Travel Tips

[Pagal4321]

So I'm heading abroad for the first time (see my Thailand thread).
And I can safely say the furthest I've been from home is Mexico...when I was 12...with my parents.

So I'm quite the newbie when it comes to traveling. Can the collective CP brain trust offer any advice to this poor naive soul?

(And yes, I know I've swung open the "H&B" door)

[Phanuthier]

Don't act like a poor niave sole, or else you'll get mugged. Try and blend it.

Try and shed your North American attitudes and prejudices and learn to accept and appreciate other cultures for what they are, not what you think they should be. Too often, I catch North Americans scuffing that "oh back at home, we do it this way and its better" and think how they do things is stupid because we do it different. I think thats the best advice I could give to any traveller.

[the_only_turek_fan]

Take a money belt for your passport, credit cards, money, etc....

Take shower shoes.

Don't check CP or Facebook when you are there.

[Canada 02]

drink bottled water (make sure the cap is sealed)
don't have ice in your drinks
get vaccinated for HepA and B
get bug repellant - malaria is a problem in Thailand

[Phanuthier]

Originally Posted by the_only_turek_fan

Take a money belt for your passport, credit cards, money, etc....

good bye, dignity

[STeeLy]

Originally Posted by Phanuthier

good bye, dignity

In the case that you're not being sarcastic...

I'd rather lose some dignity just to be able to return home safely.

And I agree with the fact that you should try to keep your mind open and accept other cultures...

[Phanuthier]

Originally Posted by STeeLy

In the case that you're not being sarcastic...

I'd rather lose some dignity just to be able to return home safely.

And I agree with the fact that you should try to keep your mind open and accept other cultures...

Somewhat sarcastic. Use a money belt if you want, but I don't think its necessary. I never use a moneybelt myself, do we really think everywhere else in the world are that crappy? Do you see any locals wearing money belts? Would you wear a money belt to New York?

[ma-skis.com]

when bargaining, watch what others (locals or seasoned travelers) are getting for prices and how they are starting off. That's your best bet for shopping the markets, be aggressive in your bargaining in Asian Countries.

Do the math too, make sure you're not spending the what it would cost for a real nike shirt here for a fake one there.

And don't buy anything with the thought that it will last a long time or last through severe punishment, you might get lucky, but odds are you it'll only be good for a little while. ie. if you need real running shoes, don't buy them there,

[chid]

Dont get drunk and put your passport down somewhere.
Be open to talking to new people, especially fellow travelers, Ive met tons of friends that way.

[Thor]

Travel with full medical insurance, make sure you have coverage for not just medical but things such as air evac, etc.. Can't tell you how much that matters.

[STeeLy]

Originally Posted by Phanuthier

Somewhat sarcastic. Use a money belt if you want, but I don't think its necessary. I never use a moneybelt myself, do we really think everywhere else in the world are that crappy? Do you see any locals wearing money belts? Would you wear a money belt to New York?

Well, you kind of have to evaluate with where you're going. Going to New York, you could blend in easy, therefore, don't need a money belt since you will be the same chance of being pick-pocketed in New York as anyone else that is there.

In Thailand, on the other hand, its a lot harder to blend in with the locals, therefore, your chance of getting pick-pocketed is higher, since some groups of people will target only tourists. As well, they have the idea that "Westerners" are a lot richer than they are, which causes them to be an even bigger target.

Now of course, I have no idea what Pagal's ethnical background is, but if he is of one that allows him to blend into Thailand like a local, then he should be safe, otherwise... extra precaution... but don't be TOO careful or it will seem like you're discriminating their people/culture.

[Phanuthier]

Originally Posted by STeeLy

Well, you kind of have to evaluate with where you're going. Going to New York, you could blend in easy, therefore, don't need a money belt since you will be the same chance of being pick-pocketed in New York as anyone else that is there.

How does Cambodia, China, Serbia, Bosnia and Russia sound to you?

I went to all of those in the past year or so and never used a money belt. (No I wasn't on a tour and have a bodyguard or anything)

I think this stuff about getting mugged is overblown. I can understand why some people use them, but I don't think its really necessary. Just don't have a camera around your neck while holding a map and you'll probably be fine. Keep your eyes open, lay low and bled in and you'll be fine.

[Trojan97]

I spent 3.5 months last year in Thailand/Vietnam/Cambodia and Laos.

My Tips:

-Don't worry about a money belt. I generally wore board shorts with velcro or zipper pockets, that is more then enough protection for a wallet in these countries. If someone decides to mug you, a money clip is not going to make a difference.

