Travel Tips

How long does it take to renew a US passport?

2/18/2019 2:42:25 PM tl;dr: Official wait time is 4-6 weeks, but it’s about 2 weeks during the off-season. No official statistics exist, but you could call or email them to ask, or just ask at your post office. According to The Bureau of Consular Affairs, 4-6 weeks or 2-3 weeks if expedited. However, these time […]

Elephant Trekking in northern Thailand

7/10/2011 11:04:14 PM Amazing Thailand has much to say on the subject. Key points: Tourist attractions throughout the country will often have a resident elephant, however serious trekkers and elephant riders will need to go to the northern regions of Thailand for a richer experience. The cost will generally be around A$15 per person for […]

Does anything happen at Lady Bay, Sydney on New Year's Eve, or is it closed like some other beaches?

Does anything happen at Lady Bay, Sydney on New Year's Eve, or is it closed like some other beaches?

1/2/2013 12:32:20 PM As Doc said in his answer, places within a very short walk were open for New Year’s Eve – even beaches. There was a partial view including skyline but not including the Harbour Bridge or Opera house. As Doc also said Lady Bay is within an area which is closed overnight every […]

Is sleeping in tents / hammocks allowed in Malaysian beaches?

Is sleeping in tents / hammocks allowed in Malaysian beaches?

3/9/2013 10:14:12 PM We were able to camp on the beach seen below at Bako National Park in Borneo, Malaysia. We were even able to rent the tent and all the camping equipment at the National Park office. Bringing a camping knife to Japan 8/27/2011 12:18:41 AM Right, I’ve finally formed an answer for this. […]

Bringing a camping knife to Japan

7/10/2011 7:21:55 PM While this question is specific to Japan, there really is one answer that fits all. If you are even slightly in doubt, don’t. Even if you are following the law, to the letter and have measured your knife to make sure it complies, you run the risk of: A custom’s agent having […]

Traveling to France before date of the long sejour visa

7/12/2019 6:05:29 PM Old question but I see it linked a lot so I’m going to add some information I believe is pertinent. I received the following email from the Austrian BMI regarding entering visa-fee before a Visa D is valid. Keep in mind this is a translation from the original email in german: “If […]

Are there Italian customs that a North American should be aware of?

Are there Italian customs that a North American should be aware of?

5/28/2013 3:54:40 PM Gestures First of all there are quite a few gestures you should master in order to understand Italians. Here is a nice picture of the most importants: [A note about the first gesture “What? (Where) (Why)”: if you do that with a angry face it means something like: “What the f*** do […]

Peru: Should I have a passport expiring at least 6 months later my arrival?

12/20/2012 10:52:00 AM The 6-month passport validity requirement is country-dependent, and I haven’t been able to find that requirement on Peru’s embassy and travel websites. Some airlines are also picky about the passport validity time frames. However, the US Department of State’s website recommends that you renew your passport at least 9 months before the […]

Are there any ferries currently running on the Black Sea between Romania and Georgia?

6/23/2011 11:58:43 AM From http://www.ferrylines.com/en/ferries/ferries-in-the-black-sea/ it would seem to be NO, but it does indicate you could travel to Bulgaria. Aussies don’t need a visa for Bulgaria, so you could then take a train up to Bucharest from within Bulgaria. Bucharest to Istanbul is 16 hours, so from Bulgaria wouldn’t be a long trip. Using […]

What's the best area of Hong Kong to stay in on a short stopover visit for sightseeing?

12/19/2012 3:24:23 PM Obviously “best” is always subjective and depends on the particular person, but… Having done 1-day stopover trips in Hong Kong a few times over the past few years (including a 22 hour stopover there 2 weeks ago!), my vote would be for the area on one side or other of Victoria Harbour […]

I am travelling to Austria for 6 months, is there any travel/health insurance I could get if I have a European (Spanish) passport?

