Wednesday, May 25, 2005
Sales tax & friendly service
VAT may be 17.5% compared with the 8% sales tax here, but at least UK prices include the VAT. Here, the prices on the shelves don't include the sales tax and it keeps catching me out at the tills. I bought some laptop speakers earlier, advertised at $40... so I got two $20 notes out. But at the till, it magically went up to around $45. D-oh.
However, on a positive note, I'm starting to think that people in shops/bars/everywhere are genuinely friendly. The number of staff who offer to help you in stores, and the number of employees who wish you a good day when you leave; they actually seem to mean it which is no longer annoying. It's actually quite nice.
Filled the hire car up with petrol yesterday. $20. Hahahahahaha.
On Monday night it got to about 10pm and I was really keen to get a bottle of wine. So I leapt into the car, thinking that I'd find an off-licence equivalent sooner or later. How wrong I was though, and not only did I not find a liquor store, I also managed to lose the flat, and went round in circles trying to work out where I was.
Last night I was more prepared, and found the shop at 8:55... though they closed at 9 so it meant a quick run to find two bottles of wine and some vodka. Very proud of myself. Got home, was about to have some wine, but realised... no corkscrew! Nightmare! I did consider the whole knife-in-the-cork thing, but I'm sure it would have gone dramatically wrong. So tonight in wine night.
It rained earlier, and there's severe thunderstorm warnings all over the TV. There should however be severe Simon Cowell warnings all over the TV at the moment; can't get away from him! In fact, if you're British, you're either Simon Cowell or Hugh Grant, though to be honest that's a stereotype I quite like!
However, on a positive note, I'm starting to think that people in shops/bars/everywhere are genuinely friendly. The number of staff who offer to help you in stores, and the number of employees who wish you a good day when you leave; they actually seem to mean it which is no longer annoying. It's actually quite nice.
Filled the hire car up with petrol yesterday. $20. Hahahahahaha.
On Monday night it got to about 10pm and I was really keen to get a bottle of wine. So I leapt into the car, thinking that I'd find an off-licence equivalent sooner or later. How wrong I was though, and not only did I not find a liquor store, I also managed to lose the flat, and went round in circles trying to work out where I was.
Last night I was more prepared, and found the shop at 8:55... though they closed at 9 so it meant a quick run to find two bottles of wine and some vodka. Very proud of myself. Got home, was about to have some wine, but realised... no corkscrew! Nightmare! I did consider the whole knife-in-the-cork thing, but I'm sure it would have gone dramatically wrong. So tonight in wine night.
It rained earlier, and there's severe thunderstorm warnings all over the TV. There should however be severe Simon Cowell warnings all over the TV at the moment; can't get away from him! In fact, if you're British, you're either Simon Cowell or Hugh Grant, though to be honest that's a stereotype I quite like!
