Asking Directions
Posted by Max Dunn Thu, 10 Aug 2006 16:44:00 GMT
Just for the record, I am the one that asks for directions.
For instance, today in Copenhagen, Suzanne was reading the map on where we needed to go to get the shuttle back to the ship. We weren’t sure where it was because we had taken a taxi into town. (That taxi driver drove like Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride and Maxie felt sick afterwards.) She led us to a bunch of tour buses, but wasn’t sure where the shuttle was. She kept looking at the map trying to figure it out and walking around to various busses looking at the signs on them. I – thank you – stopped and asked one of the tour bus drivers who very politely, in a British accent, showed us exactly where to go—opposite of where we were. It turns out Suzanne had gotten the directions upside down. So whenever you joke about men not stopping to ask for directions, just remember me and Suzanne.
But can you multi-task?
Okay, Max did ask for directions more than me on THIS trip. And I WAS turned around on the Copenhagen map that we had. BUT, that map was very confusing and I had others from the ship tell me the same thing. So if I had a better map, I probably would have gotten us safely to our destination. :-)
There are times when I believe it’s good to ask for directions. I guess when you’re lost in a foreign country that could be a good time. But when it comes to directions, sometimes finding your way on your own can be part of the adventure. By getting lost you discover new areas of a foreign city you never knew existed. You go off the beaten path. You discover a “hole-in-wall” to eat at where locals hang out. You stray from the ordinary.
On the contrary, I ALWAYS ask for help when I’m at home. But it’s usually when I’m in a store trying to find something and pressed for time, not while I’m out exploring the streets in a foreign country. :-)
But that is my point. The map was confusing, so asking for help was the most expedient thing to do. And I really don’t buy this whole thing about getting lost and discovering new places. We did that just fine without being lost. :-)
Ok, so Suzanne says that she always asks for help when in her own country. We shall see… ;-)