somtam2000
admin
mahout
Posts: 2607

Located in:
Indonesia

#1 Posted: 4/10/2007 - 07:46


Travel blog Travel Rants has a guest blog entitled "Seven things I hate about travel". While I only agree with one of them (bank fees), it's nevertheless a good idea -- what do you hate about travel?

Here's my pet seven hates to get the ball rolling:

1) Not speaking enough of the language
There's only so many languages one can learn or even attempt to learn, and it's a never-ending source of frustration to find myself struggling to be able to do anything more than order a meal or find the bus station. Forget about Viagra - where's the language pill!

2) Flying budget airlines
Sure they're cheap, but the mantra "you get what you pay for" is entirely appropriate when it comes to budget airlines -- the true cattle carts of the air.

3) Guidebook bumsteers
Spending six hours on a truck-bus to get to a "must see" spot only to find it doesn't (and has never) existed.

4) Touts & shysters
An especially toasty quarter of hell should be reserved for this breed. No, I don't want that free tuk tuk thanks.

5) Visas
I know this goes both ways and I realise the Australian govt certainly isn't the most generous, but come on -- let's at least get the price of the darn things under control.

6) Travellers behaving badly
Let me paint a picture; Other travellers boasting in Phnom Penh's Foreign Correspondent's Club that they bartered the airport moto down to nothing by promising to use him for the duration of their stay -- while they actually have no intention to; the clowns in the Lao restaurant refusing to pay for rice (that they've already eaten) because it was too cold; the twits defending to the guesthouse management their right to walk through a Muslim village on Ko Jum in a bikini... Unfortunately the list goes on and on and on. Travel is a great way to break down barriers -- not reinforce them!

7) Drummers
I've never grasped the attraction in travelling with a bongo drum to shatter the otherwise beautiful serenity of a remote beach sunset. Leave the drum at home please. Guitars are only permitted out after the sun is down, and only if you're buying the beer ;-)

todmanplaa
newbie
Posts: 4

#2 Posted: 4/10/2007 - 08:23


1) packing
2) unpacking
3) check-in queues
4) airport taxis
5) guidebook evangelists
6) I'm a traveler not a tourist types
7) people who just don't belong

StewJordan
newbie
Posts: 1

#3 Posted: 4/10/2007 - 16:04


1. Not being able to travel enough.

2. Anybody wearing thai fisherman pants who thinks i really really want to watch them twirling fire poi, the great spiritual experience they've been practicing for a whole 3 days, but will now do every day forever.

3. Not being able to travel enough.

4. That phantom tourist. You turn up at an amazing spot and cant wait to relax there. Someone starts up a conversation and you chat, they're nice enough - but then wont leave your side for the whole time you're there and suggests you should travel together for the rest of their trip! Everyone's had it. If not, you're that person.

5. Not being able to travel enough.

6. Finding the perfect isolated spot. Going back 1 year later. Finding that same perfect isolated spot with a starbucks/mcdonalds in it.

7. Not being able to travel enough.

skinnylatte
tourist
Posts: 57

#4 Posted: 8/10/2007 - 03:11


1. Being sick on the road. Despite a very hardened stomach brought up on street food in the alleys of Asia, I still did time in Indian and Bangladeshi hospitals.

2. Improbable objects for sale. Most of the time they're fun to look at (flutes, various drums, imitation art), but sometimes all I want to do is eat my somtam and not be harassed into buying the most hideous fish hat I've ever seen, or into buying bananas for the elephant that's magically appeared in a soi of Sukhumvit.

3. Travelers who aren't so much keen on travelling as they are on exploring their guidebooks and talking to people who look like them.

4. Air travel. It's become too difficult.

5. Harassment. Don't get this in Southeast Asia but as a lone female traveller in India I can vouch that I think "oh my god I really hate men", several times every day.

Gorey
backpacker
Posts: 13

#5 Posted: 19/10/2007 - 07:18


1. Those ones travelling on 'Daddy's Money', you know the ones with the backpacks, and then a louis vuitton carry on bag you see walking into the business class lounge.

2. Airport Staff, nuff said.

3. Big, drunk topless european men

4. People who spend their entire holiday comparing things to home, and how much worse they are where ever they happened to be.

5. People who only eat food they're used to from home, eg the english breakfast and sunday roast in Bangkok...

6. Mobile Phone network providers ripping you off

7. Coming Home

rayc101
motodop
Posts: 26

#6 Posted: 15/12/2007 - 18:31


1. Over-loud air-heads in internet cafes - as if the world gives a flying fig where you're off to next,
2. Over-aggressive bargainers..bullying their way to the last kip or whatever,
3. Squeaky clean yourists who stay in western hotels, eat western-style food in western style resturants, shop only in the big department stores, and contribute bugger-all to the local econimy where it matters,
4. US-style junk food outlets,
5. Tight-arses who wear socks with sandals,
6. Drunk morons with too many Euros and too few functioning neurons, and...
7. My real passionate displeasure is reserved for those big-framed neo-colonists with their 90 litre Vangos barging their way into crowded lifts, knocking people out of the way and not giving a toss.

Jon_Mak_Mak
tuk tuk driver
Posts: 166

Located in:
United Kingdom

#7 Posted: 28/12/2007 - 17:16


1. The English, American, German, Canadian etc.... who after a few sips of sangsom start acting like they are with all there mates back home in the pub on Friday night. (at least drink a half bottle you pussies, you are giving the rest of us a bad name!)

2. The con men/scammers (tuk tuk drivers)

3 That cocky 'farang' who is looking so smug walking thru MBK with his new girl friend - Tall, slim, beautiful - Funny thing is tho mate, my wifes just told me "thats a man"!

3 Racism.

4 Unpacking ;(

5 Mosquitoes!

6 Getting hearded around the airport,

7 Going home! :(



Thats 7, I could of wrote 100. But I could also write 1000 things I love about traveling, Esp' in Thailand.

:)