Travel Wisdom by Trial and Error

I started posting on this forum about 8 years ago. Since then I have been to 12 European countries and have spent a total of about 16 months in Europe. Although this site has helped bunches, it is true that you can learn A LOT through experiences. Some things that have stuck with me are:
1) Avoid travelling on a holiday. We learned the hard way when we arrived in Sevilla on a holiday in June. We were staying in an apartment and almost starved to death because NOTHING was open... well, not until about 10 that evening. In the meantime, we drank water from the tap to fill out empty tummies. Which takes me to another tip...

2) ...always have a snack in your luggage :)

3) When people suggest not overpacking, they MEAN it!! It took me a few years to really catch on to the wisdom of this -, lagging luggage here, there and everywhere, up and down steps and down cobblestone streets gets old. I have learned not to worry about packing every little thing and to stick with the basics. This includes make-up (oh, if only you knew how deeply I was attached to the idea of packing 3 months worth of cosmetics...) and toiletries (and yes, I would pack 3 months worth of deodorant and lotion). I was a hot mess!!!!

4) Don't overplan. Some of the best moments we had were spontaneous.

5) Don't pack 6 cities into 12 days. On paper, it might make sense, but in real life... My first trip I spent 2 days in Florence, 2 in Rome and 24 hours in Venice, paranoid that I had to because I would never get back to Italy. But you have to go with the mentality that you WILL go back (even if you never do), and don't go to a place just to say you went, but devote enough time to truly enjoy it.

P.S. - ironically, since that chaotic first trip to Italy, I have spent over 9 months in Italy. Dream can come true!!!

Here are a couple we have learned:
1. Reserve your first night's stay after a long plane trip. We didn't one time and spent hours finding a place. We were both cranky, hungry and tired before we finally put our head down on a pillow.

1. Kindness serves you best. A smile will go much further than being an ugly American. Sounds logical huh?!

2. I agree with don't overplan and SLOW DOWN!. We are still learning this. I am planning less and less...I have a outline of possible places to see and activities to do, but if we don't get there then maybe another time. It is better to really enjoy what you are doing then doing soooo much you don't relax and enjoy.

3. The lighter the suitcase the better. My husband is still learning this. We are leaving for the Galapagos and Quito Ecuador next week and I know the discussion/fight will be coming. He also carries too much camera equipment but since that is his passion and I refuse to carry any of it, it sort of works out.

I will add a couple.

1. Observe, especially when doing something new. Watch how other people do things.

2. When ever possible arrive early. It sure helps with understanding what is going on and when you are not pressed for time you tend to be less pushy and obnoxious.

3. What others have said about not over planning. I rarely plan beyond what city/village/area I will be in. I have an idea of sites or activities, but I roll with it once I am there. I like to wander back streets and bump into things rather then rush from point A to point B. You would never hear me say I have two hours free on this day what should I do with it.

Nothing like practical experience for learning. We too learned the packing light thing the hard way - but it only took one trip fortunately. And I always have snacks with me - even at home. Some of our other lessons:

• If you are in a small town on a Sunday and nowhere to eat is open - try the train station.

• Make note if you are traveling on a day when the clocks change for DST

• Open a bottle of wine on the train and you will make new friends

I disagree with the comments about overplanning. If you don't get advance tickets for certain activities/visits, you may not be able to do them-example: Palace at the Alhambra, Christmas Eve service at Westminster Abbey. I would suggest only planning one or two major sights per day and remembering that when you change locations, most of the day will be used for traveling and getting settled in your new lodgings. Also, if you are a fan of museums, plan more than one visit during your trip to the biggies-there's a limit to how much of the British Museum you can absorb in one day!

Yes - I do forget sometimes about the holiday thing - case in point, last month when we went to Netherlands, we went a bit earlier to avoid the whole King's Day thing (I shouldn't say earlier, but we did reverse the trip to start in the NL and end in the UK), but of course, we were there over Easter. And I wasn't paying attention to what day was what - so we went to Kinderdijk on the Sat and went to Gouda on Easter Sunday - of course, Gouda was pretty much closed up tight, except for the cheese house and the city hall and a few cheese stores. We amused ourselves with a walking tour, but had I been paying attention, we should have reversed our days and gone to Gouda on Sat when things would have been open. We arrived in Dordrecht on Good Friday and if it wasn't closed up tight, things closed early.

And I do the airport thing for sure - mostly because our flights to Europe from Halifax are very limited. Pretty much Heathrow is our only choice for the time of year we travel. We did fly once to Montreal to fly to Paris, but it seemed so silly to fly west, then fly back east over home, adding hours to our trip over. I'd much rather just get to Heathrow and connect over there to wherever it is we are going, since flights are cheaper and many.

...and especially what Monique said about moving around too much. Our first trip in 2008 was not overly rushed, but our 2010 trip was 'if it's Friday, it must be...' trip. Mostly because my husband wanted to see so much because 'what if we don't get back?'. I think we had about 12 stays in 22 nights (of those, 6 were one night stays, and we dipped our toe into 6 countries). Coming home, looking at the photos a few months later, hubby didn't even recognize Munich - where was that? he says.

