Laugh at other bloke's travel woes

Jerome Chandrahasen

There's always plenty of humour to be had from a trip overseas - even if you only see the funny side later.

If you would like a laugh at someone else's travel misfortunes, try Jerome Chandrahasen's show at the International Comedy Festival, Backpackers' Guide: A Cultural Misadventure.

Chandrahasen says he got the material from the misadventures on his OE last year.

Such as? "I found myself in a bathroom in Bordeaux and I noticed the toilet had an automatic seat cover. I thought it was a bit strange so I got my camera out and took a photo. Then, as I left the bathroom there was someone else waiting to come in. It's hard to explain why you've just left the bathroom holding a camera. It's even harder when you don't speak French."

The aim of his show is to help others avoid such embarrassments by sharing "the advice the guidebooks don't tell you about and the pitfalls of the first-time traveller; who not to speak to at the hostel and what cultural miscommunications you can expect".

Guide books and travel articles never answer the most important questions for many first-time travellers, like where's the best place to drink. Chandrahasen says about the wine tour he did in Bordeaux, "They covered the aspects of viticulture, how the microclimates can create delicate dessert wines and crafted merlots. Of course, the main question for the backpacker is: Is it possible to drink an entire bottle in one sitting? Let's investigate."

I haven't seen Chandrahasen perform, but he is one of five nominees for the Billy T. Award, given annually to the most promising new talent in comedy, and he gets good reviews in his native Wellington.

* The Backpackers' Guide runs from May 30 to June 3 at 7.15pm at the Classic Studio, 321 Queen St, Auckland. Book through Ticketek (09) 307 5000 or the Classic (09) 373 4321. See link below for information about Chandrahasen and his show.