Things you wish people explained to you before you went to (insert vacation destination)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What do you wish you had known before visiting (insert vacation destination here)?


I wanted to visit the Amalfi Coast but was unaware of the power outages and the way you must fly to Naples then take a train to Sorrento and then take a ferry and hand carry luggage up to some of the hotels. With little children this seems a bit more challenging. The same for Lake Como and the last train out of town. To ensure to time that visit right.

We flew to Rome and took a car service straight to our hotel on the Amalfi Coast. It was a breeze. To get to Capri we chartered a boat and took a cab to our destination. Easy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I can’t believe so many of you travel to hellholes where you can’t open your mouth in the shower or drink anything with ice cubes or you’ll suffer great bodily harm. Good grief, go enjoy the Florida Keys or Santa Barbara, California or Newport or Maine in the summer.

Not saying those places aren’t stunningly gorgeous places you’ll remember the rest of your life, but you’re missing out on a lot of culture, history, and natural beauty just because you can’t close your mouth in the shower.

Literal mouth breather

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I can’t believe so many of you travel to hellholes where you can’t open your mouth in the shower or drink anything with ice cubes or you’ll suffer great bodily harm. Good grief, go enjoy the Florida Keys or Santa Barbara, California or Newport or Maine in the summer.

I have been to all those places in the summer (used to live in CA), except for ME, and they are all boring compared to going to a different country.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Don't use your left hand to greet people in Asia.

Learn how to use a squat toilet and carry toilet paper or wipes with you everywhere in case for Asia.

Really don't brush your teeth or rinse mouth with tap water in certain countries or have ice or raw vegetables even if they claim they use bottled water....my family learned this the hard way.

Have cash on hand to tip the porter, etc.

Humidity in parts of Asia is awful and wear very light clothing with breathable fabrics and a hat.

Don't get too close to monkeys that appear friendly at the animal sanctuary, they bite and cause you to need a rabies shot and avoid swimming for your whole trip.

Asia is a large continent. All the toilets I used in Korea flushed and had tp.

Korea is an exception, try almost everywhere else in Asia....

Japan? So, now there are two exceptions.

https://www.businessinsider.com/japan-toilets-benefits-bidet-clean-heated-seats-2023-11

https://www.japan.travel/en/blog/beyond-the-bidet-japanese-toilets-at-the-forefront-of-hygiene-and-style/

Also, most of the hotels in Korea had bidets, and we did not stay in high end hotels, and not just Seoul. We have them at home, but DS refused to use it. He was sold on it during our Korea trip.

Japan and Korea are two of the most American-influenced countries in Asia - and you probably only were in major cities. Try China, India, Indonesia outside of Bali, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Myanmar, Thailand....

Even in Japan there are places where I've used hole in the floor toilets! Japan has the most advanced toilets I've ever encountered - and some of the worst. I feel like you just need to be prepared everywhere that the toilets might be weird, and there might not be anyplace to really wash your hands. In India, I started carrying tiny soaps with me everywhere and leaving them places in a passive aggressive hope that other people would use them, too. (That said I never got sick eating in India, and I ate all kinds of places - I LOVED the food in India. As a vegetarian, it was a top of the world experience getting to eat so many delicious things, so many places.)

Really? I don't believe this. Where in Japan was this?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I wish I had insider tips on how to have fun in Madrid. I have been a lot of places, including multiple trips to many European capitals. Madrid was one of our biggest duds in a lifetime of travel.

I also would have chosen off-resort restaurants in Bali more carefully. I got "Bali Belly" which is probably the same thing as "Montezuma's Revenge".

Agree about Madrid. I bet it is a fun place to live but it was harder to enjoy a few days of sightseeing. On a recent trip to Spain we only spent a day there to recover from jet lag and then went to other areas for the rest of the trip.

Yep. Madrid was the most soulless city I've ever been to in Europe. A lot of it reminds me of Midtown Manhattan.

NP-What?! I love Madrid! It is not soulless, it is serious and elegant for the most part. I liked it a lot better than Barcelona which felt chaotic.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I wish someone said the Grand Canyon is not kid friendly and pretty dangerous and it’s not that impressive in my opinion. I loved the arches at Utah but something about our Grabd Canyon trip was a bust.

Dangerous, how so? Thanks!

NP- A misstep on a trail and you are dead. You sit on a ledge and lose balance? You could be dead. It is a very dangerous place for small kids, you could not let a 2yo out of your sight for 2 seconds without them being at risk near the rim. I have vertigo so stayed on the paved biked trail and went viewpoint to viewpoint that way. I disagree about it not being impressive though, it is breathtaking, but the hiking is inherently dangerous.

We went in late April a couple of years ago and there was still snow and ice on the ground. We hired a guide who gave us crampons (steel spikes that fit over your shoes) and hiking poles. As we were hiking, we saw so many people slipping and falling on the ice. I thought someone was going to go over. There were a lot of scared children. I was so thankful for our guide.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I can’t believe so many of you travel to hellholes where you can’t open your mouth in the shower or drink anything with ice cubes or you’ll suffer great bodily harm. Good grief, go enjoy the Florida Keys or Santa Barbara, California or Newport or Maine in the summer.

Not saying those places aren’t stunningly gorgeous places you’ll remember the rest of your life, but you’re missing out on a lot of culture, history, and natural beauty just because you can’t close your mouth in the shower.

