~Dafaddah

I’ve traveled quite a lot during my 30 year career in ICT - and it ain’t over for another good while yet if I have any say in the matter! I’ve also lived on three continents (North America, Europe and Asia) and so have a few places to talk about that feel more like home to me than “foreign cities”. But first I’d like to start with some universals of travel:

All shopping malls in the world have been designed by the same person. The food court is in the middle in order to maximize exposure to stores. And the bathrooms are located at at the extremities, again in order to maximize exposure to stores. Ladies’ clothing, perfume, jewelry, cosmetics are on the ground floor. Anything a male person might want is either on an upper level or at the back end of the department store, of course to maximize the chance that the females assisting their hapless male associates will be tempted by the higher margin stuff on the way. Shopping malls are nice, familiar, and generally quite safe. It's as if you never left home. But ask yourself this question: did you just pay over a thousand bucks in airfare just to go to a shopping mall indistinguishable from the one ten minutes away from your house?

If you want to see what a country is really like, leave the @#$%$& shopping mall! I personally like to wander neighborhoods and eat in local restaurants. This is best done with a local. However, check with the hotel/travel guides to make sure you wander in safe areas. Some countries are extremely safe (Japan, Western Europe, Canada, South Korea, Singapore, Hong-Kong, Taiwan, Thailand, Australia, New Zealand...) so you can just wander about, even alone. Some countries you NEVER go out alone - Mexico, much of Latin America, most of the Middle East and Africa.

Whenever you leave your hotel room, bring your own toilet paper - or at least have a packet of tissues on your person at all times. (Where did you think the “don’t forget to bring a towel” meme originated from?) Oh, and learn to how to hold your balance while squatting. Trust me, in many countries that skill will come in handy.

The safest drink on planet earth is... beer! I kid you not. The alcohol in it is a mild disinfectant!  Hot drinks like tea or coffee come in second - if they don’t come piping hot then send them back. Avoid anything with ice in it unless you want to become more intimately familiar with the bathrooms in your locality.

Don’t exchange cash at the airport change office unless you really enjoy being ripped-off. Your best exchange rate is usually from automated teller machines accessed using your good old bank card (make sure it supports the Cirrus or PLUS systems). I’ve heard that many US bank cards either don’t support international transactions or have ridiculous fees for foreign transactions. Americans should check with their bank before travelling, and get a “chip and pin” bank card if you can - most of the rest of world (including Canada!) uses them exclusively, and most banking machines around the world require them.

Ditto for credit cards. Get a “chip and pin” credit card, as in many countries they either won’t accept magnetic strip-only credit cards, or will pirate them faster than you can say “Visa”! This is a particularly bad problem in Southern Europe (Spain, Italy, Greece...)

Never put all your ID, credit cards and money in a single wallet. If there is a safe in your hotel, use it to keep your passports and half your cash. This is to prevent being pickpocketed ruining your trip. And whenever possible put your wallet and phone in your front pants pockets, not the back pockets. Afraid of looking weird? Don’t bother. To the locals you already look weird! I’ve actually witnessed people being pickpocketed in Paris. Places to be particularly careful are subway turnstiles and ticket vending machines where people take out their wallets.

Many places (like Japan) have menus that consist entirely of photos (did I say how much I love wandering around in Japan?), but in a pinch look around you and order the same thing that the folks at the next table are eating. You'll be surprised how many people take that as a compliment, and you might even make new friends!

Most people I’ve met in my travels have been invariably nice, friendly and helpful - treat them with patience and respect and they will respond in kind.

~totallynotabrony

I’ve noticed that no matter where you go, any street market in the world sells cellphones, watches, and Beats headphones, or at least knockoffs.

I like how many countries’ money uses different sizes and colors for different denominations.

A lot of people are completely down to haggle, some of them even relishing it.  They don’t put price tags on stuff for this reason.  I think it’s annoying, probably because I’m an introvert.

Restaurant food in the rest of the world seems to range from a little to a lot more expensive than in the US.  Alcohol, too.

A surprising number of people around the world speak English, particularly when they’re trying to sell you something.  A local phrasebook wouldn’t hurt, but don’t freak out about going somewhere with a different official language.  Along with that, many places have dual language street signs.

If you aren’t explicitly told that the local water is safe, don’t drink it.

Your phone probably won't receive tower service in foreign countries, at least not without a hefty charge, but wifi is common in many places.