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.

Hire a driver to meet you at the Naples airport or train station. Getting to the Amalfi Coast is not the difficult piece. The difficulties are the heat and the crowds if you travel in the summer.

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.

+1 to the umbrellas in Scotland!

Anonymous wrote:Rental cars with automatic transmissions aren’t a given and usually come with a hefty upcharge if available.

And even if you’ve reserved an automatic, they might not have one available when you arrive. Nothing like polishing up your rusty manual transmission skills while going through roundabouts trying to read Welsh road signs.

If something in your heart is pulling you towards an object for sale, especially if handcrafted, just buy it! In the states if you have regret, you can go online and purchase later. There are many purchases I wish I had just splurged on in while I was there because I can’t get them again. Better buyer’s remorse than regretting not buying something you can’t find again.

If you are traveling with kids in a place where you can’t drink the water, put a sock over the faucet to remind them not to brush their teeth with it.

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.

That one got me last time!

Anonymous wrote:In Spain, Italy and maybe more, keep toilet money on you at all times

And shopping cart money for various Euro countries.

Be prepared to weigh your own produce and bag your own stuff.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:-Amsterdam: you need to have your physical passport on you to rent a car, at least where we went.

-Don’t shave before going in the Dead Sea

-No clothing or shoes will fit you in Japan if you are bigger than a size small so make sure you pack what you need.

I honeymooned in thailand, arguably my tiniest most gorgeous self after working hard for the wedding, and trying to shop was horrifying. "Sorry, no plus size" and I was like a size 6

Wow that’s awful!

That’s most of Asia. I am a size 6 and I bought large in Malaysia. I didn’t even bother trying on the cute clothes in Korea.

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.

Driving on the opposite side of the road is less difficult than I imagined in many regards but I didn’t realize the biggest challenge would be drifting in my lane. Good to get a rental with lane assist

In Mexico we mostly had smooth sailing with renting a car but got scammed at a gas station. Refuse to pay if they lie and say the card reader is down. If you do pay in cash, count out the bills verbally

In both Costa Rica and Mexico we arrived to find our booked hotel no longer available to us. Always confirm the day before and check your spam folder for cancellations.

Didn’t realize I’d need British coins for bathrooms.

Bring your own toilet paper on safari.

Anonymous wrote:I learned after my cruise a couple years ago, that you can still get hit with the motion sickness a few days after your cruise, even if it didn’t bother you during the cruise.

I had the worst vertigo after I got back. It started about 3 days afterwards and lasted a week or so, it was awful, but the cruise itself was great.

I think it’s unusual for it to strike after a few days, but it is standard for sailors to still “feel the boat moving” after disembarking. It’s especially bad when you close your eyes. Can’t tell you how many times I’ve almost fallen over in the shower after a long sailing trip. Your inner ear gets used to the motion, and it’s confused by dry land.

I learned after my cruise a couple years ago, that you can still get hit with the motion sickness a few days after your cruise, even if it didn’t bother you during the cruise.

I had the worst vertigo after I got back. It started about 3 days afterwards and lasted a week or so, it was awful, but the cruise itself was great.

I didn’t realize how many of the bathrooms in London would not have a mirror, paper towels or a trash can. That took some getting used to.

Anonymous wrote:In Spain, Italy and maybe more, keep toilet money on you at all times

Germany too. But also just have cash on you. Surprisingly few vendors take credit cards.

Rental cars with automatic transmissions aren’t a given and usually come with a hefty upcharge if available.