Souvenir tip: knowledge is the best souvenir

by Gadling Staff on

Hopefully when we visit other places, we can take a bit of the culture home with us. Knowledge is the best souvenir. So take a class with the locals. Learn:

  • To do a local dance
  • To sing a song in their language
  • To play an unusual instrument
  • To cook a special recipe

No time to take a class? If food is your favorite, buy a local cookbook or ask the chef for a recipe. Purchase a songbook or a video of local dances. You can learn it when you return home or continue practicing the lessons you did take.

When traveling with pets, read the fine print – Hotel tip

by Gadling Staff on

If you’re traveling with a pet, make sure you read all the fine print about pet fees and policies when booking a hotel room.

Many hotels require that pets must either be kenneled in the room or not be left alone at any time. Pets may also be banished from lobbies and other public areas. Some hotels place size restrictions on pets. Still others even have “breed restrictions” in place.

Finally, some hotels place pets and their owners in the same rooms or floors that are designated for smokers, so if you have allergy issues, call or email ahead before checking in with Fido or Fluffy.

Exchange traveler’s checks before going to dinner – International travel tip

by Gadling Staff on

When dining in a foreign country, exchange your traveler’s checks for local currency before going to a restaurant.

While traveler’s checks are pretty much accepted everywhere, don’t expect the restaurant employees to be adept at exchange rate calculation.

My best friend and I learned this the hard way dining at our first restaurant in Europe. We received far less change than we were owed and couldn’t communicate well enough to explain the problem. That, or we were taken advantage of. Either way, we didn’t make that mistake again!

Learn what’s fresh, and eat that – Dining out tip

by Gadling Staff on

Order dishes made with locally grown, produced, or just-caught ingredients, like cheeses, tomatoes, oranges, olives, seafood, and other bounty. Ask your restaurant server or research your dining destination so you’ll be in the know.

Also, check out local markets to see what vendors have stocked in their bins. If you spot a huge vat of eggplant, then you’ll probably be happy ordering some eggplant parmesan at dinner that night. Tanks filled with squirming lobsters? Yep, there’s your splurge. If your dining spot has an onsite bakery and you’re not a carbo-phobe, you can fill up on warm buns and breads straight from the oven.

Get an upgrade if it’s a special event – Hotel tip

by Gadling Staff on

To get the most out of what you pay a hotel, you may need to work your way into getting a better room. This particular trick really only works for couples. When checking into a hotel make sure to cling to together, be very physical, energetic, and happy. A clerk may ask “Are you here for any special occasion?” You must then say something like —

  • “Yes we are on our honeymoon!”
  • “It’s our wedding anniversary!”
  • “It’s my birthday!”

Any one of these must be said by the woman for it to be more touching and convincing, because the clerk knows that those are very special occasions for her.

Claiming a honeymoon or anniversary may score you a room upgrade. Claiming a birthday may just get something special sent up to the room.