Travel Tips

Tour to Fukushima closed area?

9/8/2015 3:20:46 AM Officially or even semi officially no. The plant is still owned by TEPCO so arranging it with them would probably give you a better access and safer tour if they choose to allow it. However, there are other options if you choose to consider them. There is a boat tour that approaches […]

Are there cheap GPS or other navigator devices with downloadable maps for the whole world?

Are there cheap GPS or other navigator devices with downloadable maps for the whole world?

1/19/2021 9:04:58 PM A smartphone is most a superset of what is offered by a GPS unit. GPS will be optimized for battery-life and ergonomics but an offline map application will allow you to navigate using a smartphone without a data plan. You can download world maps by country or sections for large countries, so […]

How long can I stay in the UK during a 1-year period?

7/27/2016 4:30:20 PM How long am I able to visit the UK within a 365 day period? There is no specific day-count limit to the time a visitor can spend in the UK. This section of the guidance addresses the question directly… There is no specified maximum period which an individual can spend in the […]

Any railway stations more than 1 change from London?

6/3/2020 5:32:21 PM Marlow in Buckinghamshire can only be reached via Bourne End, which can only be reached via Maidenhead – 2 changes from London Paddington. I suspect this could be the nearest, about 30 miles away and less than 1 hour total journey time from London Paddington. Should I just not bother to "reserve" […]

Can a foreigner rent guns in a shooting range in metro-DC area?

9/7/2015 1:17:32 AM Actually if you google firarm rental virginia you will come up with a few options including: Silver Eagle Group in Ashburn, VA Blue Ridge Arsenal in Chantilly, VA Gilbert Indoor Range in Rockville, MD and the list goes on. The way that rentals work in most places that I’ve looked at is […]

Are there caves and tunnels under Tallinn, Estonia?

6/22/2011 1:05:42 PM There are tunnels. While some are the casemates or part of the old fortress, many others have been found, dating back centuries. http://www.inyourpocket.com/estonia/tallinn/Tunnels-under-Tallinn_70029f?more=1 has a good summary of what exists, what’s theoretically accessible, and what’s actually accessible to the public. What are some things I shouldn't do in China that can get […]

Apple Pay used in UK with a US credit card

4/19/2017 3:02:31 PM I have had success using Apple Pay with a US issued credit card on the London underground. The key is to use a MasterCard. While some Visa cards issued in the US MIGHT work, most MasterCards issued in the US will work. Make sure you open your wallet app and scan your […]

What are some things I shouldn't do in China that can get me arrested?

4/21/2023 4:06:39 PM Beware of buying counterfeit brand things like handbags, watches etc. You can get into serious trouble at the airport if you’re caught with this kind of contraband. Why did the restaurant suggest I tip on the tax? 4/20/2023 11:44:46 PM A big "harmless" thing that is often overlooked by Western travelers when […]

How to get a receipt when scanning my card on Tel Aviv buses?

7/3/2018 11:37:16 AM You cannot get a receipt for a single fare. You can get a receipt from a Rav-Kav issued by a specific service (the train, Egged, etc.) for the entire purchase, e.g. if you purchased a 50 NIS top-off to your card. If you need it for a record, a driver can print […]

Why did the restaurant suggest I tip on the tax?

12/1/2022 3:48:45 AM It varies greatly based on the POS system that they’re using and how they have it configured. Modern POS systems can be incredibly complicated, and restaurant owners rarely have time to figure out how to customize them. Some owners configure their system and specify what suggested tip percentage to display and which […]

Where to get data-only SIM in Japan

10/16/2022 4:44:58 PM There were no problems to buy the data only SIM card right in the Osaka-Kansai airport and I even have seen SIM card vending machines in Kyoto. You need to know how to configure mobile data access point, going into device settings you do not need to touch when swapping one EU […]

Tourist visa requirements for Thailand

5/5/2018 11:55:27 AM In early 2018 I found quite complete information on this webpage of the Thai Embassy in Rome (Italy). Despite mainly intended for an Italian/EU audience, it is written in English and it includes relevant details about: countries and territories entitled for visa exemption and visa on arrival to Thailand, required documents for […]

Time difference while living in Lille

11/2/2022 4:08:43 PM Not addressed in the accepted answer is that start and end of observing daylight saving may differ by multiple days e.g., between the U.S.A. and central Europe. Though there is the consent to spring forward/fall back* in the night of a Saturday to Sunday, central Europe (including France) adjusted the clocks per […]

Should I just not bother to "reserve" rental cars anymore?

9/6/2017 7:20:02 AM If you are willing to pay 3* the price you usually get to pay after a bit of deal hunting then go on, stop booking cars in advance 🙂 Also, it helps having a guaranteed minimum car level; i.e. I booked a Focus with Hertz, they only had smaller cars left and […]

How should a traveller report that his/her (reserved) accommodation is refused by the proprietor on booking.com?

10/5/2022 5:02:09 AM To give some background to the other excellent answer… Normally, hotels are doing a 2-way trade with booking platforms like Booking.com. The hotel gets a valuable booking, and in exchange they must give to the platform: Fees, which are effectively a sales commission or referral fee. Grant a high level of consumer […]

How do I rent canal boat in the UK?

8/19/2015 10:02:51 PM If you specifically mean a holiday on a canal narrow-boat, you need to do some research into your planned route. You can get advice, maps, etc, from the hire company. Bear in mind that the maximum legal speed is 4 miles per hour, and most hire boats will not exceed that my […]

Interlining: How is responsibility distributed in case of a missed connection?

7/27/2016 12:08:26 AM I think there are two separate issues here. The carrier that will make sure you will get from B-C will be the airline that operates that flight. They will most likely reschedule you onto the next flight to destination C (unless rerouting you through city D is an option). The second issue […]

Why 1000 and 500 Indian rupee are not accepted in Nepal and Bhutan?

8/23/2015 10:23:04 PM Both the governments(Nepal and India) have agreed to permit the use of INR500 and INR1000 notes. So it is totally legal to carry INR500, INR1000 notes to Nepal if you are going to Nepal. Understanding Greek road signs 8/21/2015 8:44:07 AM As Mark Mayo’s answer states, these two denominations were “banned” (either […]

Understanding Greek road signs

Understanding Greek road signs

8/12/2015 2:42:49 PM Yes, there is an official transliteration scheme from the Greek alphabet to Roman. The Greek Government uses the Hellenic Organization for Standardization (ELOT) standard 743. Wikipedia has the full table: I’ll not reproduce it here, since Stack Exchange doesn’t support tables and the Wikipedia table also includes other transliteration schemes. Note that, […]

What are the consequences of a foreigner acquiring medical debt in the US?

8/15/2022 7:16:34 PM As said before, consider your home country laws. We don’t know what it is, so I’ll add another generic answer. Keep in mind that while this is a "worst case", the risk is easily mitigated with any reasonable travel insurance. the usual issues with debt, i.e. credit ratings and getting harassed by […]

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