Annoying habits


These are some of the minor (and major) annoying habits we’ve encountered on our trip. Please be aware that this is supposed to be light-hearted and I’m well aware that what I see as a bad habit, the locals wouldn’t think twice about (the chances are that they would think most of the stuff I do is disgusting!)

What are the most annoying habits you’ve come across overseas?

RTW Annoying habits

  1. Anything loud. I could write a book on the annoying loud things we’ve encountered, but will restrict it to a few:

    -shouty people (Aussies mainly) – if someone is 4 feet away from you, you can probably talk in a normal voice rather than bellowing like you’re birthing a behemoth;

    -babies on planes and buses (there, I said it);

    -anyone not having a degree of consideration for others in guest houses, especially late at night or early in the morning (a) I know you have to Skype, but don’t do it with your door open at 11.30pm. b) If you’re a girl of a certain size, an anklet with bells on it isn’t going to make you look dainty, it’s just going to piss off anyone trying to sleep as you clomp along the corridor!); and

    -Building works which start at 6.30am (and they’re always just outside your room).

  2. Hawking – you know the script: loud snort; guttural throat action; swill around the mouth and spit out a beauty. Mainly in SE Asia.
  3. Queue jumping. Everywhere apart from in the Antipodes. Sometimes being actually muscled out of the way, but more commonly just treated like you’re invisible.
  4. In South America, people hiss for attention. It’s quite sinister!
  5. SE Asian eating (this could also go into the section above because it’s incredibly loud): I know it’s cultural, but it’s disgusting to a polite Englishman like me – they literally shovel it in like they’ll die if they don’t get it down them in less than 30 seconds, but if I can close my mouth and swallow before I throw some more food at my face, so can they.
  6. All of the driving habits of Kiwis – they are consistently awful drivers.
  7. People going to sights, but not actually looking at them (Exhibit A: chap at Perito Moreno not looking around much of it because he’d “seen other glaciers”; Exhibit B: people at the Cu Chi tunnels not actually having a look in the tunnels).

    Let us know what are your least liked habits by commenting below.

    ****************************************************************************************
    Any comments or questions are very welcome. However, bear in mind that we’re travelling around the world for 11 months, with varying standards of internet access, so won’t always be able to respond quickly!

    Responses

    1. Can relate to the New Zealand bad driving habits. Indicators on cars are considered an accessory, Driving with no lights on at dusk in the countryside. Driving with one arm dangling down the door, or holding onto the roof and; aggressive driving, referred to as “hooning” in the New Zealand vernacular.
      A beautiful country though, even if the driving standard is lazy

      By: Sam White on April 22, 2012
      at 6:08 AM

      Reply


    Leave a comment