This is the second installment in this series of rules based on my experiences and adventures in Europe, based on my travels to Stuttgart, Germany, the class study tour I went on to Luxembourg and Belgium, and my 10 day spring break trip to Barcelona, Madrid, Venice, Vienna, and Rome. I'm very behind on blog posts right now, but expect blogs about my adventures in those places soon!
********************************
14. Go to the local market every place you visit if you can. It’s a great way to get a glimpse at the local culture, and stock up on fruit.
15. Don’t underestimate the utility of a Razor scooter as a mode of transportation. It’s the most popular mode of transit for commuting to work among the performers in the Palazzo Circus Show in Stuttgart, Germany. And if they use it, then clearly it must be a good idea.
16. When given a choice, get the Belgian beer. They’re only about a zillion times better than American beer. But careful, they’re also more than twice as strong.
17. Sometimes it can be really fun to just wander through the streets of a city at night with your friends for several hours, taking silly pictures with all the statues you find, instead of going to a bar.
18. Chocolate. Get some. Especially in Belgium. Gourmet chocolates are a lot cheaper there. And possibly even tastier. And often they give you free samples.
19. Should you find a mysterious automatic shoe-shining machine in your hotel, use it--as often as possible until you leave. But don’t make your friends late for dinner by deciding it’s imperative you shine your shoes before going out.
20. Bring a travel-sized towel and a combination lock with you on your journey. They will come in very handy at hostels, and the less space they take up, the better. You’ll need that room for other things.
21. Know the exact dimensions of your bag, so you can know for sure if the stingy airlines will make you check your bags and pay a major extra baggage fee.
22. Don’t plan every last detail of your trip in advance, and don’t always consult the map. It’s good to get a little lost and have some unexpected adventures. They make great stories.
23. Don’t always go to bed when you planned to; let your friends convince you to stay out just a little longer, or you know, another 3 or 4 hours.
24. Go on free walking tours. It’s a great way to see a city, especially if you have an awesome guide, and cool way to make new friends.
25. Never leave your stuff out of sight. Even on a deserted beach at 3 in the morning.
26. Don’t wear flip flops to the club.
27. Stay in larger hostel rooms and make friends with your roommates. Don’t be shy about talking to them!
28. Hang out in the hostel lounge, make new friends, and take advantage of internet access.
29. No matter what kind of diet your on, always make exceptions for regional specialties.
30. Check a guidebook before you go to a new city, just so you don’t feel completely lost. It gives you a good idea of where to start, and usually some excellent restaurant recommendations, cutting out the difficult task of finding good cheap food on an empty stomach.
31. Take overnight trains. They’re a great mode of transportation, you can actually get some sleep, and if you’re lucky you might share a car with 4 japanese med school grads and get a free back massage out of it.
20. Bring a travel-sized towel and a combination lock with you on your journey. They will come in very handy at hostels, and the less space they take up, the better. You’ll need that room for other things.
21. Know the exact dimensions of your bag, so you can know for sure if the stingy airlines will make you check your bags and pay a major extra baggage fee.
22. Don’t plan every last detail of your trip in advance, and don’t always consult the map. It’s good to get a little lost and have some unexpected adventures. They make great stories.
23. Don’t always go to bed when you planned to; let your friends convince you to stay out just a little longer, or you know, another 3 or 4 hours.
24. Go on free walking tours. It’s a great way to see a city, especially if you have an awesome guide, and cool way to make new friends.
25. Never leave your stuff out of sight. Even on a deserted beach at 3 in the morning.
26. Don’t wear flip flops to the club.
27. Stay in larger hostel rooms and make friends with your roommates. Don’t be shy about talking to them!
28. Hang out in the hostel lounge, make new friends, and take advantage of internet access.
29. No matter what kind of diet your on, always make exceptions for regional specialties.
30. Check a guidebook before you go to a new city, just so you don’t feel completely lost. It gives you a good idea of where to start, and usually some excellent restaurant recommendations, cutting out the difficult task of finding good cheap food on an empty stomach.
31. Take overnight trains. They’re a great mode of transportation, you can actually get some sleep, and if you’re lucky you might share a car with 4 japanese med school grads and get a free back massage out of it.
32. Try to spend at least 3 nights in every city you go to. Otherwise things just feel kinda rushed. There are some exceptions to this rule of course.
33. Don’t spend more than one night in Venice. Unless you’re rich, above the age of 50, and into expensive Italian shopping, there’s not much to do once you’ve walked around the small city once.
34. Talk to the people who work at your hostel. Ask them for recommendations where to go, what to eat, and about their life stories. They’re almost always super interesting people.
35. Make friends with the Venetian gondoliers.
36. Never get a meal on the main tourist strip of a city unless you’re desperate.
37. Always be prepared for a water gun fight. Even (or especially) in bars.
38. Consider changing your plans at the last minute. But make sure to double check prices before you do.
39. Ask any new friends you make what they do for a living. The answers may surprise you. Within 48 hours you could meet people as different (and random) as a golf course lawn manager, english teacher, and funeral home director.
40. Always bring a pair of at least somewhat nice shoes.
41. Don’t be surprised to hear random languages when you travel. Like Hebrew from a cheese vendor in Vienna.
photo courtesy of Yehuda Mivasaur
42. Expect to encounter a lot of ham.
43. When on the go a lot, grab a banana for breakfast.
44. Even if you speak the local language, don’t expect to understand the dialect.
45.Take advantage of free breakfast. Even if you simply get up, eat, and then go back to bed right afterwards.
46. Be a traveler, not a tourist.
47. If you see an accordionist, know that it’s a good sign and something must be going right.
No comments:
Post a Comment