Today I realised I have 11998 new friends who all want to be really close to me. This is great, I am flattered, but some of them have characteristics that make them more useful in certain situations than others.
I line up behind my new Japanese friends if I need to get through a crowd. They are masters at sidestepping and taking people out whilst focused on their end game: first in best dressed I stand near my new Spanish friends if I want poll position for the best photo ops. They take big families everywhere, leave one in every good spot, and then rotate around so everyone in the family gets great photos. I stay near my pommie friends, who narrate our adventures with polite comments like "how rude" because they know the rules and the proper way to do things. I stand as far away as possible from my American friends, who are the first to ensure that everyone knows whose turn it is, who was next, who came late, how good stuff is and how bad they have it. I stand near my new French friends if I am nicely dressed and want to feel better than all my other friends.
As a new Aussie friend to them all, I am most useful by standing next to Lou, who can take all of them out if she wants to. It's a pity she prefers to shop.
Evidence of the craziness in Dubrovnik today: police controlling queues through the main gate to the old city, and to shuttle buses. 3 cruise ships, approx 12 000 passengers + normal tourists and bus tours. I amazed that the Croatians haven't all headed south for the summer!
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