It's easy to be awkward in unfamiliar surroundings. One of my experiences in the Philippines were the helpful "istambays" or "stand-bys" who, having no gainful employment literally gathered around street corners because they had nothing else to do. In Twain's _Innocents Abroad_, at least in the first couple of chapters that I got to, they were a little bit of a nuisance. My fellow countrymen seemed worse, since they are good at what they do.
My question is, where do I get help with travelling? Is it better to know somebody there beforehand? Ah well, I don't have all that much time to look, I'll just wing it.
