So, what you're saying is that they'd be nobs no nmatter where they were? Suppose that could be true - certainly no shortage of them around here during Country Music Week (The reason we head to Japow for January!!!)

That's exactly what I'm saying. And JA you'd have to be concerned about anyone who actually liked country music!

Too fntrue, though some of them are just here for the very reason we are talking about. It is a good excuse to get ratfaced, make an absolute a$$ of yourself, and no-one really takes too much notice unless you start assaulting people or damaging property.

Anyway, as I said, a very good reason why we have already booked accom for the January trip to Japan (our 4th) and are actively looking for decent airfares that don't take us via Bahrain or somewhere else un-snowy!

"A man away from home has no neighbours."

Jeeze, Ez, That's deep!

Bl00dy true too! Can I borrow it for a while?

Please do.

Ah, Ezorisu san, domo arigato gozaimasu!

I reckon you've got a valid point JA. Australian are very lucky in that they have loads of personal space, even in the cities. This year I spent 5 days in Tokyo, I've never done this before. It soon became apparent to me that in order for 20 million people to live together in such congested conditions a very strict social etiquette needs to be applied in order to survive. Now I'm not making excuses for Australian behaving badly, but lets just say that some Australians may have trouble 'conforming' to the required level of etiquette.

Egzachary! Mantas - my point precisely. A couple of days in places like Sapporo or Osaka will soon give you the idea how closely these people have to live, and to do that successfully, they have developed a "politeness and deference" process that many from Oz would find hard to get.

Some of us, though, spend a bit of time trying to understand the language, the etiquette and the transport system. (That last is a wake-up call for a "boy from the bush" who can just about manage a 24 hour period in Sidonee IF he has to, but can't wait to be on the road back outa there!)

"Give me land lots of land and a starry sky above, don't fence me in"

That's why I live on Hokkaido.

There is some truth in this but like all generalisations it only goes so far. Politeness can take many forms and what is polite in one place is very rude in another. I've never been in so many overloaded lifts or had idiots back into an already overcrowded trains (not rush hour!) as I did when I was in Japan. The Japanese push, they shove, they don't look where they're going, they get drunk and punchy, they get drunk and loud and obnoxious, it's a brave man who will (try!) to hold his ground against a bus load of obaa-san day trippers, the men think nothing of pissing in public, they insist on trying to ride bicycles along crowded footpaths, they dump rubbish in public places etc. In short, they are completely indifferent to those around them. That comes in part to there being SOOOO many people around them but let's not hold the Japanese up as some sort of paradigm of virtue, because they're not. But then I have an issue with the cultural cringe so many gaijins seem to suffer when their little piece of Japan is discovered by their countrymen.

For their reputation as being pushy, in certain situations I've found the Chinese in Hong Kong to be far more polite and well mannered. Moving here was quite refreshing. It was like, finally, after living in London and Tokyo, here is a place populated by people with some social graces.

I found the same Rag-Doll ... however cross the border and all bets are off!!! I have never seen anything so shameful as a train load of people converging on the escalator PUSHING a young Mum with baby in stroller out of the way. Hubby and I had to help her get on the escalator, and it took brute force. I can not imagine how long she would have battled without our help!

Yeah, Mama o'er the border is a different world. Many years ago (geez, nearly 20yrs now) I spent some time back packing through deepest darkest China and the total disregard/distain for fellow human beings (or animals or the environment) displayed by the locals was astounding. Equally I experienced numerous examples of friendliness and respect and very humbling generosity. But there were times I was left dumbstruck at the behaviour - very much a literal case of the quick and the dead!

Why is HK so different then? Is it the "westernised values" that came with British colonisation? or some other anomaly?

I got the impression that HK enjoys the separation...It struck me as bizarre that we had to pass out of Chinese Immigration and back in through HK immigration crossing the border...bit like doing that to get in to Tassie!

Also the money - HK Dollars and across the border Chinese Yuan....

I thought HK was supposed to be Chinese now.
I am sure Rag-Doll and Thurs will have some thought on this, but it struck me as truly bizarre.

Loved HK though. Looking forward to another getaway soon!

This is about Aussies in Niseko. Get back on topic.

footnote:
_______________________________________________
"westernised values" is an oxymoron. Look it up. Colonisation? I presume you mean colonialism. What the.... comes from colonialism except generations of resentment?

Land of hope and glory,
masters of the sea....
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Foot note ends. This message was brought to you from CNN; where trash should be called JUNK and the thugs that have been in power for decades have now employed goons.

Mate, no need to get all defensive, I was only asking a question. Not making an assumption.
From what I understand, although I am by know means well versed on HK's history, there was very little there before the British set up shop, and so Colonised the place (the process of which would be colonisation).
Whether you want to believe it or not, HK enjoy's its lifestyle as a direct result of British rule, had it been Chinese at the end of the war then it would have been oppressed like the rest of China under the Communists.

on a side note, I'm hardly the champion of British colonialism

Tubbs, I was only having fun. You should know that by now.

soz.......maybe I was on crack!!!

Have met a few aussies on my trips this seasons and have to be honest - most of them were friendly and chilled out. However, did meet two guys on the slopes and they were just bombing on and off, around in and out of people - clearly with no regards for other people's safety around them.

I think as has already been mentioned, the combination of alcohol and extreme sports boosting the adrenalin, doesn't really lend itself to anybody.

All of us have the propensity to be complete d**kheads on the slopes, but most of us have that knowledge of being cut up or almost taking out, so we don't.

It would be interesting to see what those guys would do, if they themselves have a serious accident. Would their attitude change?