My pet travel peeves & General Ramblings

Is it a Monday? 😉

You clearly put your top peeve last!

Backpacks. I confess, I wear one. However, I remove it from my back anytime I am in a tight/crowded spot; entering, leaving or riding public transport/planes. I’ve ended up with bruises from people wearing them onto planes and then bashing me with them…..,

Learn to live without taking offense at every little thing that others may do.

Running into people you know but don't want to see while you're across the ocean

I'll play!

• Giant suitcases (26-inch plus) on trains.
• Any statement that starts with "At home we..."
• People who walk 4 across on a footpath/sidewalk and don't anticipate oncoming walkers might need space
• Failing to learn any words in the language of the country being visited. Hello, goodbye, and thank you at a minimum.

Can you tell I am recently returned from a trip with things fresh in my mind?

As a daypack wearer with a roller bag, I think the issue is being self-aware and considerate of others when wearing one and dragging the other. As CarolNR said, taking off the daypack on public trans is essential.

Running into people you know but don't want to see while you're across the ocean

True!

See, we are having a little fun and there is some wisdom in it as well.

Traveling with people who don’t have the same interests as us. Or the same amount of stamina and energy. We won’t do that again.

Discussing with friends our future vacation plans, and they invite themselves on our trip! I’ve learned to keep my mouth shut.

Line jumpers. Had a woman try this yesterday at my Sunday Farmers Market pastry booth. She was the recipient of my death glare and moved slowly towards the back of the line getting chastised by others along the way.

“ but I’m in a hurry…” she uttered. I said,
“ NOBODY cares and then asked what do you need?” When it was my turn to order got my stuff and hers. As I gave them to her I smiled while saying…” ___holes come in all sizes. Probably best you not be one.” She was stunned. Then uttered a quiet thank you as she scurried away like a rat.

People who can’t pick up their dogs __it!

People talking loudly on their phones in restaurants, cafes, stores, shops, plane cabins and on sidewalks.

People who don’t flush or wash their hands.

Drivers talking on their cell phones.

Rudeness of any sort .

People who can’t say thank you.

Purported know it alls.

Travel companions who respond to my “That was so much fun!” with “Yes, it was alright” - every time.

Seconding Laurel

Any statement that starts with "At home we..."

When a once helpful travel forum becomes increasingly less so.

Boisterous, rude people, on tours, who do not understand the meaning of shush or will you please keep it down. They seem to be blissfully unaware that other tour members might actually want to hear the guide’s commentary. Sorry and embarrassed to say most of the offenders we have encountered have been Americans. Really people, perhaps you should seek help for your attention seeking behavior. ☹ Whew, got that off my chest. LOL

Carol now retired, I use one too, but we are special cases.

Gilbertop, worse realizing he saw you trying to not see him when he was trying to pretend to not see you.

Laurel, especially the sidewalk thing.

Periscooe
Most of the list by others have been inconveniences or bothers so we laugh a little. But sounds like you have had to deal with some victimation, and that, no matter how small ... no laughter.

Kmkwoo, vs traveling alone? I'm with you. Alone or with paid company so they have to agree.

Claudia, you scare me a little, ma'am. Thank you.

Carrie, why I quit TA

TTM why I prefer to travel alonevor with paid ...

Diane, you and Claudia should travel together.

I have but two at the moment:

Selfie Sticks

aggies

OP I travel solo by choice.

Always have. Always will.

LOL that I scare you.

I am woman hear me roar.

Estimated Profit, You understood! I am sitting in a wine bar on a street corner in Europe LMAO! Thank you!!

Claudia, cheers!

Mister E - I'll bet I'm the only one who caught it!

Look out your window. https://youtu.be/h-HcrjVnf5E?si=9GtGzigj5N-wtwVC

Wow, I had to look up T-sips. Are you a teapot/loose tea person?
I just returned from France a couple weeks ago and I noted all the bike lanes which you had to cross in pedestrian areas. The bikes & scooters were going so fast you really had to look both ways before you entered the bike lane or you could get run over. This was particularly true along the French Riviera.

Laurie Beth, not exactly with the tea.

The bikes are lawless. They feel the have the right of way in bike lanes, out of bike lanes, in crosswalks, perpendicular to crosswalks on sidewalks andbin the street. Stop lights and stop signs dont apply. No posted speeds. They go faster than the cars. I am tempted to shove my selfish selfie stick in their spokes!

OK.
I’m Canadian….what are Tsips and aggies??

Tea-sip (or t-sip) A student of texas university (t.u.) at Austin. The term is intended to be derogatory (the origin being that while Aggies were off fighting wars, students of t.u. were "sipping tea" at home).

It looks like I am sponsoring Muster in Budapest next year. It's open to outsiders if anyone is interested.

OK.
I’m Canadian….what are Tsips and aggies??

Inconsequential beings, aka: graduates of a Texas University who think they rule the world. ;-)

Mr. É, did you say ‘selfish stick’? Hee hee, how apt!

Hilarious. Half fixed it

LOL, @ Nancy! Truth! 🤣🤣

And one thing we are very proud of is out ability to take a joke .... or criticism. It vome from the confidence of knowing, some day, the odds are exceptional that the one laughing today will be calling an Aggie: BOSS.

Okay, off subject 🤣🤣🤣🤣

I reported myself.

Boss of the cleaning crew in a t-sip's mansion

🤣🤣🤣 well done brother. Why don't you come here in April and join us.

People on a very delayed flight, after being asked by the flight attendants to allow the passengers who are trying to make connections leave first, totally ignoring this and just blocking the aisles.

101karen70. Good one! I'm that guy with the connection on ocassion.

Back to pet peeves…

While traveling:
• I can’t/won’t travel without my rolling carry-on and I struggle to get it within the airline’s limits. So I dislike people trying to cram oversize bags into plane overheads.
• Being lost, a lot!
• I pay for the plane/train seat I want. Don’t even think about asking me to change.

What I won’t complain about are patient locals who tolerate tourists. Thank you.

Forum:
• Posts that begin with “the best”.
• Posts asking “where should I go” without knowing one country from another.
•First time posters complaining.

Oh, I have another. People telling me to slow down!! I'm young, don't want to.

You’re going to be disappointed quite often on the beer front. Haven’t seen €2 a pint anywhere for a while.

HORSE.... those are universal. LOL

All the awful things that airlines do, especially seating young children away from their parents even when the parents paid extra for seat selection but the aircraft was changed at the last minute. The fact that airlines are allowed to overbook, thus selling the same seat more than once.

And I'm tired of hearing the 5 letter word that starts with C. It's not going away.

t-sips and aggies could relate to travel-Nick traveled to Italy last summer and was recognized with the appropriate Roll Tide. 3/last 4 games

Sure ..huh?

Wasn't the purpose of this thread, but would live to get a bunch of Aggies and t-sips here 21 April. The t-sips can celebrate San J. day, the Aggies Muster.

I tend to go into a less easily aggravated version of my normal self when traveling, but I do have a couple of peeves:

People with what appears to be spinner suitcases that can be rolled upright in front or to the side of them that instead drag them along behind, creating trip hazards for others.

People in groups who are totally oblivious to the sidewalk space of others and those who create impediments by stopping suddenly to confer or look for the others.

It’s Monday. I’m trying to be nice.
I left out crying, screaming babies on planes.
Dog poop on the sidewalk.
Drivers who think turn signals are optional car equipment.
The old lady in the mirror who taunts me.

Okay, my car for 30 years had no turn signals. 55 Studebaker Commander

Christa and Hosewoofie win the award

Excellent Monday thread

Mr E, Welcome to the Studebaker Club. We have three 1938 Studebaker Commanders in various stages of restoration. We won’t live long enough to drive one! Only driver collector car is one of the two and half 1960 Larks.
Edited post because hubby said I was rude.

There really is no t-sip equivalent to the muster

Drive mine from 1980 to 2010

EP, but you are welcome to join in

OP,

I’m of the age who when I think of Texas all I think of is November 22, 1963.

In the 90’s I worked on a FOX show that filmed Dallas. Lone Star. It was canceled after 2 episodes.

Absolutely had a visceral reaction when scouting downtown on a Sunday. Found myself turning left past the book depository building and the grassy knoll. The fact there was an X painted on the asphalt designating the spot where JFK was assassinated sickened me. So did the reality that a popular bar is called Lee Harvey’s.