We have been back of course 4 more times since, but he still falls into the trap of...is there enough to do for x number of nights? Case in point is last month - do we need to stay in Amsterdam 5 nights? Well, because of day trips, we could have stayed 7 nights! But I do the planning, so I set the number of nights now without much input from him. Next year I want to see Scotland and hubby is like...we haven't been to Italy for a few years, maybe we can do Italy and Scotland (insert eyeroll here)...I'm like, we will have plenty to fill two weeks in Scotland and other parts of England we haven't seen.

Wonderful advice so far. My two (well, three) cents:

1. Preparing by knowing and understanding the place you are visiting should not be confused with over planning. I wholeheartedly agree that every minute of every day should not be planned, while I also agree that you must plan for the major sites that require advanced reservations. By studying and preparing ahead of time you know how to make the best use of your time to allow that spontaneity that is such a joy in a vacation.

2. Take the time to learn key phrase and words in the country you are visiting. Be able to recognize them in print and, even better, be familiar with what they sound like orally. Using a free app like Duolingo (or any of the other options out there) will go a long way in helping you feel confident you can navigate your chosen destination effectively.

3. Spend the time to read all the advice on this forum and others. It helps you make informed decisions that work for you and your family when travelling. We will all do things a bit differently, but the wonderful advice shared freely by seasoned travelers cannot be beat and works as an excellent starting point for your own decisions! (Don't forget to give back once you have made your own trip.)

I second mrp's note about language. I traveled to Paris and had only learned the phrase "I'm sorry but I don't speak French... please, do you speak English?" and found that once any French person heard me trying to speak French (and butchering the language in the process, unfortunately), they took pity on me, switched to (usually perfect) English, and were incredibly friendly and helpful.

My experience was a huge contrast to many of my traveling companions, who started every conversation in English with a loud "DO YOU SPEAK ENGLISH"-- and complained that the French were always rude! Hmmm, I wonder why. ;-)

two simple suggestions
1. go travelling long before you get too old. ( that way you can get around easier, and you get to fit in more in your life)
2. have longer holidays, eg: in months rather than weeks. ( so you experience life in a different country, rather than time in transit)
spending money on travel, you experience what life has to offer, ( and gives you life long memories), spending money buying a nice new car ( by comparison) is very short lived ( and doesn't give you life long memories)

And get away from the crowds, there are much better places to see, if you are willing to be less like sheep.

1.) Look up official holidays and school holidays for the country and city you are visiting. Not every city in a country has the same holidays.
2.) Use Google Earth street view to plan your routes from train station to hotel, to museums, etc.
3.) Use YouTube to watch videos of your train and station as well as of the small towns you will visit.
4.) Read up to date reviews on Trip Advisor for museums, tours, restaurants and hotels.
5.) Plan to go on a walking tour the first day in a city to get a good orientation and to find out about local events from the guide.
6.) Ask people in stores for their favorite restaurant. You get better answers than asking the hotel front desk.
7.) Tipping in each country is different.
8.) Try new food, be adventuresome
9.) Find local blogs written by expats for the countries or cities you will be visiting. They can be a treasure trove of information.
10) Read "The Local" for each country and check out the forum for each country.
https://www.thelocal.com/corporate/

Thanks for that link Jo - I have bookmarked it and look forward to some reading.

Be flexible and don't overplan. The best parts of my trips have been spontaneous and serendipitious (couldn't think of a better word).

Accept the fact that you will make mistakes. After 30 years of traveling in Europe, I booked us into Nice for 2 nights (one whole day) for the specific purpose of seeing the Matisse Museum. We had missed it twice before when it was being renovated. I carefully avoided having that day be a Monday, totally missing that it was May 1. Miss number 3.
While on the subject of holidays, they are celebrated with varying degrees of rigor in different countries ; and cities may differ from the countryside in availability of services. No European country that I know of has the American attitude that every holiday is just a reason for a big sale.
Know yourself. I'm a planner. I need to know where I'm going to lay my head each night. A couple of experiences assuming we would have no trouble finding lodgings taught me how little I enjoy that.

@cala buying museum tickets or train tickets is planning. My advice (and I think the others' also) is OVERplanning, like having activities mapped out for every hour of every day.

So much wisdom already noted that I ascribe to, either from figuring it out for myself (the hard way) or from reading it here on the forums and then putting it to good use.

1. I like to have a game plan, but not over-plan. I research what's terribly important and prepare for that (tickets, mapped out) but the rest of most days are just spent exploring, much more satisfying that way.

2. Don't be afraid to ask questions, especially if trying to get to something important--I write out where I'm going and that's helped enormously when engaging with a local who doesn't speak English or understand my attempts at their language.