-Don't over pack your bag with clothes. Everyone who has traveled will tell you the same thing and while you will keep this in mind, you will still over pack. I did it and everyone else I know who has traveled has done the same. You really only need 3-4 pairs of shorts, 4-5 t-shirts (at the very most) and then maybe one pair of socks and a few pairs of underwear. Almost all hotels in SE Asia offer a laundry service where they will wash you clothes for just a few dollars, this is a HUGE lifesaver. Save as much room in your bag as possible for when you do your shopping at the end of your trip.

-Don't stress the little things. My friend and I experienced our toughest moment of travel right near the beginning of our trip when we cluelessly decided to head to Pattaya for some time on the beach before meeting up with other friends. We took the discount bus thinking we were being savvy travelers by saving a couple of dollars. It basically ended up being a city bus that stopped to pick up and drop off locals every few kilometers, when we then arrived in Pattaya, we were essentially dropped off alone on the side of the highway at dusk, nowhere near the main district of the city. Being the only white people in site we didn't really know what to do (being such inexperienced travelers had us rattled at the situation we were in) In the end we managed to flag down a Songtao and managed to hitch a ride to the more touristy spot of town and were able to relax a little bit to know we weren't going to spend the night on the side of a highway in some town we knew nothing about. We ended up spending a few days on the crappy beach and wandering around in amazement at the spectacle that is Pattaya. We quickly left a day or so later.

Basically what I'm trying to say is, in your travels you will experience some situations that will completely take you out of your comfort zone and test you in lots of different ways. But that is what traveling is all about. Don't stress if you get ripped off for a few extra bucks on a tuk tuk or taxi or whatever. It's most likely going to happen and there's nothing you can do about it. The little stuff will eat your alive and hamper your trip if you allow it to. Go with the flow and learn from each experience and you will come out of it a much wiser traveler.

-Make sure to get all the vaccinations, I got mine and avoided the tap water as much as possible (occasionally used it to wet my tooth brush but that was about it, do so at your own risk) and I never got sick. Being bed ridden so far from home is not something I would want to experience.

-Be aware of your surroundings. Chances are you are always going to be surrounded by tourists but in the odd instance you are stumbling home from a bar by yourself, try and avoid the deserted streets. This is where people get mugged. Happened to some guys I know but they were also very drunk and very dumb travelers. Keep your wits and you will be totally fine.

Enjoy your trip, you will never experience anything quite like Thailand.

[killer_carlson]

dont be afraid to say No

pay someone to do your laundry when in the third world. Then tip them double what they charged you in the first place.

by all means check out CP and let us know how things are

at some point on the trip you'll get sick. Deal with it. Immodium is your friend.

always keep $100 US in bills no larger than $20's on you. This is your emergency fund. It is not an emergency if you need another beer or you need to get a room because you met a good looking girl backpacker. This is your "I or my friend are seriously hurt we need a hospital immediately" or "I'm being held up by thugs and they have taken everything else so I need some cash to get somewhere safe" type of money. Hopefully you'll never need it. I never used to do this until I got caught without enough cash and needed hospitalization. A buddy I met from the UK had this secret stash and let me borrow it until I got out of hospital.

do not pack wet clothes in with dry clothes

mesh dive bags are good for putting your dirty clothes in

remember in humid countries, when you get a cut, it is all about keeping the cut dry. In Alberta, because we are so dry, it is about keeping the cut lubricated (with polysporin or ozonol or whatever)

If you get a cut from coral while in the ocean, immediately take good care of it. Coral cuts can fester and become a real pain in the arse - especially if on the bottom of your foot (at which point it will more accurately be described as a real pain in the foot, but also figuratively as a pain in the arse).

be aware that in Thailand they still use the caste system. Poor people are of a lower class and shouldn't be talking to high class people. They accept this, although it is tough to take after you've befriended a shop keep only to see some rich fart treat him like crap for 10 minutes and the guy sit there and take it.

do not make jokes or insult the royalty in Thailand

do get up to Chang Mai and Chang Rai and see if you can get into the hills outside of the cities. It's awesome

have fun

[4X4]

My advice on the money belt is that you never want anyone to know that you're wearing it. Therefore, use it strictly for important things like your passport and an emergency credit card. Keep it below your beltline.

Carry cash in your pocket. You're going to be using it all day, so it needs to be accessable. If you're so spacey that someone can actually stick their hand into your cash pocket and withdraw, you deserve to get pickpocketed.

I managed to avoid getting pickpocketed for a year in the pickpocket capital of the world: Rome. It's pretty easy to keep one hand on one pocket with the goods when in crowds or on busses.

