Travel tips I have learned (Part 3)

Posted by sbarrymore

on March 6, 2009M at 6:02 am

11. Talk it up-Travel with a phrase book in foreign countries. Even though you butcher the language, the local people will appreciate your efforts, and will be more helpful. Nothing worse than someone who thinks everyone else in the world should be able to speak English. It’s also makes it more fun to try to learn a foreign language along the way.

12. Jewelry-Leave the ”bling” in your safe deposit box at home. Buy cheap “travel” wedding bands. Don’t wear expensive watches. Thieves look for this sort of stuff to set up their “targets”. One time, I was studying Spanish in Quito, Ecuador. My Spanish teacher came to class one morning and told me of seeing a thief run up to a lady on the street and rip her gold earrings right through her ears. Ouch! That’s a good reason not to wear them!

13. Wash your clothes-Washable, light-weight “wick-away” travel clothing is a blessing. Easy to wash and dry, easy to pack and light to carry. I like the kind that dries in less than two hours. Many times when traveling I have washed my clothes in the shower. My wife likes to carry a “carry-on compliant” laundry soap that comes in paper-like sheets that dissolve into soap when held under the faucet. The brand is “Travelon”. You can buy it at Kambers in Oklahoma City. I personally like to use a backpacker’s concentrated liquid soap that I buy at Backwoods in Oklahoma City. A friend of mine wears his old clothes on vacation and leaves them behind as he goes! He then has more room for souvenirs!

14. Get ‘em laundered-If you don’t want to personally wash your clothes along the way, simply have them laundered someplace. It’s cheap and easy. You only have to pack one-half the amount of clothes you need. I am doing this more and more.

15. Entry requirements-Always check, double-check, triple-check the entry requirements of the country to which you are traveling. Some have restrictions about how close your passport can be to the expiration date. This can save you a lot of headaches. Depending on the country, you may also need a entry visa. Do your research.

More travel tips coming next week–Look for Part 4!

Post your travel tips here or e-mail me at ssb11@prodigy.net

See my other travel blogs on NewsOk.com:

Colombia:

http://blog.newsok.com/thewanderer/category/colombia/

Mexico:

http://blog.newsok.com/thewanderer/category/mexico/

Caribbean island of Barbuda:

http://blog.newsok.com/thewanderer/category/barbuda/

San Juan with a 5 hour layover: http://blog.newsok.com/thewanderer/category/san-juan-puerto-rico/

Fly around the U.S. for the day: http://blog.newsok.com/thewanderer/category/day-trip/

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