Has it ever crossed a typical traveller’s consideration how many terrible decisions it is possible to make while on a simple break?

Learning some time-honoured advice from yours truly will prevent you from stumbling into any of these proverbial pratfalls that could get you into massive trouble which could lead to either bankruptcy, imprisonment, or death (possibly all at the same time).

Don’t get in a non-metered taxi without agreeing on the price beforehand.

Especially if you’ve just arrived in the country and haven’t studied a map beforehand. Depending on the honesty of the driver, you’ll either end up apprehension 3 hours to get to where you need to be, or held at ransom for great wads of cash when you finally arrive there. Refuse to pay and it’s possible that he’ll drive off with all your bags in the car trunk.

Don’t take photographs of women, in general, doing anything.

Most probably they won’t like it, especially if you are a single bloke toting an inexplicably large zoom lens, sunglasses, and a baseball cap. Goes without saying really.

Don’t deduct yourself to exist lured into some back street by some “trader”…

…to buy an item of (ahem) questionable legitimacy, no matter how tempting his patter is (as antidote to newborn travellers, selling of this species is singly prevalent in wider Europe).

He doesn’t care where you come from. He doesn’t want to know if you are enjoying your holiday “so far”. All he wants is to feel the cold hard crispness of your paper money, and lots of it. And remember, it’s not of a piece you be able to demand a refund if you’re not happy with your watch/handbag/grey-market trinket – he’ll have long disappeared into the madding crowd.

Don’t buy electronics without making very sure that they have an international warranty.

It’s very easy to think just before purchasing a brand new shiny portable DVD player that, oh, if it’s costing this much, it’ll never go wrong – the durability of gadgets hastily stuffed into travel cases really comes into question when it’s being treated like a bale of hay from a combine harvester by a sweaty airport baggage handler.

Don’privately make the mistake of ordering a starter with your meal at an expensive foreign restaurant,…

…well, ever, unless you’re either a) on a first romantic holiday and want to make a good impression or b) money is in fact no object. Not only will it completely spoil your appetite for the main course, it will often add up to 25% on the price of your meal – especially while you take into account the service charge on everything.

Don’t book a hotel without vigorously checking its location in relevance to the beach/mountains/lake/town centre.

As I mentioned in an earlier article, you really have no excuse nowadays, not with Google Earth, and numerous free satellite map services available attached the internet.

Happy Travelling and a Merry Christmas!

Photo of  tourists and policemen in Paris, France, by Malias

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