3. Always have a snack in your bag and never miss a chance to use the restroom.

4. Always come from a place of pleasantness--I try to avoid getting into a situation that leads me to feeling rushed or frazzled, or expecting too much from people in such situations. Starting off with a smile has always led to a useful exchange in most situations. Delays and disappointments are part of flinging oneself out into the wide world and I take it in stride.

Lol Christa at use the bathroom whenever one is available - that is my mantra! My mother always said that to me and it's carried over into my vacations. Doesn't matter if I just went an hour ago - does that museum have a bathroom? I'm going!

And I'm a bit more casual now in our planning, to a certain extent. I'll have things I must do, and things that if we get to them, fine. Netherlands and Belgium, I'm like...if I see tulips and windmills and have a waffle and Belgian chocolate, I'm good...and I did all of that, the rest was gravy. I usually don't plan anything for a specific day (unless - say - last month when we arrived in Paris, it was the night the d'Orsay was open, so I planned to do that)...generally I'll look at the weather and say...ok...do we do outside or inside stuff today.

Then again, sometimes NOT having a plan backfires...it being our 4th visit to Paris, one day we just seemed to aimlessly wander (and not really in a good way) because I didn't have anything specific I wanted to see...except now that we are home, I'm like...why didn't we do THIS that day??! (Well, I know partly why - because it was near the end of our trip and I seemed to develop a cough and runny nose so wasn't feeling my best, and I was annoyed at my husband because HE didn't have any plans, even tho I'm usually the one to make them - I'll blame the Ricola drops...lol).

And def yes on the travel while you can. I still remember after our first trip, we were at a relatives home and they were having a BBQ (this was my hubby's elderly aunt). We were talking about our 'big' trip, and friend of the aunt's said...'travel while you can. My husband always said we would travel when he retired'. And of course, he passed away within a year of retirement, and I guess she never felt she could do it on her own. My own dad always wanted to go to Newfoundland...he died 4 mos after turning 65.

These are great lessons!! So, here are mine gathered over the last 10 years of traveling abroad:

1. Time invested researching your trip is an investment that pays huge dividends both financially and in the overall quality of your trip.
2. Travel is exciting but it's also tiring. Build some "rest time" into your trip - which may be as simple as eating early and staying "in" ,taking the afternoon off from sightseeing or spending a day (or two or three!) relaxing and not doing much of anything.
3. The only truly crucial things you need when traveling are: your papers, money, prescription meds and really comfortable shoes!!

What I have learned so far

1. In medium and big European cities, it is almost always possible to escape the crowds just by deviating a little from the major chokepoints even at peak summer in Rome. It is incredible how many moments of tranquility can be tucked in busy places by daring to go a little aside of the major points and flows. The busiest days will not see twice as many tourists as inhabitants in Nice or Berlin.

2. Small towns or specific sites, contrary to (1), are prone to be overrun quickly by day-visitors and, especially, big cruise ships.

3. In the era of portable gadgets, a power bank gives you peace of mind for those busy days outside. Battery saver mode can be a bummer.

4. It pays off to check Google Street View of a hotel you want to book before you do it. That can easily reveal downsides such as hotels in otherwise nice areas, but specifically on an industrial street with no shops or residences on the longish walk to the subway stop.

5. While reading TripAdvisor or Booking.com reviews, my focus is on persistent objective complaints about facilities or services. 5 recent reviews complaining of erratic Wi-Fi matter or problems with heating matter more than 20 lukewarm scores for the friendliness of staff or ambiance.

6. Three-star hotels with very good reviews often deliver a better experience than equally priced four-star hotels with median reviews.

7. Never book a very early intra-European flight or train without working out, first, the logistics of arriving at the airport or station. Expensive night-time taxi fares and tiredness of limited sleep usually negate savings of that extra cheap flight on the searching engine.

8. Anyone but a stalker would appreciate if you showed or posted less pictures that matter and are interesting instead of dumping albums of hundreds of pics each which most people will not even open. A curated showcase of your trip with some keys and commentary is much more fun and engaging. Just because you can take and store pics of virtually every minute these days with a phone doesn't mean it is a good idea.

9. Unless you are in a fusion-experimental-molecular cuisine restaurant, a quick google search of an item on the menu will bring up an image of the ingredient or dish, and possibly a description (often from Wikipedia).

10. All museum visits are enhanced when you read their websites in advance and get an idea of what is on exhibition at the time of your visit.

11. All big metropolises of Western Europe have a wide enough wealth of activities, arts, foods, monuments to keep even the most efficient traveler busy for a whole week if not more. The idea that it would be useless to stay more than 4 days in Berlin or Amsterdam is completely preposterous. This pre-emptive strike strategy (book a hectic itinerary for fear or becoming bored and stuck in Barcelona or London with nothing else to do after the third day) is the best (worst) way to make sure you never visit some interesting, if not top-10, place or attraction in those places.

12. Every dispute about car rental becomes much more lopsided in the agent's favor if you don't solve it right there at the counter to deal with it later by phone. Renting or returning a car are critical moments of your trip, always put some extra time do deal with the process.

