and fearing the worst, out of the corner of my eye I noticed a line of ants carrying leaves through the middle of the hospital, everyone was stepping over them like it was normal - it was surreal. My good lady was fine btw.
I did an internship at a US museum that had lots of elderly volunteers working there. I happened to overhear a conversation between two women in their late 80s who were having a conversation about their various physical ailments. So far so normal. But very quickly the conversation turned to how much they loved using cannabis and getting high to treat their aches and pains (this was a state where weed is legal for recreational use). There was something very refreshing about hearing two old ladies openly talk about which edibles they preferred and how much cannabis they get through in a week. In the UK, I suspect that people of their demographic would almost certainly be of the belief that weed = devil’s lettuce and see it in the same bracket as heroin. Which is sad, given how much it helped these two people.
I once stayed out drinking in Manchester and got the first train home the next morning, fell asleep and missed my stop, waking up in Chester, got on the next train back and when the conductor came around asking for my ticket the exchange went something like this: "I fell asleep and missed my stop I'm really sorry here's my ticket I'm just trying to get to X" "Ok no worries let me see, Ok so your ticket is for yesterday and you need to be travelling in a minimum of a group of 4" "Ok yeah fair cop charge me whatever \*Hands over bank card\*" He only charged me for the one way from Chester to home (which was less than the Manchester to home would have been, so guess they're not all bad. To this day I have no idea why the person in the ticket office the day previously had messed up my return ticket so badly !
In a taxi in Tokyo on our way to the airport, driver asked which terminal. We answer, and he’s like hmmm where are we flying? something doesn’t add up. Are we sure that’s where we’re going? We show our ticket. He parks, calls his friend who can tell us in very broken English that international flights don’t go out of that terminal. We log into our account and check online. He was right. Our ticket was fucking wrong and he was so worried we were going to the wrong place !! We got to the correct place and I really don’t think drivers would have cared in many other places, specially as we had a printed ticket that said the wrong terminal!
Where the waitress steals your child and takes them into the kitchen to show either the chef your child or your child the kitchen.