Travel Tips thread

Originally Posted by Huntsman

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Not to feed the spammer, but I make food my number one priority to not budget for. That's my splurge....

~ H

I food splurge within my budget. If that makes any sense. Of course, my budget is usually a "hard" one. Like - you have $60 until you are absolutely dead broke in a foreign country. I know most of you don't travel or live that way. But I do.

I'd have no problem going over budget for an awesome meal, as long as it didn't mean I was going to be sleeping in the park instead of in a bed.

Originally Posted by Huntsman

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Not to feed the spammer, but I make food my number one priority to not budget for. That's my splurge....

~ H
Non-business travel for me is all about food. Although I always have an idea of the price points of the restaurants where I dine, I never set a budget. Good food is worth every penny I spend on it.

Russia - even Moscow - isn't really on the plastic train yet, so have cash handy. On a rainy day, the empty restaurant was glad to take my credit card. The meal was so good that we returned the next day, a beautiful sunny day when the place was packed, and had to pay cash. Always ask first, even if you see a Visa/MC sign.

Do not bring anything more than 20 years old home from Russia. You'll be detained in the airport. We almost missed the flight back because I was explaining that I didn't know that I needed permission (which takes a month to get if you're lucky) to take the 2 really common orthodox crucifixes back to the US that I bought at street markets. The crosses were confiscated and I have no idea what it was that I was forced to sign in order to be permitted to leave.

Apartments in Budapest are crazy cheap, and can be rented right from the airport on arrival. My wife and I are fly-by-the-seat-of-our-pants types, and stayed in a place in the center of Pest with 2 baths (incl. a large hot tub), a huge kitchen, and a bedroom bigger than our apartment for around $28/day.

Everything is better when you walk or take public transport. Don't rent a car unless you absolutely have to.

Girls in Spain are OK looking. Girls in Portugal (Lisbon, anyway) shocked both me and my wife with their beauty.

Venice is overrated.

Skip the Louvre.

In general, eastern Europe feels far more like a "discovery".

You're almost always within 1000 feet of someone who speaks English well enough to help you.

Thai food is great in Berlin.

Indian food is great in Amsterdam.

Skip Brussels, the rest of Belgium is far better.

Skip Luxembourg.

Read David Sedaris or anyone else who's ever been on This American Life. It's both smart and light.

Carry the business card from your hotel, especially the first day.

Need directions? Buy something cheap from a street vendor. Ask without buying and you get no help. Buy, and he'd walk you there if he could leave his cart.

It's OK to be a tourist - they know you're not one of them - just don't be a jerk.

"Gypsies" are never the problem that everyone tells you they are.

Originally Posted by allreds

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Skip the Louvre.

Skip Brussels, the rest of Belgium is far better.


I'm going to take issue with these two.

1. The Louvre is filled with some of the world's greatest art. I would change your advice to "don't just look for the Mona Lisa, poke around in the other galleries. Give yourself an entire day."

2. Brussels is a wonderful city. It just depends on what you like. It has great museums (the new Magritte museum just opened, though I haven't been there) and beautiful architecture. Aside from the typical, there is the Centre Belgique des Bandes Desinee (the Comic Strip Museum). Brussels was the home of Victor Horta, one of the finest Art Nouveau architects (who happened to design the building that the CBBD is now housed in); the great exampls of early 20th century architecture and art is almost never-ending. The food is great--the best chocolate in the world some would argue. Definitely the best and most varied beer.

And for trips to other nice places, Brussels is centrally located. Easy train rides to Brugges, Antwerp, Amsterdam, and Paris.

b

Originally Posted by allreds

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You're almost always within 1000 feet of someone who speaks English well enough to help you.

1000 feet is a long radius if you are in a well populated area.

Originally Posted by allreds

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Indian food is great in Amsterdam.

O rly? Where is this?

Originally Posted by allreds

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"Gypsies" are never the problem that everyone tells you they are.