13. If you are traveling with anyone other than a significant other or minor children, establish some time where everyone is free to do their own thing during an afternoon or a whole day, meeting later again. Good friendships might be strained by 2 weeks of traveling together.

Zoe

2. Putting aside euros: Outside the EU, euros and dollars work equally as well as survival money. But local currency would be better.

6. proof of tipping. Well, in many countries you must tell the waiter when you hand him the money what change you want back, thereby defining the tip. So, by logic if you tell him nothing, you will get the most efficient bills he has handy. Rounding up is pretty common; but again you have to tell the waiter when you pay …. In many cultures.

Christi

Drinking in public is restricted in many places. You could get a fine in Finland and in parts of Hungary and I am certain a lot of other places. Do your homework first. But I love the concept and did just that on a runway in the Egyptian desert 30 years ago. Still have one of those friends.

Nancy

1. Kindness serves you best. A smile will go much further than being an ugly American. Sounds logical huh?!

As opposed to an ugly Russian or an ugly Indian? I’m not going to make a blanket statement about any nationality but there are nationalities with much worse reputations than Americans. Of course, that’s not something you realize unless you have traveled a lot, and to a lot of different cultures and spent a lot of time talking to people. BUT, you are absolutely correct.

Ms Jo,

1. I love being in countries for their holidays. But I go more for the people and the culture than I do for museums so holidays bring out what I am interested in.
   

Christa,

Your list is the best. Simple, logical and not over thought. I especially like this:
Always come from a place of pleasantness--I try to avoid getting into a situation that leads me to feeling rushed or frazzled, or expecting too much from people in such situations. Starting off with a smile has always led to a useful exchange in most situations. Delays and disappointments are part of flinging oneself out into the wide world and I take it in stride.

My significant other is better than me, but in every encounter, we have learned to ask the individual their name and thanked them by name. This little act turns acquaintances into friends. With very few exceptions we have developed lasting relationships in every country we have visited.

The only thing I would add to above is to find the time or the means to contribute to the places you enjoy. Visit a charity, put a few hundred euro in the collection box, Better even, find a way to actually work along side them…..

Sometimes it's best to just stop, take a deep breath, and move on.

As an example, if in Italy, and things don't make sense, just say to yourself "Sono in Italia," find a piazza, sit down, order a spritz, and life will be good again. And if not, order another.

Other thoughts....

Get out of the big cities. No, they may not have the big churches/cathedrals or art museums, sorry Rick, but you will find less crowds, friendlier people, and a more realistic view of local life.

Don't just go to the places that are in one guidebook.

If traveling more than one or two weeks, plan to take some time off just to relax and regroup. It will do you good from just running, running, running.

Eat the local cuisine, drink the local wine/beer, and stay away from any restaurant or shop you have at home.

If you get upset that the way things are done in Europe is not the way they are done at home, then stay at home.

Find the local version of the "Spritz."

Things I've learned:

1. Pack light, everything is easier, more relaxed and more comfortable when you aren't wrestling with lots of pounds of things you don't need and might not even use. My last trip, early May to France, my extra small carry on (the size that Ryan Air accepts) weighed only ten pounds - so I decided to add two Michelin Green Guides (Burgundy and Alsace/Lorraine/Champagne). This was on WOW Air and they allow 22 pounds, but that doesn't mean you have to carry 22 pounds. I still had a couple things I could have left at home - and I will next time.

2. Slowly but surely. Avoid hurrying at all costs. Hurrying is when you leave your adapter or shave kit in the hotel. Hurrying is when you fail to find the right train at the station. Hurrying is when you leave something behind at airport security. Hurrying is also when you can't experience the moment you're paying a lot to experience. Make a point not to let yourself be in a hurry.

3. Plan a lot but leave flexibility. Plan so you know your options. The more you are aware of all the options, the more you can pick the things that really interest you. That said things will go wrong, you will always lose some time you hadn't planned on. If you don't leave space in your plans for delays, missed connections, mistakes, or - hopefully - unplanned experiences. You will enjoy your trip less. You should leave room to change plans when you want to. If your itinerary is so firm that you can't stop to take advantage of a real experience, you're making a mistake.

4. Keep your itinerary compact. You can do better if you only have one second language in a trip. Travel days are always a hard day. If you keep the hours of travel short, your entire trip will be more enjoyable. Nothing says "death march" like regular long travel days. I see itineraries here that include two week trips that include London, Paris, Rome and Berlin. I just shake my head and look at other threads. From experience I believe it's just too much.

Drinking in public is restricted in many places. You could get a fine in Finland and in parts of Hungary and I am certain a lot of other places.

@James - is that true for on the train? We don't usually drink while just walking around a place but are avid picnicers on the train.

Addendum to the topic of missing things you had hoped to see:

It is almost certain that at some point a museum, church, or other renowned sight that is high on your must-see list will be closed for renovation or some other reason. Don't let your disappointment color the rest of your trip. Sometimes you can find out about short closures (the wonders of the internet), but sometimes not. Sometimes places are closed permanently, and are still shown as being open! Roll with the punches.

