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Go west, young [travel] thread

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Posts

  • KochikensKochikens Registered User regular
    sarukun wrote: »
    Yes, outside of major cities English does not go very far.

    I never found it to really be a problem though? Its so easy, and everyones so nice. And Tokyo its not like everyone speaks English anyways.

  • WimbleWimble Registered User regular
    I shouldn't count change? What's that about?

    4SMZq.jpg
  • sarukunsarukun RIESLING OCEANRegistered User regular
    Kochikens wrote: »
    sarukun wrote: »
    Yes, outside of major cities English does not go very far.

    I never found it to really be a problem though? Its so easy, and everyones so nice. And Tokyo its not like everyone speaks English anyways.

    People will go out of their way to help you for sure, but it might be kind of complicated and take a while.

    Skeith
  • tynictynic PICNIC BADASS Registered User, ClubPA regular
    Wimble wrote: »
    I shouldn't count change? What's that about?
    Seen as rude cause it implies the person serving you is dishonest. You can count it well out of sight if you want, obviously.

    ASimPerson
  • WimbleWimble Registered User regular
    Oh, duh! Whoops

    I thought Kochi meant counting my change to see how much money I have at any time was a bad idea

    4SMZq.jpg
    tynicLost Salient
  • PlatyPlaty Registered User regular
    I met exactly one person in China who spoke English and considering I was alone by myself half of the time, it's amazing I got by so well

  • Brovid HasselsmofBrovid Hasselsmof [Growling historic on the fury road] Registered User regular
    edited June 2017
    Do people usually count their change? I don't think I ever have.

    I got money out of an ATM the other day and immediately pocketed it and the guy with me said "Oh, you're not going to count it?" And I thought, am I supposed to get into an argument with the ATM about how much money it's given me?

    Brovid Hasselsmof on
    tynicWimbleAngelinaSkeithJoolanderknitdan
  • tynictynic PICNIC BADASS Registered User, ClubPA regular
    i always do a quick scan of ATM cash. I've seen enough malfunctions not to trust them.

    chromdomKashaarSlacker71
  • WimbleWimble Registered User regular
    I sure don't! That's why I was confused. I think to me change only registers as spare coins in your pocket not what you get back after paying for something

    4SMZq.jpg
    tynic
  • JedocJedoc In the scuppers with the staggers and jagsRegistered User regular
    edited June 2017
    I have had the same five emergency twenties in my wallet since 2011. The only time I ever spend cash is at the good pho place on 23rd street that doesn't take cards, and the only time I remember to go there is when I get some pho-sized check from like mileage reimbursement or something, and cash that instead of depositing it.

    Jedoc on
    GDdCWMm.jpg
  • Donovan PuppyfuckerDonovan Puppyfucker A dagger in the dark is worth a thousand swords in the morningRegistered User regular
    I don't think I've ever gotten enough cash out of an ATM machine at once to need to count it - you ask for $90 and you get a yellow and two oranges.

    tynic
  • tynictynic PICNIC BADASS Registered User, ClubPA regular
    American ATMs don't dispense fifties and all their money looks alike. Living here I have to physically count what's in my wallet quite often.

    Most of the time it's just jammed up with ones.

    JoolanderSlacker71
  • JedocJedoc In the scuppers with the staggers and jagsRegistered User regular
    Listen, we tried our best with dollar coins. We made them gold and shiny and put every president's face on them, so you could keep your lucky Millard Fillmore in your pocket if you wanted to. When you have a fistful of them, you feel like you just looted a pirate ship. But when we try to give them in change at the library, people look at us like we just wished cancer on them.

    I assume it's the same irrational impulse that leads us to retain the penny at this late date.

    GDdCWMm.jpg
    tyniclonelyahavaSlacker71
  • Donovan PuppyfuckerDonovan Puppyfucker A dagger in the dark is worth a thousand swords in the morningRegistered User regular
    tynic wrote: »
    American ATMs don't dispense fifties and all their money looks alike. Living here I have to physically count what's in my wallet quite often.

    Most of the time it's just jammed up with ones.

    Sounds like it's time for a trip to the strip club to get rid of all those ones!

    tynicchromdomJoolanderSlacker71
  • Lost SalientLost Salient blink twice if you'd like me to mercy kill youRegistered User regular
    Hey @Ketar go to the city museum.

    RUVCwyu.jpg
    "Sandra has a good solid anti-murderer vibe. My skin felt very secure and sufficiently attached to my body when I met her. Also my organs." HAIL SATAN
    kilroydos
  • ASimPersonASimPerson Cold... and hard.Registered User regular
    edited June 2017
    Jedoc wrote: »
    Listen, we tried our best with dollar coins. We made them gold and shiny and put every president's face on them, so you could keep your lucky Millard Fillmore in your pocket if you wanted to. When you have a fistful of them, you feel like you just looted a pirate ship. But when we try to give them in change at the library, people look at us like we just wished cancer on them.

    I assume it's the same irrational impulse that leads us to retain the penny at this late date.

