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

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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?

Yes, actually I kind of hated this about CR lol. I can carry my own luggage and don't need/want to tip someone to walk my luggage to my car, but they just sort of took it and I didn't have a chance.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:For countries like MX where you can't drink the water, is it safe to use it to wash your hands before eating? Can you use it to wash your hair?

I wear contacts and usually just wash my hands then pop my contacts in or out. How do people navigate that in MX? It's not like you can use hand sanitizer and do that without killing your eyeballs.

Just came back from Mexico City. Yes you can shower and wash your hair with tap water. I wear contacts as well and washed my hands in sink as usual. No problem. I brushed my teeth as well and had no problem. But I used bottled water to rinse my mouth out.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The "private" sky clubs are an overcrowded joke; full of misers and gross food.

This is helpful. I have always wondered, and thought I might get a CC that provided access. I guess I will tough it out with all the other non-VIPs (like me).

[Anonymous]

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 Grand Canyon trip was a bust.

Ours too. I regretted going with my kids when they were 8 and 4. I spent the whole time worrying they were going to trip and fall and fly over the edge (somewhat irrational, I know). Also, they were too young to do any real hiking. Would have been more enjoyable now that they're teens/tweens.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES SHOULD YOU EVER EAT REEF FISH IN THE CARIBBEAN.

This could save you many, maaaaany years of pain and suffering.

How about shellfish like lobster and crab?

Fine


Reef fish are landmines because they feed on reef Flora that build up toxins. You eat the fish and get the toxins that attack your nervous system. It causes decades of pain and suffering....all from a simple dinner meal. Lobster and crab don't feed on reef organisms.

I've spent so much time in the Caribbean and in the Yucatan (second biggest reef in the world) and I've never heard of this. I'm not doubting you at all, but I'd like to hear more. What fish are "reef fish"? I'd love to avoid this problem!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:For countries like MX where you can't drink the water, is it safe to use it to wash your hands before eating? Can you use it to wash your hair?

I wear contacts and usually just wash my hands then pop my contacts in or out. How do people navigate that in MX? It's not like you can use hand sanitizer and do that without killing your eyeballs.

I've spent many years going to Mexico as my family has a house there. I use the water to wash my hands, boil it to cook my food in, but I will use bottled water for brushing my teeth, I keep my mouth closed in the shower, and I avoid ice in more small-scale restaurants. I've never had an issue.

[Anonymous]

Which countries have water that will most likely make someone sick?

for me, it was Peru. I knew to not drink the water or brush my teeth with it where I was (Cusco). But I ate the grapes in the breakfast bar. Took me so long to come back from that bout of food poisoning.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Which countries have water that will most likely make someone sick?

for me, it was Peru. I knew to not drink the water or brush my teeth with it where I was (Cusco). But I ate the grapes in the breakfast bar. Took me so long to come back from that bout of food poisoning.

Wow, that sounds horrible. Sorry that happened to you!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:That monkeys at Siam Reap are not cute and need to be avoided.

That the heat and humidity in Vietnam is so much worse than DC. Wear lightweight clothes.

That umbrellas don't work in Scotland. Bring a hooded rain jacket.

If you are traveling in a country where you can't drink the water, keep your mouth closed in the shower too.

Agree with all of these. Also, in a country where you can’t drink the tap water, you also shouldn’t brush your teeth with the tap water (because you’re lazy/thinking “oh it’s not that much water!”) Same with washing fruit. Do not ask me how I know.

+1 and also ice in your drinks.

I get this advice all the time and wonder what water you think restaurants use to wash their fruits and vegetables.

I had no issues in rural Mexico over several trips or El Salvador (many parts of the country, rural and urban) where I ate street food, little hole in the walls, or people’s homes, and have only gotten ill in Costa Rica where supposedly you can drink the water (I didn’t anyway) and we only ate at nice restaurants and hotels. You can get sick anywhere, always travel with Imodium because it may not be readily available.

One thing I wasn’t prepared for in Central America is just how insanely humid it is. We stayed in climate controlled hotels and NOTHING ever dried. Our swimsuits and hiking clothes came home smelling pretty funky despite hanging everything to dry as soon as possible. Took a while to clear that odor from our stuff. I also wasn’t prepared for the size of some of the pests (spiders and scorpions) we found in our (again, nice!) hotel rooms. I also really wanted and needed ice in London and our hotel seemed to find it such an odd request and couldn’t fulfill it. I needed ice for an injury/strain and wouldn’t have minded some cold water! We lucked out with big rooms in the UK all three cities I’ve visited so I guess that’s unusual.

I went to the Cayman Islands and turned the lights on in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom and found dozens of huge roaches all over my floor. I had shared my hotel room with friends the previous nights and walked in the dark then so didn't know!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:For some unknown reason, most showers over baths in France don't have a door or curtain. I don't know what they enjoy water spraying all over the floor.

Also, there are no washcloths in Europe in general.

[Anonymous]

How complicated transportation is Tokyo is! Both Japan railway and the subway can be used to cross the city, different payment systems.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:That monkeys at Siam Reap are not cute and need to be avoided.

That the heat and humidity in Vietnam is so much worse than DC. Wear lightweight clothes.

That umbrellas don't work in Scotland. Bring a hooded rain jacket.

If you are traveling in a country where you can't drink the water, keep your mouth closed in the shower too.

Agree with all of these. Also, in a country where you can’t drink the tap water, you also shouldn’t brush your teeth with the tap water (because you’re lazy/thinking “oh it’s not that much water!”) Same with washing fruit. Do not ask me how I know.

+1 and also ice in your drinks.

I get this advice all the time and wonder what water you think restaurants use to wash their fruits and vegetables.

In countries with serious water concerns, you’re only supposed to eat fruit you can peel or cooked veggies.

[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.

This is similar to my experience in Thailand. The Thai locals and visitor people at the train station are actually being kind and trying to help you. Very different from the train station people in paris, France. Lol

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The "private" sky clubs are an overcrowded joke; full of misers and gross food.

Kind of true. The food isn’t great, but who doesn’t like a free beer, cocktail or coffee? I do like theUnited Club in Denver. Only been there once, but got a roomy layout and is nicely designed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The "private" sky clubs are an overcrowded joke; full of misers and gross food.

Kind of true. The food isn’t great, but who doesn’t like a free beer, cocktail or coffee? I do like theUnited Club in Denver. Only been there once, but got a roomy layout and is nicely designed.

Nothing is free.