I’m taking part in the Traveling Brown Girls Blog Carnival that is running from August to April 2013. If you want to find out more about it and how you can take part, click on the picture above for more details. And no, you don’t have to be brown to participate, the host One Brown Girl does NOT roll like that 🙂
The first installment of blog posts will run on One Brown Girl this Tuesday, August 14, so make sure to stop by her site to read what other bloggers are saying on the topic –> Travel Etiquette Revisited: My Top 5 Travel Pet Peeves. I’m looking forward to discovering some other traveling bloggers.
So with out further ado, here are my top 5 travel pet peeves listed for specific people who irk me on my travels. But first a throwback photo from my years living in New Zealand.
To ignorant other tourists: When you don’t even bother to learn ‘yes’, ‘no’, ‘toilet’, ‘please’ and ‘thank you‘ (and perhaps even ‘beer’ or ‘wine’ depending on what kind of trip you are planning) in the language of your host country, but insist on losing it on the waitress or other service staff trying to help you muddle through, I say shame on you. And please, don’t look at me conspiratorially and roll your eyes as if to say, ‘Why doesn’t this silly Korean woman speak English?’, cause if you say it to me out loud, I will probably respond, ‘Because she is in Korea! So she speaks Korean, Fool!‘ Ask yourself, are you here to immerse yourself in a new culture and enjoy new experiences, or are you here to transplant your same old life to a new place? Don’t forget, you don’t have to be fluent, but a little graciousness goes a long way.
To Tourist operators: When you open an exhibit in several parts of the country, but then make it $10 more expensive in the tourist centers, that is just not cool. Furthermore, when you ask the person selling the uber expensive tickets why they are more expensive than in the rest of the country, you might want to instruct him NOT to reply, ‘Because this is where all the tourists come, and we know they often don’t get a chance to see the rest of the country, so we figure might as well sting ’em for a few extra bucks.’ Oh really? Well, good thing this tourist did travel the rest of the country. And guess, what? I wrote your whole company off my list of things to do.
To Airlines: Why is it when I arrive at the recommended 2 hours before my flight I still manage to not to get checked in on time, missing my connecting flight? Booo…Hisss…Nothing worst than standing in line, not getting answers and then being bumped to the next flight. Get it sorted. Whatever the issue, being overbooked, actually needing me there earlier, whatever, just let me know. I booked that time because I actually wanted to get on then, not later.
To Parents traveling with kids: Please, oh please do not carry on the loudest toy that your child owns. Trust me, I know how difficult it can be to fly with kids. I did 13 hours from New Zealand to LAX and then another 8 hours across to Montreal about 8 times when my son was between the ages of 9 months and 4 years old. But, think twice about what will keep your littlies entertained as well as your fellow travelers onside – coloring, creative play with masking tape, cards, their are endless less noisy possibilities. A few of my bloggy friends and I discussed some tips for traveling with toddlers here that you might find helpful.
To the person who entered the plane before their row was called: Well done you. You got on the plane first. Too bad no one else can get on and the line is pilling up behind you as you fight with shoving your oversized bags in the overhead compartment. Why didn’t you wait until your row was called? That way we could have all entered the plane in an orderly fashion. Their would have been no side-eye and huffing and puffing. Not a nice way to start the flight. We all know who’s not gonna follow instructions if something goes wrong.
What are your travel pet peeves?
The airline one gets me! The last time I flew, we were delayed because the flight crew had gotten in late the night before and not completed their mandatory rest period. They couldn’t have updated the flight information to reflect that?
Mariah recently posted..Keeping Toddlers Busy: Pom Poms & Bottles (Mom Made Easy)
We are just plebs! Our time doesn’t matter LOL
Some tourists definitely make it feel like a chore momentarily when we travel, don’t they? I haven’t flown yet, and am in no hurry to for the very reasons you mention!
Michelle recently posted..YumEarth Organics Candy Giveaway – Enter to Win a Year’s Supply of Candy! Ends 8/24/12 (US)
LOL, airlines are more my pet peeve…they’re not as pet friendly as they claim.
Cinny recently posted..Putting my hairy pits to the test
Geeze sounds like some folks didn’t the instructions on how to stand in line and wait your turn back in grade school…or was that kindergarten?
Or maybe they were too too dumb to get it…
Then again it could just be selfish, self centeredness. Seems to be lots of that going around these days.
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LOL Great list!
And you’re right, a little graciousness in a country that is not your own goes a LONG LONG way!
Everyone needs to learn to say thank you in the language of the country they are visiting. This ignorance has gone on too long.
I travel at times in the early “am hours”. There has been a flight or two that I’ve been on that was delayed because the flight crew didn’t get their required rest. I too wish they would have notified us before we left the house(text, email). Could have gotten an extra hour or two sleep. haha!!
Read about my twin sister and I 5 Travel Pet Peeves at: http://www.wcptakealeap.blogspot.com/2012/08/travel-etiquette-my-top-5-travel-pet.html
Lol at “she is in Korea, Fool”. Knowing at least the basics and using them is like the first step of experiencing a new place. Not expecting others to speak English is just common sense! You are in another country! LOL!!
Michaela recently posted..Resident Tourist — Local Escape to Pacifico Cantina
Don’t you just love the folks who stand in the middle of the aisle on a plane blocking traffic while they fiddle with something in their bag? Can’t they do that in their seat and get up when they’ve got themselves together? Ugh!
Winks & Smiles,
Wifey
HAHAHA! I am laughing so hard a the last point. It also drives me crazy when people are just taking their time in the isle. Hello! You are NOT the only one on this plane!
HAHA! Oh yes…those parents who think loud toys are appropriate for the crampped space of an airplane: TOTAL pet peeve! Or, not having your kids where ear phone for that personal DVD player.
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