10 Things I learnt‏

originally posted: Saturday, 20 June

Some reflections about what I learnt on the trip:


10 Things I learnt about the Japanese in Tokyo:

1) Japanese women are HOT
2) The most useful phrase in Japaese is "Suimasen" (Excuse me)
3) Everyone in Tokyo has a Nokia mobile with a large screen and internet access.
4) Everyone has 'good luck' trinkets hanging from their Nokia's, even old men.
5) The JR public transport system makes the Sydney system look like a joke. Honestly, it's an emabarrasment
6) The food requires some getting used to, but is delicious if you are brave and curious
7) The Japanese service is exceptional. No tipping required.
8) The Japanese generally will try and do everything they can to help you if they see you are in trouble/lost/etc.
9) The Japanese are also very curious as to what you think of their country.
10) Did I mention how hot the women are?


10 Things I learnt about Thailand:

1) Thai women are hot, but not as hot as Japanese women
2) Bangkok is a hell hole
3) I have never seen so many whores as I did in all of Thailand. It's greasy but it must be a massive part of their economy
4) The booze is cheap and the food is good if you know where to look
5) The Thais love a good temple. They're everywhere
6) The Thais are either very friendly or trying to gouge every cent out of you
7) Never ever get on a tuk-tuk. I mean it.
8) Get used to being hounded for a massage, or a tailored suit
9) There are markets everywhere. Apparently it's because factories frequently go out of business and their wares subsequently get sold on the street.
10) Thailand has been corrupted by tourists


10 Things I learnt about Spainiards in Barcelona:

1) Spanish women are hot, but not as hot as Thai women.
2) The most useful Spainish phrase is "Una ceverca pour favour" (One beer please)
3) The Spanish lifestyle is the one I could most easily get used to. Get up at 10am, lunch at 3pm, afternoon siesta, dinner at 9pm, hit the bars from 10pm till sun-up.
4) The food is delicious, as is the beer.
5) Catalan people are proud.
6) The architecture is amazing and inspiring. Gaudi certainly changed expectations about Modernity.
7) Attending a Barcelona FC game parallels any other sporting event I have ever been to.
8) The bars are awesome. Intimate, soulful, entertaining.
9) The Barcelona subway shits on the Sydney rail system from a great height. And I couldn't even read the language.
10) Beware of pickpockets and prostitutes, especially if you are blazingly drunk. The hookers are horrendous and will actually pay you to sleep with them, only to drug you and steal your wallet/passport. The pickpockets will find a reason to come into contact you (like try and show you a football trick) and then steal from you.


5 things I leant about England (I was only there for 12 hours):
1) The English women are horrific (apart from those I know or who are with my Australian mates)
2) The English culture has become largely homogenised due to rampant political correctness.
3) The Australian network of friends and alliances is very much alive and kicking.
4) The tube shits on Sydney public transport
5) There are pubs everywhere


10 Things I learnt about Barbados:

1) The Barbadian women are hot, but not as hot as the Spanish women
2) Barbados has been corrupted by tourists, but not as badly as Thailand
3) The locals are awesome once you get to know them. Friendly, and they love (and know) cricket.
4) The beach culture is world class. Shame about the deteriorating quality of the beaches...
5) I never liked dark rum until I tasted Mount Gay Rum. Delicious.
6) The food is good without being great.
7) I was able to relax here more than anywhere on the whole trip
8) The public transport system is like organised chaos. But once you understand it, its an effective, entertaining and cheap way of getting about
9) Attending a cricket game here was probably the most entertaining sporting event I went to on the whole trip. Try to sit in a stand with the locals if you get the chance. And make sure they don't think you are English.
10) Don't waste your time in Bridgetown. It's a shithole. The nightlife and beaches are far better on the south coast


10 Things I learnt about New York:

1) Everyone has a Blackberry
2) American women are hot, but not as hot as Barbados women. But New York is such a melting pot and there are so many nationalities, that it's hard to discern who is American and who is not.
3) The booze is either rediculously expensive or ludicrously cheap
4) New York is still very much the centre of the western universe.
5) I couldn't live in New York. The pace is probably too hectic and you need thick skin. But travelling there is great; every day is a different adventure.
6) Getting used to tipping is not easy.
7) Getting used to taxes not included in the cost is not easy.
8) Getting used to driving on the right hand side of the road is not easy.
9) I found Dive bars are by far and away the best places to drink at. Reasonably cheap and genuine locals to drink with. Sports bars, English-themed bars and nightclubs are all going to rip you off. Having said that, NYC has some of the most exclusive clubs on the planet.
10) The Subway is massive and daunting, yet once you understand how it works, it's very easy. And unlike Sydney, it is frequent and runs 24 hours a day.


10 Things I learnt about Canada:

1) Canadian women are hot, almost as hot as the Japanese. They have the best personalities.
2) Canadians LOVE ice hockey. And with good reason. It is a far better game that I imagined it would be, but you have to see it live to appreciate it.
3) Canadian booze is good, probably better than US booze.
4) Canada has a lot in common with Australia; similar goverment, similar laws, similar currency, similar sense of humour. They even understand Rugby and cricket (but not AFL unfortunately)
5) Canadians can't handle the heat. They think 24 degrees is hot.
6) Canada has some spectacular attractions. British Columbia was incredible
7) The transport systems in Toronto and Vancouver are a breeze. Sydney has nothing going for it at all. Only Melbourne compares well to any of the systems I was on.
8) Getting around is a breeze. The cities I went to are all laid out on a grid system, and are ususally oriented north-south and east-west.
9) Canada is enormous.
10) Canadians are very environmentally concious. They have recycling bins everywhere and plastic bags cost 5 cents


10 Things I learnt about travelling:

1) Always try and get the bottom bunk if you are staying in a dorm. Much easier to get in and out of if you are massively drunk or need to take a piss or if you have a 'special friend' staying with you.
2) I think the most useful item I took with me was either a torch or my camera. People love to see photos of where you've been, and torches are good when you have to rummage around in your luggage at night in a dorm.
3) Try to carry your passport and credit cards with you at all times. Even if you loose everything else, you can always start again with those.
4) Don't think that being Australian will get you any special priveledges. There are Australian's EVERYWHERE, and enough of them are either Queenslanders or jerks, that they have spoiled it for the rest of us.
5) No matter where you go, people are jerks
6) No matter where you go, people are idiots
7) Always try to keep the exchange rate in mind. A beer might only cost 5 euros, but that translates to $10 aussie dollars. Our currency is junk.
8) Get used to people trying to take advantage of you if you appear to be clueless. What would you expect.
9) If you are travelling a long distance on a bus, don't get off when it stops. It may very well leave without you, taking your luggage with it.
10) Get to know you limits so that when you are horrendously drunk, you don't end up somewhere you don't want to be. Help is a lot further away in a foreign country.