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Enjoy travelling more by cultivating your sense of humour. Things are bound to go wrong sometimes and things won't always go according to plan but try to see the funny side. At least try to be patient. Try to be amused rather than angry about misunderstandings due, for example, to language difficulties. In Johannesburg many years ago, my mother, an Englishwoman, sat down in a cafe run by Greeks. She asked for a bitter lemon, expecting a bottle of the Schweppes soda. The waitress was surprised but walked away and returned...with a bit of lemon! During the same period, I was in a hotel restaurant in South Africa. I looked at the menu and ordered strawberries. The waiter said that they were frozen. I prefer fresh strawberries but frozen foods are okay in a pinch, so I said that it was okay. The waiter walked away and returned...with a bowl containing a block of ice. The block of ice did contain strawberries, so I decided to regard it as a new experience and slowly thawed the strawberries on a teapot. Also in South Africa, I went to a takeaway and ordered a steak roll, which was advertised as a special at a reduced price. However, the attendant charged me the full price. I protested but the attendant said that it was because I hadn't said the word "special". I regret to say that on that occasion, I could not hide my annoyance. I should have just laughed it off. |