Bring an old book, but not for reading – International travel tip

by Gadling Staff on

Many people bring iPods and MP3 players with them when they are traveling internationally. Thieves love to steal them! To deter them, bring a book…

  • First, find an old book or pick one up in a used bookstore.
  • Cut out some of the pages inside the book to make a secret compartment.
  • Insert your valuable into the compartment, and your old book will help to hide your device.

If a thief gets into your belongings while you are away from your room or luggage, there’s a good chance they aren’t looking for a good book to read!

All Nippon Airways to have women-only bathrooms on international routes

by Amy Chen on

Starting March 1, ANA will designate some lavatories on international routes as only for women.

One toilet in the aft section of each plane will be reserved just for women. The signs are expected to go up in March and be completed fleet-wide by the end of April.

Exceptions include A320/B727 aircraft, and depending on the passenger load, the women-only restriction may be lifted if there aren’t enough women on board. (ANA flies long-haul flights from North America to Asia, including Japan.)

There will be no male-only bathrooms, so women can use either. Other than the new signs, there are no differences between the restrooms, though the airline is considering having different amenities in the women-only restrooms, such as special hand soap.

The change comes as a result of customer demand, though spokesperson Justin Massey tells me via e-mail that “there weren’t specifics about seat-down-versus-up… It was determined in general that the females preferred not following a male into restrooms and that males, to some extent, mentioned not feeling totally comfortable with a female coming into the restroom after they’ve used it.”

Considering the line to the ladies’ room always seems longer no matter where you are, this change could help make a long flight slightly more tolerable since women can now access more on-board restrooms than men.


Seek local flavor by creating a food “theme” for your travels – International travel tip

by Gadling Staff on

Find a way to link the unfamiliar with the familiar.

While honeymooning in Greece, my husband and I discovered oregano flavored potato chips at a local supermarket. Thus began our quest to seek out “locally-flavored” chips wherever we traveled — paprika chips in Hungary, Maui onion chips in Hawaii, seaweed chips in Hong Kong, jalapeno chips in Mexico…

Find your own tradition and each international visit will be both an adventure and a comfort.

Meal times can vary greatly – International travel tip

by Gadling Staff on

When dining out in some countries — like Spain for example — you need to remember that they eat their largest meal of the day around 1pm or 2pm. This meal is multiple courses and can take a long time.

If you plan on going out to a restaurant at night, you should know that many of them may be closed until 8pm or 9pm. Ten o’clock dinner times and social dining is normal in some places.

If you’re there to enjoy the night life, you can order tapas and drinks well into the early morning hours — far later than you may be used to eating at home. This isn’t a big deal; you just may need to adjust your schedule slightly to accommodate.

Keep your wallet in your front pocket – International travel tip

by Gadling Staff on

Time and again, tourists come home from vacation having had their wallet stolen. In many countries, the locals have certain tricks to distract you so they can steal your wallet. Keeping it in your back pocket is potentially a bad idea, because you can’t see it or feel it if someone moves it.

Be smart while traveling in unfamiliar places: transfer your wallet to your front pocket. Consider attaching a clip to it to tie it to your belt loop. This should prevent any petty theft from happening, and you will always know where your wallet is.