Best of
Best of
FUNNY SIGNS
ISBN 978-1-4314-0260-1 www.jacana.co.za
More hilarious messages from Africa & beyond
9 781431 402601
Fu nny Si gns More hilarious messages from Africa & beyond
Best of
Getaway books
Fu nny Si gns More hilarious messages from Africa & beyond
Edited by Tyson Jopson
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| Introduction From the first issue of Getaway back in 1989, we have been publishing pictures of the funny signs spotted by our readers on their travels. They proved so popular that the very first editorin-chief, David Steele, and his team decided to produce a book celebrating the best of these pictures. The book was an instant hit and the catalyst to two further editions – More Funny Signs and Even More Funny Signs. Now we’ve decided to look back over the twentyodd years of publishing to bring you this Best of Funny Signs collection. That isn’t to say these funny signs have all been seen before. In recent years travel
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has become easier and more and more Getaway readers have explored an everincreasing footprint across the planet, meaning our repertoire of funny signs pictures has grown to include some never-seen-before corkers. What makes a classic funny sign picture? Well, an exotic blend of innovative English grammar, plain and simple innocence and a dash of classic irony. Do the creators of these signs do it on purpose? Well, sometimes they probably do. We hope you enjoy this classic collection. And no matter where you
find yourself, remember to snap those funny signs you see and share them with the rest of us by e-mailing them to getawayfunnysigns@gmail.com and include a short blurb, describing the sign, and details of where you saw it. And to all you sign-writers out there, please carry on producing these roaringly funny artworks – even if it’s simply by accident.
Cameron Ewart-Smith Editor – Getaway
Best of Getaway Funny Signs
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This book is dedicated to everyone with fire in their funny bones: those who see the lighter side of everything, those who make others smile and who aren’t afraid to laugh at themselves. Because, like signs, life starts out as a blank board and it’s up to us to fill in the words.
Introduction
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Published by Jacana Media (Pty) Ltd, in association with Getaway, 2012 10 Orange Street, Sunnyside, Auckland Park 2092, South Africa +27-11-628-3200 www.jacana.co.za Š RamsayMedia, Getaway, 2012 All rights reserved. ISBN 978-1-4314-0260-1 Also available as an e-book d-PDF ISBN 978-1-4314-0649-4 The published photos were all submitted to Getaway and the source of some is unknown. In the event that your photo has not been credited, please contact the publishers and we will rectify this in future editions. Job No. 001809 See a complete list of Jacana titles at www.jacana.co.za iv
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Best of Getaway Funny Signs
| Contents Talking shop . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Down at the pub . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
On the road . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Only for children . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
This is a warning!. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Before getting into the pool . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62
Death by laughter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Excuse me? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64
Lavatory humour . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
ROFL!
For official use only . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
Thou doth protest!
Walk on the wild side . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
Funny signs with a twist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72
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68 70
The environment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
Contents
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| Talking shop Everything has a price. While that may be true for many of the weird and wonderful items we purchase on our travels, when it comes to these ridiculous shopping-store signs sent in by our readers the laughs are, well, priceless.
Mitchell Krog came across this sign while on his way to Krugersdorp. It is great to see places keeping with the times and diversifying their range of products. Also, you can use your new bakkie to get your goats back home. above
There’s nothing a good fringe can’t fix. This photo was taken outside Mokopane by Charlene Smit.
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When life gives you lemons… make orange juice? This little beauty was discovered by Eddy Uys.
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above OMG… but Michelle Trachsel assures us it’s the name of a soda in Windhoek.
Where James Bond gets his suits. Found by Amanda Robinson in Kasane, northern Botswana.
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Talking shop
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all This farmstore near Napier achieved its objectives with its signs – untranslatable – which change regularly. For people who don’t read Afrikaans, take it from us that honger, moerig and gatvol aren’t three of the seven dwarfs. Photos by Careen de Villiers, Marina van Rensburg and Johan Verwey.
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It was only a matter of time before someone stood up for the oppression and abuse of fresh avocados. Carene Malan discovered this sign in Pick n Pay while buying produce for their next camping trip.
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above No need to lose your head, just keep looking. Sign found in Thokozisa in Central Drakensberg by Vicci du Plessis. above If you laughed at the breast-feeding sign, says Andy Dott, check the sign behind to see how they do metalwork.
Talking shop
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He knows everything. Sent in by Fredre and Loudene Heunis.
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above Renae Kriedemann didn’t hoot – she didn’t know whether it was the legal kind of grass.
If your shoes are in a hell of a state, JA Cragg found a place in Worcester that will bring them back to life.
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Jerry Mamabolo found this sign in a pub at the Bundu Inn in Mpumalanga. Perhaps the barman was Chinese. above
Monique Tenderini spotted this sign while visiting Hong Kong. Sharp objects around bopping heads? Bad idea. above
Talking shop
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above Let’s hope the only casualty in Stone Town was a mangled wedding tape. Roger Stringer found this colourfully worded advert by a filmmaker in Zanzibar.
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above Brett and Celeste Duncan were in Milan central at a quaint little restaurant on a corner and discovered this sign. If you feel that way about your establishment why bother opening in the first place? Perhaps the back reads, ‘Closed, please come in’?
Best of Getaway Funny Signs
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Best of
Best of
FUNNY SIGNS
ISBN 978-1-4314-0260-1 www.jacana.co.za
More hilarious messages from Africa & beyond
9 781431 402601
Fu nny Si gns More hilarious messages from Africa & beyond