Saturday, August 30, 2008

Everything's different...

...in this place. Considering I've travelled a fair bit I find New York a bit of a slap in the face. First, my phone stopped working. Not good. Took me 3 days to sort out. Then my bank card stopped working. Being an HSBC customer, therefore a customer of 'the world's local bank', I thought not to worry. Think again. Asking for assistance in one of their branches I was rejected with the argument no one could bring up my details as I am not their customer here. Great, thanks. Then I got locked in a train. Cause no one tells you in advance that only the first 6 carriages will open at your stop. Only a whole 6 seconds before the train rolls into the station some undecipherable voice barks through the speakers some carriage numbers which won't open. Smart passengers will then attempt a freak attack at the doors between the carriages only to find out they wont open either. That's that.
In the supermarket you have to watch out not to get drained by little hidden sprayers which shower the fresh vegetables. Where I come from we'd probably fear they'd be rotten even sooner, but not so here. If you really want your radishes, you'll end up with wet, muddy hands.
Next up, milk mostly comes in gallons or something. Gallons is what they measure crude oil in, in this county. That means it will go OFF before you can have half of it. Unless you have a huge milk-addicted family at home, that is.

Oh well, but other than that, everything is fine, of course...