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2008-01-31T19:49:26-08:00

OK, this is my fourth (and hopefully final) article about traveling.  I'm beginning to think this is pretty sad given I'm not in the travel business.  And most of my travel has been work-related.  Though it's great to know my family wants to take a vacation, fly somewhere, stay in hotels, and eat restaurant food.  What else are all those frequent flyer and hotels points for, right?  I hope you can find at least one thing across the four articles that helps you on your next trip.  1. Photocopy the identification pages of your passport. Store your passport somewhere safe at your hotel.  When you're moving its city, just carry the photocopy with you.  Why?  You really don't want to lose your passport.  You can't leave or enter a country without it.  I've traveled throughout the world and have never been asked to show my passport. 2. Get some foreign currency before you go. Well, this depends on one question:  Is this a business trip?  If not, do your currency exchange in-country and you'll get the best rate.  But, if it is a business trip, here are your four scenarios:  (a) You delay your expense report till your credit card statement arrives with actual conversations.  I don't like doing this because I don't like giving multi-million or billion dollar corporations a personal interest-free loan.  You can miss a payroll cycle.  (b) You use some online currency exchange rate website.  Which rate do you use?  Too confusing.  I never use them.  (c) You can use the default exchange rate in your company's expense report application.  I don't know about you but I've done comparative calculations and the default rate is always the worst rate, meaning I either lose money or I have to submit another expense report to recoup the difference.  (d) I exchange $100 at my outbound airport.  The rate sucks in terms of getting the most foreign currency for the dollar, but it's therefore the best in terms of a reimbursement rate.  I've never come out short this way.  And the Finance Dept has their evidentiary documentation. 3. If for a vacation, surf the web to check-out your options. There are the standard hotels (e.g. Starwood, Marriott, Priority Club, Hilton, etc.).  But there are some really cool boutique hotels out there.  Another family and my family took separate vacations to Bali.  We stayed at the Incontinental.  They stayed at little family hotels around the island.  Our pictures and experiences were totally different.  In Japan, there are some cool Japanese Inns (called "ryokan").  There are trendy economy hotels (like the Hotel Villa Fontaine in Shiodome borough of Tokyo).  Clearly, I am not talking about vagabonding here, but each to their own.  I once traveled that way too. 4. Finding the right airfare is part art and part science. There are some great round-the-world fares.  Someone I knew bought one ticket (I think it went for like $5000 coach) and used it for three months going eastward country by country.  With the oneworld alliance, for example, you can buy a 3-continent coach fare for $3900 and up to a 6-continent coach fare for $5300.  I'm not sure if you can buy it online.  An American Airlines or travel agent may be required.  I've honestly never understood how segments get priced.  I used to regularly do what I called the "Pacific Triangle" from SFO to Tokyo and Sydney.  The triangular fare (called "oneworld Circle Pacific") cost about 30% less than flying either to Tokyo or Sydney.  The less you spend on airfare, the more you have for lodging, meals and fun. 5. Be totally open to different cuisines. My family and friends would say that I'm a picky eater.  Maybe so in the US.  When I travel to foreign places, I used to keep asking, what's this, what's that.  I finally gave up.  I just eat and try it out.  In India, you really can't go wrong because it's largely vegetarian.  In mainland China, it's better not to ask sometimes (my table was having pigeon, the other "local" table was having rat).  I tried Lobster sashima at a Shanghainese restaurant in Sydney, some strange looking seafood in Rio de Janeiros, some interesting sandwiches in Amsterdam, some raw cooked beef in Madrid. 6. Be totally open to the cultures and languages you are visiting. Don't think American.  Don't limit yourself to an American way of thinking.  Don't think of cultural stereotypes.  People are individuals first, and then a reflection of their cultures.  Even in India, there are people from the north, people from the south, those from Kerala, others from Chennai.  Not all are Hindu, some are Syrian Christians, others of Portuguese influence.  There are 1000s of year of tradition at play, yet a new modernism emerging.  Should you visit Vietnam, know that they called it the "American War" -- not the "vietnam war".  Don't confuse the politics of the government with the personal views of the people.  Be open to a different perspective than the history books have led everyone to believe.     7. If you can make the acquaintence of a local, you will see a totally different side of a country. If you seen some of the travel postings on this website, you've seen that.  The best places to me are not the necessarily the famous ones (though they are cool), but sometimes the little out of the way places that don't make the tourbooks.  Little museums, special cafes, little book stores, a quaint little park, a unique shopping street.  They exist in every city around the world.  You just have to know how to find them. 8. As many other travelers and I have found:  You are treated as you treat others. Treat others with exceptional kindness and it works in any culture that I've found so far.  Learn two phrases in every language, "thank you" and "excuse me".  Find a local paper to read on the way in and find out what's going on in the country or even city you are visiting.  Take an interest.  Show them you care. See also: <ul> <li><a href="http://www.spongefish.com/creations/5244-How-to-kill-time-in-flight-and-at-airports/steps/1" mce_href="../../5244-How-to-kill-time-in-flight-and-at-airports/steps/1">How to kill time in flight and at airports</a></li><li><a href="http://www.spongefish.com/creations/5417-Eight-Tips-for-Traveling-with-Kids/steps/1" mce_href="../../5417-Eight-Tips-for-Traveling-with-Kids/steps/1">Eight Tips for Traveling with Kids</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.spongefish.com/creations/5416-Ten-Tips-for-Air-Travel/steps/1" mce_href="../../5416-Ten-Tips-for-Air-Travel/steps/1">Ten Tips for Air Travel</a></li> </ul> 19497

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