I did like 1st Mondays out in Canton though. Great deals and people watching. Also liked Fort Worth.

People who don't say thank you after receiving answers to their questions.
People who re-post the same question when they don't like the answers they received.
Left lane campers.

Claudia, my mother screamed when she heard I fell off the chair i was standing on and snapped my wrist and ended up in thr hospital.

None of your pet peeves are big deals with me.

I have a few:
Line cutters. Not a big problem in USA or UK. However, the mainland Chinese are terrible. I suppose it is because of how crowded it is in their country. Of course, other nationalities are not so great on this front, especially in the Middle East.

Go onto a train or bus and look for seats and all are take. However, several seats have purses, backpacks or luggage in them. No one volunteers to remove them.

Seeing people mistreat animals, like beating a horse or donkey, kicking a cat or dog.

Trotter, thank you.

Well, this is fun on a Monday morning! I’ll see your aggies and raise you 40,000 Fighting Irish descending on Dublin one weekend at the end of August. A giant pet peeve, although one not to be repeated. To be fair, some Navy folks in the mix, but yikes!

It's great. Hoping a few of you come in April

“ Traveling with people who don’t have the same interests as us. Or the same amount of stamina and energy. We won’t do that again.
Discussing with friends our future vacation plans, and they invite themselves on our trip! I’ve learned to keep my mouth shut.”

Yes to both of these. Especially the second situation happens to me all the time. I try really hard to keep my plans to myself, but sometimes I slip up and forget to keep my mouth shut.

Yes to both of these. Especially the second situation happens to me
all the time. I try really hard to keep my plans to myself, but
sometimes I slip up and forget to keep my mouth shut

Same for me as well (too many times to count lol!). I try to remember to share travel plans only with travel friends (ie. those who have their own travel plans and won’t invite themselves along on mine 😁).

• People who stand in front of a spot that everybody wants a picture of, takes 30 selfies, then reviews them without moving out of the way so others can get a shot. They then have to take additional photos since they didn’t like the original ones.

• Tour guides who stop their group in front of a popular spot and launch into their narrative without thinking that others may want to get a photo or simply see the site without the tour group in it.

Still no clue what aggie’s are!?
And what’s a muster?!

Still no clue what aggie’s are!? And what’s a muster?!

An Aggie is someone who lacks the academic credentials to get into the The University of Texas at Austin. Instead, they attend a lesser institution in College Station, Texas, where a bad date is in fact a baaaad date.

The Aggie Muster is actually a moving ceremony in which the names of deceased Aggies (who really aren't that bad) are called, and a loved one answers for them.

Having just looked it up on wikipedia aggies are students of Texas A & M university (the origins of which were as the Agricultural and Mechanical College of Texas)- aggie being a foreshortened form of agricultural- it became the official student body nickname in 1949. - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Texas_A%26M_University.

Musters, according to Wikipedia, are an annual ceremony of remembrance by aggies of those who have died- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muster_(Texas_A%26M_University)

Muster

https://youtu.be/9UJVJF4TwC0?si=5jwWYTrnnYtju8aP

What a cathartic Monday post. jaimeelsabio already noted my biggest pet peeve about lack of spatial self awareness with photo taking. Thank goodness for the magic eraser function on my phone's camera app - many posing tourists were nuked from my recent travel pix. My other peeve is individuals, usually taking photos, leaving their bags/purses/backpacks unzipped and unmonitored while they're taking pictures or gawking. It's like they want their wallet to be stolen.

And Claudia, you are a force of nature .

People that exit an elevator, with all their bags, and stand right in front of the door, so that no one else can get off before being smashed by the closing doors. Or, stopping right at the end an escalator, preventing others from getting off. Airports and train stations abound with these fools!

My line cutter story: I was first in line to pick up my Papal Audience invitation. 5 minutes later a few others line up behind me. Then, an older priest walks up and starts yelling in Italian at the queue guard. I assume he thinks that he doesn't have to stand in a line because he has a white collar on. He then proceeds to stand in front of me and the others who have waited at least 20 minutes in line. How can I argue with a priest who already went off on a guard? Would I go to hell?

First-timers here who ask a question that can easily be Googled. It takes the same amount of time.
And -
Spelling errors in the titles.

CL…
Not a force of nature. Merely an individual who is intolerant of rudeness, stupidity and arrogance.

Like fellow Americans who ask “ why can’t they speak English here?”

Once when visiting Monument Valley an older man was yelling at the young Navajo woman who was selling tickets for the Valley tour.

He was livid, loud and wanted to know why his National Parks membership wasn’t getting him a discounted ticket. He was being a complete jerk.
The young woman selling the tickets was nearly in tears.

I raised my voice and said, “ Get a clue. You are a guest of the Navajo Nation. Your National Parks membership means nothing here.”

He looked like he wanted to punch me but then shut up.

Isn’t it amazing how many people invite themselves along on your trip? That happened to us (me and my husband) several times. So now I won’t discuss travel plans with certain people until just before we are ready to leave. I would never, never invite myself along on someone else’s vacation.

I have never traveled solo; I admire people who do; usually it’s me and my husband. Twice we traveled with the same couple; the first time it worked out; the second time not so well. Last trip was to Scotland and I asked them if they wanted to help me plan the trip. They said no; they trusted my judgement. But then complained about quite a few things during the trip. So my husband and I decided from now on it’s just me and him. Except for beach vacations with our daughters and young grandchildren.

Another pet peeve is when tour groups take over a place; the sidewalks, etc. and you have to push your way through them to get through.

I thought this post was about problems you have traveling with your pet. I was going to offer ideas.

Doesn't it make you crazy when the title of the post doesn't match the content of the post?!? 🤣🤣

Thanks for the explanations about slightly mad US Uni traditions….I think!

Pet peeve: tour guides who monopolize a site/painting/statue then get annoyed at other people who are there and have paid to see the same thing.

A guide in Florence who told me to move away while he explained “David” to his group in the Accademia.
I hadn’t even noticed them till he said that.
Wrong thing to say…I moved closer and stood there longer.

CWSocial,
Great response, and also a peeve I share!

Ahem...🤘🤘🤘, Hook 'em Horns! BFA 1967. My 8 and 10 years younger cousins went to A&M. All 3 of us like to travel although I've been the most bitten by that bug.

I share many of the pet peeves others have listed. One of my major ones is the seeming lack of any basic research (even with resources so widely available online) before asking a question, but my decades as a librarian moderates my peevishness a bit. Often people don't know what they don't know and/or don't know how to ask a question in a way that will result in receiving the most appropriate answers. On a forum like this, we often have to ask the OP many questions to try to help them. In library land that's called the reference interview. From what I've observed here, forum participants do that well.

My pet peeve is when people say to not visit a site etc, yet have never done it/been there.

Another pet peeve is when people literally get pushy in line to board a plane and to get off. Someone physically pushing on me from behind when I have nowhere to go will get a comment from me, and otherwise I am a very patient person.

I share many of the pet peeves others have listed. One of my major ones is the seeming lack of any basic research (even with resources so widely available online) before asking a question, but my decades as a librarian moderates my peevishness a bit. Often people don't know what they don't know and/or don't know how to ask a question in a way that will result in receiving the most appropriate answers. On a forum like this, we often have to ask the OP many questions to try to help them. In library land that's called the reference interview. From what I've observed here, forum participants do that well.

Lo, very well said. It is frustrating when someone comes with a basic question that could be answered by Google in a second. But I agree that we need to remember there are people out there who do not know how to research or ask questions.

And I love that you call it a "reference interview" although sometimes I feel like we're playing 20 Questions. 😊

I just remembered another pet peeve:

A person who soldiers on through adversity is a TROUPER not a "trooper"

Unless a police officer soldiers on, then he could be a good trouper - trooper?

1. Those passengers occupying , more bluntly, hogging the overheard bin space to the extent no space is left for any one else to place their carry-on.

2. Backpacks on clueless tourists when you're packed in like sardines in the Metro and boarding trains, no time to be polite.

3. Tourists, regardless of nationality, arguing with the owner or restaurant staff why only cash payment is accepted. ( I saw this in Vienna in June). Too bad.

