Coming to another country, we encounter local customs, many of which may seem strange and even repulsive. This is what will certainly surprise those who decide to travel around Asia.
1. Problems with washing
This is the first thing that travelers face when traveling to an Asian country for more than a week. If for Russians an automatic machine is a mandatory element of minimal comfort, then in Thailand and Malaysia they use laundry services. There are cheaper ones where you can bring your own powder – load your laundry into the machine and wait until the machine finishes working. More expensive options are available, where the staff will do everything themselves, but this does not guarantee good quality of service.
Finding a normal place to do laundry is a real challenge.
You never know if your items will be returned to you without stains and in good condition. Sometimes they can fade or even become moldy in places, because in a private laundry they throw someone else’s laundry into yours.
I once took my clothes and sneakers to the Balinese wash, but forgot to warn us about something that was obvious to us: shoes need to be washed separately. As a result, the white T-shirts turned blue, and all this did not bother the laundry owner at all.
How to get out of this situation? Most travelers prefer to wash delicate items by hand. Bed linen and clothes can be sorted and put into the washing machine in the laundry room yourself, choosing the appropriate mode. This is cheaper, and there is a guarantee that other people’s things will not be added to yours.
And experienced travelers often simply put aside things that they feel sorry for trying to put in order in such conditions, and wait for washing in another country.
I also prefer not to send my clothes to Asian laundries. And I carry dirty things with me until I can find housing with a washing machine or find myself in a country where I am confident in the quality of the services.
2. Garbage on the streets
In Asia there really is litter everywhere. People here do not care about the environmental situation: it is completely normal for them to store garbage near some beautiful natural place, throw it over the fence or into the ocean. And on country roads it is quite possible to see cows lying on a pile of plastic.
I often saw local residents throwing garbage or relieving themselves in the canals that supply water to irrigate the fields. And this certainly affects the quality of future products and the condition of the ocean shore. Travelers often wonder: is it really pleasant for people to live like this?
After all, there are cities that literally turn into real landfills!
Unfortunately, the reasons for this behavior of local residents are difficult to understand. Perhaps, over centuries of history, they have become accustomed to using exclusively environmentally friendly household items, such as banana leaves, and then throwing them into the street. Globalization has arrived, but customs have not changed. Some also see the reason in the low standard of living and problems with the formation of urban space.
Meanwhile, garbage from the streets does not disappear anywhere, and you need to be mentally prepared for this if you are planning to travel around Asia.
3. Different prices and conditions in toilets
Even toilets can be surprising! So, in Indonesia, the cost of visiting them will depend on how you relieve yourself: big or small. In the first case, you will be given toilet paper. But, fortunately, this issue is not particularly controlled.
You can also often see a water supply hose in the toilets, with which local residents wash themselves. In general, this method is quite hygienic, but it is far from the most convenient. In addition, after washing, the question arises of how to wash your hands with soap.
4. Sale of gasoline in grocery stores
The main reason for such an exotic sales method is that people in Asia often ride mopeds, which do not need to be filled with a large amount of fuel at once.
I, like local drivers, 5 years ago bought 1-2 liters of gasoline and poured it into the tank on the spot. This can be done today, with the exception, perhaps, of large cities. And it’s much more convenient than standing in long lines at gas stations.
At the same time, the quality of fuel in stores is no worse, so the option generally works.
The only thing that is confusing is the fact that the seller pours gasoline with his bare hands, often splashing some of the liquid around or on his hands. And then they can use it to put fruit in a bag and accept money. So it’s not very hygienic.
5. Lots of wires along the road
Instead of replacing old cables, providers prefer to install new ones. The result is a huge number of wires that stretch along the roadway. There are tons of them hanging down! The wires do not pose any particular danger, but they seriously spoil the appearance of the streets. However, residents and government officials are not at all concerned about this situation.
6. Specific food delivery
Food delivery today will surprise few people: it is available in America, Russia, and Europe. In Asia, this service is also provided – both locals and tourists use it. But the cost of delivery here is much higher than in a restaurant or cafe.
Therefore, most residents prefer the “village” format of service, when food is simply poured into a bag and given to customers in this form.
They eat it with spoons straight from the package, and deliver it on bicycles or motorcycles.
This is a very common way of eating for local workers – an Asian set lunch. Of course, this food is consumed only by representatives of the poor, who are not afraid of unsanitary conditions and, possibly, the dubious taste of the dishes.
I definitely don’t recommend that tourists buy such food, since it is prepared in the same cart on which it was delivered, and it is not put into the bag with the cleanest hands. Such a lunch may be unsafe for health.
7. Chaotic traffic on the roads
Lack of traffic rules and intuitive driving are very popular in Asian cities. But the most amazing thing is that there are no sidewalks for pedestrians, and no one is going to let them pass on the roadway! This is typical, for example, for Malaysia and Indonesia.
So, if you are going to travel around Asia, you will have to be extremely careful. Motorcycles, cars, loaded horse-drawn carts are participants in a very chaotic road traffic, in which there is no special place for pedestrians.
And in order to rent a moped, it is advisable to either have experience driving a two-wheeled vehicle and the appropriate driving license category, or go to three to five lessons with an instructor from the local Russian-speaking community.
For those who can’t live without traveling 🏝