What a wonderful thread! Thanks, Zoe!

• Use taxis, especially in a big city you've never visited before when you arrive by train. Door-to-door service is so worthwhile with luggage and especially if it is hot. This is true not only in a big city (think arriving Gare du Lyon at 17:00 with an apartment in the 18th), but also in rural locations. For years we took the bus from Bolzano to Ortisei. Last year, traveling with our cats, that was not feasible. We so enjoyed being met and then dropped right at our door with no uphill slog from the piazza that we will hire the taxi again for the Bolzano to Ortisei journey.
• Postpone nothing, i.e., travel often and early. We do not know how many years we have left nor how the world may intervene to spoil our plans. Go! Spend your kids' inheritance.
• Keep a journal so you can remember what you did not only tomorrow but also next year, in planning for a return trip, and in making recommendations to friends.
• Make each trip a mix of old favorites and new-to-you places.
• Splurge on a guided tour now-and-then. It takes the burden off the planner/guide (me) and enhances the experience. The Louvre, Pompeii, the Vatican, and the Foro Romano/Palatino/Colosseo are all places I think are best done with an expert.
• Take advantage of walking tours such as Walks of Paris, London Walks. Inexpensive and, as above, relieves the planner /guide of some of the burden.

I cannot say I learned this from traveling, but traveling has increased my commitment to the value of great guidebooks and other viable resources (The Guardian's excellent travel articles, for example, and the above-mentioned blogs by locals) consulted while planning as well as during travel. You may be able to over plan but you cannot over-inform yourself. There is no substitute for knowledge as we do not always know what we do not know.

Be honest with yourself. Admit your limits and plan accordingly.

Plan your ground itinerary before you commit to plane tickets.

Christi - policies about alcohol on trains vary massively according to the country and region. The general tendency is that rules on local trains and city subway trains tend to be harsher than on long-distance services.

(eg to my knowlege in Britain - drinking alcohol is completely banned on the London Underground and many suburban trains. It's usually allowed and sold on long-distance trains but there are sometimes alcohol bans on specific services - in particular on trains that are likely to be used by football supporters)

Make sure every member of your traveling group has the name and address of where you are staying. It's easy to grab a card if you're staying in a hotel; write it down if you're doing a rental. Even if you think you're in an English-speaking country...

After 22 trips since 1971, I have obviously learned through experience, or had better have learned. The vast majority of learned travel experience I got in France in Germany, in both cities and small towns. A lot of coping, dealing with, adjusting to , picked up, was in the early 1970s staying in the hostels.

Most importantly, as a travel tip/advice: don't think American! I have been guilty of that in 'bad' and trying situations, ie think outside of the box. I've been told by French and Germans....'you're American here.'

1. Barring any physical or health issues, etc...if 'they' can do it, take it, adjust, then I had better too, unless I want to be different or see myself as different from 'them'

2. Unless it is truly an emergency, ie physical injury, health issue, ...no emotional meltdowns, no freaking out, etc. That's not an option.

@ Christi...In Germany and Austria I cannot recall how many times I've been on trains day or night where people were boarding with beer bought from the train stores (Reisebedarf), youth drinking bottles of beer or ordinary folks on an ICE train getting table seats, spreading out the covering napkins German style before bringing out loads of booze and mixer bottles, esp among football fans.

But Fred traveles with a strange crowd.

" No one cares about your vacation! " Good point Brad. Biggest difference between my first trip and my last is that I now take a fraction of the photos that I used to. I find that, for me, constantly looking for good photo ops, distracts from actually being there. Most people only want to hear a few stories, and no one really wants to see your vacation through your camera lens, so photos of everything that you found interesting aren't that interesting to others. I find that I rarely if ever look back on old vacation photos. Good memories, one good screen saver and a Christmas card shot, are my goals.

Concerning your airplane flights...
Plan your return flight carefully. Select a flight that is non-stop back to the USA. Make your connection in North America. Because:
Direct flights back will usually depart around the noon hour. This way there are no early morning flights to a hub in Europe which usually depart in the 6AM hour.

Enjoy your last night in Europe without having to retire early to wake up early.
Enjoy your last hotel breakfast before your long and tiring day of travel. This way your day of travel home starts with the ride to the airport and not the evening before.

There are so many gems of wisdom, many of which I've learned over the years myself.

I'll add to be very careful of planning a trip with another couple. Its not enough to have the recommended honest conversation during the planning stage. Not everyone is self aware enough to really understand their own wants/needs/expectations of the trip. Traveling together can really screw up a good friendship.

It is a solo crowd most of the time, James...lol,. which could be strange or better still weird, depending on one's travel style.