4. Tourists boarding a bus in Paris without a ticket or proper cash/coins to pay, and they don't get off. End result: they rode for free.

🤘⬇️

Boomer Sooner

Yes, the people who aren't aware of their space when boarding, putting stuff in or retrieving stuff from the overhead bins, disembarking, or who try to push when nothing is open yet. Unfortunately my husband does all but the latter.

Agree, jaimeelsabio "People who stand in front of a spot that everybody wants a picture of, takes 30 selfies, then reviews them without moving out of the way so others can get a shot. They then have to take additional photos since they didn’t like the original ones." I blame Instagram and the rise of so-called "influencers."

At Machu Picchu, there's a particular spot near the "Watchman's Hut" where one can get the iconic view of the ruins. When we were there, a young woman was getting her travel companion to take multiple photos of her, while we waited. We were first in line, and by the time she was done, there must have been 15-20 people waiting behind us. Did she move aside once she was finished? She did not. She took the camera from her companion and SAT down on the coveted spot while she looked through the images. Sigh. Finally, I stepped around her and posed so that my husband could snap a pic over her head. At first she kept floating a scarf (that she'd been using in her poses) up above her head, but she soon quit, and we took our few pics and moved on. But really. How rude!

Another time, on Bartolome Island in the Galapagos, there's a climb to the top where one gets a stunning view of Pinnacle Rock in the caldera. A young couple positioned themselves right in the corner of the viewpoint and spent quite a bit of time taking selfies and looking at them. It was difficult for anyone else to get a photo that included the pinnacle without also including the couple. Some of us waited for a bit, but my DH and I gave up and started looking at other things. The tour guide noticed, and offered to take our photo in the spot before we had to head back down. He asked the couple to move. :)

Usually, I'll try to just shoot around them or from a different angle, even if I don't get the "perfect" shot, but there are times, such as the ones described above, when this isn't possible.

What's wrong with roller bags, Mister E? I'm a 5'2" 65-year-old woman. I travel light, but even a light-ish carryon is too heavy for me to carry for any distance without paying for it in pain, afterward.

What's wrong with roller bags, Mister E? I'm a 5'2" 65-year-old woman.

Nothing except when a very short individual loads their personal item on the handle such that the whole thing weighs 30 pounds then they try and drag it behind them, almost horizontal and parallel to the ground, through the most crowded part of the airport from toe to back of bag can be 7 feet .... blocking and tripping everyone else.

But like folks that wear back packs, there are more good than bad, so its just a peeve, not an issue.

Most of my pet peeves have been covered, but I sure wish I was at the corner wine bar having a cold glass of inexpensive white wine 😊

https://1drv.ms/i/s!Ai7Zk-szxfTJi6xxGbn-9dQmN2g7xA

Cheers

As a frequent solo, older traveler my biggest pet peeve is being ignored in restaurants. I have been seen by the (usually older male waiter) but he will service larger groups even if they have arrived after me. This has not happened often but the last time (in Venice) I was miffed enough that I held that table for hours, slowly saving my last glass of wine.

It's OK (😉), Kim. My mother was from Oklahoma and I have 2nd cousins there. We share a set of great-grandparents who are buried in Moore.

About picture hogs... The worst and most annoying one I've seen was a guy who set up a tripod and high end camera to take pictures of people in a group, one at a time posed in this courtyard of the Alcazar of Seville. After waiting a long time, the 3 members of a family on our RS Spain tour took advantage of a brief lull to take pictures of each other in this iconic spot. They took no more than 5 minutes total. The photographer was still there with all his equipment when we moved on. Was he a pro the group hired or one of them? No clue, but the people being photographed were neither models nor locals.

About roller bags... What some people don't realize, at least with 2-wheeled roller bags, is that you don’t have to drag them behind. You can push them in front. If the bag is 14" wide, you can even push it in front of you down the aisle of a plane. Pushing in front obviously works better if no additional bag is on top of the roller.

One would hope that the pusher would be more aware of what's happening with the bag if it's in front of them. If they do it just right, the bag could get acquainted with other bags being pulled behind their owners. If they do it just wrong the bag could make contact with someone's heels, although that might be useful in some situations. 🥴

cbrochu30, according to another thread all you have to do is say you are American and the staff will give you excellent service in an attempt to fleece you for a big American tip. No, I don't buy it either.

I hate back-packs. I get hit with them all the time on trains and in the city.
Scooters and bikes. They are dangerous. One of my friends has a permanent leg injury from being knocked down on a sidewalk.
Rude American (yes, only Americans do this as they are scared I am a 68 year old scammer) tourists, who when you politely ask if they need help, simply turn away. I get to laugh as they miss their stop or buy the wrong ticket.

If someone is blocking a view, why don't you ask them to move instead of silently seething? Just tell them it is your turn now.

Local or regional slang used on the forum that not everyone understands. What is the point?

People putting their bag in an overhead airplane bin that is not at their seat.

How does a person pulling rolling luggage behind them trip other people?

Nothing except when a very short individual loads their personal item on the handle such that the whole thing weighs 30 pounds then they try and drag it behind them, almost horizontal and parallel to the ground, through the most crowded part of the airport from toe to back of bag can be 7 feet .... blocking and tripping everyone else.

Top peeve for me. They don't realize how much space they are taking and their bag is moving sideways preventing people from passing.

Other peeves:

People constantly looking at their phones while walking and never looking up. If they are also wearing headphones they shouldn't be allowed to breed;

People who don't define what "the best" means to them when asking a quesiton; I think the next time someone asks "What is the best?" I'm going to answer "Better than all the rest." (Thank you Tina.)

selfie sticks; (There have been times when I wanted to suggest to a user of a selfie stick that they could also use it as a suppository.)

backpacks;

Inconsiderate people--sadly, most people these days

Inconsiderate people wearing backpacks.....also no breeding allowed.

Tourists in general--includiing me;

Crowds;

Lilliputians

Also - people who do pick up their dog’s s**t but bag it and leave it for someone else to dispose of, or worse, hang it from the branch of a tree so the unwary get a face full of it when passing.

I do share the antipathy for Roller baggage, but have recently purchased my first one due to bouts of sciatica making carrying my backpack seriously uncomfortable. I look forward to mowing down my fellow passengers, left, right and centre, completely obliviously. Oh yes, it converts to a backpack as well for maximum irritation!

People who are frankly taking the Mickey with what they attempt to pass off as ‘hand luggage’ on flights monopolising the overhead lockers.

Thank you.

Ian

Ah, Frank II, you're in fine form this morning. And I agree with your views, especially the breeding part.😄

To me this really sounds like pet peeves related to other human beings not necessarily related to "travel".

Yes ......

As for people who obliviously (or perhaps they realize and just don't care) hog a coveted view by taking endless selfies for more than a few minutes, or tour groups who converge for one person after another to take pictures, I have had good luck with saying in a firm voice that others are waiting and adding a shooing motion with my hand. This worked especially well at the mermaid statue in Warsaw's old town...possibly I scared them.

Of course this depends on the situation--I was in Central Park and wanted a picture of the Alice in Wonderland sculpture without anyone in it, and waited a good 25 minutes while one kid or group of kids--they were like the zombies in Night of the Living Dead, one after another kept popping up from all sides--clambered all over it to the picture-taking delight of their parents who encouraged the little darlings to strike one pose after another. I just waited patiently and hoped I did not appear to be a creeper watching kids. Finally, somehow, they all scampered off and I got my picture...not a selfie, mind you, I can't be bothered with them.

I am enjoying this thread, gives us a chance to let off some steam, travel-related or not.

Unlike the British, we keep to the right.

Ed,
Are you an Aggie?
Gig ‘em!

'79 ..., .

I'm with Claudia. Well said.

I know a guy that doesn't wash his hands after going #1 or #2. How do I know? YMCA locker room. And he's a big hugger and hand-shaker. Gawd that's gross.

Selfie-sticks. Some day I'm going to break one in half.

Running into someone you know? I'm a teacher and coach so unfortunately I'm often recognized in this town. Solution? Pretend you have a phone call! Works like a charm. Also, nobody is better than me at recognizing someone and doing a quick about-face and using evasive maneuvers. I learned that in the Air Force.