    The one time I tried to use dollar coins to pay for an in-person transaction the cashier looked at them and said, "ooh, I collect those!"

    I resisted the urge to point out that, among other things, is the problem with the dollar coins here.

    Also yeah, $50s are the second rarest bill in circulation, behind the $2.

    ASimPerson on
  • tynictynic PICNIC BADASS Registered User, ClubPA regular
    Boston subway used to spit out 1-dollar coins if you ask for change. I once ended up with like 12 of the fuckers. Getting rid of them took most of the rest of that trip to the US.

  • KetarKetar Come on upstairs we're having a partyRegistered User regular
    Hey @Ketar go to the city museum.

    On the agenda!

  • Brovid HasselsmofBrovid Hasselsmof [Growling historic on the fury road] Registered User regular
    I regularly do the work shopping, and we can't pay with our card so it all has to be cash, so I have to go and get R8000 out of the ATM at the start of the day. It is quite fun having such a fat stack of notes in your wallet, even if it doesn't actually belong to me.

  • Brovid HasselsmofBrovid Hasselsmof [Growling historic on the fury road] Registered User regular
    Jedoc wrote: »
    Listen, we tried our best with dollar coins. We made them gold and shiny and put every president's face on them, so you could keep your lucky Millard Fillmore in your pocket if you wanted to. When you have a fistful of them, you feel like you just looted a pirate ship. But when we try to give them in change at the library, people look at us like we just wished cancer on them.
    Sounds like it's time for a trip to the strip club to get rid of all those ones!

    SorceUnbrokenEvaJedoc
  • Houk the NamebringerHouk the Namebringer Nipples The EchidnaRegistered User regular
    btw @Kochikens I don't remember if you ever ended up posting about it, but how was your Japan trip?

  • Lost SalientLost Salient blink twice if you'd like me to mercy kill youRegistered User regular
    Quick series of questions for the Brits.

    1. How shitty is Heathrow Airport.
    2. How shitty is British Airways.
    3. How plausible is going into London and grabbing lunch from Heathrow if you have a 13 hour layover.

    Question 2 is least important as my options for this trip are NOT extensive.

    RUVCwyu.jpg
    "Sandra has a good solid anti-murderer vibe. My skin felt very secure and sufficiently attached to my body when I met her. Also my organs." HAIL SATAN
  • That Dave FellaThat Dave Fella Registered User regular
    1. It's not the worst. It's no O'Hare. It's big enough and has 5 terminals so you might have to walk/get a bus between them.
    2. They're grand. You get free booze transatlantic.
    3. You can get the tube or heathrow express into London. It takes about 40 minutes and is about 30 pound for the train, tube would be cheaper. Totally something you could do with that layover as the trains run every 15 minutes or about that often.

    PSN: ThatDaveFella
    Lost SalientSnicketysnicksarukundjmitchellatynicBogeyKashaarMortal Sky
  • SkeithSkeith Registered User regular
    I'm not a Brit, but #3 is certainly possible. There's a tube line that ends at Heathrow, but it's a bit pricey, something like $8 one way?

    aTBDrQE.jpg
  • ASimPersonASimPerson Cold... and hard.Registered User regular
    I remember the last time I took the Tube into London from Heathrow by the end I was telling myself that I'd pony up for the Express train the next time, but it's been long enough now that I'd probably look at the prices again and think, "well, the Tube is like $40 cheaper" or some such.

    I haven't looked so I'm not sure how much faster the Express is, though.

  • PlatyPlaty Registered User regular
    When I was in London during last year I only got saved because I headed earlier to Gatwick Airport than what would've been necessary, normally I try to squeeze out as many hours as I can but for some reason I started to get going three hours early

    Turned out there were absolutely massive delays on the railway

  • PlatyPlaty Registered User regular
    I would really like to go back to China, sometimes I worry I'll return there and people won't be as friendly anymore as they used to be

    How friendly people are in a place seems really proportionate to how many tourists that place gets, in China some people would stop me and take a picture with me because I looked European

    They also seemed very willing to tolerate stupid behavior, for example we saw an elderly dude swimming in the park and then took some pictures with him because he was the buffest elderly person we ever saw

  • Lost SalientLost Salient blink twice if you'd like me to mercy kill youRegistered User regular
    I think it depends on where you are in China to some degree.

    But generally speaking people were and continue to be lovely to me when I'm there.

    ...actually I find people to be pretty lovely everywhere I go, so. :shrug:

    RUVCwyu.jpg
    "Sandra has a good solid anti-murderer vibe. My skin felt very secure and sufficiently attached to my body when I met her. Also my organs." HAIL SATAN
  • PlatyPlaty Registered User regular
    Yes, I think it depends a lot on where you go, I think people were less friendly in Beijing

    To me, part of the reason why Paris gets such a bad rap lies in that residents are so used to tourists

    Other places in France are lovely

  • Lost SalientLost Salient blink twice if you'd like me to mercy kill youRegistered User regular
    I love Paris, too!

    But then I'm from the cold, disinterested Northern cities.

