Rolf Potts, writing at World Hum, adapts a Francis Bacon (1561-1626) essay for the modern era, and provides some “sizzling travel tips” along the way. Bacon’s essay, “Of Travel,” contains wisdom about everything from using a guidebook, to finding a travel partner, to returning home from a journey.
Bacon on Lonely Planet: “Let him carry with him also some card, or book, describing the country where he travelleth, which will be a good key to his inquiry. Let him, upon his removes from one place to another, procure recommendation to some person of quality residing in the place whither he removeth, that he may use his favour in those things he desireth to see or know.”
And some excellent advice to the traveler on returning home with humility: “In his discourse let him be rather advised in his answers, than forward to tell stories: and let it appear that he doth not change his country manners for those of foreign parts; but only prick in some flowers of that he hath learned abroad into the customs of his own country. “
Hear ye these words of Bacon, and heed them.
Peruse the essay of that vagabond Potts here, or ye shall receive 30 lashes to-morrow.