While you’re on vacation abroad, few things compare to an impromptu picnic in the open air. It is the perfect opportunity for sampling the local foodstuffs, wine, and scenery.
Depending on where you are in the world, tracking down a corkscrew can often turn an uncomplicated experience into a bit of an ordeal. On your next trip, save yourself some time and always pack a handy travel corkscrew.
[Photo: Flickr | YannGar Photography]
Take pictures of your luggage as well as its contents prior to leaving the house. Store this photo as a file on your computer, and e-mail it to yourself.
You may also want to include a list of the items packed.
In case of lost or stolen luggage, you can retrieve this information from any internet point, and it may be helpful when reporting the loss — especially if you’ve lost something valuable.
[Photo: Flickr | dichohecho]
It’s a good idea when you’re trying a new ethnic restaurant or in a foreign country to observe the other diners on how to use condiments or how they eat the food.
For example, when dining in a Japanese restaurant for the first time, I had the awkward experience of being served what looked like “burrito.” I poked it with my chopsticks, curious. Luckily, before I tried to take a bite out of it, I saw a fellow patron, open his “burrito” and wash his hands with what turned out to be a hot, wet towel!
[Photo: Flickr | pointnshoot]
Next time you want to mail a postcard, skip the hotel concierge and mail it off the same way the locals do: at the post office.
Travelers to international countries stick to their comfort zones more than they realize, and having to perform a routine task in a foreign land is a great way to shake things up. How much is a stamp? Which line do you stand in? How can you convey to the clerk what you need?
The post office presents a unique yet universal challenge — and a great chance for people-watching!
[Photo: Flickr | infomatique]
Though it may seem appealing to sleep through those long waits on the tarmac, avoid the temptation to take a sleep aid until you’re up in the air.
You may miss important announcements, or, worse yet, you may be asked to disembark and wait for a later plane.
If you plan to take a sleep aid, be sure to take a seat where you are less likely to block in other passengers, like a window seat or a middle seat. Your fellow passengers don’t want to climb over your dead weight in the middle of the night.
[Photo: Flickr | mirjoran]