Travel Tips

Was I wrongfully denied boarding for having a Schengen visa issued from the second country on my itinerary?

10/31/2019 8:46:01 PM The airlines feedback is totally wrong, the main destination country is not necessarily the first entry country. I traveled few months ago to Switzerland and Germany, I entered the Schengen area from Switzerland although the visa is issued from Germany. I read you also contacted the Italian Embassy and they confirmed your […]

Hard time proving I am the same person as seen in the passport photo taken 9 years ago

9/17/2015 6:10:17 AM No idea if this would work, but you could collect a bunch of photos of yourself, preferably portrait photos, taken about once (or twice) a year from 2005 to 2015. If the significant change happened inside of one year, you would need to collect more photos from that period, e.g. one photo […]

Could you walk on the Via Appia Antica from Rome to Brindisi

7/6/2020 2:01:34 PM It has been done before. One traveler and writer, Paolo Rumiz, has walked along the entirety of the route, sticking as close to the original way as he could, and published a book, Appia, describing his journey. The linked publisher’s website also has maps and GPS tracks showing his itinerary. This website […]

Who pays for increased security measures on flights to the US?

Who pays for increased security measures on flights to the US?

7/3/2019 12:05:51 AM You pay for it (of course), as a part of your ticket. If you check the details of your ticket, you will see that a large part of it is from up to a dozen fees, for landing, starting, using airport facilities, and using security checks (for each airport on the flight, […]

Is it safe to stay in Kowloon in Hong Kong this week?

11/20/2019 2:35:35 PM It’s perfectly safe. I’ve been there a few weeks ago, and the only inconvenience I encountered were unpredictable MTR station and system closures, but in case that happens there are always alternatives (buses, taxis and ultimately walking). The Citymapper and MTR apps are useful as they provide notifications of closures in real […]

Are hotel staff happy if a customer stays at a hotel for a long time?

8/24/2021 2:24:22 PM I work away from home and regularly stay at hotels for a month or more, sometimes going home for weekends and sometimes not. My longest stay was for 3 months late last year at a hotel near Amsterdam, Netherlands (Joy Hotel – basic and cheap, but very clean and nice). Without exception, […]

If I arrive in the UK, and then head to mainland Europe, does my Schengen visa 90 day limit start when I arrived in the UK, or mainland Europe?

5/20/2019 7:25:29 AM The 90 day clock starts when you arrive in mainland Europe. The UK isn’t in the Schengen Area, so your time there has no effect on your Schengen time limit. It’s worth noting that the EU and Schengen Area, while related, are different things: several countries (UK, Ireland, Bulgaria, Romania, Cyprus, Croatia) […]

Is there a benefit to leaving reviews on Expedia?

11/10/2019 10:25:21 PM Not really. The idea is that you’ll leave feedback to help other travellers, as they most likely helped you too by leaving feedback, so you can avoid that dodgy hotel with bedbugs or that restaurant that gave you gastro. The same is apparent with booking.com and other such sites. It’s a ‘I’ll […]

What's this Japanese food?

What's this Japanese food?

3/14/2020 9:17:01 PM It’s called ‘Shirasu’. It’s the juvenile offspring of anchovies, herrings or sardines. In other parts of the world it’s called ‘whitebait’ or ‘gianchetti’, or…other names. The exact species varies from place to place too. reference: Wikipedia What are these airport forecasts? 3/16/2020 7:32:19 PM It looks like shirasu (or “whitebait”): How can […]

What are these airport forecasts?

What are these airport forecasts?

2/29/2020 6:17:08 PM I believe the symbols indicate the risk of delays as the result of weather conditions, as evident from their old graphic style. Taken from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hMQLtNfokoQ Should you sit in the back or the front of Swedish taxis? Credit:stackoverflow.com‘

Which railway stations in the UK only offer travel in one direction?

2/13/2022 7:20:21 PM Answering the question as it was clearly intended (ie ignoring termini where trains reverse). So a formal definition would be something like a station where you can arrive only from one direction and depart only in the same direction (that is away from where you can arrive from). I will include metro […]

What does this Suriname traffic sign mean?

What does this Suriname traffic sign mean?

2/1/2019 3:04:10 PM The meaning of this traffic sign is: parking on the right side of the street is prohibited. Apparently the left side of the sign is intended as being empty, so it has no meaning. The OP’s image is of the Mr. F.H.R. Lim A Po street. This helped in finding a police […]

Japanese etiquette: Most common (and offensive) mistakes?

3/25/2013 5:56:38 PM Two additional points. Never turn your back on someone you are communicating with, someone who is assisting you, or someone you are visiting, especially in a guest’s home. You should not make sudden movements or comments that might be considered argumentative, hostile, or of a delicate nature. You should always preface this […]

FBI digital fingerprints at USPS?

2/10/2020 5:20:27 AM As you found you have to pay an additional $50 at the post office, so the total is $68. The extra $50 is sort of hidden as they say something about additional fees may apply. Note: There are websites on the FBI-Approved Channeler list that will fingerprint and give the full report […]

Refused entry at Gare du Nord due to stolen BRP

1/14/2019 2:14:33 PM Does this “encounter” constitute “refusal of entry”? Yes. Does this mean I have to declare it from now on in all visa applications? Only if asked. Many countries do not ask about refusals of entry to other countries. If you are asked and decide not to mention it because it’s not a […]

Should you sit in the back or the front of Swedish taxis?

2/11/2020 8:41:15 PM Having taken probably hundreds of taxis in Sweden and lived and travelled there many times, I would say that where you sit should not be an issue per se. But, as with anywhere in the world the driver needs to feel comfortable and you might be unlucky to find an awkward one. […]

Can I still travel on the Troika Card even if it goes into a negative balance?

10/22/2019 10:39:51 AM No, unfortunately you don’t have that option. But remember that you can go through the turnstile on right or on the left and use your bank card if it allows contactless payments. It will cost you 42 rubles, which is slightly more, but not as much as buying a single ticket for […]

Can I get bubble tea at Taipei Taoyuan airport?

Can I get bubble tea at Taipei Taoyuan airport?

2/29/2020 10:08:13 AM The milk tea or boba or bubble tea places that are worth visiting at Taoyuan airport are outside of security. There is a place inside security and it was horrendous (boba was hard and chalky). Coco a famous local drink franchise (milk tea and fruit tea) is in terminal 1. There is […]

In a restaurant in Italy, should I be seated when my food arrives?

7/25/2018 1:27:16 AM The only reason that the waiter had to chase you in the toilet is because he was looking for his money. As far as the waiter is concerned, you placed your order and ran; and they want to know if they have to bin the food and maybe call the police. I […]

Filling in ESTA Application – Country of Birth where I was born abroad but on sovereign territory

2/9/2020 11:22:35 AM You were born in Germany. The UK does not have sovereignty over its military bases in Germany. They are still part of the host country, but under extraterritoriality, similar to embassies. For most purposes Germany does not have jurisdiction there, but still asserts sovereignty. There are separate questions on any former or […]

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