Australian travel writer and globetrotter Ben Groundwater selects traditions and habits from around the world that he believes would lead to a better life

1. Hawker centres
The Singaporeans have it all figured out. Rather than restrict themselves to one restaurant per night, they can visit 14 or 15. And each is amazing. A hawker centre is a thing of beauty, food stalls selling everything from Malay and Chinese to Indian and Western food, set up around a large dining area. Foodies can eat from as few or as many as they choose.

2. Casual business attire
Go to a business meeting in Fiji and you’ll notice something a bit different: no ties. No suits, either. No formalwear at all. In fact you’ll find that most people, men and women, are wearing flowery island shirts, sulus – Fijian skirts – and sandals. Business attire doesn’t even exist in some countries, and it makes you wonder why we don’t all ditch it as well.

3. Siestas
In southern Spain, or southern Italy, or even parts of South America, you get through a reasonable morning’s work and then instead of eating a sandwich at your desk, you go home to have lunch with your family, and then lie back for a glorious snooze. Eventually you return to work rested and ready to tackle the afternoon. Or, by that point, the evening.

4. Sharing food
Not something that comes naturally to all – the idea that you sit down to a heap of plates that will be shared among everyone, instead of being given a single meal just for you. However, for most of the world this is a standard way to eat, and far more social and inclusive than a single, zealously guarded plate of grub. Give it a try – several billion people can’t be wrong.

5. Good service
You know what that is (above)? It’s a smile. And a nice greeting. And a genuine wish that you ‘have a great day’. In the USA, they’ve got good service down pat, whether you’re checking into a hotel or taking a taxi. It could be argued that it’s because these people are working for tips, but you get a warmth from service staff in the USA that’s rare anywhere else.

6. Aperitivo
In the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy, people gather in bars before dinner for a time-honoured tradition: aperitivo. The custom involves drinking a glass of wine or a cocktail and snacking on nibbles – warming up your stomach for the meal ahead while chatting to friends. Bars serve the snacks free of charge when you order a drink. It’s one of the best things ever.

7. Friendly rivalries
Say you support one football club, and your friend supports their cross-town rivals. If you were in Australia, you and your friend could go to the derby match, each dressed in your team’s colours, and sit next to each other in the stadium. You’d be able to cheer for your own team. You’d be able to have a beer. And no one would get hurt, or even heckled. Sounds nice, right?

Have an opinion on The Club that you’d like to share? Let us know

This article has been tagged Opinion, Travel Tips