International Travel Trips for the Amateurs (AKA Tourists)

[Hugh R]

So in ten days we're going to St. Lucia BWI for my daughter's wedding. A lot of the friends who are attending have never been out of the country. So I've been giving this kind of advise.

Yes, you must have a US Passport, they won't let you on the plane without it. Told them that months ago.

Scan the first page of your passport and laminate it. Carry the copy with you around town, not the original. In the UK a US passport is worth $5K on the Black Market and $10K in Eastern Europe.

Buy a set of international electrical plug adapter and get a US multi-tap for your phone, iPad, etc. You can get a set from Amazon for like $13. Amazon.com: Travel Smart by Conair M-500E Polarized Adapter Plug Set: Electronics



Get the shots the CDC and your doctor recommends.

Best exchange rate is NOT the airport, but the local ATM.

In general, but not in the case of St. Lucia, some local currency is good in case you encounter a toll road that you didn't expect.

Local GPS if possible.

International calling plan on the cell phone so you don't get wacked with $5/minute calls.

Data off on the phone and use Wi-Fi when you can. many people don't know their phone has that feature and get back from a trip with a $2,000 data roaming surcharge.

Make sure your next of kin knows your itinerary.

I always check the CIA fact book online for local geo-political issues when I travel to Eastern Europe and Asia. https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/

A few local customs and taboos like showing your guest the soles of your feet in mid eastern countries is a no-no. (Putting your feet up on the coffee table for example).

I like to know some local language like "where is the bathroom" And " A beer please"

I'm lucky, I have through my employer, a guaranteed medivac card that will pay unlimited $ to get me back to the USA in a medical emergency.

Other suggestions?

[Don Plumley]

Don't talk loud, point, laugh, in other words, look like a stupid American tourist.
If it is valuable, don't check it in your luggage.

I usually bring Aleve/Pepto Bismol/Lomotil; Cipro for more exotic locales.
Travel pack of hand wipes in my bag. I'm not a big fan of bottles of Hand Sanitizer

[Hugh R]

Yes Don, I bring most of those, and I try to take a shower when I get where ever first off. I've been on a plane for hours with who knows whom, from where. NEVER check luggage if you can possibly avoid it. Wash hands often, get up and walk around the plane, drink plenty of water. I Always go for an aisle seat.

25 years ago my wife put a set of diamond earrings in her checked bag for LAX to Vancouver and they went missing. My question was Why? They wouldn't fit in her purse or on her ears?

If you have to check baggage put 1/2 clothes in one bag and the other 1/2 in the checked one. Essentials like medicines, valuables, electronics get carried on.

[Joe Bob]

Avoid the ice and tap water.....don't get drunk and stoopid alone or outside the compound. Don't pissoffthecops, don't carry lot's of money, don't trust the room safes.

[imcarthur]

Learn how to say 'hello' and 'Thank you' in whatever language is spoken. A hello + a smile + sign language will get you through a lot of day to day things. Dukurol is also a good investment for the edgy food conditions in many countries. Carry a currency conversion sheet in your wallet . . . $1, $10 etc. On one trip I changed $100 into four different currencies in one day.

Ian

[imcarthur]

And very important: have your hotel's phone number & address written down in the local language. You, your wife & kids etc should all have it in case you get separated. It happened to my wife & I once . . .

Ian

[StevoRocket]

Dont hire a scooter, motorcycle or moped unless you want to be hospitalised. ***

Oh, make sure you have health insurance.

Dont accept invitations to go off hotel campus with people you just met in the hotel bar. ***

Keep an eye on your drink - drugged drinks happen. ***

Dont put your wallet in the back pocket of your trousers/shorts.

Dont display your phone, wallet and car keys on the cafe table in front of you: thieves cover them with a map or newspaper while they distract you. ***

Always attach the security chain to the bedroom door.

Wear a cheap watch. Its painful having a Rolex ripped off your wrist. ***

Wear a cheap local themed T-shirt, not one that says Porsche Club of America or anything that says where you come from and how much money you have - no designer labels.

Never let ladies be naively insecure with their handbags. Not under the table or chair and not hung by the strap over the chair back. Dont let the handbag be where you store passports credit cards and all your cash "for safe keeping". ***

Dont have a Nikon/Canon emblazoned camera strap. ***

Dont have a camera bag, use a small scruffy backpack with no brand labels. Dont leave them "hidden under the bench seat" while you go to the toilet. Wont be there when you get back ***

*** = has happened to friends.


PS. Never assume that the foreigners in the lift/at the bar/in the queue/in the restaurant dont understand English - including swear words..

[GWN7]

Turn your phones off. Makes for a better holiday if nothing but the holiday matters.

Leave the hotels name and phone number with people who might need to get in touch with you.

St. Lucia has a value added tax of 15%. For some people that is a sticker shock when paying the tab..

[flatbutt]

Don't discuss US foreign policy in a bar/ restaurant. Don't be loud and brash. USA #1 only works here at home. I'm not joking.

[Seahawk]

Timely thread. My son is headed to Japan next month for five weeks of language school.

Lots of good info. My only add would be not try and work/play the day after arrival. Try and get your circadian rhythms somewhat back to normal so your situational awareness is good.