In the spirit of travel/Europe pet peeves, not major nearly universal dislikes (rude people, bad hygiene, terrorists etc):

so often there is no or inadequate creamer in hotel room coffee sets

transit tickets you need to hold onto to be let out of the transit system

hotels that offer secure carparks but no place to safely stow a bicycle

people who wantonly refuse to make effort to understand your accented use of their language. Plenty of these in the USA too - put upon to hear accented speech

museums that can't throw in a few benches for a sit down every now and again

small plates meals like tapas, totally just me but I really don't like eating many little bits, unsatisfying

when someone in your group orders/proposes dishes "for the table" that are really just things they want to eat but would prefer everyone pay for.

Howdy, Mister E., Steven, and others. Class of '81 here, as indicated in my username.

I am a backpack person myself. I guess from years as a Scout and with my son. Just comfortable carrying stuff that way. I promise I don't smack anyone with it ever.

A pleasure sir.

I’m currently in Mexico and watched a young girl all dressed up, makeup and styled hair, repeatedly trying to get the sunset and the sailboat and herself in just the right spot for her perfect tic tock ( however it is spelled), or her Instagram page, with the appropriate pursed lips, or whatever that pose is called, and with the long hair flying away off into the breeze.
We were on the sand at a beach front restaurant and entertained to a point until it became ridiculous.

This:

People who stand in front of a spot that everybody wants a picture of,
takes 30 selfies, then reviews them without moving out of the way so
others can get a shot. They then have to take additional photos since
they didn’t like the original ones.

Also:
* crowds
* ever-shrinking airplane seats

I just remembered another one:

"Spam reported. Do not respond"

...uh, like you just did?

I do like Hank's response. I too don't get the tapas thing... a little food for a lot of money.

Most of my travel pet peeves are about the folks I used to travel with but I solved those issues by not inviting them anymore. They are free to join us on the rare "tour group" adventure where they (one in particular) can be everyone else's problem :)

But what's up with no wash clothes???

I don't need no freaking snack before my chicken fried steak.

thanks Nick....I guess I never see the part where people leave to go have dinner. That is not my experience here in the US. I am planning to visit Spain in 2024 and will check out the tapas scene.

People showing up at the boarding gate with oversized luggage hoping to carry it! As for "Wine that is more than 4 euro a 150mL glass, beer more than 2 euro a 500mL glass", please let me know where you find it!

Sorry longhorns and Aggies; "Boomer Sooner".

"Boomer Sooner"

I give up. Is a Boomer Sooner a U of OK graduate of the boomer generation? Or is there another connotation of the 'boomer' part?

Ed,
Are you an Aggie?
Gig ‘em!

No, the University of Oklahoma. But my daughter and son-in-law both graduated from TAMU. I am sure that my two grand children have both drank the kool aide at a very young.

"Boomer Sooner"

I give up. Is a Boomer Sooner a U of OK graduate of the boomer generation? Or is there another connotation of the 'boomer' part?

The University of Oklahoma class of 1975.

"I do like Hank's response. I too don't get the tapas thing... a
little food for a lot of money."

Your and Hank's mistake (and I have seen it by others on here), is
believing that tapas is meant to become a full meal by adding lots of
dishes. Actually it is only meant to be a bar snack to put you on to
dinner. If you want a larger plate then you should ask for raciones.
The idea of a tapas only restaurant is very much a tourist inspired
thing and so expensive.

Nick! Thanks for the feedback/advice.

I will say that I also quite dislike "small plates" in the USA, which was a trend that is now thankfully fading. Basically menu items that are about 40% the size of a normal entree, tending more toward heavy appetizers sometimes. The idea is you go into the restaurant with a party of 4 and order 6 or 7 or 8 small plates and share. My wife and her various lady friend groups find small plate delightful; I hate them.

It's not the amount of food I ultimately consume -- I could eat the same amount as a normal dinner - but rather that I don't get satisfying eating feels when I'm picking at this and that, wondering who has gotten some and who hasn't, not liking everything that I didn't order. At the risk of seeming a retrograde glutton, I feel great about a meal when my hearty plate is plunked down in front of me and I go to work, not much thinking about interacting with others over my food, not a huge amount of distraction. Other arrangements I'm not still hungry, but I don't feel happy like a had a nice meal.

So it's more of an emotional thing than a feeling full thing.

Maybe Donna is the same? It might be a particularly American thing ...

Anyway a big crispy schnitzel with a beautiful German-style side salad and I'm in my wheelhouse :)

Saludos!

Ed, good for you. You always want beer for your children.

Chicken Fried Steak is called schnitzel here, but not as good as what they are trying to copy. They haven't mastered cream gravy.

To add just a bit more of "huh, what do you mean?", I'll toss out "Sooner Schooner"

Kind of surprised it wasn't burned to ashes on Jan 2 1985.

Have fun with that.

Oh, yes. I know Sooner Schooner! I was raised in OKC and my (richer) relatives had season ticket to OU football in the Bud Wilkinson era (dating myself).

Good to know that it is called Schnitzel in BP.

Is that Chicken Fried Chicken or Chicken Fried Steak, assuming both are available in Budapest. If so, all the better.

Fred, KFC is alive and well here.

Funny, I ate at KFC in Budapest and I don't know what they did different because it tasted about the same but that was the only time it didn't give me heartburn.

Chicken fried steak is with batter and always beef.
Schnitzel is with bread crumbs and will be veal if it is a Wiener Schnitzel or pork if is is just Schnitzel. In some restaurants it can be chicken or turkey.

Like I said, bad copies of a good thing.

New peeve. People sitting in gate waiting area using one seat for them and one or two more for their luggage ... while others have to stand.

Back in the day here in Australia KFC ran TV ads with people arguing "it's the herbs and spices" " no it's the way it's cooked". Anyway my mates Dougie and Stevo had been having a few frothies and decided to visit the local KFC. Being in a cheerful mood after the frothies they started up with the it's the herbs and spices no it's the way it's cooked argument at the counter. No big deal except both were stark naked except for their running shoes. They needed them as the manager chased them down one of Melbourne's busier roads.
They may have each picked up several $100 cash off those of us silly enough to think they wouldn't do it.

I will be in Sydney in a few months. Is it okay if I dress for KFC?

Yeah they are a pretty unsophisticated mob in Sydney unlike Melbourne. G string and running shoes will be fine. Ditch the g string if you are in Melbourne though.

KFC is a good place to get a jump start on coronary heart disease.

New peeve. People sitting in gate waiting area using one seat for them and one or two more for their luggage ... while others have to stand.

Saw that in Newark a couple of weeks ago. One individual had the seat next to her piled high with bags in a full waiting room.

ilitonbabu014 reported to webmaster

In an airport right now, so

People who get to a moving sidewalk and then stand there like it's a ride. Not people with mobility issues, of which there are some. The vast majority just are lazy enough they'd rather not move at all.

Far, far more prominent in the USA than elsewhere.

I'm sure if one could study these people vs people who keep walking on moving sidewalks, the latter category would be higher attaining in all marker of satisfaction and life success.

I could no agree with this more

People sitting in gate waiting area using one seat for them and one or two more for their luggage ... while others have to stand.

Major travel pet peeve.

Hank,
Re moving sidewalks: On my first visit to Europe in 1974 we were using an escalator in Munich and there was a sign in German at the bottom of the up escalator that said "left go, right stay". I have always observed that "rule" since then on all people movers. Most people, at least in Europe, do this. I have some mobility issues, so I need to stand and not walk on those long moving sidewalks in airports. I leave room for people to pass on the left. There does not need to be any conflict here. No one should get irritated at the "stayers" unless they are blocking the left side of the escalator or walkway.

On my first visit to Europe in 1974 we were using an escalator in Munich and there was a sign in German at the bottom of the up escalator that said "left go, right stay". I have always observed that "rule" since then on all people movers. Most people, at least in Europe, do this.

Have only changed planes at LHR, and in so doing never encountered a moving sidewalk/, so not sure if there are any, but do they have the 'reverse' rule, to correspond to their 'drive on the other side' custom?

Judy I agree with you 100 percent!

The people who block the whole thing are annoying. People with mobility issues definitely should stand and not walk if better for them.