Yes, they are more of a problem.

K

Originally Posted by VKK3450

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1000 feet is a long radius if you are in a well populated area. O rly? Where is this? Yes, they are more of a problem. K
In a well populated area, it's probably more like 10 feet, and it's usually the person next to you. Sometimes, people are shy about it, because they remember as much English as I remember German from high school. Fortunately, the most urgent questions - "where's the train station" - are the ones that many people tend to remember. Even if they can't respond, they can point. Everywhere and anywhere. Put down the guidebook and walk around. You'll find 'em. The only place I've ever felt threatened was in a cab in Tijuana - by the driver. It was one of those - "pay me more or I'll drop you here" things, and "here" was nowhere. Common sense keeps you from getting mugged or picked. I worry more about someone stealing my crap at the airport in the US.

Originally Posted by allreds

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In a well populated area, it's probably more like 10 feet, and it's usually the person next to you. Sometimes, people are shy about it, because they remember as much English as I remember German from high school. Fortunately, the most urgent questions - "where's the train station" - are the ones that many people tend to remember. Even if they can't respond, they can point.

Everywhere and anywhere. Put down the guidebook and walk around. You'll find 'em.

The only place I've ever felt threatened was in a cab in Tijuana - by the driver. It was one of those - "pay me more or I'll drop you here" things, and "here" was nowhere. Common sense keeps you from getting mugged or picked. I worry more about someone stealing my crap at the airport in the US.

I lived in Amsterdam, and there is probably only one Indian restaurant I would rate.

But yes, too many people are intimidated by language issues and threats of other cultures. That said, gypsies are a pain **********. I dont want to buy lavender, have a string tied around my finger, give you money, or get my wallet lifted.

K

colombia is a dangerous place. just because a good looking gringo like me didnt get robbed doesnt mean that others staying in my hostel were so fortunate, they got robbed a few times LOL. mighta been looking to go skiing or something, who knows

This guy's done more travel than most. He probably knows what he's talking about.

http://www.nationalgeographic.com/ad...king_tips.html

Reviving this thread for some things I've learned in planning my overseas trip:

Get travel insurance and vaccinations as soon as possible. I've managed to get them done the week before, but next time I'm doing them well in advance for peace of mind.

Traveler's checks are now obsolete. You should be able to get by with a credit card and an ATM card.

Check your airline for baggage restrictions. Most domestic airlines have a limit of 45 linear inches (22" x 14" x 9"), but many international airlines allow less than that, which means that you'll have to check that beautiful carry-on bag once you get to Heathrow. Qatar Airways, for example, has a carry-on limit of 19.5" rather than 22", and it makes no sense for me to buy the smaller bag.

Originally Posted by Ambulance Chaser

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Get travel insurance and vaccinations as soon as possible. I've managed to get them done the week before, but next time I'm doing them well in advance for peace of mind.

Some vaccinations need to be done X amount of time in advance to be effective. Getting them right before a trip leaves you with little protection.

Another tip is that in this day online check ins, at some airports you still need to drop by the desk or ticket counter for an ID verfiication before you go to the gate. While security may let you all the way through, you wont be able to board and will have to run all the way back to the ticketing / checkin counter to get stamped.

K

Originally Posted by VKK3450

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Some vaccinations need to be done X amount of time in advance to be effective. Getting them right before a trip leaves you with little protection.


K
+1. Some countries even require that you have vaccinations a certain number of days prior to arrival, and some enforce the rule strictly.

Originally Posted by JayJay

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+1. Some countries even require that you have vaccinations a certain number of days prior to arrival, and some enforce the rule strictly.
How would they know?

It's always a mild pain ********** to leave Switzerland by air, lines at exit control, extra security stop etc. Never a problem coming in. What kind of country is this?

Originally Posted by Rambo

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How would they know?

The immunizing doctor / clinic / etc will sign off or stamp in your vaccination booklet.

K