Chill Z [img]smile.gif[/img] - I know that most Americans don't act like that prize idiot John boy.

Never the less, American's don't have a reputation for being "great travellers". By that I am referring to international travel, and it stems back mainly to the fact that things abroad are not like they are at home. I have travelled fairly widely and run into quite a few Americans abroad. Let me just say that what I have seen backs up the sterotype. You guys and gals are much easier to get along with when you are in familiar surroundings.

I still have visions of a particular foursome in the elegant breakfast room at the Turnberry Hotel (*****). Nothing was ever right fo these people. They strolled on in in caps and sunglasses and started bossing about the staff. "No - I am not interesed in going up to the buffet - you can do that for me. I want two lightly poached eggs and some crisp rashers of bacon. I want toast, and by that I don't mean under the eggs I want it on the side. And none of these little racks that I have to butter myself - I want twice that much and I want it hot buttered. Now - do you have a Washington Post today, or do I have to do without again. Urgh - don;t you English know how to make decent coffee - it's not hard you know. Gee - could you have picked me any more ameobic bacon - surely they had some better cooked stuff .........."

OK - those guys and gals were extreme, but you get my drift. The last golf tour I went on had a total of 4 Americans that joined us Aussies. One of them really mixed in and had a great time. He was really great company. The others were quite painful to deal with in terms of their foibles. I got a trifle bored with their propensity for telling us how much better things ere back home in the states - it made me wonder why they were out in the wide world experiencing things.

As a footnote - the one guy who's company I really enjoyed left us on the day that a plane flew into the WTC. He joined up with us again the next day in Ireland, his plane being turned back form Newark, and having nowhere else to go until the borders opened again he came and rejoined us. He was a reformed alcoholic and he was really having a hard time dealing with the fact that he worked in one of the towers and that so many people he knew might be dead. We stayed up late at night for several of the next nights keeping him company and finding him things to do so that he wouldn't be brooding over things. I hope he is doing well, cos American Bob (we also had an Aussie Bob so we had to distinguish them) was a great guy.

I love meeting Americans, and travelling in America, but I am cautious about Americans abroad. That is the reputation that this TAR show does nothing for, because it reinforces the stereoytpe.

BTW - the pair who stopped to do the shopping were on the series 2 show that I watched on Tuesday. They did that and still managed to get the first plane to OZ [img]smile.gif[/img] . </font>[/QUOTE]I am chilled, Dman! [img]smile.gif[/img]
Yeah, they had some style, and treated people in other Countries with respect.
Every time I see one of those bossy types, yelling at people in other Countries, it just pisses me off, and ruins it for the nice people, ya know?
I know what you mean, I see people HERE act like that, and I just shake my head. Hopefully, they'll get in a taxi and do that, and get driven way out in a desert and kicked out.. [img]smile.gif[/img]

I LOVED them. Team Cha Cha Cha!! I think they're in the season Davros is watching though, so I won't say anymore [img]smile.gif[/img]

To be honest, I wish they didn't have Jonathan on this series. I can't believe they didn't have an inkling of what a despicable person he was during casting, so obviously they did it on purpose to create 'good TV'. Well here's the news - it's not good TV. I feel uncomfortable and upset when I see him acting like a jerk, which is to say whenever he is on screen. His performance last week when Victoria carried his bag and he shoved her was just excruciating, awful TV. I don't want to see horrible people like that rewarded by getting airtime and possibly money. Even when she is being supportive he shoots her down. They really made a mistake casting that couple.