Trojan gave some good advice on over packing. Depending on the length of your trip, I'd probably pack even less than he suggested. Clothes are dirt cheap pretty much everywhere in the world. Why carry around what can be purchased for peanuts upon arrival? At least, that's how I do it.

And shower shoes (also known as 99 cent flip flops) are a must if you stay in any kind of communal accommodations (hostel).

Don't get too drunk on your first night in a new town. Or any night, really.

Don't be a dum dum tourist that walks around with the camera hanging around the neck and map in hand. You're asking to get mugged. Act confident. Like you know the area. If you're smart, you'll study your map a bit in your hotel before going out. Just know the main areas and their proximity to where you're staying. If you have a feel for the town, you're less likely to get completely disoriented.
Everyone has to look at a map sometime, but nobody has to do it in the middle of a crowded street. This is when you get pickpocketed. When you're holding the map in one hand and pointing with the other. Then a kid barely brushes you as he walks by.
Look at your map when you're at a sidewalk cafe or somewhere that you are not "in traffic".

Never put valuables on the table when you're at a cafe. You're going to want to go through your pictures, but put your camera back in your pocket after you're finished.
One of the common scams in europe was for someone to see a cell phone or camera on the table, then approach the table with a piece of cardboard with a few items on it that are "for sale". They hold up the cardboard and get your eyes up, off the table, then swipe the camera, then wait for you to say that you're not interested, then walk away and disappear into the crowd. You notice your item missing about 30 seconds later.

[STeeLy]

Originally Posted by Phanuthier

How does Cambodia, China, Serbia, Bosnia and Russia sound to you?

I went to all of those in the past year or so and never used a money belt. (No I wasn't on a tour and have a bodyguard or anything)

I think this stuff about getting mugged is overblown. I can understand why some people use them, but I don't think its really necessary. Just don't have a camera around your neck while holding a map and you'll probably be fine. Keep your eyes open, lay low and bled in and you'll be fine.

To each their own I guess. Personally, I've also never wore a money belt when I travel, but I haven't exactly been to places where I think I really would need one. For some though, it gives them a sense of security with their belongings, really though it is a personal preference.

[simmer2]

Originally Posted by Phanuthier

How does Cambodia, China, Serbia, Bosnia and Russia sound to you?

I went to all of those in the past year or so and never used a money belt. (No I wasn't on a tour and have a bodyguard or anything)

I think this stuff about getting mugged is overblown. I can understand why some people use them, but I don't think its really necessary. Just don't have a camera around your neck while holding a map and you'll probably be fine. Keep your eyes open, lay low and bled in and you'll be fine.

For the most part you are completely right, but that's not to say it never happens. When I was living in Europe my buddy and I were in Krakow, Poland and wanted to get to Budapest. We'd read in the Lonely Planet that they didn't recommend taking the night train from Krakow to Budapest but we figured we would be fine and take all the precautions necessary.

The train compartment we were sleeping in had a pretty elementary lock so we wrapped a belt around the door to make sure nobody could get in. Well, after having to take off that belt 6 different times throughout the night thanks to border crossings in Slovakia, it kind of got old so we just took the belt off at 5am or so. Next thing we know, there is a banging on the wall beside us, we look up and a guy with a knife is trying to pry open the door to our train.

After a couple of minutes I went to the room next to us and it was two girls....they'd woken up in the middle of the night and their bags were gone, they went to the bathroom and all their belongings had been taken including passports, cameras, etc. Once we got off the train, we talked to another guy who had his camera stolen as well....I guess we got pretty lucky.

I guess for a first time traveller this likely isn't the best story to be telling, but at the same time this was the worst thing that happened to me in over 1 year of straight travelling. I used a money belt mainly because I liked having my passport against me at all times...I had a buddy who left his on a bus in France and it was a pretty big hassle trying to get a new one. For money and stuff, a wallet is fine but I would recommend keeping your passport close by.

As long as you keep your wits about you and not do anything you wouldn't normally do in any big city around the world, you'll be fine. Respect their culture even if some things seem really odd or different.

I've posted this link before: www.onebag.com Cue Fotze's jokes...

[troutman]

ALWAYS carry toilet paper.

[Bring_Back_Shantz]

Okay, I agree with most of what's been said.
One thing that was a MAJOR life saver is this:

If you're staying in a hotel, or a hostel, get a card or get someone to write down the address in THAI for you.

You're probalby gonna be drinking, and you'd be amazed how easy it is to forget the name or location of your hotel when you have to remember it in another language.