I am reading a new book I got for my birthday called Dark Star Safari by Paul Theroux. It is excellent so far and he has a great take on tipping during his travels:
"Tipping confounds me because it is not a reward but a travel tax, one of many, one of the more insulting. No one is spared. It does not matter that you are paying thousands to stay in the presidential suite in the best hotel: the uniformed man seeing you to the elevator, inquiring about your trip, giving you a weather report, and carrying your bags to the suite expects money for this unasked-for attention. Out front, the doorman, gasconading in gold braid, wants a tip for snatching open a cab door. The bartender wants a proportion of your bill, so does the waiter, and chambermaids sometimes leave unabmiguous messages with an accompanying envelope, demanding cash. It is bad enough that people expect something extra for just doing thier jobs; it is a more dismal thought that every smie has a price."
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i demand a tip for reading this drivel. Just kidding. Good to see you are keeping it up. That is more than graemekbrown.typepad.com can say. (check it out people) Anyways, i agree with this completely. What I like about you is that if you like someone you let them know; if you don't you are just a complete dick to them. I envy that. My life is one big tip!
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