Travel Tips From Globetrotters
The Dream Trip Contest runner-up who submitted this photo, entitled "Icelandic Beauty," shared great travel tips too.
Photo: Angela Drury
by Wendy Perrin
You already know that Brook and I have been busy planning the $20,000 blow-out trip for the lucky winner of Conde Nast Traveler's 2007 Dream Trip Contest. And you know that winner Gene Pembroke of Philly submitted terrific travel tips. What you may not know, however, is that the 19 other finalists also shared gems of advice (we asked them each for three travel tips as part of their contest entry). It would be a crime not to share these, so voila:
Angela Drury, San Francisco, CA.:
* Pack a pair of old, loved, well-worn walking shoes.
Your feet will be
comfortable and blister-free, and you won't care if the shoes get muddy
or soaked in a downpour. In a packing pinch, you can even leave them
behind when you head home, making space for new purchases.
* Visit a local cemetery.
It's an unexpected place to learn about the culture and history of a town and its people. And there's no charge.
Paul Timpa, New York, NY:
* Bring the cable that connects your digital camera to a TV.
Use it at night to check the day's photos on your hotel-room
television. If you see that your pictures are blurry or otherwise
flawed -- something you often can't make out on the camera's small LCD -- you
can go back and reshoot.
* Create and save a packing list on your computer.
Use it to
pack for your trip, and when you get back, add any items that you
forgot and needed to acquire while you were away. After a few trips,
you will have a comprehensive packing list and will never forget
anything.
More tips after the jump.
Bruce Benedict, Mission Viejo, CA:
* Carry a small roll of duct tape and a ball of nylon string.
These are invaluable for mending items ranging from broken shoes to bags. The string can be used as a belt, a handle, or a clothesline. Carry reclosable plastic bags of various sizes, too: These are useful
for anything that might leak, such as an ice pack, or for wrapping foodstuffs.
* Bring an LED headlamp.
They're helpful for exploring dark passages in ancient castles and for illuminating late-night walks home from the pub. They free your hands when you're
working in an unlit area or reading in a tent at night.
Ray Grasso, Wethersfield, CT:
* Before zipping up your packed suitcase at home, photograph the inside with your digital camera. When you claim your luggage at your destination's baggage carousel, open the suitcase and compare what you see with the image. If you don't discover that something is missing until you get to your hotel, you will have no recourse with the airline.
* Pack old, worn-out undergarments that you've been meaning to replace.
After wearing them, discard them. This will lighten your luggage and make room for things you want to buy.
Linda Morrison, Ellensburg, WA:
* When you arrive at your destination, purchase one or two sets of local clothes to wear during your trip.
It shows respect for the culture, allows you to wear comfortable outfits suited to the weather, and makes negotiating while shopping easier, since the sellers will see your attire and assume you know what the price should be.
Stay tuned for more travel tips from the Dream Trip runners-up, later this week.
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These are great tips, and I've added a link from my blog (http://www.gooahucard.com/blog/). Keep up the great work!
Posted by: GoCardUSA | October 12, 2007 at 10:27 AM