You little so-and-so! I know where you live! I’m phoning the council! Grumble, grumble…

I once got completely lost in Japan. I walked a friend back to her hotel, had a bit of a chat, whished her good night and went on my way. Upon arriving at the underground station, the guards gestured to signify this station had shut. I ran to the nearest station, hoping that the main lines might not stop so early. Managed to catch a train to a station where I got off, hoping to catch a connecting train going back to my hotel. No joy, the second line had by now closed. I got out and had absolutely no idea whatsoever where I was. I only speak a few words of Japanese, it was about half past midnight/1 o’clock by then and I didn’t know how to get back to mine.

I cursed myself for trying to save a bit of money and not using a taxi when I had the opportunity (at the second Underground station).
I started walking in a particular direction, getting some bearings on the tallest buildings. Unfortunately, a lot of them look very similar. Fortunately, the streets were laid out in a very straightforward fashion, with parallel streets crossing other streets at 90 degre angles.

Everytime I asked for direction (using the name of an underground station which was close to the hotel) I got an answer which unfortunately meant nothing to me. I followed the direction people were pointing towards. Unfortunately, that direction seemed to change with every new person I asked.
I did not recognise any of the areas I was walking though either.
I felt a strange feeling of loneliness and isolation (no idea where I was, how to get home, unable to communicate with people I met, very few people around anyway). But I did not feel any panick, probably because I was too tired to have any energy to panick and because I must have felt it wouldn’t help in any way to panick (and probably because it was a controllable feeling, as opposed to a genuine panick attack).

After about an hour, I met a policeman who had a map and was able to show me where I was. In spite of that it took me a while to reach the hotel area. I was wondering how much longer I’d need to walk when out of the blue a small-ish street led to a main avenue which I did know.

Went to bed with a wry smile, slightly ashamed to have got lost but glad to have made it back more or less “alone”.

Apart from using up more network space, what exactly is the point you are trying to make by posting a random selection of pictures? Or is it just to start another flame war…?

Originally posted by Geforce
Funny you mentioned Rin Tin Tin, he has nothing to do with Tin Tin, but he’s the dog of Lucky Lucke, maybe an equally important comic book character. In Dutch Rin Tin Tin is translated into Rattaplan.

Eh? Rin-Tin-Tin was a dog in B&W Tv series of the 50s I think.
Rantanplan is the name of the dog in the Lucky Luke comics.

And what exactly are you trying to say with your signature quotation? What is it? Some youth thing?

I also highly recommand “The Fist of God” by Frederick Forsyth, an absolutely terrific book. “Icon” by the same author is also fairly good.

You might also want to check out the novels written by John Nichol, the first three of which I found quite enjoyable (I haven’t got round to reading the other two).

There’s also Andy Mcnab’s novels, which, though not as wide in scope as some of the other autors you mentioned are definitely worth a good look.

Whilst on the subject, I recently finished “C.Q.B.” by Mike Curtis (autobiography of a former elite solider) and I found it a very absorbing read.

Originally posted by user
I dont mean to be insensitive or anything, but lets take you Snowman for example i couldnt care less if you sleep on the streets, or sleep in a kingsized bed with lots of beautiful woman with mirrors on the ceiling.

What a jolly nice chap. Glad you’re on the forum, it was crying out for a new bull-in-a-china-shop poster.

So much to learn, you still have.

By implication, you can only empathise with members of your family. You’ll find for most human beings this is far from being the case.

PILOTGHT, what exactly are you trying to achieve?

Are you even for real? (for all we know, he might be a CIA or Fox News plant whose purpose is to discredit the French. If so, they have unearthed a real nugget).

Seriously, are you French?

To most of the posters on this thread, I think he was asking for it and deserved what he got… Only I hope the most mature amongst you will realise he is no more representative of the French than hooligans are representative of the English (and I don’t mean that as a snide comment; I really do not think they are. They exist, just as arrogant French people exist, but I don’t think they are representative of the nation as a whole).