Travel Tips

If I renew my passport do I get 10 years from the expiration date or 10 years from the renewal date?

3/17/2015 12:52:36 PM In the case of Italy, the passport is not renewed but re-issued. Quoting from the Italian Police website: Il passaporto è rilasciato ai cittadini italiani e ha durata decennale. Alla scadenza della validità, riportata all’interno del documento, non si rinnova ma si deve richiedere l’emissione di un nuovo passaporto. With this in […]

Fukushima, Japan restricted areas?

7/1/2023 9:44:38 AM Yes, the grey area is the restricted area: you can travel through it by car along specific routes, but are not supposed to stop or get out of your car. However, the blue-grey zones on the map are former restricted areas that are now open to the public, and this includes the […]

Should I tip in restaurants in Turkey?

10/12/2014 5:17:21 PM In most of the restaurants or cafes, there is no expectation of a tip from the table. In addition, in touristic areas the prices are very high. The local people and the tourists are seeing different menus, where of course, the touristic prices are way too expensive. So, especially in those places […]

Which Paris metro station to alight for CDG international airport?

Which Paris metro station to alight for CDG international airport?

6/20/2023 7:59:21 PM The Charles de Gaulle airport (which locals call “Roissy”) is large. It has three terminals and two suburban train (RER) stations. As the signs in the trains tell you, as well as the automated announcement when you arrive at the station, alight at “Aéroport Charles-de-Gaulle 1” for terminals 1 and 3, and […]

Problems with certain times occuring twice (or not at all) on night of daylight saving time to standard time transition

1/12/2013 11:49:53 AM UTC is typically used for co-ordinating flight plans, air traffic control, and so on, for precisely this reason. UTC is ‘standard’ time in the sense that all other timezones, including daylight-adjusted ones, are set against it. Of course, UTC is typically not used in day-to-day use by the public, so times in […]

Travel within USA

5/7/2023 7:16:05 PM You will encounter 3 checks on an internal USA flight: TSA gun/bomb/ "you have a ticket"* check. Boarding pass check by gate agent. Uber driver at destination checking that you are you. The several States which united to form the USA already agreed on freedom of movement and commerce, so they also […]

Is appearance important at the border?

11/9/2018 10:07:27 PM I cannot speak for Canada but if you arrive in the UK as an EU citizen with a biometric passport at one of the major airports you will be directed to the automatic gates. Unless the system which monitors the gates has some reason to reject you then you will never meet […]

Can I use a power adapter designed for USA in Japan?

6/28/2017 3:51:27 PM I can add to the above. U.K. 240v high current items such as hair dryers and kettles will not work in Japan but it is possible to buy travel types which have a voltage switch 240/120 these should work in the USA and Japan with the right plug adaptor. Can I import […]

Is it better to create a frequent flyer program with every airline or to use one from one of the alliances?

4/27/2023 4:38:09 AM Generally, it is best to join one airline per alliance unless you travel extremely frequently. Some airlines within an alliance will have advantages over others, depending on your travel habits. Since you already have accounts in each alliance, you probably shouldn’t change any that have points in them. There are several significant […]

Can I import honey to Norway?

10/22/2012 8:30:31 AM When importing food to Norway, you are not only affected by custom regulations (they are usually relevant when it comes to taxation of products), but you also have to adhere to the regulations from the Norwegian Food Safety Authority (Mattilsynet). The EU regulation 206/2009 is in effect in Norway and tells (page […]

Do I need an adapter for my (US-based) USB bricks for use in Japan?

Do I need an adapter for my (US-based) USB bricks for use in Japan?

6/2/2023 4:17:44 PM My USB power bricks work fine here in Japan. Absolutely seamlessly for my cellphone, laptop, tablet and smartwatch. Nothing caught on fire. Transit time in Valence TGV 4/26/2023 4:26:40 PM I checked this reddit FAQ and this Power Plugs website, but I am getting some confusing information. No surprise. Japan is one […]

Statistically, is there a safest seat on the plane if it crashes?

Statistically, is there a safest seat on the plane if it crashes?

4/1/2013 6:19:36 AM The Telegraph has just published an article entitled “Which is the safest seat on an aircraft?”. They refer to a documentary “The Crash” on the subject, where: After hitting the ground, the front of the plane and the first 11 rows of seats – usually reserved for first-class, business-class or premium-economy passengers […]

Transit time in Valence TGV

4/20/2023 9:07:28 PM On such a connection, both your trains will stop at the same platform (4): it’s the only platform served by northbound TGVs stopping in Valence TGV. So the only thing you’ll have to do is get off the first train and move along the platform to your coach. Note that a TGV […]

Are there any drive-in restaurants in Central Europe?

9/26/2018 11:21:15 PM The first drive-in opened in 1961 in Hanover / Germany. In 1962 a A & W drive-in opened near Mannheim, where many thousands american soldiers lived in this Mannheim, Heidelberg area. This drive-in never exists. It was abandoned for long time at the end of 1970. Now there is a supermarket and […]

Is flying 60 short flights per year harmful to health due to additional radiation?

9/10/2018 2:57:40 AM While the others have correctly addressed the risks associated with increased radiation, I feel important to stress out other risks associated with flying: Fatigue Sleep deprivation Low air pressure Dry air Germs from fellow passengers Turbulence (potentially causing injury) Even if you always fly business class and only have carry-on luggage, at […]

Same airline and flight. Why were miles so different?

Same airline and flight. Why were miles so different?

4/21/2023 6:41:19 PM The fare code that is used for mileage calculation for Air India is the first letter of the "Fare Basis" on the ticket. As far as I can tell (anecdotally from flying), all their Economy fares will have "Economy Y" on the boarding pass regardless of the fare basis. It will look […]

What's a "Redress Control Number"?

12/31/2018 7:21:54 AM Redress Control Number is used to help travelers who have been denied or delayed airline boarding; have been denied or delayed entry into or exit from the U.S. at a port of entry or border crossing; or have been repeatedly referred to additional (secondary) screening. Airlines will modify their reservation systems to […]

Internet censoring while roaming abroad with Chinese SIM cards?

8/23/2018 4:58:37 AM I’ve been involved in IT and Cell Phone sales for 15 years, and I can confirm that not only would you have this strange behavior, but specifically why. The phone, regardless of whether it’s GSM, LTE, EVDO, CDMA, etc. always has a few basic settings to tell it how to communicate with […]

Is there another destination like Thailand?

Is there another destination like Thailand?

10/24/2012 12:33:58 PM If you’re looking for beaches you should check out: Pulau Langkawi and Pulau Perhentian in Malaysia or Ko Rong in Cambodia where you can find beach huts and laid back atmosphere. I even found some nice beaches in Vietnam but still not as laid back as Thailand and the others mentioned. Trivia: […]

Travelling within US as an international student without a passport and with a child

4/3/2023 1:48:04 PM my concern is that we wouldn’t have any ID for our child. Children under the age of 18 years do not need to show ID to pass the TSA checkpoint: Adult passengers 18 and older must show valid identification at the airport checkpoint in order to travel. https://www.tsa.gov/travel/security-screening/identification This leaves the airline’s […]

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