get into (ANY) lift, in Australia - with strangers - and remark - "nice day", "this your floor?" - hold the door open for someone - they (usually) absolutely freak out - that you've spoken. To them. WHY, some women even chip the poor, well mannered male - holding the door open for them.
get into an elevator - in the USA - (And say, the UK - or Europe) - same scenario - with total strangers - remark "nice day, folks - all having a great time?" or something friendly, similar - the whole elevator erupts in pleasant response - "You bet" - or "Yep, great day" - or "where ya from?" - or was that in the past. Not to mention the great, sincere, welcoming smiles - in Bali - and throughout Asia. From people who, in the main, have absolutely ZILCH - with regard to materialism.
Only mistake the "have a chat" in our family made was once, coming back from Hawaii - business there having been fraught (the company manager we were dealing with, we found, had recently been murdered, unbeknownst to us) and, had various other hitches - so a bit grumpy ourselves.
Having a business association with the particular airline we were on - and feeling down - we proceeded to query things, when to our amazement, the pilot officially announced "we're due for landing in Sydney at blah blah time ....." - .! No. We told the "stewardess." This plane's going Sydney, according to the pilot. No, Sydney, she said. Please check, we asked. "I'll check, said she". Back came another correction announcement, from said pilot, that sorry folks, this plane is headed for Melbourne, not Sydney first, via Auckland. True!
Nudging the bloke in the window seat, hiding under a blanket, snoozing - when trolley's arrived - "aren't you having a meal - it's great", laughing, telling HIM they didn't know where they were going - pointing out to him various faults in the plane decor, having nothing better to do - (loose arm rest, worn upholstery, faulty window blind, etc in ensuing hours - yes, we finally landed, in Melbourne. Then en route, to Sydney. (Relax - this airline now doesn't exist!). But tops in it's heyday!
A few days later we were told who this seat companion was. Yep - out of all the fellow passengers we could have struck, he was that airlines top Sydney exec. Killing themselves laughing, the Melbourne management staff told us days later he'd enquired who we were, and ensured we lost that airline's account! (Not a large one, thankfully). This bloke hugely disliked - not known for his personal largesse - let alone any sense of humor. Worst part was, a mate of ours who'd boarded at Honolulu, was, from few seats back, frantically trying to tell us, via sign language, just who this was. We thought he was waving!
We all have our funny travel stories, wherever we roam.
But having travelled extensively, by ship, plane, train, bus, and even hitchhiking Europe once, when young, and stupid, - over a few decades, we do find it hard going with many Aussies, who are extremely shy, will avert their eyes, do anything to avoid any conversational interaction.
Also note many Aussies will rarely introduce their little kids to any adults they may have come across, say a casual encounter in some shopping mall with people they know casually. American kids, on the other hand, even quite young ones, compared to ours, are far more outgoing and articulate. Have immense confidence.
Sadly, these days - most people are so absorbed in their portable technology, one's lucky, many times, to even rate just even a grunt of acknowledgment. I find this incredibly rude. And now, a world-wide trait.
Yep - sadly - speak to others, being friendly. One's most often, in OZ, regarded as some weirdo. To be avoided, at all costs! Very sad.
NB Poyndexter? Who are the great "personalities" on HC? Or what does one have to do, to become one?
