WARNING: The post contains a lot (read: a shit tonne) of hyphens and as such, is not for those with a weak stomach.
If I had to pick three gripes I have with travelling in America they’d be relatively small things, but they’re oh-so-annoying. These three pin-pricks in the big o’ fun are:
1. Pennies. Seriously. What the? Why? At home our smallest coin is 10 cents, and even then we wouldn’t keep a coin smaller than 50 cents.
Money’s dirty – why would you want to handle more of it?
And why are shop keepers surprised when I tell them to keep the change? No I don’t want that 12 cents (and no, I don’t consider 12c a reasonable tip).
2. Spitting. Why do guys in this country spit all the time?! You guys, it’s disgusting.
New Orleans was the worst, where guys waiting at bus stops were spitting at tourists’ feet to watch them jump out of the way. But every city’s had them. Dirty, dirty, spitters.
3. Tampons. What’s with the lack of feminine hygiene choices? I’m not talking brands – you’ve got enough brands to have your own monthly bitchy-time stores. But the choices really only boil down to applicator tampons or pads. Both for the freshly blooming.
Can’t a girl just buy tampons without having to also shove brightly coloured plastic up the wah-hoo?
I asked a lady about this in CVS. She looked at me like OMG-you-didn’t-just-start-a-conversation-about-your-vagina. I felt like telling her that that was nothing – give me an hour and this will be on the Internet.
Sorry, did I just cross a line? Talking about vaginas on the Internet? I just walked into a Chinatown adult sex-shop looking for tampons because it looked like a convenience store from the outside. Nothing makes you feel as dirty as being leered at by half a dozen toothless old men over the top of their dirty magazines. So, really, this post is totally within the realms of ‘sane‘ and ‘normal‘.
Anyway, the lady at CVS had crazy fingernails. Like, pick-your-nose-while-keeping-your-fingers-inches-from-your-face long fingernails. In hindsight, not the best person to ask.
I know what you mean about shop fronts being misleading as I had a similar experience. But I also mistook a Steakhouse for an adult bookstore, it was called ‘Red Hot and Blue’ so it was an easy mistake to make.
Haha, you actually got me laughing out loud! But I agree, an easy mistake to make!
The only applicator-less brand I’ve ever been able to find Is called OB. They come in a primarily white box about the size of two stacked decks of cards.
Last I checked it was widely available (it used to be my go-to) but I haven’t bought them in a while.
And ugh to spitting. I just don’t get it.
I went to several pharmacies and don’t remember seeing these – but at least I know for next time!
oh my god i am literally crying i’m laughing so hard. i agree with everything you said. and you said it brilliantly.
Haha glad it amused! Web life gives you lemons…
If it makes you feel any better I’m pretty sure pennies have stopped being produced (in Canada anyways). It seems like we got just as annoyed with them as visitors. Did you have anything against nickels (5 cent pieces)? I honestly dislike the nickel more than the penny, but that might just be a Canadian quirk.
I was also going to tell you about the tampons, but someone beat me to it. They do exist!
My dislike for nickels isn’t nearly as vicious – I grew up with the 5c piece and cherished them like they were solid gold bars! But NZ got rid of their 1c & 2c pieces before I was born and I never had to learn to deal, lol.
The $1 notes are weird too (we have $1 & $2 coins) – but I see the merit!
The $1 notes are an American thing. We (Canadians) switched to $1 & $2 coins years ago. Americans think we’re strange for it.