When planning a trip, one of the first things people do is ask friends and family for travel tips so they can make the most of their vacation. Sometimes, the advice they get is so bad it would have been better not to ask at all. This list gathers some of the worst travel advice shared on an online forum so you don’t make the same mistakes as these people did.
Skip the tourist spots
“People recommend skipping entire cities like Rome full of interesting stuff just because they are ‘touristy’. I don’t love crowds myself but I’m willing to endure them when the place is rightfully popular. One person on Instagram recommended Verona as an alternative to Rome. “Verona is nice, but it’s no Rome,” said one commenter. Another traveler agreed that being a tourist is what traveling is for; they said, “This always gets me – ‘skip the touristy stuff’.. Ok but, I don’t live or work here, therefore I am a tourist. I’m totally doing the tourist stuff.”
How to have a comfortable flight
“Every time there is an article about ‘how to have a comfortable flight’ they always say to fly business class. Thanks for that! I totally never would have thought of that!!,” says one user. Of course, first class is going to be more comfortable, as well as about four times the cost of an economy ticket!
Getting flight upgrades
One commenter got some outdated advice about getting upgrades on flights, they were told, “Dress professionally: You are more likely to get upgrades if you look like a business person. Bring a gift like flowers or chocolates for the gate agent and pretend you are just stuck with extras and you thought they might like them. Nowadays on the off chance there are no eligible passengers to upgrade and there are actually available seats? Airlines would rather let it go out than give it away”
Save money on a bus
One traveler was told, “Take a 16 hour bus instead of a 45 minute flight in Laos to save money. With a total saving of €23.” I’ll spend the extra $30 and save 15 hours. Thank you very much!
Don’t check a bag
Some travelers are hardcore about never checking a bag, but many people disagree with this philosophy. One user said, “You are free to one bag if you’d like, of course. But I’ve seen people trying to cram 30kg into a backpack, or frantically packing-and-repacking at the gate when they get called out…If, at the end of the day, you just need to haul a large weight of stuff to your destination, checking a bag is fine. Yes, you might be standing around for 15-20 minutes waiting for your suitcase.”
Pretend to be Canadian
“Back when I first started traveling, there was a big emphasis on putting a Canadian Flag on your backpack so people don’t think you were American. The thing is, any terrorist or thug who would harm an American would also harm a Canadian. Also, most people love Americans as long as we’re not being a jerk,” said one traveler.
Don’t eat the street food
“Not eating meat samosas in India that have been sitting in the sun all day – absolutely correct. Not eating roaring hot noodles in broth, freshly cooked to order in Thailand or Taiwan, from a busy roadside vendor – not so much. The overly cautious people who only eat in malls or hotel restaurants aren’t really doing themselves any favours either – I’ve seen the inside of their kitchens, and local practices pretty much are unavoidable across the board,” said one user.
Don’t travel outside of the U.S.
Some people think exploring outside the U.S. is unsafe, but many countries are actually safer than America. One traveler said, “I mean, I’m always conscious and aware of my surroundings regardless if I’m in the country or not. Any dark alley anywhere could be dangerous, that’s just common sense. Some people think other countries can’t be civilized or developed.”
Get travelers checks
“I did a summer semester in Beijing, and my Dad told me to get travelers checks…such a hassle trying to exchange them for yen when I could just draw money from an atm,” said one commenter.
Get foreign currency from your bank at home
“NO! That’s almost always the worst exchange rate and completely unnecessary. It’s best to use a no foreign transaction fee debit card like Schwab or Capital One to withdraw a small amount of local currency when you arrive. Credit cards are widely accepted in most countries and much safer to carry than cash,” advises one avid traveler.
Source: Reddit
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