I always try to be a considerate traveler, but when I see people sitting with luggage on seats beside them in crowded buses or airline waiting areas when there are no other seats, I will definitely ask them to please move their bags so I or another traveler can sit down.

I’ve come to the conclusion that many people are just completely clueless.
I wonder how some of them can figure out how to put their pants on every day.

Joe32F. Yes in UK, Australia and NZ.

One I haven't seen here but I am SURE women everywhere have encountered (but maybe just don't want to talk about): why some men seem to think that their personal seating space extends to mine. I can't recall the term used but it is when men spread their legs so that they encroach on my space, esp on flights or any kind of public transport.

For the fun of it I like to out-walk or jog the moving sidewalk out of a sophomoric sense of superiority.

It's OK to recognize the child still within each of us.

S J, I'm not sure it's about people being clueless as it is a bit of narcissism and plain old not caring about anyone else.

@cbrochu30 it's "manspreading" and yes, I don't understand how one doesn't know they're doing it.

RE: various rants about selfie sticks above, I haven't seen many selfie sticks in my last few trips. I remember pre-pandemic they were ubiquitous. I was in Berlin a few weeks ago and I don't think I saw a single one, though I wasn't anywhere that was a main tourist magnet.

Just flew so here's another peevish pet:

On passenger planes nearly all the window shades are down all the time now. I miss when there was more light in the cabin on daytime, but now most window seaters are optimizing for device-staring.

And the opposite, bugs me when on an overnight flight that's taking the polar route in summer always a few prize pigs who don't put down their window shades when it is late and 98% of the people on the plane are trying to get some sleep.

I'm not sure that last one is by definition a pet peeve though ....

Here's another travel related one, certainly in the true pet peeve category:

I'm annoyed by fancy folded toilet paper ends. I have no desire to feel like the King Regent of Pottytown. We all know what's happening here, no need to put lipstick on it.

Doubly so for when they stamp in the little embossed shape to the toilet paper end. It tears as you try to get it to separate, and then the roll goes around once and usually it tears again, and then it goes around another time and might even tear then. I don't like doing the gentle little dance of disconnecting the layers of fused embossed TP.

Posted by Mister É (basic economy) 🍷 OP
Magyarország / Texas

Chicken Fried Steak is called schnitzel here, but not as good as what
they are trying to copy. They haven't mastered cream gravy.

I think it's the other way around. CFS with cream gravy was an improvement over the schnitzel made by early German immigrants to central Texas.

Red Raider here.

About 1885, a Hungarian / Ukrainian immigrant settles outside of San Antonio, Texas, and begins breeding cattle. (Ranch is still there)

Family in Budapest has the opportunity to run a food concession at the 1896 Millennial celebration but needs a new product that will get sales. The gentleman in Texas writes and describes Chicken Fried Steak; but the part of the letter describing the cream gravy gets lost.

Emp Franz Joseph comes to the event and loves it, takes it home to Vienna, and renames it. Veal is used instead of steak because unlike Hungarians and Texans ... Austrians never learn how to raise cattle with any luck.

Hank--your post reminded me of a pet peeve at the OAK airport. Gate 14 in terminal 1 is at the very end and the way they have positioned the seating in the waiting area, it is like a funnel I would get only about 6 feet wide. So people waiting to board crowd that area, even when people are trying to get through that have just gotten off of a flight. It makes no sense, and people make a bad situation worse.

Mike, I think they're just trying to get your brow properly creased before you hit the streets of Oaktown so you display the proper attitude. Otherwise, they'll know you're from Seattle and your organs will be on the black market before sundown ;)

On airport/parking lot/hotel shuttle buses, people who try and put their roller bags in the hold area standing up. Then watch baffled, as their bags go rolling around when the bus makes turns, hitting decent people in the legs

James, even here locally brewed Bier is @ euro 2.30 for a halbe. You can still get a good bottle of Main Franken wine (1-.7l) under 8-9 euro. I just don't like loud tourists from wherever they come from. Maybe you need to move farther into the country? Yea passengers on planes exceeding carry-on limits without consequences miffs me. And Flight Attendants that don't seem to care.

Hank--That gave me the best laugh!!! Thankfully I head east to Lafayette. Whenever I drive out of the Avis lot, they ask where I am going and say to not stop in Oakland for anything. The gas station near the airport that we use to fill up has a rent a cop there. I am not sure that makes me feel better or not.

heineken at the corner grocer is about 1.25 euro and the local Soproni about 1 euro, both half litre.

At the pubs they generally mark it up not quite double that.

And there are a few places that still sell wine from the barrel. I had a nice Eger blend at a party a few nights ago. Poured from a used 1 litre coke bottle. I think the young lady said she paid 1500 forint for it. So, less than 5 euro.

Another ... TMobile cutting your data service cause you were too long out of country.

I figured we all needed a good RS Bonding thread. What better than one about complaints. Been fun. But seriously, not one thing mentioned here detracts, or I will let detract, from a wonderful holiday. Suspect most feel the same.

Then watch baffled, as their bags go rolling around when the bus makes
turns, hitting decent people in the legs

I did not look baffled, I looked sheepish. And it wasn't a shuttle bus, it was on a commuter train.

No pet peeves about people hogging the armrest on the plane? (Or did I miss it?) lol

Any concern for the war/s? A good recommendation for a short week in Spring?

War? No war/peace protests (a few peaceful anti government protests) and a long way from war in Budapest. Spring .... Budapest.

For those of us who check luggage: the people who must stand practically on top of the baggage carousel, thus making it impossible for anyone to see or retrieve their bag without hitting someone. If everyone would watch the luggage from two paces back, then you could easily step up to get your bag as it passed. I wish the airports would paint a "stand behind this line" line!

Armrests!!

I have a technique that ensures I get both.

Unless the war in the Ukraine spills over , eg. into Moldava with the goal of the Prut river, my trip next summer starting in May is on. Given the operational state of the Russian Army not very likely . They don't have a tradition of tactical resiliency.

Fred, you realize that Russia already has troops in Moldova and has had for many years. But Transnistria is the opposite side of Moldova. As for the river, the upper part has some trout and Danube Salmon ... so let me know when you are there and I maybe I bring a rod and will join you.

@ Mister E....Since you know Budapest so well, ( yes, I'm aiming for May), you can point me to the direction of those bombed out buildings. From 1945 or 1956?

You mean bombed out buildings that remain in that state until today?

Yes, exactly. That is my understanding from what you said about the presence of bombed out buildings in BP.

Fred, i searched for the reference without luck, so maybe we are missing something on context.

I once read that during WWII 90% of the buildings were damaged, but that less than 10 were lost. Most of the buildings that were salvaged were put back into service before I got there in 2003. The worst damage was in Buda. There I suspect that a third or more were destroyed. Hitler instructed his generals not to retreat from Budapest and to hold it until the end. So the Russians set up their big guns in Pest and fired on Buda for weeks. What you see up on castle hill now are heavily renovated (rebuilt) buildings. And what you see today is a lot of construction as the government is rebuilding what had been totally destroyed. Rebuilding in creating replicas of palaces, government buildings and riding stables. Its a bit ..... well ..... strange.

Some of the worst of the buildings, rather than renovate, became the ruin pubs. People would walk into the ruins set up shop and start selling beer. Now its a bit more commercial. There are very, very few abandoned buildings today. I know of one on Kiraly utca. There was a second close by, but those old buildings are being bought up to become hotels. I suspect the result of ending short term rentals in the District.

I once toured a flat that was for sale not too far from the opera house. The flat was on the third floor and was in bad repair, no ceiling. But there was a patch about 4 feet in diameter and I was told every unit above had a similar patch in the ceiling .... something fell through. So we went to the basement .... same patch and new floor. I am guessing WWII bomb went straight thru and didn't explode.

The other thing that was very prevalent but is now becoming harder to find are the bullet holes. Where a building was plaster it was easy to patch, but the brick buildings from time to time you run across one where you can tell they were shooting at a window and the damaged brick still shows the results. I have one of these directly across from where I stay. Dont know if its from '56 or WWII.

I flew yesterday in my paid for seat only to have half a seat. I’m small but the person next to me spilled way into my seat. I don’t know the answer but airlines need to find a way to allow a paying passenger to not have to lean left or right for the entire flight. I could not sit upright.

