Travel Tips

Do I need a serious reason to enter a US Embassy as a US Citizen?

6/20/2019 9:02:03 PM To offer some information about other embassies, in my case as an Spaniard National I have visited embassies of Spain in other countries just to meet the personnel. In countries where the diplomatic mission is very small and the national community they represent is small, the embassy personnel is very open and […]

I have two passports/nationalities. How do I use them when I travel?

I have two passports/nationalities. How do I use them when I travel?

10/3/2017 8:19:05 PM A wrinkle I just encountered is that some electronic passport readers appear to be linked to departure records. I was travelling from New Zealand to the UK, and have ePassports for both (case 1 of the accepted answer). I showed my UK passport to the airline agent checking me in, and then […]

How does President Trump's travel ban affect nationals of Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria or Yemen coming to the US for tourism/transit/etc?

How does President Trump's travel ban affect nationals of Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria or Yemen coming to the US for tourism/transit/etc?

2/3/2017 10:50:09 PM A message I received from my university three hours ago (2017-01-29, 6 PM UTC) seems to indicate that in Massachusetts the ban is lifted for the next seven days: Early this morning, the Massachusetts federal district court issued a temporary order that restrains the government from enforcing the Executive Order to detain […]

What's the longest distance that can be traveled by only using free transportation?

What's the longest distance that can be traveled by only using free transportation?

9/11/2020 2:25:41 PM As a NSW Pensioner I get two free trips on trainlink NSW. So I can take a train and bus from the Queensland Border to the Victorian Border for free. To be truthful I think this is the situation in all Australian states, a person can travel from state border to border. […]

Why is the price on the shelves for drinks often different from what I actually pay in supermarkets in Germany?

Why is the price on the shelves for drinks often different from what I actually pay in supermarkets in Germany?

8/2/2017 9:01:11 AM Here’s a picture of the logo which is printed on recyclable bottles/cans which carry a deposit (typically €0.25): Considering the amount you paid (€0.15), the juice you bought was in a refillable bottle of 0.5L or more. If you don’t want to be charged the deposit when you purchase your drink, look […]

How to make dining alone less awkward?

12/11/2015 12:42:18 AM Other answers give good ideas for helping you cope with the discomfort of dining alone, but I’d like to suggest solving the problem at its source: the fact that you’re dining alone in a place where that’s uncomfortable. There are two simple ways to solve the problem at its source: Dine in […]

What's the deal with the "string people" in central Paris?

7/3/2019 5:24:25 PM Although I may look like a tourist, I am big enough and loud enough to startle any sensible predator. At the Eiffel tower: When they touched me I objected very loudly and waved my arms angrily reflexively (touching me with anything will trigger this). He was surprised / if not startled. His […]

Can I accidentally miss the in-flight food?

Can I accidentally miss the in-flight food?

8/8/2017 10:34:15 PM I flew a lot on many different airlines, and as a rule I never eat in a plane (yes even on 15 hour flights). Thus it was the opposite problem, but I can still answer based on experience 🙂 In my experience this largely depends on the airline. Thus you need to […]

Why would you wrap your luggage in plastic?

Why would you wrap your luggage in plastic?

8/28/2016 10:13:47 AM Looks like there might be a new reason for doing this. Some international flights are now restricting your checked luggage to one, not two bags, and might cause a fuss when you turn up. As Lifehacker points out: Airlines are cutting corners wherever possible these days, and one of those ways is […]

Norwegian refuses EU delay (4.7 hours) compensation because it turned out there was nothing wrong with the aircraft

9/20/2019 1:37:29 AM In my complaints to the The Norwegian Travel Complaint Handling Body, and the EU Online Disputes Resolution, how should I most effectively argue against this logic? I don’t see that any logic has been presented. Their letter can be boiled down to two things: (1) The departure was allegedly due to exceptional […]

How to avoid toddlers on a long-distance plane flight?

How to avoid toddlers on a long-distance plane flight?

5/28/2016 10:16:04 AM White noise is particularly good at “cushioning” sound so that the highs/lows as well as ambient sounds blend into the background. In fact, there are very well-reviewed machines whose sole purpose is to make white noise to help block out sound and make it easier to fall asleep. For situations like yours, […]

When and why do people clap/applaud after a plane lands?

5/18/2016 11:52:36 AM I would say that some cultures are more emotional and playful to the event of something that could go wrong and this is a way to cope/reliefing with that back of the head stress. Less travel time leads to more excitement. This wears down once flying becomes more frequent in life and […]

When I travel next, I want to reach the point on the earth that is exactly opposite my home, how can I discover where that is?

When I travel next, I want to reach the point on the earth that is exactly opposite my home, how can I discover where that is?

1/5/2015 1:46:15 PM The Google Earth application makes this really easy, no searching or math required. Just choose tools->ruler. Zoom in on your home and click to begin measuring. Zoom out and rotate the globe until the ruler starts spinning around the globe in circles. Zoom in on that spot and keep moving the ruler […]

How can I do a "broad" search for flights?

How can I do a "broad" search for flights?

6/27/2016 5:03:25 PM Since this thread has become the universal flight search engine thread I want to give a breakdown of all the options mentioned in the other answers: http://matrix.itasoftware.com/ (answer) is the most powerful search tool I know of: multiple departure and destination airports (including nearby functionality), +/- 2 days or departure window with […]

How can I convince airport screeners to stop asking why I prefer pat-downs?

6/8/2018 2:30:56 PM I always require a pat down but for a different reason – I want to waste the security staff’s time. When I am asked about why I want a pat down, I am honest “I want to waste your time”. They always accept that (not with a smile, of course). I can […]

Prohibited item forgotten in hand luggage: what to do with it?

Prohibited item forgotten in hand luggage: what to do with it?

2/14/2016 5:37:58 PM Going to post my answer from another question here again: Same thing happened to me at Schiphol with a rather expensive Leatherman Tool. Went back out, down to the newspaper stand and brought a boatload of postage stamps. They were even kind enough to give me a free envelope (otherwise I was […]

How to escape hip-hop CD giveaway scam in New York City?

3/25/2018 4:48:04 AM Life-Long NY’er here: How can one escape this situation safely without giving out any money? 1) Don’t dress like a tourist – that makes you a target. 2) You do what we do in NYC: IGNORE. Behave like a robot – you do not see them, hear them or have awareness of […]

How can I find restaurants in the USA where tipping is not expected?

5/15/2018 1:52:10 PM would much rather eat at sit-down restaurants in the United States that pay their employees fairly without expecting customers to supplement with tips This might be a bit counter-intuitive but many restaurants in the States also have something called: service included. When you get the bill the tip is effectively automatically added. […]

Should I submit bank statements when applying for a UK Visa? What do they say about me?

Should I submit bank statements when applying for a UK Visa? What do they say about me?

10/6/2017 9:37:08 PM Table of Contents What Is the Purpose of Bank Statements?What Do My Bank Statements Say About Me?The Ideal CaseFunds ParkingOpacityInsufficient CapacityErratic/unstable LifestyleOther FAQsProportionalityDependent Spouses and Children Under 18How much do I need in order to apply?Can I use a co-sponsor?Can I use prepaid credit cards?I don’t have enough bank statementsCan I purchase […]

Airline reservations require name to exactly match passport, but won't allow entering name that way

1/30/2020 1:56:57 AM My surname is not uncommon in The Netherlands where my parents come from. While I’ve always had to go to extra lengths to make sure my name is as correct as possible in official documents, I have never even had the hint of a problem when traveling. My airline tickets often show […]

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