[aslyfox]

I am always one to use any resource I can

and we have members at the forum from all over the world

and some who have traveled all over the world

so anyone want to give up their deep dark secrets on how to travel ?

I'll start:

I always learn how to ask where the bathrooms are in the native language of the country I am visiting

[robiles]

I always check where one can have the best coffee in town. For that i use the following website:

Third Wave Coffee Places - Google My Maps

A word of advice: good coffee can be adictive.

I also qm a big beer fan and always visit local craft breweries and pubs. If i am cranky, my wife knows exactly where to take me.

[timb64]

“ Hello”,”please” and “thank you” in the local language is a good start.(Another favourite is the local variation of “no problem or no worries” that always gets a smile)

And always travel with an open heart and mind.

[aslyfox]

also be careful of hand gestures

we were told that to summon a server in Tanzania, you should turn your palm down and move the fingers to the palm

in the US, the gesture would be to have the palm facing you and move the fingers toward you

also in certain cultures, using the left hand is discouraged.

[gifthorse]

"Please" Thank you" "Beer" "Where's the toilet?"

[savoche]

Some of my tips may be influenced by travelling mostly around Africa. So, off the top of my head, and in no particular order:

- Always bring more than one credit card, and don't keep them all in the same place. I have had cards cancelled due to suspicious transactions a couple of times. Having only one card would have been inconvenient.
- Put a set of underwear in your hand luggage in case your checked luggage gets delayed or lost. Seems to happen every 7th trip or so.
- Don't fly Air France. Swimming is a better option.
- Don't pay with small change unless you have to. It's hard to come by in a lot of places, and you always seem to need it.
- Don't use a bum bag/fanny pack. Carry valuables under your clothes - and leave Grandpa's gold watch at home.
- Bring a bog roll - not all public toilets have them.
- Always, always, always be polite no matter how frustrated or angry you may get. (There are exceptions, but... you know.)
- If some official hints at expecting something "extra" (aka bribes) be calm, patient, polite and formal - and persistantly obtuse.
- Be open and friendly, but don't be stupid. Most people are genuinly friendly and helpful but there are some rotten eggs in the basket.
- ...and don't be paranoid. Ask about the local "dos and don'ts" - and don't do the don'ts.
- Ask the locals to teach you a few words of their language. It's a wonderful ice breaker - and you'll learn a few phrases.
- Read up on your destination before going - be prepared.
- Get up early. Less people, better photo light! And on safaris, better sightings
- Never say no to a beer

I do realise that the last two points may not always be compatible

Oh, and specifically for Africa: Bring some warm clothes. Africa is huge and diverse, the nights can be freezing cold. Africa has glaciers - bang smack on the equator. So yeah, bring that extra sweater.

[jeallen01]

If you use a backpack, get one with access to the photo gear compartment only from the part that sits against your back - such as one of the Lowepro "Flipside" types, but there are many others. In Cambodia some years ago, the top of my wife's normal backpack got opened (nothing serious taken, TG) but by my Lowepro "Hatchpack" (small one in the Flipside range) was not touched.
In another plug for that Lowepro backpack, I've now been using for that for more 6 yrs and it's still relatively "as new".

Also, I sprayed over the Lowepro logo on the main rear panel with car spraypaint (in my case BMW "Graphite Grey"!) that made it almost "disappear" - doesn't now look much like a photo backpack and thus much less "attractive" to "lowlives"

[aslyfox]

if traveling a long distance by air and have a possibility of a lay over, consider taking a day there to help if your flight was taxing

when we have gone to Tanzania via Amsterdam, instead of flying on to Tanzania right away, we take a night in Amsterdam and then go on.

[BigMackCam]

Some of my tips may be influenced by travelling mostly around Africa. So, off the top of my head, and in no particular order:

- Always bring more than one credit card, and don't keep them all in the same place. I have had cards cancelled due to suspicious transactions a couple of times. Having only one card would have been inconvenient.
- Put a set of underwear in your hand luggage in case your checked luggage gets delayed or lost. Seems to happen every 7th trip or so.
- Don't fly Air France. Swimming is a better option.
- Don't pay with small change unless you have to. It's hard to come by in a lot of places, and you always seem to need it.
- Don't use a bum bag/fanny pack. Carry valuables under your clothes - and leave Grandpa's gold watch at home.
- Bring a bog roll - not all public toilets have them.
- Always, always, always be polite no matter how frustrated or angry you may get. (There are exceptions, but... you know.)
- If some official hints at expecting something "extra" (aka bribes) be calm, patient, polite and formal - and persistantly obtuse.
- Be open and friendly, but don't be stupid. Most people are genuinly friendly and helpful but there are some rotten eggs in the basket.
- ...and don't be paranoid. Ask about the local "dos and don'ts" - and don't do the don'ts.
- Ask the locals to teach you a few words of their language. It's a wonderful ice breaker - and you'll learn a few phrases.
- Read up on your destination before going - be prepared.
- Get up early. Less people, better photo light! And on safaris, better sightings
- Never say no to a beer

Great advice, and not just for Africa. I'll add a few more:

- Carry two small medical kits - one in hand luggage while travelling or in your rucksack on-site, and one in checked or alternative luggage. Both should include prescription meds in the officially labelled boxes (so you can prove you need them), over-the-counter meds for indigestion, anti-diarrhoea, anti-histamines (helpful for bites and allergies), and general pain-killers (aspirin, paracetamol, ibuprofen), insect repellent and bite / sting stick
- Carry an encrypted, password-protected USB stick containing scans of your passport, driving license, travel documents and any other files you might need whilst travelling, and keep this separately to your actual passport and documents
- Carry a couple of flashlights in different luggage, and a small LED flashlight on your key-chain (these have helped me on so many occasions when power has gone out, or outside lighting is too dim or none-existent)
- Check that your phone can operate on the relevant frequency band and networks for the region or country you're visiting... if it can't, pick up a cheap multi-band phone to take with you (they are incredibly inexpensive these days)
- Disable bluetooth on your phone and other devices, and ensure wifi access to them is secure and password controlled
- Beware internet cafes... don't do anything online (accessing your online banking and payment services, paying for things with credit cards, logging into e-mail etc.) where passwords and numbers could be recorded by malicious software installed on the cafe's machines
- When paying with credit or debit cards, never let the card out of your sight... don't let anyone take it away to process payment
- Don't leave a drink unattended (for instance, if you need to visit the bathroom) in case someone should put something nasty in it

I'm sure I can think of plenty more things I routinely do, but these are some of the big ones...

