I always find it comforting when a country other than Australia has a little bit of crap about it. It’s like I’m conditioned to believe that certain aspects of Australia represent the pinnacle of tacky.

Which is why I was overjoyed to see an English newspaper full of terribly-designed ads for businesses like, oh I dunno, Pimlico Plumbing. With spelling errors. And ClipArt. With the glossy sheen that movies and TV shows present to an overseas audience, you expect somewhere like the UK to be so much more advanced and civilized than Australia – so when you see that they, too, are shithouse in most day-to-day regards, it makes you realise that maybe we’re not so bad at home.

I don’t think that’s what most people think the benefit of travel is (it’s probably something a lot more holistic, like experiencing another country’s culture firsthand), but it seems to be the main thing I take away. Would you call it inverse patriotism?

Have moved on from the sunny (read: miserable) shores of the UK now though, and am beaching it up big time in Greece. I’m in Kalamata, which seems to where the Greeks take their beach holidays (kinda like Sorrento in Melbourne, or Brighton in London).

Now, Greece – I had this expectation of massive granite buildings and sunshine. Kind of like a sunnier Italy. Oh, and a lot of stray dogs, because someone told me they just wander the streets. And it’s actually no where near as developed as that. It’s like Bali with the Greek alphabet. Sellers wandering the beach with pirated DVDs and CDs and all. Totally In a good way, though, coz I was after a resort holiday – but once again, just ties in with the whole ‘Oh, Australia’s not as shit as I think’ theme.

As I’m over here for my sister’s wedding, have now hooked up with the whole family (sans my brother Ben, who couldn’t come). Bec, my sister, is marrying a Greek guy, so speaks the language, Dad hardly speaks anyway, and Mum is delightfully out of her depth.

You know when people are so consumed with the feeling of being in a foreign country and push their sense of rational to the side while their imagination takes them somewhere else? We went out for dinner last night with my sister’s fiancé’s family, which was lovely, and afterwards we were walking to the car and trying to decide where to go for ice cream. Our group was on a raised bit of the car park, and the other group were in lower area which was apparently out of Mum’s view because she earnestly asked, why are they talking to that tree?

Ah Mum… You did your country proud.