Diane, I had that same problem (involuntarily sharing half my seat with my neighbor.) It was a miserable four hour flight indeed. I sent a written complaint into the airline (Alaska Air) and received a nice apology credit toward future flight.

Diane, I so agree with you!

The very large/wide person taking up space in the seat(s) next to them (or overflowing into the aisle) is not only a travel pet peeve, but also a danger to others in an emergency. It's a problem that airlines need to fix. I have very little confidence that they will do so. It's all about the money, not our safety or comfort.

I'm 5'8" tall and weighed 200 pounds about 5 years ago. I'm built straight up and down and I never needed an extension on my seat belt, but many an airline seat was still a tight fit for me. When I could choose my own seat, I always chose one on the aisle because I found it easier to get up and let people out of my row than to crawl over others. I still do that even though by the summer of 2021, I'd lost 50+ pounds (primarily to lower my A1C). I know what a struggle it is to change lifestyle in a way to get down to and maintain a healthy weight. For some people it may be impossible and their size might be considered a disability.

But I also think it's not right for a very large person, male or female, to pay for one ticket and actually use 1.5-2. It doesn't matter where they sit. I also agree that it's wrong for a smaller person to pay for a whole seat and get half of one. For example, the airlines could provide seats to accommodate larger people by designing 2 seats that would fit into the space of 3 or single seats that are 50% larger than their regular seats. That could be more comfortable and cheaper for the large person than making them pay for 2 seats.

Just speculating here, but a possible criteria for requiring or qualifying for a larger seat might be whether or not the person needs a seat belt extension. BTW, if the airlines were to provide seats for larger people I don’t think they should automatically be charged extra for them, especially with the dynamic pricing that we see.

Lo,
I agree! No extra charge if a person needs a bigger seat. If the airline provides such seats, entitled individuals would book them even if they don’t require a bigger seat. It would be up to the airline to police it; they wouldn’t! Even if they did police it, those not needing such a seat would have to be seated somewhere else which is a problem if the flights are full.

The rule is, if the arm rests can not go down, you must buy a second seat. I am surprised because I would think an interpretation of reasonable accommodation under the ADA would require a free second seat. If they do change it, I am showing up with a note from my doctor saying I have diagnosed claustrophobia and reasonable accommodation for me is me with an empty seat on both sides ........... or Business Class at no extra cost.

@ Mister E.....Thanks for lengthy explanation. I've been to castle hill and Gellert Hill. In San Mateo County right off of I-280 here , we have a boulevard named Gellert.

Good to know that the rebuilding of all that war damage (yes, the last German tactical offensive in the war was directed at Budapest, instead of conserving what organised offensive strength they had to protect Berlin, ) is to recreate styles reminiscent of the Imperial area.

Some say its to rebuild the Empire. It is a bit unexpected. They are running the museums out of the old buildings to put them back to their original use. But they are building some pretty magnificent new buildings for the museums in city park.

Fred, I found the reference you were referring to about the bombed out buildings in Budapest. Did you happen to open the link? Sorry Fred, It was sarcasm. My bad.

Budapest (and every village and town) has bombed out or abandoned
buildings, (this is a few blocks from where I stay:
https://bigseventravel.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/mazel.jpg and is
not uncommon at all),

Well, Mister E. you show me pictures like that (the link) it provides me with ever more incentive to see Budapest, ie, I got to get there.

My understanding of your words re: " bombed out buildings" was literal, thought that they were left intentionally in such a state. Never occurred to me that was sarcasm.

My pet peeves:

People complaining about backpacks.
People complaining about roller luggage.
(What should we use than. Go back to steamer trunk?)
Cars in downtown districts.
Cars in downtown districts.
(Had to google T-sip. What the heck?)
Any statement that begins with "at home they ...... " or anything similar.
Any statement on any subject of consequence beginning with “I believe...”

And lastly: beer that has such a high water content that you need a 500ml glass to serve it in.

WHOOP!!!!!!

Put this one with the people at the airport who stop right at the top of an escalator trying to get their bearings.

Maybe they're just making sure they have their balance. Better than tumbling down the escalator and blocking everyone for a much longer time.

WHOOP!!!!!!

Mister E, I imagine that you can find the “Dixie Chicken”.

In terms of people stopping right in the entrance:

I am getting more and more impatient about this. It happens at our symphony all the time. You cannot get them to move without being rude. However, being rude is my superpower.

Ed, with my eyes closed

Agree we with Laurel. Sidewalk/trail hog. They have no consideration about moving or making room for others on the trailing.

Go cowsboys (OSU). Boo sooners. We have a house divided

One time we were on a tour for a week and it was 90% a Texas Aggie tour! We found some nice “others” to hang out with.

Posted by Kaye

For those of us who check luggage: the people who
must stand practically on top of the baggage carousel, thus making it
impossible for anyone to see or retrieve their bag without hitting
someone. If everyone would watch the luggage from two paces back, then
you could easily step up to get your bag as it passed. I wish the
airports would paint a "stand behind this line" line!

And the people who let their little children around the baggage carousel. If they aren't big enough to lift a bag off the conveyor, keep them away.

Suki, how fortunate to spend time with good non'snarky folks

RE: various rants about selfie sticks above, I haven't seen many selfie sticks in my last few trips. I remember pre-pandemic they were ubiquitous.

Think to come of it, I don't recall seeing selfie sticks on our last trip, but my pictures from Barcelona circa 2017 are full of them.

Unfortunately, they're still out there. I just received a catalog from NCL which includes a shore excursion category for "Selfie Tours"

Get your smile - and your mobile device - ready for a tour like no other. With Norwegian's Selfie Tours, we will take you to picture-perfect places to fill your feed. Many of our tours are guided by a selfie expert who will show you how to perfect your angle, use a selfie stick and more.

Re moving sidewalks
Some of us may not have mobility issues, but we need the small amount of rest the moving sidewalks allow. But, always keep to the right, be aware of walkers, and turn flat to the side when needed.

I have yet to see an aggressive selfie stick. I am fine with them. Some of the people that use them I have issues with.

Because I have such a pleasant personality, fellow travellers are naturally drawn towards me on a regular basis. This can be annoying. However, once in a while one of them tells me a joke which is worth a repeat. This is one of them, which I heard standing at a bar in Murnau am Staffelsee.

A terribly ugly man walks into the Munich Hofbräuhaus with a beautiful Crimson Rosella parrot on his shoulders.

A waitress looks up, amazed, and says to him: "My word, where on earth did you get that from?"

The parrot replies: "In Nuremberg, there's thousands of them there."

Finally a worthy post!

Having just come off a week-long road trip, I have pet peeves I had forgotten about.

• Hotel breakfasts with weak coffee
• Hotel breakfasts with less than piping hot coffee
• Hotels without breakfast (ok, just kidding on this one…)
• Hotel floormates who wander back at midnight feeling the need to have a loud discussion in the hall in front of their door

And people standing in front of the Coffee pot taking pictures with selfie sticks!

• People who walk 4 across on a footpath/sidewalk and don't anticipate oncoming walkers might need space*

This really irks me too. I don’t move out of the way anymore. I stand still and make “ them” walk around me.

The rule is you have 10 seconds to get coffee, then move on

Should be printed out and posted on the wall above the coffee. 🤣🤣. Makes me pine for the push button coffee “in Europe”. LOL!

The cream and sweetener have to go in first.

the fact that you are putting cream and sweetener in perfectly good coffee means you should step aside.

The rule is you have 10 seconds to get coffee, then move on.

And put the cardboard protector around the cup before you pour the coffee. Not afterwards while complaining that the cup is too hot!

the fact that you are putting cream and sweetener in perfectly good coffee means you should step aside.

As with wine and beer, I find the taste of coffee disgusting. Unfortunately, I started drinking it (with cream and Splenda) in order to stop drinking Coke. Now I drink both Coke and coffee, so that backfired.

But, yeah, I'll have my coffee the way I like it, and it's not my fault places put the stuff I need in a spot that's not the most convenient for everyone.

The fact that some people get sniffy when they have to wait a few extra seconds for their coffee means that's THEIR problem not mine. Whatever happened to "slow down" and "stop and smell the roses" when in Europe, and all that? ;)

If they are too slow, I just wack'em with my selfie stick. No roses blooming in the winter.