If traveling to a country or city with high standards of cuisine (such as most places in France and Italy): Unless you're looking for something unusual (special-occasion atmosphere, Michelin star, kosher/vegetarian/vegan menu, non-local cuisine, a local specialty that's not widely available), it's often not worth the hassle of traipsing across the city to a place recommended by your guidebook. You are likely to pass equivalent places along the way that the guidebook author just isn't familiar with, and the recommended place may have closed, raised its prices significantly or lowered its standards.

If you're not a foodie, the above advice applies to much of the developed world.

So true, acraven. I was crushed to find that my favorite restaurant in Matera had changed owners.

country or city with high standards of cuisine

Acraven, I like to eat good. Can you provide us with a list of locations with high standards, and which places are at the other end of the spectrum?

This might be country specific but ... ...

Mind the gap.

Frank II you are astute

In my rush to get to Aix-en-Provence, I forgot to include the usual caveat that you must avoid the tourist-oriented places (which makes Venice problematic). I don't want to derail this very interesting thread, but I did OK in Madrid, Barcelona and the Basque country by just wandering around. The rest of Spain was much iffier. Ljubljana was easy. Romania and Bulgaria would repay some research. Again, I'm not talking about special meals, just finding something local and interesting in the normal course of the day. I take long trips and don't expect to have a special meal every day. But I am not happy if I don't find something good. London and Greece used to be problems, but that was 30 or so years ago, and I know things have changed jn England since then.

Acraven, you should have been a politician.

I understand you now. My special meals these days tend to be less about Michelin stars and more about smaller enjoyments. The perfect dinner out is one with good to “very good” but not necessarily excellent, local food; but it also has to include a waitperson who has time to talk; and the experience is not complete unless the sweet woman sitting at the next table leans over, points to something on the menu, then shakes a finger as to warn, “you had better skip that”. I never had truly exceptional food in Bulgaria, but I did have a couple of experiences of that category and so my dining was most memorable and enjoyable in Bulgaria. Of course who can turn down fine food on occasion? Fortunately my favorite city now has 5 or 6 Michelin star restaurants with reasonable rates; so about ever third trip we get pompous.

So here is a related travel suggestion. Talk to your wait staff. If those around you hear you being friendly and open, there is a very good possibility they will more open to you as well. Then you can experience a different layer of the travel experience.

Funny, when it comes to good food in France, I think my rule now is if you don't need a reservation, it's probably not good. I tried dropping into some Burgundy area restaurants and, in retrospect, would have been happier with a kebab from a corner vendor or sandwich from a Franprix. The quality was right up there with what you get next to the Forum in Rome. I had more bad food, looking for good food, in a week in Burgundy than I normally eat in a year.

I learned something about food but it is difficult to explain easily and I don't have time to draw a graph. Let me put this way: there is a "gradient" of price-quality of food that is different depending on the country/region.

All major and most sophisticated medium-size cities (with a local or visiting clientele to sustain such) will have gourmet-level restaurants ran by trained chefs making good expensive food. All cities have cheap fast-food joints that will 'feed' you and supply your basic physiological food intake needs. So far, so good, everybody understands the gap between McDonalds and the Michelin-star restaurant.

What is different, as I learned, is how much quality do you trade down when you climb a couple stairs down from the pinnacle of local food scene, when you look for a good mid-range restaurant that is not a starred one or whose chefs don't have accolades and the like. What you get, in comparison, differs a lot between countries.

In Italy, in particular, you can eat extremely well and fetch incredible meal quality on such restaurants. It is a case apart from all other European countries: the drop in quality that follows a 40% cheaper price excluding beverages is not that big. There are also many such restaurants so that going out without pre-booking is completely feasible.

London and some other big English cities (but not smaller ones), Germany, Austria have more of a drop in quality between top and mid-range than Italy, but you still can find good options. Spain and France are hit-and-miss, Spain actually more on the miss side (but its very good restaurants are less expensive). In Scotland, Belgium, Greece the drop in quality is significant when you climb down the restaurant ladder.

Countries without a strong historical domestic gourmet tradition (Scandinavia, Netherlands, Finland, Ireland) operate under a slightly different logic. To eat good local specialties, which the locals themselves don't consider top-taste, you need to find specific places. These countries have all imported, mixed, twisted and reinvented foreign recipes from cuisines considered somehow more refined/superior (Italian and French, for instance) into their mid-range dining. As a result, you might find some quite good mid-range restaurants in these areas offering Meditteranean cuisine and the like, with their own wrinkles and twists as I wrote. These places also tend to have better offers in the mid-range from restaurants of Asian or South American cuisine. I think lack of a strong local cuisine (due to lack of premium traditional ingredients, bad weather, overreliance on potatoes etc) just lowers the barriers for foreign cuisine making their way into good restaurants.

Brad, I ate more bad food in Paris than any place in the world. As for the Italians, As for Rome; somewhat better. But, they owe America for that.

We rarely seek out a specific restaurant. We tend to stop when/where we are hungry - or walk to a nearby place in the area we are staying. I always google the restaurant and see what the reviews are on several websites - then I choose. A few times I have not checked we have been terribly disappointed - once in Venice in particular. We also tend to leave the very touristy areas to find a place to eat.

