Camping Chinese:
All new equipment with all unnecessary gadgets.
Wear facemasks and fingerless gloves.
Spend two hours to put up their tent.
Place their tents all on top of each other.
Ones tent stands they change in to either: slippers with big flowers on them, fluffy animal slippers or high-heels.
Use enormous inflatable mattresses.
Spend an other two hours to take their tent down again.
Leave camping ground as disaster zone.
Ha..ha.
You cant get lost hiking on the mountain trails, just follow the litter trail of candy wrappers and cans of fake red bull.
Ha..Ha.. Funny!
Lets not forget trains. No smoking? I don't think so. But it's ok to sit by the window and light up, even if its closed. The signs say please keep floors free from rubbish.....I don't think so. That actually doesn't mean WO! Peanut shells, the aforesaid wrapping paper, pieces of food not actually swallowed and of course the spitting. Not all Chinese tourists are like this but it is the norm unfortunately. I have a Chinese friend whose really lovely middle aged parents want to visit Australia and I asked if they are aware that in a restaurant, or anywhere really, you can't spit food onto the floor or table if you can't actually bite it...like tough pieces of meat or meat bones, or stuff they don't like. No spitting, even at the SIDE of the road. He was surprised that it would be a problem, and after he discussed it, they decided not to go.
I agree with all of the comments, especially re hotels and guesthouses, but lets not forget trains. No Smoking? I don't think so. It is apparently ok to sit by the window and light up, even if the window is locked closed. The signs say please keep floors free from rubbish.....I don't think so on that one either. It doesn't actually mean "WO" (sorry, no tones on my keyboard)..Peanut shells, the aforesaid wrapping paper, pieces of food not actually swallowed and of course the spitting. Not all Chinese tourists are like this in trains, but it is the norm unfortunately. I have a Chinese friend whose lovely middle aged parents want to visit Australia and I asked if they are aware that in a restaurant, or anywhere really, you can't spit food onto the floor or table if you can't actually bite it...like tough pieces of meat or meat bones, or stuff they don't like. And no spitting, even at the SIDE of the road. They were surprised that it would be a problem, and after he discussed it, they decided not to go. I have another Chinese friend with a guest house that caters to foreigners and Chinese, who when asked the worst nationality guests he has, replied "Chinese". "Why?" I asked. They always want big discounts for nothing, they leave the rooms so filthy, they make so much noise with music and shouting all the time, they have no respect for strangers. The best nationality? According to him, it's "Holland people". So, here's a clap for the Dutch......and no I'm not Dutch, and yes I like all of my Chinese friends and most others.
Ha, I wonder what Chinese think of Western tourists!
I heard of one person who saw some with their huge backpacks and asked "他们在搬家吗？" (are they moving house?)
I also heard of a Western tour group who came and would only eat McDonalds for every meal! Tragic failure to even make an attempt to appreciate real Chinese cuisine.
Interesting to observe the differences noted in all the posts here and their reflection of the nature of tourism of different cultures.
Before we get ahead of ourselves here......here is an article I've found.
londoniscool.com/how-to-spot-an-american-tourist-in-london
How To Spot An American Tourist In London
1. You can always hear Americans long before you can see them, as they speak very loudly and very slowly.
2. They are usually so fat they take up 2 seats on the bus or on the tube.
3. You can spot them lurking outside McDonalds or Burger King, drooling as they contemplate having there 3rd burger of the day.
4. The camera dangling from their necks just shouts out look at me I'm an American.
5. The most ridiculous and my personal favourite the good old fanny pack, only an American would have one. WTF would anyone want to wear one of those things.
6. This one is so bad that I can barely bring myself to type it, sandals with socks, usually white ones.
7. They complain the main course in a restaurant is smaller than a starter back home.
8. Americans are always complaining about something, basically because things are different from back home. Well I have the answer stay at home!
9. Many Yanks love to wear brand new stand out a mile white trainers, as well as ugly sweatshirts.
10. You can usually spot them wandering around beside London Bridge, trying to figure out why it is so ugly and not like the pictures. When in fact they are looking for Tower Bridge.
11. Americans get tired after walking for longer that 20 minutes because they are so use to driving everywhere.
12. Somebody needs to tell old American guys that wearing a baseball caps over a certain age, make you look kinda weird.
And another:
www.time-travellers.org/Historian/UglyAmerican.html
1. Americans are loud. Talk less loudly. Many Europeans speak English very well. There is no need to speak extra slowly and there is certainly no need to increase your volume. If you meet someone who does not speak English, speaking loudly will not help them to suddenly do so. Americans also talk very loudly with each other. I know that might be harder to avoid, but observe other people around you and speak at the same level. It's not a contest—you don't need to be louder than them.
