Tips and advice on world wide travel.

[David Morton]

The idea for this thread came from visa entry problems for India that Mike Gaan currently has had. Where ever you travel in the world and you want to pass on advice, tips, places to see, places to avoid as well - anything that is interesting - then fill your boots on this thread.
Mike has already put some information about visas and more about high altitude destinations on his thread about Visas in India. In it's self, the last tip is golden advice as we had a friend who was casevaced out from a holiday at high altitude with heart problems and vast expense - finally to him.

Dave M

 

[David Morton]

South Africa as a starter to this thread:
Restaurants of note:
Johannesburg: The Butchers Shop in Nelson Square (part of the Sandton Mall)
Brilliant steak and if your country allows you to import it ,
they will vacuum pack fresh meat for you.
Late Night Al's in the Rosebank Mall - a 42oz plate of ribs and
if you manage to eat it , they'll give you another one free. Superb
food.

Durban The Royal Hotel at lunch time has the best Afrikaans Curry anywhere
in the world in the Ulundi Restaurant. Just amazing.

Simons Town The Black Marlin at Millers Point - basically on the main road down to
the cape. Seafood to die for and the restaurant has an open
air balcony over looking the sea as well. Very popular in the days of
the Royal Navy putting into port here.

Stellenbosch The Neetlingshof Vinyard - fabulous wine tasting sessions which can
end up totally boozed out. Fabulous restaurant famed for traditional
Sunday lunches. BA Stewardesses generally could not take the pace and often fell into a coma - usually during the starter for lunch.


Special wines (to me)? Kanonkopf.......... without doubt.


Security in SA. Always use a pukker taxi or your own hire car to go everywhere. At night
keep going at red lights. If you get bumped from behind drive off immediately. Dont carry much cash.

With a bit of luck we may tempt Andre to resurface and tell us a few more tips.

 

[glen]

don't take a guitar!!! loads of questions about illegally working etc...:furious:

 

[David Morton]

From Mike Gaan's thread / post on 'Visas to India':

Re. Tips on travelling, for those going to high altitude destinations (the Alte Plano of Peru for example - Lake Titicaca (12,000+'), Cuzco (11,000+') and Machu Picchu (8,000')
it is a good idea to take high altitude pills with you (e.g. diamox) before you start, especially if you're a senior citizen like me, but it is NOT a good idea to take sleeping pills while taking diamox, 'nuff said? )<!-- google_ad_section_end -->

 

[Julian]

From Mike Gaan's thread / post on 'Visas to India':

Re. Tips on travelling, for those going to high altitude destinations (the Alte Plano of Peru for example - Lake Titicaca (12,000+'), Cuzco (11,000+') and Machu Picchu (8,000') it is a good idea to take high altitude pills with you (e.g. diamox) before you start, especially if you're a senior citizen like me, but it is NOT a good idea to take sleeping pills while taking diamox, 'nuff said? )<!-- google_ad_section_end -->

If you are going direct from sea level then plan to spend a day or two at an intermediate elevation to acclimatize. Altitude sickness affects even the most healthy of people and you won't enjoy your visit with a thumping headache and shortness of breath. Also be prepared for the cold. I worked in a remote mine at 14,000' elevation between Arequipa and Cuzco, it's a beautiful part of the World but the elevation is physically demanding.

 

[Anthony]

Mumbai, India - The Grand Hyatt is big, fairly pricey, good food but only 1 bar inside and 1 bar outside, so for an extended trip is a little boring can also be a little noisy. Its a 10mins taxi ride to the ILFS and other major corp headquarters and 35 mins from teh airport. By all accounts the Leela is a better hotel and its where I/we will be staying next in Mumbai. Unfortunately the one in Pune is not finished yet, any suggestions for a good hotel in Pune?

 

[Pete McCluskey.]

Queenstown New Zealand. Just do it, you will love it.

 

[David Morton]

Ant - yes the Leela is really nice with v comfortable rooms and good restaurant.I'll ask my eldest daughter Sarah about Pune and get back to you.

 

[Dalton Veitch]

I'd like to throw in an obvious general tip, more for infrequent travellers.
When you stop somewhere for refuelling, say Bangkok, and they say you will just be in a transit lounge then back on the same plane so you can leave your cabin stuff, be careful. ALWAYS take all your travel documents with you. Even though isolated in a transit lounge, then re-boarding, you can be run through security and requested to produce your boarding pass etc.

 

[Trevor Booth]

never leave anything on an aircraft during refuelling stops.

China,
never get in a red taxi make sure taxi is marked with phone number on doors.

never get in a pedal taxi (modern ricshaw)

exchange your money In china, the rate is better.

Book internal flights in China not from o/seas

Book any tourist trips through the hotel you are staying in

Hotels in Shanghai Jin Jiang (originally a Cathay hotel) Howard Johnson, suissehotel
Book your accomodation via the www. Generally they are very good hotels in the main citys, some of the others are a bit of an adventure.

trains are OK
dont travel on buses

Phillipines,
for getting around manilla, the buses are Ok, for trips out of town to the surrounding areas hire a car and driver.

France,
If english speaking , wear something to identify the country you are from. If you dont they will think you are English and they are very unfriendly for some reason.

