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Go to the US, Trimac, and experience their service. Puts ours to shame. Overall, not too bad here, with some shining stars but not the same consistent, predictable level of outright helpfulness as in the US. Or the striving to put things right or make you satisfied.
They don't have something here? The predominant attitude is a shrug 'Nah, don't got it.' And you're on your own. In the US, they'll offer to find it for you, even making the phone calls or whatever it takes to do so. Came across that a few times on our last trip and it left us amazed. You might find that here once in a while, but in the US almost guaranteed. The ladies at JC Penney are the most friendliest and most helpful on the planet, as far as I'm concerned. And they don't work on tips either. About half of them here at our Myer are nice too but the other half have that typical Can't Be Stuffed attitude endemic in the service industry here.
Another thing missing in the Australian toolbox is Expressing your Dissatisfaction with crap service or goods, and having your dissatisfaction righted. Here, that's dismissed as whinging. You have to shut up and take the crap service. We don't, and often get unhelpful, even stroppy attitudes when we point out the problem (politely). It's getting better, and again, not everyone is like that, but certainly not at the same level as the US or Canada.
Got off the track here and I hate hearing of nasty treatment and attitudes towards visitors. Our Tourism Industry is not doing so well, so the last thing they need is this to be left unchecked. And put me down for another Australian completely disinterested in going to the GC. Number one destination for bogans - the ugly ones. Same for Kuta, Bali.
If the Asian tourists are being guided by Asian tourist guides, assisted by Asian shop assistants, buy Asian-made goods, eat at Asian restaurants....what's the point of leaving Asia?
When I was in Vancouver, Toronto and San Francisco I visited their "Chinatown" and spent only half a day at each location. What's the point of spending all my time in "Chinatown" when I'm of Asian extraction...and there's one in Sydney where I reside?
They're over here to see and experience a way of life that's clearly different to their own....and one of the stark differences is the relaxed and care-free way of living; one that's not necessarily guided and couched in "happy and bringing in the money". For some of the GC's residents, the condition of the surf dicates if it's worth getting out of bed early some mornings
Aren't most goods made in Asia?
I wouldn't be surprised if most Canadian-owned businesses that sell hockey equipment have their products made in Asia.
Isn't it the same in Oz, that most "Australian" goods are actually Asian made?
I can't understand the abundance of restaurants making the same food the tourists are used to eating back home.
What would make the most sense to me is 1/2 the food is regional, 1/2 is "generic."
When I went to Jamaica, only about 1/5 to 1/10 of the food served at our resort was a local dish, or at least Jamaican-influenced.
It didn't impress me being able to get the same food I could get at home.
It doesn't surprise me that those Asian tourists are equally unadventurous with their food.
If they're so carefree then why do they act like that.
I can understand wanting to be up before dawn when there's a nice swell,
but for me it goes hand-in-hand with being at ease and enjoying life, or not worrying about the minor stuff.
Even if Surfer's Paradise became 90% Asian, and English was rarely spoken,
that'd be fine by my if I was a surfer living there,
as people born in Asia probably aren't as likely to go to the beach; they universally hate tanned-skin.
India, China, Korea, Japan... These are all countries where "pale skin" is the most beautifull.
*It'd be hard NOT to get tanned after a few hours surfing, especially at the 28th latitude.
So yeah, if the Gold Coast became mostly Asian, beaches and "line-ups" could be even less crowded than they are now.
Aren't most goods made in Asia?
I wouldn't be surprised if most Canadian-owned businesses that sell hockey equipment have their products made in Asia.
Isn't it the same in Oz, that most "Australian" goods are actually Asian made?
Just about everything you pick up off the shelf these days says "Made in China" on it. I'm sure it's similar the world over. They make what we want cheap. But I've gotten to the point these days where I'd rather pay more for quality. Getting tired of the junk that falls apart, just for the sake of low prices. The world's got it bass ackwards in that respect. Very wasteful. Very polluting.
That's weird Wanneroo, maybe we have different standards but I find the service generally quite good, with the exception of them making you wait too long before they take your order. They're usually friendly and helpful at least. I don't want to say it or bring this up but I find the service in Chinese restaurants in particular not very good.
As Vichel said come to the USA and it might give you another perspective.
I'd consider myself a pretty easy going person and not demanding at all and in addition I blend in well with locals down under. So I'd don't put out a pushy American tourist vibe. But I find dining out down under frustrating. Often times I'd almost put my own order in with the chef or get up to get another drink instead of relying on wait staff.
