Travel Tips For April
Travellers Tips
Top tips for travellers of both sexes
1. If you’re planning to work in a foreign city and you need a visa to do this, go directly through your nearest consulate. For example if you’re leaving your home in New York to live and work in London, take a trip to the British embassy before you leave. There are hoards of agencies out there who are just waiting to take advantage of travellers who aren’t too sure about how to get set up.
2. It sounds like common sense but never accept free or cheap tickets at train or bus stations. If you’re lucky these tickets have already expired and if you’re not, the moment you grab hold, you will get pulled towards the vendor, smacked in the face and mugged. Arriving bright eyed and bushy tailed is one thing but as we were taught as children, never accept anything from strangers, no matter how sweet it is.
3. If you’re basing yourself in a city but flying around on mini trips with budget airlines, be sure to check out the baggage restrictions. Ryanair for example are a great airline but it’s not all that clear what you are allowed to take on board. Only hand luggage is included in the price of your ticket so anything else costs you extra. The policy unlike the price is not backpacker friendly.
4. Keep yourself up to date about the luggage restrictions in operation because of terrorism. Different levels of alert can mean the difference between a tub of moisturiser in a clear plastic bag and cracked, dry skin for the duration of your trip. Be sure to check out the Beauty Terrorist article in the May Newsletter for a full proof guide to getting around Europe without having to surrender your products or your looks.
5. If your travels take you to a Muslim country do not use your left hand to pass food, exchange money, wipe your mouth or eat. Using your left hand in this way is considered to be very rude and if you’re not careful, it can lead to some very sticky situations. On trips to India it’s useful to know that if an Indian shakes their head, they’re not saying no. They are actually agreeing or saying yes.
6. When you are offered ice with your drink ask if it was made using tap water or bottled water. Tap water is fine in some countries but in central Europe it generally gives you one hell of a stomach ache. Use it to brush your teeth but don’t gargle or swallow - it’s just not worth the risk. Also when the ice is cool, see if it’s clear or cloudy. If you can’t see all the way through it then it means the ice machine used to make it is dirty and in need of a good clean.
7. Last but not least make sure you keep the friendships you forge abroad. Pen pals are always a cool reminder of happier times and if you’re too lazy to pick up a pen, you can keep in touch using the new online community, coming soon to www.st-christophers.co.uk. Move over Myspace and Facebook, the backpackers are coming.
