What did you think would be more glamorous or impressive than it was?

[SugarMouseTown]

As a kid I thought that being an actor would be fun and exciting and I'm sure it has its moments but watching the behind the scenes videos much of it looks miserable and dull. Especially action movies where they're required to get drenched with every substance known to man and have explosions and fire going off around them.

What didn't live up to expectations for you?

As per PP The Ivy (the actual Ivy, I've never been to a chain before version).

The shepherd's pie was nowhere near as nice as the one I make at home.

Florence, left me cold, admittedly it was p*ing with rain but yeah meh! Oh and I agree the Mona Lisa, left me distinctly unimpressed.

@ShirleyPhallus

Venice

It absolutely fucking STINKS of sewage

I've always imagined it would stink!

The Orient Express.

I mean it's lovely and all, but at the end of the day you get to sleep on a parcel shelf with a safety net

The dressing rooms and backstage areas of West End theatres. Out front it's all gold leaf, chandeliers and velvet curtains. Behind the scenes, well - to say they are tatty, cramped and workaday would be an understatement. They also manage to be both hot and cold at the same time.

@Phyllis321

A party on a boat on the Thames. It was a bit boring after a while and I couldn’t leave.

You didn't have the right company!

Sex

Los Angeles. Absolute shithole. Like if Leicester Square was an entire city.

Pyramids. Absolutely crawling with rip off merchants and literally a McDonalds next to it

Kew Gardens.

I lived in SW London for a while, love gardening and formal gardens and had always wanted to visit, but never got round to it when I lived there.

Finally went earlier this year and it was essentially £20 to walk around a park in a city that's full of lovely, free parks.

Just came on to say the pyramids, utterly, utterly filthy!

School

The staircases from the ground floor public area where parents were allowed were carpeted exactly only so far as could be seen from the ground. The carpet stopped immediately beyond that point and old lino took its place.

@AlbertBridge

Sex

Definitely!

I visited Venice in a very wet and cold October. I adored it; I couldn't believe it's beauty and with almost no tourists , no cruise liners, and swirling mists the atmosphere was fantastic.
Similarly, we visited Rome in August when the roads were very quiet. Admittedly there wasn't much atmosphere but one could see everything and get a perspective on the city that one couldn't have done if it was busier
I have only been to NY once. Crisp , cold ,autumn days make everywhere look good and I was blown away by its beauty. It was the last thing I wanted expected. I thought it would all be about the people and attitude but it is so lovely.
I can understand mixed feelings about Paris and Florence both of which have highs and lows of memories for me. They are beautiful and filled with treasure but it can be a bit of a battle.

Hollywood
Vegas
Niagara Falls

@Fluffymule

The Grand Canyon. Flew over it by helicopter before landing in it for an overnight stay at a ranch lodge.

Maybe my expectations were too high or had falsely informed by some of the stunning cinematography in nature documentaries where it looks so impressive.

IRL, from the air it just looked like a big crack in the rocks below, no sense of scale at all.

Better by raft.

I ADORED the Eden Project. I guess we're just all different. I agree on modelling, did a fair bit in my younger days.
Hard work, boring, freezing much of the time, uncomfortable clothes always unsuitable for the weather, balancing in odd positions for ages. Not an enjoyable job for me.

Hollywood. Awful ugly place with no redeeming features, awful vapid people.

Sunset over Uluru, I turned to look behind me and Kata Tjuta looked much, much better.
The climb up the rock was well worth it though.
(Many years ago btw, its not something I'd do now even if it was still allowed)

The Mona Lisa, so small and totally underwhelming

Cryotherapy - 2.5 minutes of intense chillblains in the legs followed by a thumping headache

Afternoon Tea at the London Ritz - meh

I love Venice, Paris and Rome. But I found Sorrento and Capri to be SUCH an anticlimax vs. my expectations. So crowded and lacking in the “class” that I was expecting

@Hadenoughofthisbullshit

Night clubs, my sister told me about her nights out and dancing until dawn. I couldn’t wait, I thought it would be so glamorous. Only to find the places pretty dirty and to be bored as anything after half an hour or so.

She forgot to tell me about the disco biscuits

Haven’t heard anyone say disco biscuits for about 30 years 😂🤣🥳

New York- rude people and very expensive
Madrid- dirty streets, over priced restaurants with meh food.
Kensington Palace- no crowd control, overpriced entry fee

Niagara Falls.
We went to the American side and thought it was like Blackpool but without the culture.
I'm told the Canadian side is better but I don't think I'll bother going to check.