Well said, Andre.

1) Use CityMaps2Go, or another mapping service that can be used without your data or cellular plan. (CiityMaps2Go uses the GPS service on your phone to know where you are.) Download the maps for the cities/regions you will visit. As you plan your hotels, transportation and activities, restaurants to visit mark the locations on your map.

When you are on your trip, you can use this service to navigate your way around, so when you get lost on purpose you can find your way home.

2) Don't change your phone plan before you leave (as I did) .because the provider may lock your phone (as mine did) and you will end up buying a cell phone to go with that new SIM card (as I did) so you can make calls (Hi Mom!).

3) Talk to everybody...local folks and other travelers. That's how I had a 2 hour conversation with another traveler who fled Cuba when she was 20 years old in 1955.

4). If you are traveling alone (as I did recently) any time possible, sit at the bar and not at a table...unless the tables are closely placed...this will allow you to do #3 above more easily.

1) If in Continental Europe, check when stores and restaurants are open. Sundays and Mondays, most grocery stores/restaurants are closed. We found that out one Sunday night in Spain as every restaurant was closed and we ended up eating at the American tourist restaurant near out hotel.

2)Read up on your destinations and if tickets are required, buy them ahead of time. I first went to Europe 20 years ago, at that time you could just get in line when an attraction opened and get tickets. Not now with the rise of Asian/Russian tourism.

3)Only carry enough cash as you need for the day and leave the rest in the safe.

4)Know that something will go wrong on your trip. The key is how you handle it.

5)Keep the awe and wonder of actually traveling. So many people do not have the time, money or ability to travel and see this amazing planet.

Much has been covered, but my additional two cents from a solo traveler who is a planner (but knows she must allow for flexibility because, travel):

• a finely honed packing checklist prevents last minute worry and over packing. The thought that you should add one last clothing item just in case is always wrong.
• it is worth the money (amount depends on the trip) to get the most direct flights with minimal stops to wherever you're going. Every stop adds time, stress, and potential for delay. This rule does not apply coming home.
• YouTube is a valuable tool to minimize worry so you can focus on enjoying yourself. For example, I live in a state that does not allow self-serve gas (really!) My last trip I rented a car in Germany and found several helpful videos about driving on the autobahn, how gas stations work, etc.
  
• always make sure the staff sets your car rental GPS to English before you leave the car rental place.
• stretch your limits, but don't go crazy. Each trip I plan something outside my comfort zone (motorcycle tour in Vietnam, driving in Germany). Not all are a success, but it boosts my confidence.
• already mentioned, but it's worth a pause to watch how locals approach situations (e.g., train stations, ordering gelato)
• every error/goof/bad decision I have made is due to 1) lack of sleep, 2) hunger, or 3) panic. Get rest, pack snacks, and take a breath. And don't beat yourself up (easier said than done, I'm still mad about the transit ticket I got in Denmark because of #3)
• always take the opportunity to use a bathroom

we never travel without the boys, who are now 19 and 15

Definitely take your kids to Europe or any place abroad.

Very true about going to Europe if it is the first time rather than waiting for buddies, partners, spouse, relatives to go along. If they can't or won't, then go solo, be it a trip of 10 days or 10 weeks on your own. Factoring in down time days

O.k., here are my words of travel wisdom:

• Never underestimate the distances in a country you are visiting for the first time.
• Never underestimate the distances in a country you are visiting for the second time.
• Never underestimate the distances in a country you are visiting for the third time.
• ...

It's a trap I have fallen into time and again, and when I read the posts in this forum, I find that about 90% of first-time travelers to a place grossly underestimate the distances and the time they will need to get from point A to point B.

.

Another thought: Have a look where the locals spend their vacation or their time off. Of course, some things will not work for you or may not be of interest to you, like local beaches when you're not looking for a beach vacation.

I for instance have been taken to some amazing state parks in the U.S. that I would never have discovered had I just followed the mainstream tourist routes. Some of those parks were at least as spectacular and beautiful as some of the famous national parks, just smaller.

Looking at it from the other side, I personally am not aware of anyone I know ever having visited Neuschwanstein castle (except for my American friends of course). Why would we? ;-)

I love CL's and Anna's perspectives:

Get rest and pack snacks!! True that being hangry can lead to bad decisions.

And don't underestimate the distance/time needed to travel between places. So true!

Excellent advice from all!

One thing I didn't see covered, which is true traveling solo or especially with a big group (as we did with our four adult children recently)...if there is a toilet available, go!! Even if you don't think you have to.