Not to say it's been all bad. One waitress in rural South Australia gave me service in more ways than one on one memorable evening with torrential rain pelting down. She was friendly. In fact she even showed me things I didn't even know you could do, so it was educational as well.
Aren't most goods made in Asia?
I wouldn't be surprised if most Canadian-owned businesses that sell hockey equipment have their products made in Asia.
Isn't it the same in Oz, that most "Australian" goods are actually Asian made?
I can't understand the abundance of restaurants making the same food the tourists are used to eating back home.
What would make the most sense to me is 1/2 the food is regional, 1/2 is "generic."
When I went to Jamaica, only about 1/5 to 1/10 of the food served at our resort was a local dish, or at least Jamaican-influenced.
It didn't impress me being able to get the same food I could get at home.
It doesn't surprise me that those Asian tourists are equally unadventurous with their food.
If they're so carefree then why do they act like that.
I can understand wanting to be up before dawn when there's a nice swell,
but for me it goes hand-in-hand with being at ease and enjoying life, or not worrying about the minor stuff.
Even if Surfer's Paradise became 90% Asian, and English was rarely spoken,
that'd be fine by my if I was a surfer living there,
as people born in Asia probably aren't as likely to go to the beach; they universally hate tanned-skin.
India, China, Korea, Japan... These are all countries where "pale skin" is the most beautifull.
*It'd be hard NOT to get tanned after a few hours surfing, especially at the 28th latitude.
So yeah, if the Gold Coast became mostly Asian, beaches and "line-ups" could be even less crowded than they are now.
Mate,
I was referring to "tourist stuff". Buying souvenirs like a Koala or t-shirt with an Opera House emblem tagged "made somewhere-in-asia" sounds awfully silly to me. It used to be that goods can only carry the "made in OZ" tag if 70% of the components were laboured, extracted or manufactured in Aust. This may have changed.
Regardless, why come over here and buy something that one could have purchased at one's doorstep?
They do possess a care-free attitude...Free enough for them to tell people where to go (and more). It's not the presence of an asian with a surfboard that worries them; it's the asian with the chequebook.
To be fair....the sprawl of foreigners need to be contained, particularly when the commercial mindset of certain people results in the destruction of other people's lifestyle.
Perhaps, it's the fear of the local culture/lifestyle being contaminated by too many outsiders?
That said, it still doesn't excuse the ill-treatment of our tourists.
PS - By now, one certainly hope that the OP find some comfort in knowing that it wasn't his cultural background that was the signpost for the ill-treatment
/\ funny Trimac I was thinking the same thing. I found service not so good in the Chinese restos that I'd go to in Chinatown in Adelaide. Then again, if you go to Chinese restos in Chinatown in NYC or ini Markham in Ontario, like I have, the service at Chinese restos is comparable to that in Chinese restos in Chinatown Adelaide (meaning not that great). At least in the US you have the option of not tipping them 15 or 20%. My Chinese friend in Toronto told me he tips 10% in Chinese restaurants, 15% at western restos and 20% if the server is cute (LOL)
However when comparing western restos in Oz and North America, service is much better on this side of the pond.
Mate,
I was referring to "tourist stuff". Buying souvenirs like a Koala or t-shirt with an Opera House emblem tagged "made somewhere-in-asia" sounds awfully silly to me. It used to be that goods can only carry the "made in OZ" tag if 70% of the components were laboured, extracted or manufactured in Aust. This may have changed.
Regardless, why come over here and buy something that one could have purchased at one's doorstep?
They do possess a care-free attitude...Free enough for them to tell people where to go (and more). It's not the presence of an asian with a surfboard that worries them; it's the asian with the chequebook.
To be fair....the sprawl of foreigners need to be contained, particularly when the commercial mindset of certain people results in the destruction of other people's lifestyle. Perhaps, it's the fear of the local culture/lifestyle being contaminated by too many outsiders?
That said, it still doesn't excuse the ill-treatment of our tourists.
PS - By now, one certainly hope that the OP find some comfort in knowing that it wasn't his cultural background that was the signpost for the ill-treatment
Same thing with a lot of Canadian souveniers.
I look at it the other way; it's a PLUS when something has been made here,
worth paying a little more for if it's available.
You idea of care-free is different than mine;
telling people "where to go" in a situation if they personally have done nothing to upset you makes you a twit.
Sprawl of foreigners needs to be contained?Contaminated by outsiders?