Even a four hour time difference can make you goofy.

Best to your daughter, family and the grooms clan.

[Laneco]

Don't wear white leather tennis shoes. Nothing screams AMERICAN TOURIST like white leather tennis shoes. Buy the cheapest watch you can and skip all the jewelry. Pack light. Understand local customs and manners. Pointing the bottoms of your feet toward other people in many countries is very rude. This includes resting your lower leg across your opposite thigh while you sit, which is very common in the US,etc.

If you learn absolutely nothing else in the local language, learn a friendly greeting, thank you, and "sorry" for those times you inevitably goof something up.

We use steri-pens when we travel. Very nice device...

angela

[StevoRocket]

First time I've heard of Steri-pen water purifier

Had to look it up! review here UKC Gear - Clean Water On The Go: SteriPEN Adventurer review

[widgeon13]

Don't behave like the typical ugly American. Look at world travel as a learning experience not an opportunity to teach the rest of the world how much Americans are truly idiots. Be quiet, pleasant and as hard as it can be speak their language when possible, even if you butcher it at least you have shown some interest in their culture.

It's not as difficult as some people make it out to be.

Forty years ago I was stationed in Germany and lived, shopped and moved in the local economy as much as possible. Made many German friends during our two year stay. The Americans that had a miserable assignment were the ones that insisted on acting like they never left home. It was painful to observe. Many people still behave like this today.

A few years ago I traveled with the president of my company, an MIT grad. He just had no clue and had extensive world travel experience. He was just a complete idiot, spoke loudly in english everywhere we went. I just wanted to crawl into a hole. I finally had to tell him to (shut up) kick back, relax and I'd take care of everything. He only lasted two years with the company. I was there 30 years. He was just the typical ugly American. I laugh about it today but it was painful back then. Like a Rodney Dangerfield movie.

[Zeke]

You must have some good friends that would travel that far for a wedding. I got married in HI (I don't know why at this point) and had a reception a month later at a very nice CA waterfront venue. Still, some had to travel from out of state. But the majority came in their car and slept in their own bed that night.

If someone invite me to fly internationally for a wedding, I'd check the registry, send a gift and watch whatever race was on that weekend. My wallet doesn't get stolen much in the living room.

Oh, and I can sit as I please.

[speeder]

Originally Posted by Hugh R

I like to know some local language like "where is the bathroom" And " A beer please"

Most definitely. Simply pointing to your dick while drunk in a bar could be taken wrong.

Originally Posted by StevoRocket

Dont hire a scooter, motorcycle or moped unless you want to be hospitalised. ***

Oh, make sure you have health insurance.

Sage advice. The only thing I would add is to call your bank and quickly cancel/change the credit card that you used to rent the scooter when they try to claim that it was not covered under the insurance you bought when you rented it. I totaled a new Vespa in Paris a few years ago when someone turned out in front of me and that's exactly what happened.

FWIW, I had good U.S. health insurance but they treated me in the French ER and never even asked for payment info. Socialized medicine at its best, great medical care and they just patted me on the back and said, "see ya".

[Rick Lee]

Wear your wedding ring on your right hand.

[craigster59]

Pack lots of loud Hawaiian shirts, khaki shorts and don't forget to wear black knee socks with your white loafers. Oh, and take LOTS of pictures!

[fingpilot]

Retired recently from 37 years of around the world at least once a month. Can count on one hand the times I got the 'turista'.

Think like germs do. If you're in one country/locale for a week, you have two transitions to accomplish. One getting the there bugs in you and adjusted, once again when you get home. It's not that the bugs there are bad, just different. Same coming home. You have to get home bugs back in your gut.

Transition takes two to three days to be complete (can vary by your 'schedule'). After that? Eat and drink what you would normally do. Prior to that, no coffee, no local water of any kind. Salads (washed in water), veggies (same), even 'bottled water', unless imported or brought with you, will get you. Brushing teeth (unless done with 'known good' water), even showering (no water in the mouth), a 'danger' for two days.

Most importantly, same process coming home.

First two days diet? Low residue protiens. Steak, Breads, anything deep fried, BBQ'd, well cooked scrambled eggs,

Oh, no ice cubes in the Bourbon.

[gshase]

Went to St. Lucia 3 years ago. We drove by "The Grill Man " house aka George Foreman and he was out for a run. St. Lucia is very U.S. friendly and we loved it. I think the island is 30 miles and it took 1.5 hours to get to the other side of the island due to washed out roads that wind around several volcanoes. Lots of banana farms and great beaches. Travel tip ....Take a picture of Pass port, airline tickets and Driver Licenses and E mail it to yourself, You can pull it up anywhere in the world.

[Seabear]

The travel tip gshase gave is great. In addition to passport and airline info, I scan the back side of my credit card so, in case it's stolen, I have the phone number of the card company.
Also, I always call the credit card company a couple of days before travelling to give them a rough itinerary (countries, time frame, use of ATMs) so I don't get the card refused and end up stranded, ask me how I learned.
Lomotil and Neosporin go with me everywhere, and Cipro to less developed countries. I haven't needed any of these very often but I have gotten caught short a couple of times and it's good to have some back up.