As most adventurous travellers know, when exploring the far and remote corners of the world, it can be difficult to communicate clearly.
Try as we might to understand the local rhetoric and interact effectively, there’s still something to be said for those hilarious moments of misunderstanding.
One of the instances most easy (and most fun) to misinterpret?
Signage gone wrong.
Doug Lansky has collected the best signage fails from his travels around the world for Lonely Planet’s latest book. Pictured: a hotel sign points out the obvious in Austin, Texas
Although the prices are unclear, a Beijing cafe’s tasteless coffee option seems far less appetising
In Essex, England, this sign doesn’t do a very good job of keeping this top-secret location under wraps
And that is the topic of Lonely Planet’s latest book: Ultimate Signspotting: Absurd And Amusing Signs From Around The World.
For those who enjoy living life on the edge, this sign in Suzhou, China, is made for you
This sign in Rome, Georgia, has us asking: how much do new rainbows go for?
It’s clear from this Ambridge, Pennsylvania sign that Reverend John Ritter is one very content fellow
‘That is, new hilarious signs are going up all the time. At times, it seems like a race between the people who put up these ridiculous signs and those who try to photograph them.
‘Over the last 20 years, I’ve gathered well over 50,000 sign photos from well-travelled amateur and professional photographers.
‘Trying to decide which is unintentially funny enough to merit inclusion in a Signspotting book has been a challenge.
‘Trying to select favourites among those for this ‘ultimate collection’ has been downright unnerving.’
In Maui, Hawaii, the definition of the word ‘bottomless’ clearly means 65 feet
Slippery pedestrians are a problem when it rains, according to this grammar fail in San Francisco, California
A local dental clinic in Taipei, Taiwan sure doesn’t do much to assure nervous patients
In Dublin, Ireland, drivers are encouraged never to settle for second best
Ironically, the view of this New Hampshire sign is anything but clear
Commuters in Camebridge, Massachusetts, are warned of some major delays with this hilarious sign
Ears too floppy? Nose too long? According to this sign in Jaipur, India, there are people here to help
This turtle house may be located in the Gobi Desert. I don’t know anything more about it, but thought it was appropriate for Terrapin Day.
Diamond Back Terrapin
Red-eared Slider
Spiny Terrapin from Asia
Gunsmoke and Knitting 