Do you think they'd feel threatened by a white, English-speaking Canadian?
Heaven-forbid I pronounce all the "R's" in Surfer's Paradise,
take up space in your parks or on your beaches (I'm an outdoors kind of guy )
and tip after receiving good service.
having lived on the Gold Coast my entire life, it sickens me to see what it has become. It's grown too quickly and has turned into a haven for violence and drunken, frustrated holidaying douchebags who take out their frustrations on others after they couldn't get laid like they expected. Don't take any treatment you receive from "Gold Coasters", especially in Surfers Paradise, as reflective of the real locals. Most of them are actually tourists from other parts of the country, real Gold Coasters tend to stay away from the cesspool that Surfers Paradise has become. Try Broadbeach for nightlife instead.
Anyway, what I meant to say is: the gold coast has become notorious for its "plastic image." The people are quite rude there. I have numerous stories of being treated rudely there myself. I should also add that all of the stories mentioned in this thread about the gold coast have occured to me, a white male, at one point or another. Jamie's story about being ignored at the bar has happened to me so many times. As far as I can gather, you really need to make yourself prominent and get the bartender's attention as often they simply serve the closest person.
I just got back from Gold Coast staying at a hotel at Surfer's Paradise and I was made extremely and viscerally aware of my otherness for being physically Asian.
Although I am an Asian, I grew up in Auckland, New Zealand so I am fluent in English, albeit with NZ accent, and my demeanor are by no means stereotypically Asian. As I am an academic by profession of cultural studies and English literature I always 'knew' that a degree of racism exists in everyone and it is not necessarily malicious but the way I was treated during my stay at GC was eye opening and enlightening to say the least.
I went over to GC with a kiwi (white New Zealander) male friend of mine after a conference at Brisbane (which was pleasant) where I found everyone to be extremely friendly. (although the academic atmosphere of the conference may have effected way the people were 'open') But in GC, I had the most visceral feeling of being unwelcome by everyone but the clerks at the hotel or waitors/bartenders who were more interested in my wallet.
For example, when my eyes met with someone at a club or at a cafe, i recognized almost all of them turned away from me almost instantly. Now, I dont expect them to eye-shag the living day light out of me but I was left dumbstruck with a friendly smile that I naturally give in such events. Or when I bumped into someone I would give them thumbs up with a smile to say all is fine with a "woops sorry" comment, I was just given quite a disdainful look majority of the time or simply ignored. Not to mention that people more often refused to sit at the table that me and my white friend was sitting at despite the fact that pretty much all other tables were full and they were obviously looking to sit down somewhere.
It has gotten so far as to white neanderthal males making blatant racist comments towards me in two different occations.
I understand that one may think that I am being paranoid, but my kiwi friend also recognized how I was being treated and expressed his embarassment and disgust to me before I even mentioned my discomfort there.
On one night, I came back to the hotel by myself earlier because I was accused of stealing drinks from other tables after I accidentally bumped a girl's outstretched arm with a drink on her hand that proceeded to drop and shatter. My friend told me the next morning that people would come talk to him and would sit next to him and grind at him unlike the other two nights beforehand and expressed his discomfort at the blatantly unwelcome treatment towards me.
Now, I just want to make clear that I dont look particularly hidious or handsome. I have had girlfriends of various ethnicities and have best friends from all over the world living all over the world, as I tend to travel alot.
I am not offended or angerred by the way I was treated but the sheer discomfort of being treated as being unwelcome and being almost invisible will deter me from ever going back to gold coast. Holidays should afterall not be discomforting.
I would not recommend going to Gold Coast for a holiday if you are not white unless you dont give a damn about people's ignorance and unfriendliness and are capable of having a good time regardless of others around you. If your interest is not in meeting new people and interacting with people you normally would not get the chance to, then go for it - it is a really nice beach after all. However, if you are like myself, then it's a no go - there are other beaches all over the world that will treat you infinitely better - like south east asia for example or pretty much everywhere I have been in NZ including Christchurch, which has somehow gained a reputation of being the racist capital of NZ...
I would like to know if anyone else who is non-white who has had similar issues or heard about similar issues from non-white friends during their stay at GC?
There are a lot of Asians in GC both tourists and locals, especially from Japan and China. You probally just had bad luck, I'm half Asian and went to high school in the GC and never had problems. I met many Asians there and they never complained. You occasionally get a joke here and there, but that's normal for every race.
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