golfkat Travel Blog

Over the years, we have been told to avoid certain things when we travel.  Well, there are exceptions to these “rules” in my opinion.  But some are really good advice.  How do we tell the difference?

1.  Avoiding alcohol on the airplane-I will generally have a drink or two, mostly champagne, on longer trans continental flights, not so much on domestic flights, with the exception of Hawaii.  Just don’t drink too much!  And do not take a sleeping pill with your cocktail!
2. Airport currency-Experts say never, but there are times when you need a little bit of local currency.  It is better to use an ATM or wait until leaving the baggage claim areas of the airport.  Train stations do not have the same reputation, however.
3. Women shouldn’t travel alone-Well, this must be a joke.  Plenty of women travel, and travel safely and smartly.
4. Urinate on a jellyfish sting-This started as a joke, and should remain so!
5. Wear a suit for a free upgrade-Again, another urban myth.  But traveling alone works better than travel as a group.  I would skip the torn jeans, skimpy halter top, or beer themed T shirts.
6. Drink local tap water to lose weight-Yes you will, when you come down with traveler’s diarrhea.  You may end up confined to your room, or worse yet, in a strange hospital in a third world country.
7. Never visit a place in season?  It is rather difficult to snow ski in the summer at Whistler, or see the changing colors of New England in the dead of winter.  What terrible advice!
8. Drink tonic water to avoid malaria-There is some quinine in tonic water, yes, but not enough to prevent malaria  Experts say 60 liters are required to get close to a therapeutic dose.  Have fun with that!
9. Shop duty free-Some places are quite good, like Rio.  And if you forgot to buy a gift for a loved one, the airport has a good selection.  I have found a few good things over the years, a Tag watch, some wine, and cosmetics not available elsewhere.  But in general, avoid buying anything at duty free, unless it is FREE.
10. Take a sleeping pill-I do this from time to time, but I take a really low dose.  They say you might risk dehydration or DVT.  Well, those are risks even when you are awake!!!
11. Book your first night’s hotel-I always do this, rarely do I leave it to chance.  It is not much fun walking or “Uber-ing” from place to place in search of a vacancy in the middle of the night, or in a dicey neighborhood.
12. Roll your clothes, don’t fold-I say this depends on what kind of clothes you bring.  During my travel days, I always carried folded laundered shirts for work.  Now, I like the wash and wear things I can launder in the hotel sink or shower.
13. Plan your itinerary in detail-Again, I think it is bad advice, unless you are either a real novice, or think the language barrier will be an issue.  I was forced to create an itinerary for my trip across Russia on the Trans Siberian, since it is q requirement of the Russia government.  They wanted to know where I would be, including disembarking for a night from the train, and for each hotel stay.  It was not my choice.  Having the hotel is fine, but I think the activities you choose should be based on your energy level, personal interests, and time of day.
14. Book a last minute flight-I have only done this out of necessity.  But my dream is still showing up at the airport (international terminal in SF), and taking the first flight out.  This assumes no visa is required, and I have the necessary time to buy a ticket and get to the gate.
15. Don’t buy travel insurance-I always buy some travel insurance, mostly to cover the cost of the flight and any prepaid items, like three African safaris.
16. Always take a guided tour-In general, in a strange city, this is a good idea, to get the lay of the land, and to find out where you would like to spend more time.  But it is tedious, and you can accomplish the same using public transport or a good Uber driver.
17. Pack an outfit for every day-This is just crazy, but I think you can mix and match, wear a few things twice, like a pair of jeans, and wash your clothes strategically.
18. Traveler’s checks-Don’t waste your time or money!
19. Passport holder-Just something else to carry and deal with, forget it!
20. Get an international driver’s license-Believe it or not, there are countries where this is REQUIRED!!!  Chile, for one.  Since we drove the entire length, we figured it would be prudent.  I think we rented cars at least half a dozen times.  The car rental companies, mostly local outfits, would not rent to us unless we had the international license!!!