Guess where I am in the world?

Everything is the same. What happened to being different?

Take a look at the images below. They will all be familiar to you. If not the brand, but as food items, or shops.

These photos have been taken over a 5 year period. In the UK, Dubai, South Africa, Canada, Egypt and Germany. Later on this year I will be visiting Australia and will be no doubt having similar observations to you.

Nothing is different.

Everything is the same.

Is that Waitrose in the UK? and Tesco? of course, they're British companies. Think again. The Waitrose is in Dubai.

Halloween and Christmas images, can't be Dubai, can it? Yes it's Dubai.

Foreign food aisles. When you leave the UK everything is foreign food isn't it? 

Tim Hortons? Easy in Canada - Dubai

Red bus? Must be London - Canada

Wimpy? That's South Africa surely - Canada

Large Malls? Again has to be Dubai - Canada

Apart from buildings, landscapes, currencies, languages and accents, there is little different to see around the world outside of the tourist areas. Yes there's game drives in South Africa, the Niagara Falls in Canada, historical buildings, castles to explore in the UK and Germany. 

But outside of that, there is fuel to put in the car, coffee to be drunk, food shopping to be done, clothes to be purchased.

I remember as a teen going into H&M, it was in France, it was glamourous. Visiting a foreign supermarket and trying all the different foods. Having a special treat by visiting a coffee shop.

But now everything is everywhere, you can buy anything wherever you go and if you can't buy it, you can order it online.

The magic of travel for me is narrowing.

Week 26 - My Sunday Photo

Here I am, another coffee, in yet another mall, in yet another country.

All this travel is getting tiring and somewhat boring. Going new places and meeting new people isn't boring in itself, but the actual flights and journeys are tedious and when you arrive in a new country, everything is all too familiar these days.

As a family we've travelled all over Europe and into Scandinavia, explored the West Coast of America, visited Turkey, Tunisia, Egypt and finally ended up living abroad, first in South Africa and now Dubai. We've travelled just the two of us, with a combination of up to all 5 of our children and we've travelled separately, either to visit family, experience new places or with work.

I'm currently visiting Canada on my own, the kids are in the UK, hubby is back in Dubai. Everything looks familiar. I have no idea these days as to what companies originated in what country.

There are coffee shops, stores and fast food restaurants that I've shopped at, in the UK, South Africa, Dubai and now here in Canada. I'm tired of living my life indoors, in malls. In South Africa one shops in the malls due to safety, in Dubai it's because of the heat.

I've visited a few little towns during my stay in Canada. The City of Hamilton itself is lovely to walk around, old buildings, churches and museums with open spaces, parks and a gorgeous walk down James Street filled with individual shops, selling fruit and veg, clothing and antiques as well as quirky art pieces and non chain coffee shops.

I had lunch and the edge of Lake Erie, explored a small part of Lake Ontario and next weekend I'm off camping in Algonquin, a 4 hour drive north east of Hamilton. I'm looking forward to being in the middle of nowhere, away from Tim Hortons and exploring a part of Canada that not a lot of foreign tourists will get to experience.