The first time I went to a hairdresser’s in Germany, things got… interesting. The stylist looked at me and asked, “Soll ich dein Pony schneiden?”
I blinked. Pony?
“No, thank you,” I said politely, “but you can trim my fringe.”
She smiled and replied, “Ja, Pony.”
Back and forth we went until it finally clicked—in Germany, a “Pony” is your fringe (or bangs), not your ponytail. Your actual ponytail is called a Pferdeschwanz—literally, “horse’s tail.”
The surprises didn’t stop there. I left the salon with wet hair, because apparently, I hadn’t booked a blow-dry—or maybe I didn’t understand when she asked. Either way, I wasn’t about to risk a mystery charge on my bill! 
In South Africa, you also pay for a blow-dry, but they will at least dry your hair at no extra cost. In Germany, though, drying your hair costs extra, which explains why you often see people walking out of salons with damp hair.
Unless, of course, you do it yourself—many salons let you grab a dryer and style your own hair with their equipment.

And here’s another fun twist: some budget salons charge for the basics like shampoo. These are usually the walk-in, no-appointment places. So don’t be surprised if every little detail adds up—Germany takes “à la carte” very seriously, even at the hairdressers