Some very interesting comments.
The one about no one wants to see your pics... is off. I will post a few pics each day on fb, because I do have people who can not or will not travel and still want to see interesting pics. I usually post something more unusual that the pics that anyone can google.
One thought on hints is to get your Euros/foreign money from an ATM near a bank so that you can go immediately into the bank and get small bills. ATM will not always give an option for small bills.
Another is to talk to people. Locals and fellow travelers. Yes, this will give you away as an American, but then in speaking with people you will give that person something to talk about for many days to come. I have met a man who lived and watched Split be attacked by US forces during the split up of Yugoslavia. It was real life history. I also had the most interesting conversation with other nationals about US politics and history. You would be surprised what other nationals understand and know about our country. We are so naive about the rest of the world.
Do some research about what you will see, don't rely on some tour guide.
But most of all experience the culture... don't just go to the "tourist sites", go to the local grocery store, wander around the area you are staying in. And occasionally, ALLOW YOURSELF TO GET LOST (if in a safe location).

-If you travel with a partner/family member don't feel bad splitting up and doing your own thing for a few hours. Love food but married to someone with allergies or pickiness? Go on the food tour yourself. Love modern art but spouse prefers military museums? You go to the Pompidou and she goes to Les Invalides. Meet for dinner and discuss your experience

-If you aren't scraping by penny-to-penny don't be afraid to spend a small bit to make life easier. Example - the online reservation costs 2E extra but lets you skip an hour long line. Well worth it! Bus comes in an hour and takes 40 minutes to get to your hotel but a taxi will cost 10E and get you there in 20 minutes? Consider the value of your probably limited time and the taxi may make the most sense

-You can get what you need in most places. If there are people living there, there will be a place to buy food and necessities like toothpaste.

-Take a siesta even if you aren't in Spain - a break in the middle of the day lets you recharge and allows you to go out in the evening when locals are active and the lighting is prettier.

-Take time to just be in the place - don't rush from sight to sight. Linger. Wander. Get lost.

Trains rarely run on the schedule you would like them to run on. Many times I have planned out my trip only to have to change it significantly when I found out the trains did not have a morning departure or didn't run on the weekends.

This is a brilliant thread! I've learned so much from it. Thank you all!

--The one thing I've learned in my travels is to always assume that the plane/train/bus will not be running on schedule so don't plan to be somewhere 10 minutes after you get off said transport. Give yourself enough time to reach a destination if it's that important to you.

Just now discovered this one:

Anyone but a stalker would appreciate if you showed or posted less
pictures that matter and are interesting instead of dumping albums of
hundreds of pics each which most people will not even open.

Oh, don't we all (the older ones of us, anyway) remember those never-ending slide shows of loving family members they tortured us with in former times, and we had to smile and say "how nice" and try not to fall asleep!

I wouldn't go so far as to say nobody is interested in my pictures, but most definitely nobody is interested in doing the work of sorting out and deleting for me. If I put a folder with all my 2,000 pictures into my dropbox, people will click "delete" only once: for the whole folder. If I put a folder with 20 pictures into my dropbox, well chosen, interesting, and of good photographic quality, I have a chance of at least a smile and a "how nice".

Here's the trick: delete, delete, delete!

I recently learned this by error: if you change a reservation directly with the hotel, print out the confirmation and take it with you! Two friends and I got hosed last week.

As for photos, I email a couple at a time to people I think would enjoy them. The closest friends get the longer (but ruthlessly edited) version when I get back, because they ask.

Always carry hard copies of hotel confirmations, and have it your hand when you approach the desk. Nothing like arriving at a hotel bagged after an overnight flight and being told you don't have a reservation then looking through your paperwork trying to find the confirmation!

Make sure you have a copy of the policy and instructions for making a claim as well as your card for medical insurance.

Regarding pictures, I write a blog and post some. From the readership, I think they are appreciated. ;-)

I also make a slideshow that we can show on our TV. We enjoy having it as a background when we are entertaining or even when we are just listening to music. It's a bit of a memory test to remember where and when certain pictures were taken. At least we get to see them more than if they were in an old-fashioned album.

If children are traveling with you, help/let them research possible things to see and contribute to the itinerary. We would never have "wasted" precious time in London going to the Zoo, but our 18 yr old daughter wanted to go and it was really fun because there were exhibits in the Aquarium/Reptiles from former British colonies that are not in American zoos. Also she wanted to go to Neschweinstein castle in Germany, so we went to Fussen which is one of my favorite places I've been and I would never have gone there if she hadn't wanted to go to the castle.

1. Make the slightest bit of effort to say something in French and people in Paris will be friendly.

2. Every city that has canals north of the Alps likes to bill itself as "The Venice of the North" but there is only one Venice.

3. Find out when the Pope is holding court in the Piazza San Pietro and plan your visit to the Vatican Museum for that time as it will be tremendously less crowded.

4. The best gelato in Italy is found at the original Gelateria Gianni on Via Monte Grappa in Bologna.

5. If you connect through Charles de Gaulle, chances are pretty good that your luggage will not make it.

6. If you want to order a cappuccino in the afternoon in Italy, go ahead. Nobody will care.

7. Avoid talking politics in pubs.

8. If you haven't seen Heidelberg from the Philosophenweg across the river, then you haven't seen Heidelberg.

9. Bruges is overrated.

10. Unexpected travel plans are dancing lessons from God.