Snowy Posted March 14, 2011 Share Posted March 14, 2011 I've pinched this list from the camping forum - thought they might give you a chuckle! The British abroad...... Genuine complaints received from their customers by one of the British travel companies: 1. "I think it should be explained in the brochure that the local store does not sell proper biscuits like custard creams or ginger nuts." 2. "It's lazy of the local shopkeepers to close in the afternoons. I often needed to buy things during 'siesta' time - this should be banned 3. "On my holiday to Goa in India , I was disgusted to find that almost every restaurant served curry. I don't like spicy food at all." 4. "We booked an excursion to a water park but no-one told us we had to bring our swimming costumes and towels." 5. A tourist at a top African game lodge over looking a water hole, who spotted a visibly aroused elephant, complained that the sight of this rampant beast ruined his honeymoon by making him feel "inadequate". 6. "The beach was too sandy." 7. "We found the sand was not like the sand in the brochure. Your brochure shows the sand as yellow but it was white." 8. "Topless sunbathing on the beach should be banned. The holiday was ruined as my husband spent all day looking at other women." 9. "We bought 'Ray-Ban' sunglasses for five Euros (£3.50) from a street trader, only to find out they were fake." 10. "No-one told us there would be fish in the sea. The children were startled." 11. "There was no egg slicer in the apartment..." 12. "We went on holiday to Spain and had a problem with the taxi drivers as they were all Spanish..." 13. "The roads were uneven.." 14. "It took us nine hours to fly home from Jamaica to England it only took the Americans three hours to get home." 15. "I compared the size of our one-bedroom apartment to our friends' three-bedroom apartment and ours was significantly smaller." 16. "The brochure states: 'No hairdressers at the accommodation'. We are all trainee hairdressers - will we be OK staying here?" 17. "There were too many Spanish people. The receptionist speaks Spanish. The food is Spanish. Too many foreigners." 18. "We had to queue outside with no air conditioning." 19. "It is your duty as a tour operator to advise us of noisy or unruly guests before we travel." 20. "I was bitten by a mosquito - no-one said they could bite." 21. "My fiancé and I booked a twin-bedded room but we were placed in a double-bedded room.. We now hold you responsible for the fact that I find myself pregnant. This would not have happened if you had put us in the room that we booked." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mollyripkim Posted March 14, 2011 Share Posted March 14, 2011 Made me smile but also wonder about some people! We like to travel when we can and are astounded by the number of people complaining about lack of spoken english and food - this was even a comment on an Island in the south china sea - do they not research! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sam Posted March 14, 2011 Share Posted March 14, 2011 I would love to meet the people who actually complained; these people cannot be serious can they?! My favourite - "We bought 'Ray-Ban' sunglasses for five Euros (£3.50) from a streettrader, only to find out they were fake." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LuckyChickenLover- Posted March 14, 2011 Share Posted March 14, 2011 My favourite is number 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted March 14, 2011 Share Posted March 14, 2011 It beggars belief doesn't it? Some people really oughtn't to be allowed out of the country Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlottechicken Posted March 15, 2011 Share Posted March 15, 2011 Good grief So glad I don't go on holiday much, I'd hate to meet any of them Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ain't Nobody Here Posted March 15, 2011 Share Posted March 15, 2011 Some of those made me laugh out loud . Love the hairdressers one . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cinnamon Posted March 15, 2011 Share Posted March 15, 2011 We too are often appalled by our fellow holiday makers when abroad, who moan about the lack or full English breakfasts,fish & chips & other such generic delights. We try really hard to eat as authentically as possible when we are away - its really fun & we have discovered some amazing food while doing so I LOVE the curry in Goa one Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seagazer Posted March 15, 2011 Share Posted March 15, 2011 The list is so funny but I would soooooo hate to be with these people on holiday! We did one of those one day trips to Lapland (Finnish) and when we came in to land it was apparent that snow was going to be pretty thin (literally ) on the ground. We still had a brilliant day as they'd made some snow so we could do sledging and husky rides etc. But one woman spent the whole 3 hour plane trip back moaning about the lack of snow and that she was going to complain to the company - err its the weather, what'cha going to do? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