If they are too slow, I just wack'em with my selfie stick. No roses blooming in the winter.

Ah, well. If I annoy you by making you wait, I'll make it up to you by buying you a glass of palinka (aka lighter fluid ;) ).

putting cream and sweetener in perfectly good coffee means you should step aside.

If it is weak, it is NOT perfectly good coffee and may need all the help it can get.

Sorry, Tom…..Pet peeve: coffee that tastes more like water.

@BB, make it something worse than palinka…. How about Unicum?

She knows I can not stand it.

But its an interesting history

https://tastehungary.com/journal/unicum-hungarian-history-in-a-glass/

I didn't have the chance to try that when I was in Budapest. Now I'm curious.

I have a bottle. All yours. Its horrible. Imagine the liquified putrid remains of a Walking Dead Zombie..... then imagine worse.

Sounds horrible. :p

I'm having a little trouble imagining worse. 😛

It’s not good, but it’s not THAT bad. Truthfully, plain cheap palinka (otherwise known as kerosene) is worse.

No its that bad. Thick and oooozy, bitter and very stinky. I put a little on my front door step to discourage rodents.

Recently a new pet peeve I've been having is tourists openly guessing home prices in the places they are visiting. Sort of along the lines of, "I wonder what a 2 bedroom costs here? I bet it's way cheaper than what I'm paying back home." sort of thing.
I get it - we're on vacation, having a good time, and the "dream" of extending that by living permanently in that exotic place does pop into many folks' heads. But...I think there's a lot of naïveté these days on home pricing, and many folks think what they're paying is high, but surely other places are not.

Often a review of the real estate windows with home listings shows that you're most likely not paying way more than they are :D

I knew a guy who did exactly what you describe. Actually, I was just curious how people in the city lived. I discovered that it was a world different from the US. In the US, the median home size us a little more than 2500 sf, and in most of Europe, it's about 700 sf. In the city I was in, a little less. So the naiveté is probably more about culture than cost.

So, is the home cheaper? When I bought my first home in that city the median price was about $50/sf. Now it's closer to $150 which I suspect is comparable to the US median. But the tourists are looking in tourist districts so double the cost. Still less than a US upper middle income RS type tourist neighborhood.

Every city and every neighborhood will be unique in pricing, but if it's the lifestyle you are looking for, I suspect in a large percentage of Europe you can still find a lower cost of home ownership as compared to the US and in an area you will enjoy. There are some great bargains in great parts of the city in my city (Budapest by the way). With what I know now I could have chosen as good for still less.

But you have to accept the whole cultural package to really capitalize on it.

If that is what sticks in your mind of the whole of the culture, sure.

But I left when you gave me that look.

I said it was a young guy ...

Good one! Or, maybe: Ouch!

Only a state of mind ..... and a few medications.

“Instagram models” who think tourist sites are their private shooting location

The phrase “we did_____” referring to visiting a country or even a tourist site.

e.g. “Yeah, we did Italy and then moved on to Spain”

My goodness we love to complain. 214 posts. Still 100+ if you don't count mine 🤣🤣

Yes, I agree that saying “I DID Rome, Paris ,whatever” is extremely irritating to me!
Also phrases such as “ I’ll DO a glass of wine, cup of coffee” , etc when asked what they want to order.

Yes, it’s good to have a grumble now and again!

I agree. Up above I called it a RS community bonding thread. Lots of bickering and sniping going on so I thought this would be a healthy change. The OP says any topic is fair on this thread.

A distant work colleague was overheard discussing her latest trip. She was explaining how she recently visited France, Spain and Morocco. I know from a previous conversation with her that she was spending 10 days in Morocco, and her route involved back to back flights from Vancouver to Paris to Madrid to Casablanca.

EUROPEAN TOILET PAPER! Do I even need to elaborate?

Pet Peeve:

Any statement that begins with, “in Europe they …..” or anything similar.

🤣🤣 I have to admit I have experienced, maybe not Charmin’, but better toilet paper than in Budapest….

Hungarian toilet paper is sh#$. I always bring a few rolls of that plush American stuff with the lotion in it .... then I use it for bribes to get into private events.

"They're supposed to have weather tomorrow in Chicago "

We always "have weather" . do you mean to say inclement weather? Weather that impedes my travel?

I just thought of another one, specific to this forum. Somebody asks for recommendations for a guide or small-group day tour to some place in Europe. So why post a response saying - You should rent a car and drive yourself?

Its always amazed me that upon landing and the seat belt sign goes off, that near everyone immediately pulls their luggage and stands in line. In the plane..... sometimes for 20 minutes. There they are standing, and standing and standing. Right after their feverish and near brutal collection of their stuff as most every one else is also getting their stuff. Then they just stand there. Waiting. We are always near the last people to de-plane. Its so much more pleasant. And on the way out, we can see all their phones, and purses and other stuff, that in their haste, they forgot. :)

Hungarian toilet paper is sh#$. I always bring a few rolls of that plush American stuff with the lotion in it .... then I use it for bribes to get into private events.

So, James, you bring a veritable bankroll!

What’s the exchange rate for Northern vs. Charmin vs. Scott with Hungarian sheets? As with their currency, is the T.P. in Europe much more colorful than in the USA?

I grew up using leaves as TP in West Virginia so no big deal.

Except for the time I accidentally mixed in some poison oak or ivy. It's not funny if it happens to you.

I knew that about W VA

As with their currency, is the T.P. in Europe much more colorful than in the USA?

Our first visit to Prague was in 2017. Yes, the TP was much more colorful... available in almost every color of the pastel rainbow!

Forum posters who don’t fill out their profile with at least some basic information. I mean, we don’t bite! Nor will we hunt you down. If your paranoid about that, then why participate in a public forum?

Sorry. MY BAD

I agree! No extra charge if a person needs a bigger seat.

By this line of reasoning they should also get the 12 oz steak dinner for the 8 oz price or get free extra helpings.

The car dealer has to sell them the $40k SUV for the $25k price of a compact because they cannot fit the smaller car.

Looks like a great idea.......?

About standing up the minute the seatbelt sign is turned off.
That would be me. After sitting for a few hours, I'm desperate to stand up. The main reason I always book an aisle seat.

1. Drivers who park in front of my garage without permission.
2. Perfectly normal people who sit on priority seats on trains that's supposed to be for disabled, pregnant and elderly passengers.

“Train” or “training” is something to do at the gym, but not what someone does while taking a train. That wording is seemingly becoming more common on this forum, and more peevish.

I wonder if the people who say they will train to a destination also say they are going to “fork” when they mean eat?

Give the community a good platform to bit*h and they will keep it alive.

No its that bad. Thick and oooozy, bitter and very stinky.

10000000% agree with the nastiness of Unicum. TTM is wrong on this one.

Along with LizinPA, I am another one who stands as soon as I can after we've parked at the gate.

Yes, I am aware it will be a few minutes before we actually disembark -- but my back is crying out for relief and to get OUT of that cursed seat !!

It's Hungarisn embalming fluid

🤣🤣🤣🤣

I wonder if the people who say they will train to a destination also say they are going to “fork” when they mean eat?

...or they might be 'spooning' ?

KIM! You are ganging up on me! Now, I didn’t say I LIKED it, but had some that was coffee flavored that was drinkable….. Unlike cheap palinka. Or rakia.

My new pet peeve may be waiting on a return to Budapest for a glass or two of good affordable wine, though.

Perfectly normal people who sit on priority seats on trains that's
supposed to be for disabled, pregnant and elderly passengers.

Oh, I will sit on priority seats. But I will give my seat up if someone comes along that has a priority claim on that seat.

Priority seats often have more leg room (in the UK these are often the only seats with legroom). And being a tall person I like that.

Is this thread nearing the record for length?

Two items for your thoughts:

1. One time posters who never bother to reply. Must have scared them off with our interrogative questions asking for details.

2. Folks who worry worry about being 0.50 inches over on the size of their carry on bag. My daughter would tell them get a smaller bag and don't carry as much!

Ed, your post was Number 238 on this thread. That means a substantial number of contributions, but it’s nowhere near a record. People can come up with plenty of complaints, whether they’re minor annoyances, or major problems. As rewarding as travel can be, there is bad that comes with the good - mostly First World problems, of course.

