Immediately after writing about the price of ice and similarly critical matters, I was seated on a plane next to a woman with whom I had a remarkable amount in common. She expressed worry that she would not be able to satisfy her constant need for ice in the UK (or anywhere else in Europe). I reassured her. Ice may not be as popular or as desired in massive quantities by Europeans as it is by Americans, but it is nevertheless widely available.

It’s strange to meet people who haven’t traveled much. It’s easy to forget how unknown so many basic things really are for people who haven’t ventured outside their own countries. With globalization, things don’t tend to be that different, even in very different countries, until you dig under the surface. Spending five or ten days in the UK won’t likely cause major culture shock for an American tourist, even if there are obvious differences, such as driving on the other side of the road. Or in other parts of Europe, there are different languages to account for – but even that isn’t such a barrier to a brief visitor.

It takes time and familiarity to find the real divides, even if superficial ones are plentiful.