When do you stop being surprised?
Feb 8th 2013, 2:57 am
#107
Banned
Joined: Jul 2004
Location: In my little world ....
Posts: 11,351
Re: When do you stop being surprised?
England or Brugge was. Or even London
Feb 8th 2013, 4:23 pm
#108
Grumpy Know-it-all
Joined: Jul 2010
Location: Calgary, Alberta
Posts: 8,928
Re: When do you stop being surprised?
Martinique uses the French system for their calling codes, that was what I was getting at, does my "North American" plan cover places that use the north american calling code system, i.e. +1. Which The Bahamas, Jamaica, etc. do. I never thought it covered Martinique because it is legally part of France.
Anyway it didn't, so remember that when you see a "north american" plan advertised.
Feb 8th 2013, 5:10 pm
#109
Grumpy Know-it-all
Joined: Jul 2010
Location: Calgary, Alberta
Posts: 8,928
Re: When do you stop being surprised?
When we returned from the UK one year, we also visited Paris and Brugge. On attending our travel club meeting (for Rv owners who like to go to places here in the US as a group) I was asked by the wagon master (leader of our group) to give them an account of our travels.
Apr 6th 2013, 6:11 pm
#111
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 41,518
Re: When do you stop being surprised?
Remembered this thread as the administrator at my husband's workplace is taking a trip to the UK and Europe. "So they use Euros in England, right?"
"No."
"But they'll take dollars?"
"No."
"But they'll take dollars?"
Apr 6th 2013, 8:58 pm
#112
BE Enthusiast
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 572
Re: When do you stop being surprised?
I just remembered this thread too. I was in the doctor's office this week, and there was a new technician there. Of course there's the usual "Where are you from". She guessed England at the third attempt.
"What part" she asked.
"Warwickshire", I replied, drawing a blank look.
"The second biggest city in England is in that county" I told her.
"Oh you mean Wales".
"What part" she asked.
"Warwickshire", I replied, drawing a blank look.
"The second biggest city in England is in that county" I told her.
"Oh you mean Wales".
Apr 7th 2013, 11:37 pm
#113
Banned
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 3,300
Re: When do you stop being surprised?
A colleague of mine is going to our UK office for some meetings, and then onto mainland Europe - they've never been to either before.
They were asking me for hints and tips, so I was advising them on the area and mentioned that they need to take a small amount of cash. Mainly for personal things, eg snacks as paying for small items by card in the UK can be difficult, and for using public loos etc. The conversation went like this:
I can take dollars, right?
No, they aren't accepted in the UK. You need some pounds.
Really? I can't use dollars?
No. In the same way I can't spend British pounds here, you can't use US dollars in British shops.
Oh, but I'm going to Europe. I'll just take Euros then.
Well, yes you'll need them for Europe, but you'll still need British pounds in England.
Really? I can't use Euros?
Well, in the odd shop in towns with ports, maybe, but, no the only currency where you are going is Pounds Sterling.
Oh, but I don't understand pence. I dont know what pence coins look like and won't know what I'm paying. Are you sure I can't use dollars?
This is a college educated person working for a multi-national company. I won't bore you with the details at their horror of only getting British tv channels and not US cable in the hotel while they're there, and their relief at having a McDonalds nearby. But really - I thought such attitudes were apocryphal amongst professional type staff. Obviously not!
I'm not sure how much practice it will take for me to master my face and voice into a more professional tone than the one I took today....
They were asking me for hints and tips, so I was advising them on the area and mentioned that they need to take a small amount of cash. Mainly for personal things, eg snacks as paying for small items by card in the UK can be difficult, and for using public loos etc. The conversation went like this:
I can take dollars, right?
No, they aren't accepted in the UK. You need some pounds.
Really? I can't use dollars?
No. In the same way I can't spend British pounds here, you can't use US dollars in British shops.
Oh, but I'm going to Europe. I'll just take Euros then.
Well, yes you'll need them for Europe, but you'll still need British pounds in England.
Really? I can't use Euros?
Well, in the odd shop in towns with ports, maybe, but, no the only currency where you are going is Pounds Sterling.
Oh, but I don't understand pence. I dont know what pence coins look like and won't know what I'm paying. Are you sure I can't use dollars?
This is a college educated person working for a multi-national company. I won't bore you with the details at their horror of only getting British tv channels and not US cable in the hotel while they're there, and their relief at having a McDonalds nearby. But really - I thought such attitudes were apocryphal amongst professional type staff. Obviously not!
I'm not sure how much practice it will take for me to master my face and voice into a more professional tone than the one I took today....
Apr 7th 2013, 11:37 pm
#114
Banned
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 3,300
Re: When do you stop being surprised?
I just remembered this thread too. I was in the doctor's office this week, and there was a new technician there. Of course there's the usual "Where are you from". She guessed England at the third attempt.
"What part" she asked.
"Warwickshire", I replied, drawing a blank look.
"The second biggest city in England is in that county" I told her.
"Oh you mean Wales".
"What part" she asked.
"Warwickshire", I replied, drawing a blank look.
"The second biggest city in England is in that county" I told her.
"Oh you mean Wales".
Apr 8th 2013, 4:04 am
#115
Joined: Dec 2001
Location: Dixie, ex UK
Posts: 52,236
Re: When do you stop being surprised?
I used to manage a team of international analysts, one of whom told me "I always confuse Bulgaria with Bolivia". 
WTF?
I asked another one to draw Peru on an outline map of South America ...... it was news to him that Peru has a coast!
WTF? I asked another one to draw Peru on an outline map of South America ...... it was news to him that Peru has a coast!
Apr 8th 2013, 4:10 am
#116
Banned
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 3,300
Re: When do you stop being surprised?
If there was a face-palm smilie, I would put three in a row right here!
Apr 8th 2013, 4:11 am
#117
Joined: Dec 2001
Location: Dixie, ex UK
Posts: 52,236
Re: When do you stop being surprised?
I just remembered this thread too. I was in the doctor's office this week, and there was a new technician there. Of course there's the usual "Where are you from". She guessed England at the third attempt.
"What part" she asked.
"Warwickshire", I replied, drawing a blank look.
"The second biggest city in England is in that county" I told her.
"Oh you mean Wales".
"What part" she asked.
"Warwickshire", I replied, drawing a blank look.
"The second biggest city in England is in that county" I told her.
"Oh you mean Wales".
Apr 8th 2013, 4:14 am
#118
Joined: Dec 2001
Location: Dixie, ex UK
Posts: 52,236
Re: When do you stop being surprised?
Apr 8th 2013, 4:42 am
#119
Banned
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 3,300
Re: When do you stop being surprised?
Apr 8th 2013, 8:45 am
#120
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Feb 2013
Location: State College Pa.
Posts: 1,585
Re: When do you stop being surprised?
We were passing through El Paso, as one does, and we'd stopped for some sodas and stuff at a Walmart, paying by card. The girl at the checkout asked for further ID, so I gave her my passport, which she's clearly never seen, but since passport was on the front, and "accept passports" was on her papers, she read it.
"Gee", she said. "You guys speak really good English"
"What language do you speak in England ?"
"Gee", she said. "You guys speak really good English"
"What language do you speak in England ?"