The record for the Rick Steves Forum has to be the Traveling Through the Alphabet “game” post that Forum stalwart Nigel started 3 1/2 years ago, and that has reached nearly 3,000 entries. The first round of the thread was capped by the Webmaster after it exceeded more than 2,000 posts, and the second round now has over 300 posts itself. Even while it’s fun to gripe, maybe Positive does outweigh Negative.

Ok, I will bite.
How about airports that don’t provide water fountain stations to fill the water bottle. That really irks me. Or worse, no water fountains AT ALL

Edited to add: bulky jackets in the overhead bin taking up space for actual luggage

bulky jackets in the overhead bin taking up space for actual luggage

Absolutely that one!

Favorite Pet Peeve…….Pet Peeves in general, including my own at times

Love it.

I guess my most recent is those who disagree on a philosophic position and express it through personal attack.

I went to a local pub today (Budapest). It was very slow and quiet so I talked to the waitresses. Tipping came up. I asked who the best tippers were. First they agreed Hungarians were "pretty okay tippers", but said the Germans and the Polish were better. I asked about Americans and they frowned. Not so good. I explained that Americans were more sophisticated Travelers and they knew tipping was poorly received in Europe. The waitresses just looked confused. My pet peeve ..... never mind.

Agree with @Cyn about 'train' – I've only seen it used that way on these forums and it always confuses me. We don't 'car' to a destination, we drive; we 'take a bus'; etc. I know saying 'train' rather than 'take a train' is shorter ... but so much more confusing!

OK, while I'm at it, haha – using the word 'site' when you mean 'sight'. I understand typos are common when posting, and that 'site' is a much more common word ever since websites became a thing, and occasionally 'site' really IS the right word (as in, the site where a battle happened or something); but you go to see the sights, not 'see the sites'.
/rant :-)

Laura, are the ugly but informative stops "sites" as opposed to "sights"?

Laura, i’m learning from you. I always use the term “site” for what you say should be “sight”. Been using it long before the internet and websites.
I’ve used it to mean a location, but never bothered to look it up in a dictionary. I just now looked it up, while it does mean location, it doesn’t mean how i’ve been using it (which you already knew 😉). So, thanks for teaching me!

Mr É – good one! yeah, why not? ;-)

Susan – delighted to help clarify things a bit. It IS very confusing that the two words are so similar! with slightly different meanings (in a travel sense).

I'm a copy editor (maybe that's obvious, haha) but I don't let minor things bother me, and I edit for clarity, not strict adherence to rules. Thus having to backtrack when someone says "should I train ..." and you're thinking "train for what? OH, train TO a destination" is a distraction – but if eventually 95% of people use it that way, I would just adapt. And I see "sites" used SO much that ... I'm kind of getting used to it ;-)

“Perfectly normal people who sit on priority seats on trains that's
supposed to be for disabled, pregnant and elderly passengers.“

Agree. I’m in Paris now, and it happens on every bus.

WengenK, not all disabilities are obvious. I’m disabled but you’d never know it looking at me. It’s very much outside my comfort zone to say something to the 8 yr old or the 18 yr old, etc, to please get up and let me sit there. I really think non-disabled people who sit in a seat that is clearly marked for disabled people are very not nice people.

Why should a disabled person be put in a position to ask someone to get out of a seat they never should have been in?

Cyn, and of those 328 posts, 250 are Ed’s.

"In Germany where do all the (EIS Cafes) go in the winter".

A few weeks ago I got on a tram and a kid got up and offered me his seat. "What?! Are you telling me I look old?!" Today the metro cops were out checking passes. A long line waiting and the cops told me to go ahead! "What!? Do I look like a pensioner?!"

Nick, i was going to address that in my original comment because i knew someone would say what you did, but i wanted to keep my comment short. You are correct, it goes both ways. But i was addressing WengenK, and anyone else out there in this world, who knows they are not disabled and yet sit in a seat for disabled people.

"What?! Are you telling me I look old?!" "What!? Do I look like a pensioner?!"

Oh James, just go with it, look at the bright side - the perks! 😁

I made them check my pass.

But i was addressing WengenK, and anyone else out there in this world, who knows they are not disabled and yet sit in a seat for disabled people.

Susan, I totally agree. But this past summer we had a bit of fun on buses in Korea when my obviously not-pregnant skinny 13yo niece would sit in the seats reserved for pregnant women (they are color-coded pink :-) ). But we did this ONLY on nearly-empty buses. The minute people got on at a stop, she'd scramble and stand up, just in case. Koreans have no hesitation about kicking clueless tourists out of reserved seats :-) – good for them.

And, like Mr É, I had a reality check (?) when, exhausted by the incredible heat and humidity, I sat in an (empty!!!) seat reserved for seniors on the Seoul subway, then immediately stood up when actual elderly folk got on, who took the seat. But when they got off a few stops later, a friendly Korean seated in the 'elderly' bench opposite motioned for me to sit down again. Hmm, do I look that old?!? (Don't answer that!) I did bow and thank him when I got off. A sweet memory.

Oh, I should add – my husband was using a cane, and really appreciated the (orange?) seats on Korean buses reserved for people with mobility issues. There was NEVER (in Korea) anyone sitting in those seats who didn't need them. I lived in Switzerland in the 1990s and was appalled at how young men wouldn't give up their bus seats for obviously frail elderly people, instead making them sway, standing, right next to them. It was so bad that I would intentionally take a seat (even though I was in my 20s) in order to save it for someone who needed it, then relinquish my seat ONLY when a little old lady was right next to me, otherwise a young person would slip into it.

“was appalled at how young men wouldn't give up their bus seats for obviously frail elderly people, instead making them sway, standing, right next to them. It was so bad that I would intentionally take a seat (even though I was in my 20s) in order to save it for someone who needed it, then relinquish my seat ONLY when a little old lady was right next to me, otherwise a young person would slip into it.”

Laura, i’ve seen that on busses here in Paris a lot, and am also appalled.
Good for you how you saved a seat for the elderly!! So very kind of you.

Susan, I don't know if it was kind – I was mostly mad! :-)

Im not comfortable sitting if an elderly person or a woman of any age is standing. So I rarely even consider sitting.

Re: standing up immediately upon landing:
I stayed seated in my premium economy seat upon landing in Madrid, and waited for everyone else to exit before I got up. I was in no hurry because I had four hours before my train would leave Atocha Station. I think that sitting there was the reason the flight attendant assumed that I needed the shuttle that was parked at the right hand door, for people who couldn't walk through the terminal. She asked, "Didn't you ask for wheel chair in Chicago?" Nope. I think she just assumed I was waiting for the help.
Re: Giving up seats for elderly:
It has just started to happen to me...being offered a seat. Do I look that old? I guess so! When this first started to happen, I would decline, but then realized that was a bit ungracious, so now I sit and say thanks. Unless I only have one or two stops to go. One time, I sat and said to my travel buddy, "Now I need to look for someone older than me, to offer my seat. " We laughed...at ourselves.

Laura, definitely kind!

Asking a rookie question only to have the more experienced travellers scold you for not doing your research first. I always thought asking a question on a forum was "doing research". Years later, I'm still hesitant to ask anything.

Warren unfortunately the forum can be somewhat less than tolerant. I don't even like the term rookie or any term that diminishes. Since when did doing something once or twice a year, never or rarely repeating process or objective, make anyone an "expert"? We are all just rookies with personal experiences. RS I will give the term of Italian tourism expert to.

New Europe gripe: Metric Eggs!!!

Yes, yes, yes, but how can we be certain that the Euro Metric eggs were laid by Metric Hens?

Because there is only 10 in a dozen.

Before VAT though, right?

Wait! Thats it 12 eggs minus the VAT = 10 eggs. Makes perfect sense.

A pet peeve of mine is when Americans call the Orsay Museum in Paris “the d’Orsay”. In French it’s Musée d’Orsay, which means “museum of the Orsay”, so saying “the d’Orsay” is equivalent to saying “the of Orsay”. All wrong, lol.

Susan, is that next to the Of Louvre museum?

That’s the one with the painting of Mona somebody, huh?

Is there an exhibits guide for the one you mentioned, called something like “Orsay can you see…” ?

Cyn, yes to everything, lol… : )