C&T Posted March 15, 2011 Share Posted March 15, 2011 Working in the travel industry, I can validate all of these sorts of complaints!! Some people really are unreal - and all want compensation. All this does is up the Customer Service teams, which costs the company more, which is of course passed on in the cost of the holidays. What do they think?? But my favourate one's are lack of English food and/or there are too many Spanish people in Spain which we get a lot of... Oddly, this is rarely a problem elsewhere in the world - there obviously aren't so many French in France, or Germans in Germany!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CatieB Posted March 15, 2011 Share Posted March 15, 2011 But my favourate one's are lack of English food and/or there are too many Spanish people in Spain which we get a lot of... Oddly, this is rarely a problem elsewhere in the world - there obviously aren't so many French in France, or Germans in Germany!! Have just read this to DH who instantly said its the type of people that go to spain (although he didn't use that terminology I know this is a family forum.) We went to Tunisia a few years ago and every waiter looked at us aghast when we ordered food and added "please no chips", unfortunately their experience is that the average english person wants chips with everything. Sometimes we are so embarrassed to be english. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yorkshire Pudding Posted March 15, 2011 Share Posted March 15, 2011 We've had many a similar experience in France - I once got a round of applause from a waiter when I ordered a rare steak- they assume all British people like their meat cooked to leather. I have sat & cringed when overhearing people who don't bother even to a few words of a language and just SHOUT LOUDER when people don't understand. We came across a similar attitude in Italy, where we were surprised at how the locals were welcoming to us with our tiny amount of Italian, but very dismissive of French visitors who for some reason expected to communicate in English. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley Posted March 15, 2011 Share Posted March 15, 2011 It beggars belief doesn't it? Some people really oughtn't to be allowed out of the country Probably best to let them out...........but not let them back in Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seagazer Posted March 16, 2011 Share Posted March 16, 2011 Too true Lesley Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Webmuppet Posted March 16, 2011 Share Posted March 16, 2011 I have had similar experiences while I've been on holiday. I speak a little bit of several European languages and always attempt to speak the relevant language ( I can even manage a few words of Greek). Even LMW managed to charm the grumpy lady in the corner shop in Spain the other year by asking for things in Spanish ( she was always rewarded by a big smile from the lady and at the end of the holiday the lady gave her a lollipop and thanked her for trying to speak Spanish). Many years ago I was in Quebec and spent most of the holiday speaking French..............the staff in shops and restaurants always served people who attempted to speak the language first and left the Americans until last! I just despair of fellow holiday makers - I now tend to head for the smaller 'off the beaten track' places. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted March 16, 2011 Share Posted March 16, 2011 It beggars belief doesn't it? Some people really oughtn't to be allowed out of the country Probably best to let them out...........but not let them back in it amazes me how they manage to find their way to the airport. I am shocked at how 'cushioned' people a these days - with all that technology helping them to learn about other cultures, they still expect others to be like them and understand their language. I spent the best part of 3 years travelling and working abroad; I can get by in 5 languages, not very well in some, but they always appreciate it when you make an effort. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seagazer Posted March 16, 2011 Share Posted March 16, 2011 We had great fun on last year's holiday, we got so confused at times - France, Germany, Austria & Italy but we always attempted to speak some of the language of the country. OH at least knew some german and gave me a few pointers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Webmuppet Posted March 16, 2011 Share Posted March 16, 2011 I used to be pretty fluent in french and could get by in German ( as well as basic Spanish and a few words of Greek). Many many years ago ( long before LMW came along) I was staying in the same hotel in France as the German Ladies Downhill ski team - they could speak English (badly) but no French, the bar man could only speak French..........I somehow ended up acting as interpreter.......no mean feat going from German to French and back again! The comedy continued when the chap from the tourist office thought I was Katja Seizinger The real Katja Seizinger laughed so much she was crying. The teams ski techie chap did offer to wax my skis as a thank you ..........I declined, my skis were quite fast without his help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cinnamon Posted March 16, 2011 Share Posted March 16, 2011 I must admit that when we go away the first thing we do & tell our daughters is how to say Please,Thank you & Goodbye in the native language. We all have generally picked up how to say Cheers! within a day or so too Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valkyrie Posted March 16, 2011 Share Posted March 16, 2011 Oh that's priceless!!!! I've just howled myself silly and OH has called in to see if I'm alright! I've forwarded it on to him. Thanks for that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