I’ve been everywhere. The hellholes are not worth it. Strivers go to them because they’re cheap and to make up for a lack of personality. Y’all need something to brag about.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I can’t believe so many of you travel to hellholes where you can’t open your mouth in the shower or drink anything with ice cubes or you’ll suffer great bodily harm. Good grief, go enjoy the Florida Keys or Santa Barbara, California or Newport or Maine in the summer.

I have been to all those places in the summer (used to live in CA), except for ME, and they are all boring compared to going to a different country.

Translation: I can’t brag to friends about world class domestic destinations. Not exotic enough. And I can’t feel like an aristocrat without underclass servants serving my family cheap slop. Blah.

[Anonymous]

When in Italy, do not wear athletic shoes, shorts or sleeveless clothes into small town catholic churches. Some of them won't let you in. Carry a scarf to cover shoulders whe n you go out.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I can’t believe so many of you travel to hellholes where you can’t open your mouth in the shower or drink anything with ice cubes or you’ll suffer great bodily harm. Good grief, go enjoy the Florida Keys or Santa Barbara, California or Newport or Maine in the summer.

I have been to all those places in the summer (used to live in CA), except for ME, and they are all boring compared to going to a different country.

Translation: I can’t brag to friends about world class domestic destinations. Not exotic enough. And I can’t feel like an aristocrat without underclass servants serving my family cheap slop. Blah.

So, I looked at this thread to see if there were any good tips. And you looked at this thread to...make nasty comments about people because you don't approve of where they go on vacation. What a sad, pathetic life you lead.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I can’t believe so many of you travel to hellholes where you can’t open your mouth in the shower or drink anything with ice cubes or you’ll suffer great bodily harm. Good grief, go enjoy the Florida Keys or Santa Barbara, California or Newport or Maine in the summer.

I have been to all those places in the summer (used to live in CA), except for ME, and they are all boring compared to going to a different country.

Translation: I can’t brag to friends about world class domestic destinations. Not exotic enough. And I can’t feel like an aristocrat without underclass servants serving my family cheap slop. Blah.

So, I looked at this thread to see if there were any good tips. And you looked at this thread to...make nasty comments about people because you don't approve of where they go on vacation. What a sad, pathetic life you lead.

I read the entire thread and I’m shocked by all the casual posts about toxic water, ice, beverages, and food in third world countries. Why would you risk your life even going to such a place? The advice should be to never go to such a place.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This worked out due to luck but could have been a PITA. Had a very early morning flight out of Venice on a Sunday morning and didn’t think through the logistics of getting to the airport. Venice has very few street lights and the ones they do have are pretty dim. A water taxi that the hotel called was our only transport option at that hour. We were lucky that our hotel was on the same block as a water taxi dock. Dragging our luggage in the dark to some other pick up location would have been a PITA.

This happened to a co-worker. They had no idea there were no taxis on roads. They arrived very late after a delayed flight and had to walk 7 miles in the dark with all their luggage!!!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Don't use your left hand to greet people in Asia.

Learn how to use a squat toilet and carry toilet paper or wipes with you everywhere in case for Asia.

Really don't brush your teeth or rinse mouth with tap water in certain countries or have ice or raw vegetables even if they claim they use bottled water....my family learned this the hard way.

Have cash on hand to tip the porter, etc.

Humidity in parts of Asia is awful and wear very light clothing with breathable fabrics and a hat.

Don't get too close to monkeys that appear friendly at the animal sanctuary, they bite and cause you to need a rabies shot and avoid swimming for your whole trip.

Asia is a large continent. All the toilets I used in Korea flushed and had tp.

Korea is an exception, try almost everywhere else in Asia....

Japan? So, now there are two exceptions.

https://www.businessinsider.com/japan-toilets-benefits-bidet-clean-heated-seats-2023-11

https://www.japan.travel/en/blog/beyond-the-bidet-japanese-toilets-at-the-forefront-of-hygiene-and-style/

Also, most of the hotels in Korea had bidets, and we did not stay in high end hotels, and not just Seoul. We have them at home, but DS refused to use it. He was sold on it during our Korea trip.

Japan and Korea are two of the most American-influenced countries in Asia - and you probably only were in major cities. Try China, India, Indonesia outside of Bali, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Myanmar, Thailand....

Even in Japan there are places where I've used hole in the floor toilets! Japan has the most advanced toilets I've ever encountered - and some of the worst. I feel like you just need to be prepared everywhere that the toilets might be weird, and there might not be anyplace to really wash your hands. In India, I started carrying tiny soaps with me everywhere and leaving them places in a passive aggressive hope that other people would use them, too. (That said I never got sick eating in India, and I ate all kinds of places - I LOVED the food in India. As a vegetarian, it was a top of the world experience getting to eat so many delicious things, so many places.)

Really? I don't believe this. Where in Japan was this?

Some people call them squat toilets. I lived in Japan and remember being confused when I first got there. They are in a lot of public restrooms but I guess they are being phased out for western ones.

https://www.nippon.com/en/features/h00360/

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:That Costa Ricans pride themselves on being helpful and hospitable. When leaving the airport looking for the marriott shuttle and some random guy grabs your bag and tells you to follow him he’s generally try to help, no need to allow your fight or flight to take over.

Are you supposed to tip them?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Pigeon Forge is like going to Myrtle Beach/Deliverance in the middle of the TN mountains.

Yikes and not someplace I’d be trying to go to. Went to Myrtle Beach once. That was once too often.

Myrtle Beach is a great place for little kids with so many activities. You don’t go for yourself.