Travel tips/ ASK

So many times we hear wives complaining about their husbands getting lost while on a trip somewhere because he just won't ask for directions. But I always wondered - why won't the women do the asking if she is sitting right next to him anyway? Make him stop, roll the window down and ask, well, that's assuming he is man enough to stop though. I could not relate to this predicament because my late husband was the opposite. In fact, he asked too much.

I don't mind asking for directions or asking someone what they think of this and that restaurant when I am in a foreign country. People like to be asked because basically most people like to help and in particular likes to give directions. But you have to be sensitive to the other persons body language though. You can't approach someone who is in the middle of an intimate conversation or someone who is about to alight the train. I was in Singapore 2 weeks ago, and the taxi driver who took me to my hotel at 130 a.m. was very chatty. I told him I was going to Kuala Lumpur in a day or two. He then picked up his cell phone, dialed a fellow taxi driver and proceeded to tell me what bus station to go to and why I should not buy a round trip ticket. From Singapore you pay Singapore dollars, Ringgits in Kuala lumpur. During the 20 minute ride, I learned some details my Lonely Planet guidebook forgot to mention.
The next day, I asked the hotel clerk, a young Chinese guy named Desmond for some places to go to that is not a tourist trail. He gave me names of a few places plus directions on how to get there by train. Then after a 15 minute conversation, his eyes lit up - "hey, I get off work at 330pm, from here I go to the temple to pray, would you like to come see what we Chinese do in the temple?" "Of course, I will come down and wait for you then." I felt like I hit a jackpot.
On the way to the temple I was telling him how much I like the foods in Singapore. We decided we should stop at some food stalls where the locals eat. He asked me if I will eat anything, I said yes. But after I said yes, I thought to myself " Oh dear God, why did I say that?" I told him he can order and I will eat it whatever it is, as long as it is not a lot because I am still full from lunch. He came back with a peanut soup. It was the first time I have seen or eat that. There were 4 glutinous balls in the somewhat creamy looking hot liquid. The balls had each different fillings, meat, peanut or red bean paste. It was quite delicious. The place was full of people so a man and a woman asked if they could sit with us in our table. When Desmond left to get me a cold drink, I started a conversation with the woman and found out she was Filipino and he was Malay. I asked him about Hari Raya, the holiday that Singapore had been celebrating for a few days before I got there. I gathered it means " a day of celebration" for Muslims in Malaysia and Singapore. They offered me a beer, " No, I don't drink." He winked and pouted his lips " Come on, it's my Hari Raya." I lifted the mug to my lips and I cringed at the Tiger (the national beer).
" I just can't drink all of this" I apologized. Desmond offered to down it for me, "bottoms up"he said, and off we go to pray. Or he did. He picked up some joss sticks from some container, held it with both hands and placed it on his forehead while he faced towards the east and mumbled silently with his eyes closed. He explained about the goddess of Mercy that he prayed to , I explained to him the simplicity of Christs' offer of salvation through His blood.
I got more than I could ask for because we continued on to get more snacks and this time it was a fresh coconut from Thailand. The water and the meat was the sweetest and tastiest coconut I have ever put in my mouth. The size of the coconut is about the size of a mans fist I did not know what it was when I saw it in Chinatown the day before. And by the way, he paid too. You know what I mean, people just want to help.