Hotels- luck of the drawn in paris, parking is anywhere you find a spot, southern part of France plenty of places to stay.

everything is old in france

Cuba,
carry small notes, they dont often have change ( cambio)

use local taxi, not tourist taxi-- 1/4 of the price

if you hire a car, fill it up with petrol immediately - the gauge has been "played with" and when you return it take it back empty

Dont venture towards Guantanamo by yourself

great eating places along the malecon

mirramar area is the place to stay

safe to walk around by your self

learn some spanish

you will enjoy the place especially the pre 59 cars

Colombia,
Barranquilla is OK but would not go to Bogota and Calli these days.

Venezuela,
dont go walking by yourself

visit the island of marguerita.

hotels generally ok

Ecuador,

Just have fun

The rest of South America

fantastic people, check the room before you pay, food is great, buses are safe, travel light
dont forget Patagonia

North America,

There are so many must do things and places to go, speak to a Forum member

make sure you have at least first night accomodation booked before you arrive, they will ask you !!

The UK,
just visit all the race tracks and museums, keep your eye open for lots of little private museums as you drive around, like france every thing is old

Australia,
come and find out for yourself

 

[David Morton]

Brilliant Trevor - thanks for compiling this.

 

[Rick S.]

I have found that when dealing with jet lag, force yourself into the local time zone. Don't take a nap when you arrive. Get out into the fresh air. Go to bed at local bed time and force yourself to get up in the morning. I think the fresh air really helps, and exposure to the natural light / dark cycle programs your body.

If you are on vacation, pretend you have a business meeting in the morning...

Always ask the hotel what areas to avoid when walking about.


Go to New Zealand.

 

[David Morton]

Often that was never an option for me and I carried a supply of what was then called Normison (even the Royal Air Force prescribed this) and later Temazepam. You know that feeling when you land at 0530rs, hotel by 0715hrs and the cleaners are already active in the corridors and adjacent rooms. Well, a 10mg temazepam overcomes the problems (unless it's an excited couple in an adjacent room which usually keeps 'one' awake a bit longer). They do have a use for large changes of time zones, more so on east bound flights. Although I'm now retired from that sort of thing , I still have a supply of temazepam which are really great for getting on a long haul trip and being alseep almost before take off and then it's very easy to 'hit the gound running'.
Sure - if you google it, the side effects are horrendous but we are talking a 10mg about 4 times a month.

 

[Julian]

Colombia,
Barranquilla is OK but would not go to Bogota and Calli these days.

Colombia is indeed a beautiful country, I lived there for 3 years, people are really friendly, but it is a third World country with a lot of poverty, so dress down and don't be too flash with money etc.

Cartagena is safe for tourists, Bogota in the main areas too.
Medellin is reasonably safe these days and was our favorite City to visit if we were not at one of the coastal towns to go Scuba diving. Calli is a little less safe and you need a local guide. Some knowledge of Spanish is required to venture anywhere on your own in Colombia IMO. The big no no is hiking in or driving across the mountainous (e.g. the lost City) regions as the Geurillas operate out of the hills, where they can disappear back into the bush quickly and kidnapping is still a lucrative business.

 

[Pete McCluskey.]

The Amalfi coast region of Italy is also very beautiful, hire a car and get a guide to drive you around, get off the beaten track and visit some of the small Villages. The Hotel Santa Caterina is superb. Most of the small village restaurants are to die for, but who does not like Italian Food?

Amalfi Coast Campania - Amalfi Coast Italy Travel and Leisure

 

[Trevor Booth]

Dealing with room service can sometimes be a bit of a problem. When you the phone, the conversation can go like this ;

Room Service : "Morrin. Roon sirbees."

Guest : "Sorry, I thought I dialed room-service."

Room Service: " Rye . Roon sirbees...morrin! Joowish to oddor sunteen???"

Guest: "Uh.... Yes, I'd like to order bacon and eggs."

Room Service: "Ow ulai den?"

Guest: ".....What??"

Room Service: "Ow ulai den?!?... Pryed, boyud, pochd?"

Guest: "Oh, the eggs! How do I like them? Sorry.. Scrambled, please."

Room Service: "Ow ulai dee bayken ? Creepse?"

Guest: "Crisp will be fine."

Room Service: "Hokay. An sahn toes?"

Guest: "What?"

Room Service: "An toes. ulai sahn toes?"

Guest: "I... Don't think so.."

RoomService: "No? Udo wan sahn toes???"

Guest: "I feel really bad about this, but I don't know what 'udo wan sahn toes' means."

RoomService: "Toes! Toes!...Why Uoo don wan toes? Ow bow Anglish moppin we botter?"

Guest: "Oh, English muffin! !! I've got it! You were saying 'toast'...
Fine...Yes, an English muffin will be fine."

RoomService: "We botter?"

Guest: "No, just put the botter on the side."

RoomService: "Wad?!?"

Guest: "I mean butter... Just put the butter on the side."

RoomService: "Copy?"

Guest: "Excuse me?"

RoomService: "Copy...tea..meel?"

Guest: "Yes. Coffee, please... And that's everything."

RoomService: "One Minnie. Scramah egg, creepse bayken , Anglish moppin, we botter on sigh and copy ... Rye ??"

Guest: "Whatever you say."

RoomService: "Tanjooberrymutts."

Guest: "You're welcome"