LetsTravelRome

A little preparation takes the hassle out of your trips

By Pamela Young
Special to the Star-Bulletin
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I found this article in Google News, and although Pamela doesn't mention Rome in her script, I really think there's a ton of good advice here, especially if you're new to foreign city travel.
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You can find us in any airline VIP lounge. We are the ones in the rumpled blazers, hunched over peanuts and orange juice. Some of us stare blankly at the TV monitor, which is blaring a music video in a foreign language. We are frequent flyers and we are very, very tired.

In 22 years of "Mixed Plate" assignments around the world, I've learned the hard way that traveling, for work or play, is an art. And like any skill, it takes practice, rehearsal and performance.

Yet many people stumble into a vacation ill-prepared to face the physical and mental challenges of long-distance trekking. They pack their vitamins and Instamatics, but leave behind common sense and courtesy. For a "Mixed Plate" series on KITV 4 News at 5, we worked with health practitioners, the U.S. State Department, the Consular Corps and Hawaiian Airlines to come up with a simple checklist to smooth the way from here to there.

Here are a few timely tips for summer sojourners:

10. Do the research. Go online or to the library to bone up on your destination and answer questions such as: Is it safe? How's the weather? When is festival season?Americans tend to book vacations for the summer, not knowing that August is also holiday time for Europe. Many businesses and attractions shut their doors for those four weeks. February is great in Rio de Janeiro, but close to Carnival time, the hotel rates will be exorbitant. Doing the research helps travelers avoid costly mistakes, but also enhances one's appreciation for a destination and a different culture.

9. Do the paperwork. Is your passport valid? Some countries will not allow entry if your passport is six months from expiration. Do you need a visa or documentation of vaccination? Do you have receipts for your camera gear to prove it was purchased in this country? Always carry medical documents verifying blood type, allergies and conditions that might require emergency care.

8. Pack judiciously. Choose your travel wardrobe for versatility and endurance: non-wrinkle sets of shirts, blouses, skirts and pants that can be combined for different looks. Those new red stilettos are cool, but you'll find yourself cursing after three hours of strolling the Champs Elysees. Comfortable shoes are a must, even if they are dorky.I like to pack comfy clothes I don't expect to wear past the trip. Wear 'em, dump 'em. Who wants to pay a hotel laundry bill ($6 for a pair of jeans!) or spend the evening washing clothes in the bathtub? Disposable travel wear also ensures lots of suitcase space for the new clothes you intend to buy!

7. Stay healthy. Drink lots of water on the flight. Avoid caffeine and alcohol. On long flights, make sure you walk around the plane, stretch your legs, do yoga -- anything to bring circulation into your arms and legs. Be generous with hand lotion. Nothing sucks the moisture out of your skin faster than aircraft air conditioning. Bring all your prescription drugs and cold medications. In some countries, over-the-counter drugs like antihistamines are not available without a doctor's prescription. If you buy medications abroad, be sure the pharmacist fully translates the contents. One of the joys of foreign travel is being able to sample different cuisines. Part of your research (No. 10) should have included the safety of water and food. Avoid food offered at roadside stalls. Bring an immerser to boil water in your hotel room (I do this even in New York!). Of course, in the quest for righteous grindz I've broken a few of the most obvious rules. And on "Mixed Plate" assignments, there is always some joker daring me to eat eel's head or ox testicles. Yet my only serious illness came after drinking milk in Belgium, one of the cleanest countries in the world.The pasteurization process there wreaked duodenal havoc. Obviously, I did not do the research.

6. Time is of the essence. Unless you're going to a neighbor island, Hawaii travelers can expect a minimum four-hour haul across the pond. That means at least 2,500 miles and a time zone or two. Convincing your body to time leap is no easy task. Jet lag can zap your energy and muddle your mind. The prep starts on the plane. Adjust your watches to destination time. Try to sleep if the flight is an overnighter. Some passengers find the herbal supplement Melatonin helpful for traveling sleep, but check with your doctor before taking any medication. At your destination, adjust to local sleep hours. Even if you're tired, try to stay up until dark.

5. Ni shuo putonghua? Learn the language. There may not be enough time for you to conjugate verbs, but the very basics are always appreciated. I borrow tapes and CDs to learn as much as I can before departure. At the very least, know how to say "thank you," "please" and "excuse me." They are the three most valuable expressions for a stranger in a strange land.

4. Combien d'argent? Learn the money. The euro has made life easier for vacationers on the Continent, but we still have to deal with yen, yuan, baht, chaht, rupees, pesos and dinar. Find out the exchange rate and make a chart, breaking down the amounts and their equivalents in American dollars. For example, if I see a pair of shoes in Hong Kong priced at $100HK, I divide by eight (the rate is usually around 7.6), and I know I'll be paying about $13US. Of course, you can always take a calculator, but that pretty much pegs you as a turista ... a disadvantage when haggling.

3. Learn the customs. Know when to bow, when to shake hands, when not to touch at all. The Chinese have embarked on a public education program to introduce Beijing residents to Western-style manners. They seek not to offend visitors during the 2008 Olympics. As vacationers, we have the same responsibility not to offend our hosts. For example, ask before taking that snapshot of smiling children in Kenya. In some cultures, a camera is a thing of evil. Some governments charge fees for the privilege of photographing their palaces and monuments. Every culture has a standard for acceptable public behavior. Never forget you are playing in somebody else's back yard.

2. Go with the flow. The trains in Italy are notoriously late, though few passengers complain. It simply is a given. Our train from Rome to Venice was not only 45 minutes late, it turned out to be a local, not an express.That meant eight hours on the tracks, arriving well past midnight. Que sera, sera. The ticket-taker suggested we order a bottle of wine and enjoy the view. And that's exactly what we did. Sometimes all you can do is surrender.

1. Show your aloha. A smile goes a long way, especially when you can't find the words in your foreign language dictionary. Half my suitcase is usually occupied with boxes of chocolate macadamia nuts. If the recipient is Asian, I wrap the box in colorful paper and ribbon. Red is good luck, gold is festive, but avoid white, which is used only for funerals. When I don't know the proper gratuity, when I enter someone's home, when I want to say mahalo, a gift from Hawaii is golden.

posted by Les Sheppard @ 10:59 AM