2. Americans complain because things are different from home. Well, you do. Ok, not all of you. Many are open-minded and want to experience difference. Why the rest of you bother to leave home, I don't know. A couple of things Americans usually complain about:
Caffeine. Most Europeans do NOT drink decaf coffee. So don't ask for it. Even if a restaurant or café claims it has decaf, they don't. You won't know the difference until it's too late.
Smoke. Most European restaurants do NOT have a non-smoking section. So quit whining about the smoke. You are not going to get lung cancer from a two-week vacation. Besides, if you are travelling during high tourist season, you probably won't have a problem finding a smoke free (or at least a less smoky) restaurant because they'll all be filled with other American tourists. My advice: Suck it up!
3. Ugly white tennis shoes. I see this all the time. American tourists are soooo easy to spot because they wear brand spanking new blinding white sneakers. I know where this comes from—it's from all the suburbanites reading tour books warning them to "wear comfortable walking shoes." Americans, who drive their cars everywhere, generally put up with uncomfortable shoes more than others. So how to buy comfy shoes is a mystery to them. They go to their local sports store or nearest LL Bean catalog and purchase special shoes just for the trip. If you don't own comfy shoes that you can walk miles in, they please buy some! But don't get white sneakers. Try Birkenstocks, Doc Martins, or some other shoes that don't look like they were meant for exercise.
4. Funny hats. Baseball is an American sport. Baseball caps are distinctive American head wear. Nothing screams "I'm an Ugly American Tourist" like a baseball cap—ok, the white sneakers are worse. If you are worried about getting sun in your eyes then wear sunglasses.
5. Fat Fanny. I bet some guide book told you that a "fanny pack" would be a good idea. It would keep your hands free and deter pickpockets, right? Whatever. Seriously, would you wear one of those silly fanny packs at home? To work? To school? Then why on your trip? Backpacks are fine—get a small one. For women, use a purse! The same one you use at home should be fine. Yes, yes, I know "Beware of pickpockets." And you should. But wearing a fanny pack is ASKING a pickpocket to come get you. Do you know why? Because ONLY American tourists wear them! Don't be afraid to use your normal purse or school backpack (but please, please, pleeeeeease don't wear the backpack on your front). Simply be aware of it at all times and wear purses bandoleer style.
6. T-shirts, sweatshirts, and blue jeans. A trip to Europe is not a weekend driving in the country—even if you are spending the weekend driving in the countryside. Europeans, generally, don't dress as sloppily as Americans. Think "business casual" all the times. When in doubt, wear all black. You'll be mistaken for a British tourist. If you cannot afford a new all black wardrobe, then purchase a Canadian flag patch to sew onto your backpack. (But if you sew it onto your fanny pack, everyone will know you're an American trying to be Canadian).
Here is another excellent article about cultural misunderstandings when touring a foreign country. I won't jam it down everyone's throat by re-posting it here but very interesting read.
And finally, I apologize to anyone who do not act this way but is lumped in anyway through stereotyping.
So in conclusion.....I'm sure there is one here but I'm too lazy to make a point.
Cheers~
Yey.....love this tourist thing. I have to agree about the Americans in London...or Europe. But only if its their first time. Those kind usually don't return a second time.....only the taxi drivers are sorry.
The Americans who live there so desperately want to fit in they try to outdo to Brits at being British. They stop shouting anyway and don't gather in groups on buses and the Tube. But except for the shouting thing, American tourists don't impact on other people, except perhaps in a humorous way. Whereas I think most of what people writing on this forum re Chinese tourists are commenting on, are those things that actually do impact negatively on other people. A forum on how kind and helpful and generous and funny Chinese people are would be just as prolific. And by the by, I don't want to "suck up"the 2nd hand smoke of anyone...French, Italian, Brits, or Chinese.
How something impacts something else is a matter of perception, is it not? Second-hand smoke is only a problem to non-smokers and if you haven't noticed, China is a smoking country. It would be akin to Hindus slamming the Western practice of eating beef....*while in a western country no less.*
While I do find Chinese habits abhorring and uncivilized, I do not think it polite to tell them what to do in their own country. As much as I roll my eyes every time I see someone smoking under a no-smoking sign, wantonly spitting by otherwise nice old grannies, and the classy well-dressed mother who lets their children sh!t on the streets in front of a restaurant, I still don't think I should be ridiculing them for doing so in China. If I don't like it then I have the choice of going home. If however, I see such actions by anyone, Chinese or otherwise, back home, you'd be damn right I would speak up about it.
My two cents
Cheers~
