Whilst I'm here, this is about Asia.
1. A wardrobe - living out of a backpack can be quite annoying after a long period of time. You're forever pulling the entire contents out of your backpack for that one top you want to wear which is always right at the very bottom. Your clothes come out creased and knotted and your underwear are NEVER to be found.
2. Your own bedroom/space - living in hostels is so much fun (usually). You get a new room every few nights, clean bed sheets all the time and you get to meet some cool people. But after a while you crave your own space where no one can see you change or where no one else is farting or snoring in your room.
3. Toilet paper - if you've been to Asia you'll notice that hardly any toilets have toilet paper in them. You either have to pay for it or you're supposed to use the "bum gun". You heard. It's a spray gun to wash yourself after you do your thang. They're painful like a jet wash and they just leave you walking around afterward soaking wet and waddling like you've had an accident. Always keep some toilet paper in your bags ladies! Or when you finally find a loo with some, go for gold and store a big handful of it in your bag.
4. An actual toilet seat - back onto the loo topic but Asian toilets are quite often a funny little squatting hole that you pee in and then throw a bucket of water in to "flush" whatever you just produced. For a dude I'm sure a number 1 is fairly simple. Ladies find something to hold onto and balance! And try not to pee on your feet!
5. To be able to drink from the tap - I miss just being able to grab a glass and fill up where ever you see a tap. But if you do that here you'll probably get very sick. It's advised in some places to even brush your teeth with bottled water and unless it's a proper restaurant to not have ice in your drinks. Better to be safe than sorry! I learnt the hard way.
6. Air conditioning/breeze - Asia is hot, like really hot. It's not just roasting but the humidity is a killer. I find myself just wandering around local supermarkets that have aircon just studying tins of dried out fish and other local stuff just to pretend I'm buying something so I can cool down. And when a sudden breeze hits you it just the best feeling ever.
7. People than speak your mother tongue - I find it fascinating that people can speak a second if not third language and I'm very jealous that I can't. I totally respect anyone who tries their hardest but when there's a problem or a stressful situation there's nothing more frustrating than nobody understanding you. That's not their fault atall though.
8. Alone time - I like to have my own space at times. A place where only I can be and being in dorm rooms can get quite frustrating after a while. Even just being able to go for a walk alone is refreshing but here I'd probably get very very lost.
9. TV/Movies - I'm used to bit watching tv everyday as even back in England at my seasonal job we don't have tv (although my boyfriend had a tv we watched movies on) but not actual channels. I miss being able to sit down on the sofa with a good cuppa watch some shitty reality tv show.
10. Wearing a jumper - for those that know me we you know I'm always wearing a jumper. Usually because I'm ways cold (apart from here) but I just love to be in a big baggy jumper that I can just curl up in. It's way too hot to wear a jumper here apart from to bed sometimes if the air con is right above my bed. I love being able to snuggle in a big jumper!
11. Paying for things on card - you can't really pay for things on card here in Asia (not that I've seen anyway) unless you're staying in a really posh resort or hotel. When the pay wave thing came out in Australia I was amazed at it. I loved just being able to tap my shopping onto my card (although they can be quite dangerous when buying clothes, makeup etc) Here you have to work it out and and always have enough cash in your purse. I suck at math so I leave the money stuff up to the boyfriend.
12. Working out currencies - this mostly goes for Cambodia as they have two currencies (riel and US dolla) and trying to work out the conversion from pounds to Aussie dollas to Thai baht to Cambodian riel and US dollas it's a massive headache. Again, left that to Callum to work out.
13. People talking to your in the street - more like pestering you! But usually you'd walk down a street and no one would say hello of bat an eyelid that you've walked passed (unless you're from Bognor then everyone know everyone in town) but here Asia you are constantly pestered for tuktuks, to buy stuff, for weed, food, money, massages. You name it. No such thing as a chilled stroll though an Asian town.
14. Being able to cook for yourself - I love cooking, I love being in control of my meals and how I cook them. As great as eating out is, every meal of everyday can get tedious and I really miss just making my own food. Especially I miss sweet potato so bad!
15. Heinz ketchup / BBQ sauce -
I like my sauce. But nowhere in Asia does BBQ sauce and you'll be extremely lucky to find heinze tomato ketchup. Here it just tastes like sour, bitter tomatoes mixed with... Poo. Not nice. Or you mistake the chili hot sauce that is usually in an almost identical bottle *cries*.
16. Having clean washed clothes -
Being able to wash your clothes on a regular basis and whenever you like is something I really took for granted. The best feeling is when you get your clean, fresh smelling clothes back from a laundry service out here. It's often to go quite a while without washing your clothes, usually until you're in the very last pair of pants or you bikini bottoms when you're nowhere near the beach then you cough out some money from your budget to wash everything, and it's just the best!
Featherhead.
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