[aslyfox]

investigate what the electronic power is used at your destination and determine whether you need an adapter or converter - they are not the same item

an extension cord/power strip can be very helpful

[Just1MoreDave]

I took an overnight Amtrak train last month (California Zephyr) and learned a few of things.

One is, there are two categories of Amtrak employees: conductors and everyone else. Conductors usually have a hat and radio, and short shifts. An overnight train will swap out conductors every 8 hours or so. They drive the train, know the schedule, and enforce the rules. Other employees are there to manage the dining car and sleeper cars. They don't switch out, so you see the same people and know their names. The conductors don't want dining or pillow questions. The dining car staff doesn't always know the next stop. Also, after 9pm or so, the only employees you'll see are conductors until the morning. Get your sleeping berth set up before the car attendant goes off duty.

Two, Amtrak is the lowest priority train on the system and owns very little track or station facility. Sometimes they're on time, sometimes they're really late. Freight trains have priority and might break down in an inaccessible tunnel. There are no convenient rail bypasses. Don't make detailed plans to get there on time. Maybe buy travel insurance.

Three, the sleeper cars don't have locking rooms or berths. A thief would have to be somewhat brazen but could take all your stuff.

Four, the Zephyr is marketed as a highly scenic trip. It is, but photography is difficult. The windows are all double paned polycarbonate, not necessarily clean, and often have interior reflections. The observation car has reflections from everywhere. The train is sometimes moving fast. You'll get better at it, but great glass is probably not useful. The 18-135 or 28-105 is fine. Keep the shutter speed up to compensate for train movement. Phone users can press the phone to the window for less reflections. You are stuck with whatever time of day you get.

[lesmore49]

Great idea for a thread. I don't have anything to contribute, as others have indicated some of the things I do. I have to say, I've learned a lot from this thread already.

[savoche]

Great advice, and not just for Africa. I'll add a few more:

- Carry two small medical kits - one in hand luggage while travelling or in your rucksack on-site, and one in checked or alternative luggage. Both should include prescription meds in the officially labelled boxes (so you can prove you need them), over-the-counter meds for indigestion, anti-diarrhoea, anti-histamines (helpful for bites and allergies), and general pain-killers (aspirin, paracetamol, ibuprofen), insect repellent and bite / sting stick
- Carry an encrypted, password-protected USB stick containing scans of your passport, driving license, travel documents and any other files you might need whilst travelling, and keep this separately to your actual passport and documents
- Carry a couple of flashlights in different luggage, and a small LED flashlight on your key-chain (these have helped me on so many occasions when power has gone out, or outside lighting is too dim or none-existent)
- Check that your phone can operate on the relevant frequency band and networks for the region or country you're visiting... if it can't, pick up a cheap multi-band phone to take with you (they are incredibly inexpensive these days)
- Disable bluetooth on your phone and other devices, and ensure wifi access to them is secure and password controlled
- Beware internet cafes... don't do anything online (accessing your online banking and payment services, paying for things with credit cards, logging into e-mail etc.) where passwords and numbers could be recorded by malicious software installed on the cafe's machines
- When paying with credit or debit cards, never let the card out of your sight... don't let anyone take it away to process payment
- Don't leave a drink unattended (for instance, if you need to visit the bathroom) in case someone should put something nasty in it

I'm sure I can think of plenty more things I routinely do, but these are some of the big ones...

Good ones. I never go anywhere without a few torches/flashlights, including a headlamp. LED torches are small and powerful.

A less tech-y version of the encrypted USB key is to simply make paper copies of your travel documents. Maybe less secure, but printed matter seems to be more trusted than electronic copies. Irrational, but still true.

One more - my "Carthago delenda est": Remember that the - by far! - most dangerous thing you will encounter whereever you go is the traffic!

[vdubois]

Great advice so far and here's a couple more:

- In some countries, for example India, security wants cameras and lenses to be scanned separately as they would a laptop. If you are travelling with your wife and you haven't confessed to new acquisitions be prepared to answer some questions.
- Agree a fare with your taxi driver in advance. Unless you are fluent in the local language you may not be able to spot that the meter has been set to a night rate tariff
- Only use official and registered taxis


Happy travels

[aslyfox]

Great advice, and not just for Africa. I'll add a few more:
. . . should include prescription meds in the officially labelled boxes . . . .

in the US, federal law requires that you carry with you the containers you get from the pharmacy, the ones with the prescription details on them

and don't carry a huge amount over what you need for the trip

who might check - TSA or custom officials or other law enforcement

_______________

have copies of a valid prescription for your eye glasses

________________

if you own items that might be confused with items that are on the CITES lists [ the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora is an international agreement between governments. Its aim is to ensure that international trade in specimens of wild animals and plants does not threaten their survival. ]

- What is CITES? | CITES

do not take them across an international border

[ I own some mammoth ivory, perfectly legal but possibly to confused with banned ivory so it stays at home ]