How not to blend in with the locals

When travelling abroad, many of us long to see the 'real' country, to be able to move among the locals like we are one of their own people.

However, despite best efforts to the contrary, visitors in foreign lands are often at risk of offending their hosts - even unwittingly.

According to the Guardian, outsiders are prone to committing a faux pas wherever they travel in the world. One well-known example of this is when visitors to temples in the far east.

Elizabeth Hurley caused a great deal of fuss in Rajasthan by refusing to remove her shoes before entering a holy building. And that was at her own wedding.

Also in the east, people often commit a social sin by not placing their chopsticks correctly in their bowl when they finish their meal. Leaving chopsticks upright in food, the newspaper claims, is a funeral ritual - and not something to repeat in front of company.

Other mistakes which are commonly made in other countries are giving the thumbs-up to someone in Iran, patting heads in Thailand and giving carnations in Germany - all of which are likely to cause offence.

According to the Telegraph, giving chrysanthemums to a French person is akin to giving carnations to a German - the flowers are associated with funerals in their home countries.