h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

How much would 20 cigs cost in Deutschland anyway? The other thread wasn't quite the place to ask, but I was curious. Are they as expensive as the UK?

well, I gave up yonks and yonks ago, but I know they are cheaper here than in the uk.

I think it's around €5 for 17 cigs.

which is around 4 of yer English quids, I think.

oh, only about GBP 3.40

cheap! and even so I can't afford to smoke(in more ways than one)

Oh, that's a bit cheaper, but not that much. I assume (preconceptions of Germany no doubt) that they are taxed quite heavily for discouragement reasons?

The last time I was in the states (maybe 2 years ago), they were about half the price they are here, and it was the same when I was in Malta, so I was wondering if that was a general pattern or not.

yep, they are taxed a lot.

What is surprising, to people used to the UK, is how many cigarette machines there are all over the place. And how many people here smoke.

Although the machines are all about to be converted so that they no longer take coins, only those chipped cards you get for your bank account.

Progress here is slow, but I even know of a restaurant with a no-smoking area!

That's surprising - I've known a few Germans (although I've never been there), and they all seemed quite anti-smoking and health conscious. They also seem a lot more environmentally conscious than most people in the UK.

environmentally conscious oh yes.
I love it.

and in recent years the drift is definitely away from smoking - but I still get when we're in a cafe or something and I have to remind people that the absence of ashtrays, and little round signs with a cigarette with a line through it means "NO SMOKING"

Oh. I came here because I was once contacted by someone who was moving to Germany and as he was gay he wanted to know how that would be accepted here. We had long conversations sorting it out, both here and via e-mail. I never did find out if he ever came to Germany, though.

Wrong thread, obviously. *backs out stage left*

Classic one TC!

Oh my... I just saw that TC