    RUVCwyu.jpg
    "Sandra has a good solid anti-murderer vibe. My skin felt very secure and sufficiently attached to my body when I met her. Also my organs." HAIL SATAN
  • Lost SalientLost Salient blink twice if you'd like me to mercy kill youRegistered User regular
    Like I've lived in various points southwards for years now and it's not that I'm DELIBERATELY unfriendly! I'm just still faintly surprised when a stranger says, "good morning" in my neighbourhood.

    Oh yeah, I guess we can do the good morning thing. Sure. Good morning!

    RUVCwyu.jpg
    "Sandra has a good solid anti-murderer vibe. My skin felt very secure and sufficiently attached to my body when I met her. Also my organs." HAIL SATAN
    ASimPerson
  • tynictynic PICNIC BADASS Registered User, ClubPA regular
    ASimPerson wrote: »
    I remember the last time I took the Tube into London from Heathrow by the end I was telling myself that I'd pony up for the Express train the next time, but it's been long enough now that I'd probably look at the prices again and think, "well, the Tube is like $40 cheaper" or some such.

    I haven't looked so I'm not sure how much faster the Express is, though.

    I've spent a lot of time getting to and from Heathrow and I basically always take the Express now if possible, because all other routes are some degree of pain in the goddamn ass. BUT I usually have luggage, and i'm usually coming or going from Paddington. If neither of these things are true, that might change the metrics a bit.
    Last time it was something like 17 quid one way, 30 return.

    ASimPerson
  • PlatyPlaty Registered User regular
    I grew up in a place where you were basically required to greet anyone you meet, but I really struggled with it as a kid

  • tynictynic PICNIC BADASS Registered User, ClubPA regular
    edited June 2017
    @Lost Salient go over Islington Kensington-way, get Ottolenghi for lunch and have tea in the Orangery. For me.

    edit: am dumb

    tynic on
    Lost Salient
  • PlatyPlaty Registered User regular
    edited June 2017
    I once rode a lift with the vice-chancellor and didn't say hello and afterwards felt stupid

    The president also nodded at me a while ago and I didn't nod back

    These are true stories

    Platy on
    KashaarSlacker71
  • tynictynic PICNIC BADASS Registered User, ClubPA regular
    i once saw John Howard out jogging and after some thought, chose not to throw something at him.

    This was my chance at putting country over self, and I blew it. I'm sorry australia.

    Lost SalientDonovan PuppyfuckerKwoaruASimPersonThat Dave FellaLalaboxsarukunSkeithSlacker71
  • Lost SalientLost Salient blink twice if you'd like me to mercy kill youRegistered User regular
    tynic wrote: »
    ASimPerson wrote: »
    I remember the last time I took the Tube into London from Heathrow by the end I was telling myself that I'd pony up for the Express train the next time, but it's been long enough now that I'd probably look at the prices again and think, "well, the Tube is like $40 cheaper" or some such.

    I haven't looked so I'm not sure how much faster the Express is, though.

    I've spent a lot of time getting to and from Heathrow and I basically always take the Express now if possible, because all other routes are some degree of pain in the goddamn ass. BUT I usually have luggage, and i'm usually coming or going from Paddington. If neither of these things are true, that might change the metrics a bit.
    Last time it was something like 17 quid one way, 30 return.

    I believe in this case I'll be luggage-free with the exception of carry-on, because my checked bag will presumably be checked through all the way to Singapore.

    I've just booked my [holy fuck unbelievably expensive] flight and I have an 11 1/2 hour layover at Heathrow on Monday the 28th, so I'll try to get in and do something with my time.

    I was reading the paper this morning and there was an article about interwar German art at the Tate and I was like FUCK LUNCH NEED ART but then it turned out to be at the Tate Liverpool.

    I don't know if you guys were aware but Liverpool ≠ London.

    RUVCwyu.jpg
    "Sandra has a good solid anti-murderer vibe. My skin felt very secure and sufficiently attached to my body when I met her. Also my organs." HAIL SATAN
    tynicDonovan PuppyfuckerAngelinaASimPersonSlacker71
  • tynictynic PICNIC BADASS Registered User, ClubPA regular
    haha
    Victoria and Albert and Tate Britain would be my picks for a few hours, especially if it's raining. (Tate Modern is frankly a crapshoot).

    Angelina
  • Lost SalientLost Salient blink twice if you'd like me to mercy kill youRegistered User regular
    Oooh, an exhibit on queer British art

    >.>

    Yeah I need to not let myself go to an art museum probably if I want to make it back to Singapore

    RUVCwyu.jpg
    "Sandra has a good solid anti-murderer vibe. My skin felt very secure and sufficiently attached to my body when I met her. Also my organs." HAIL SATAN
    tynicDonovan PuppyfuckerSkeithSlacker71
  • LuvTheMonkeyLuvTheMonkey High Sierra Serenade Registered User regular
    The only place more dangerous would probably be the British Library.

    Molten variables hiss and roar. On my mind-forge, I hammer them into the greatsword Epistemology. Many are my foes this night.
    STEAM | GW2: Thalys
    Slacker71
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