12/20/2012 2:53:31 AM Try World Nomads. I plugged in your information and the quote came out to be ~400 Euros for 6 months for a Spanish resident. A Uruguayan resident would pay slightly more. 3 months would cost ~230 Euros. I use World Nomads every time I travel, but I’ve never had to make a […]

Using status across other Star Alliance airlines?

6/22/2011 3:53:18 PM No, you don’t technically get the same status on other airlines. And it can’t be requested. How it works is that Star Alliance has 2 generic levels of status – Star Alliance Gold and Star Alliance Silver. Each particular airline status corresponds to one of these two statuses. For example, if you’re […]

What's the cheapest way to purchase data access for my verizon smartphone while traveling in Spain?

8/27/2017 10:40:40 AM If you travel to Spain you can contact http://traveler.canariassmart.com is a local internet provider company What is the easiest transportation to use throughout Romania for a foreigner? 11/4/2011 8:42:11 AM yoigo gives you prepaid data at a good price. Is it OK to take a disposable safety razor on a plane? 2/6/2012 […]

Are there good dive spots easily accessible from Kuala Lumpur, without flying?

Are there good dive spots easily accessible from Kuala Lumpur, without flying?

3/9/2013 9:50:05 PM I discourage going Tioman as its not spectacular and is full of people coming from Singapore to do quick dive trip weekends. It might be better during the week. I have visited (but not dived) in the Perhentian Islands which are northeast of Kuala Lampur (KL). The beaches and scenery there are […]

What is the easiest transportation to use throughout Romania for a foreigner?

10/12/2012 8:49:08 PM The taxis in the cities are easy and convenient, though they will probably charge you more if you don’t speak Romanian. Make sure they reset their meter when you get in (and that the meter is even on!). Going between cities, I recommend the train. I once took the train from Timisoara […]

Any good scuba diving on Ko Samui, Thailand?

Any good scuba diving on Ko Samui, Thailand?

9/25/2013 11:58:29 AM I’ve been to both Island and if you are into scuba diving, you should definitely stay in Ko Tao. It is full of diving resorts and divers everywhere. The vibe is much different than Ko Samui which is more mainstream. Is a German BahnCard valid in Switzerland? 12/8/2012 1:05:22 PM All the […]

German guesthouse asking for date of birth

6/1/2023 5:57:08 AM Is this request for personal information a legal requirement and/or normal practice for guesthouses in Germany? Yes, it is normal after your arrival to fill on a special registration form, that will be kept for 1 year and then destroyed. §30 BMG lists the data that may be generelly collected and how […]

Is a German BahnCard valid in Switzerland?

12/7/2012 8:16:14 AM No! Profitieren Sie als BahnCard-Inhaber von 25% Ermäßigung auf den Normalpreis der Auslandsstrecke bei grenzüberschreitenden Reisen in über 30 europäischen Länder. Die Ermäßigung wird auch im Anschluss an Globalpreise (z.B. Thalys), gewährt – nicht aber im reinen Binnenverkehr des fremden Landes. The last sentence says ‘not valid for travel on trains exclusively […]

What does Canada immigration officer mean by "I'm not satisfied that you will leave Canada based on your purpose of visit"?

4/15/2023 9:22:05 PM I think that the main factor here is an absence of convincing documentation about your economic/social obligations in your home country and any consequent (de-)motivation to leave Canada on (or before) the stated return date. When I was a college student and applied for a US visa (summer tourist) I had to […]

Stop along the Tokyo-Kyoto Shinkansen for Mt Fuji views

Stop along the Tokyo-Kyoto Shinkansen for Mt Fuji views

4/12/2023 7:18:05 PM (This is a bit late for OP but might benefit future visitors.) You can, if the weather is good, easily get great views of Mount Fuji from the Shinkansen, as Tetsujin mentioned. In fact, here is a picture of Mount Fuji I took from my phone from the Shinkansen in December 2019: […]

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