Why I love cultural diversity...

So this post is about some of the "interesting" things that I've observed (and, in some cases, have had to adjust to) during my travels so far...

In Oz:

• you say tomato "sauce", not tomato "ketchup"
• they drive on the left side of the road
• you say "how are you going?" instead of "how are you doing?"

In Japan:

• you can buy ANYTHING from a vending machine, and they're everywhere!
• everyone rides bikes, even little old ladies
• people won't try to steal anything from you, except maybe your bicycle or your umbrella
• they give you towels to wipe your hands before meals at restaurants (I love that)
• cashiers have special trays for accepting your money and for giving you back your change (I love that too)
• you take your shoes off and put on slippers, which are provided for you, in offices, cafes, bars, etc
• public toilets have bidets and volume controls!
• it's rude to blow your nose in public
• it's okay to drink alcohol in the streets
• there's no real anti-smoking policy anywhere
• you can get arrested for theft for taking an item from one level of a department store to another

In India:

• you'll be hard-pressed to find toilet paper in the public toilets
• merchants never have change
• autorickshaws!
• men hold hands as a sign of friendship
• it's okay to belch in public
• men have no qualms about urinating in public
• everyone calls you "madam"/"ma'am"
• there are separate queues for men and women for ticket sales
• the Indian concept of a "queue" is quite different from the Western convention - it's more of a mob than a line
• waiters are quite willing to "serve you" your food (dishing your food unto your plate for you) but take forever to take your order or bring you your bill
• everyone expects "baksheesh" (tip) for everything
• you can get almost any kind of medicine without a prescription
• cows
• everyone wants to know "where you're from, madam"
• everyone has a cell phone, and I mean everyone!
• two people will give you completely opposing directions to get to the same landmark