What gets your goat/goad?

[Gordon0]

Simples?

I love what Airbnb has done for me, and one of the beautiful 'bi-products' is that you get to meet people from all over the world, learn a little about how they live and, in particular, their nuances. Some of these make me smile, some rattle me, a little.

This isn’t about knocking any one country or their people, because we all have idiosyncratic, particular, even peculiar nuances. It’s simply a friendly, tongue-in-cheek look at who does what (and perhaps an answer as to 'why').

Americans. Love em. Funny, warm, bubbly (some, not all), spick and span, easy to host. Friendly.

But what is it with Americans and UK lights switches?

In the UK, our switches flick down for ‘on’ and back up for ‘off’. It’s that simple. But our lovely American guests (and I’ve had many) struggle with this set-up.

The bathroom has two light switches (outside, as in the norm here) and you’d have thought it was a Boeing 747 pre-flight check if you were to hear the commotion that goes on to operate the lights (it's actually happening as I type).

Switch # 1 up, switch # 2 down.# 1 down and up again, rapidly. # 2 up, down, up, down and up again. # 2 down, # 1 down.

The above sequence is repeated at least a dozen times before an audible sigh is omitted. And (at least) one of the lights is left on…normally the one with the extractor spur. 

What does it for you?

[Jessica-and-Henry0]

@Gordon0

I hate people who do teeny tiny loads of laundry frequently and at FULL LOAD SETTING no less. Such a waste of water. Next is the type of people who spill droplets of juice or coke, then step on it and track it all over the house making the floor sticky. 

I actually don't mind the fan in the bathroom left on as long as the lights are off. I do hate it when people turn the shower on and leave the shower running for 5 mins before they actually step in to take their shower. 

[Paul154]

Down is ON and Up is OFF?

That's just wrong.

I'm now airbnbing in China - Asia for the first time.

Unfortunately, I'm a terrible guest.

First night, I woke up the host cuz after entering the entry code, the door lock would flash red (error).  On the next day I tried again and same thing. Only to realize in China, red is a "good" color (correct entry code) 

- Not the color of error, bad, danger, wrong...

[Gordon0]

@Paul154 - The next thing you'll be saying is that driving on the left (the correct side) is ludicrous! 

[Noel63]

It sounds like Australian light switches are the same as U.K ones.

One thing that has puzzled me is the guests who use the lazy susan in the corner cupboard as a drying rack. Do people in some countries have dish drying racks in kitchen cupboards?

[Sandra126]

@Noel63,yes. Finland. And Sweden, but it is a Finnish invention. It's just the best.

[Noel63]

@Sandra126well that's interesting. It would probably work well here given that we're a desert and there are always a couple of flys that manage to sneak inside.

[Jessica-and-Henry0]

@Sandra126

I really like this!!! This is something I might seriously think about incorporating next time I need to do a kitchen remodel.

[Sandra126]

@Jessica-and-Henry0, it is so good. This is not a pic of my kitchen, I got it from google. Search ''Astiankuivauskaappi''. No need to understand the language!

[Sarah977]

@Sandra126  I was seriously considering doing this when I built my house. I had found a similar photo and thought it was a brilliant idea. So cool to be able to let the dishes dry behind a closed cupboard, dripping into the sink. But I opted to put a window above the sink instead, as I had a lovely view and breeze across the field behind me. Now I wish I'd done this instead, as the guy who owns the property behind built a super ugly little casita 3 meters from that window, which totally blocked my view and the breeze, and that window now looks out on the back wall of that casita.

[Sandra126]

well @Sarah977, you might be able to build the cupboard in front of the window, this way the dishes will be dried by sunlight as well! win/win.

[Sarah977]

@Sandra126   Haha, the ugly little casita blocked all the sun I used to get there, too.

[Gordon0]

Quite normal in Spanish homes too. They're quite the smart idea!

[Noel63]

@Paul154I would have been caught out by the red light as well.

[Jonathan665]

What's your favorite to be a student of the Airbnb 

[J-Renato0]

In Brazil when there are 2 or more light switchs in the same slot, usually all the switchs are in the horizontal position.

I have not noticed any problem, although I am an off site host.

There is only one thing  I find somewhat strange, is that some US guests (not all) leave towels spread on the floor when they leave instead of putting it in the laundry basket. I think some Americans are used to it in hotels to signalise that the towel it was used by them.

There was one US guest that left towels spread on the floor and the basket laundry full of kitchen rubbish,  although the basket laundry it was in the bathroom. 

It was the first time I saw it and I consider him an exception in terms of exotic habits!