20
votes
6answers
960 views
What is the LEAST visited country by tourists?
There's always lists on the most popular countries. But in my travels, I've found going against the grain has been super rewarding - places like Chernobyl, in Ukraine, or the desert of Uzbekistan or ...
20
votes
4answers
2k views
What is the most efficient way to pack a bag?
On trips of four days or less, I try to travel with a shoulder bag containing my laptop, electronics, etc. and a rolling, carry-on bag for everything else.
What is the best technique for packing as ...
18
votes
3answers
296 views
Las Vegas - What is good to do there?
I've been told that unless you have a good plan for Las Vegas, you're not going to have a clue what to do when you get there.
I and my two brothers have a trip planned in October from the 2nd to the ...
17
votes
3answers
5k views
Does the rotation of the earth affect the travel time from Europe to Australia?
Assuming that a place in Europe is exactly on the opposite side of the earth than Sydney. Now I want to take a plane to travel there. Does it matter if the plan flies with the rotation of the earth or ...
16
votes
3answers
285 views
Trans-Siberian Express: Stopping along the way?
I'm planning a trip on the Trans-Siberian Express. I've already received excellent advice on a related post, but I've got a couple more questions.
My plan is to head from Moscow to Beijing. It's six ...
14
votes
5answers
361 views
Riding in a military jet
I remember that there was a possibility that one could take a ride in a military MiG. I think at one point the cost was $15k.
Are there any other places that would allow a person to take such a ...
14
votes
4answers
2k views
Where is the safest place in a train?
This morning I had to make a small (2-3 hours) train journey with a friend. He is a little anxious and unreasonable, and doesn't trust public transport. He won't fly at all and normally, he doesn't ...
14
votes
5answers
397 views
How good is Public Transport In the USA?
I am planning a Round-the-World trip and my first stop will be the USA. I am from England where public transport is quite good and covers everywhere. I have already purchased Greyhound tickets for ...
13
votes
4answers
276 views
How to assess whether a restaurant is good on the spot?
You just arrived hungry in a new city and are in a desperate need of finding a good place to eat. And you need to do it without a guidebook or recommendation. There is one restaurant popping after ...
13
votes
6answers
378 views
What do you do when you're on-the-road and you cannot shower?
Let's say you're backpacking and you're staying at a super-cheap hostel. Either because you have a lot planned for the day or you're catching long distance bus / train, you've to get up really early ...
12
votes
3answers
400 views
How to travel (relatively) cheaply by ICE trains in Germany?
When I first checked prices for ICE trains in Germany, I was a bit shocked by prices of over 100 Euros (in Poland not far ago the trains where the cheapest way of public transport).
But then I found ...
12
votes
8answers
439 views
Germany, Switzerland, Czech Republic - Suggestions for 3 week vacation
My wife and I are looking to take a vacation next year, in September, to the above noted countries. I would like to solicit the 'must see' places in those countries. I focus more on the history (ie. ...
12
votes
3answers
238 views
What part of Great Wall of China is easier to visit, starting from Peking?
I'm interested in visiting the Great Wall of China, but don't want to face many tourists during my trip.
Are there such parts of it?
Are visitors allowed to walk on it?
11
votes
4answers
826 views
Can I through check my bags on separate bookings?
I have two different bookings on British Airways and Emirates.
Booking 1 (British Airways):
Washington (IAD) -> London (LHR) -> Dubai
Booking 2 (Emirates):
Dubai -> Hyderabad
I have a 5 hour stop ...
10
votes
6answers
5k views
What to do if I lost my passport before flight in another country?
I'm just asking this question for my info. I will be traveling from India to Amsterdam on a short trip.
What should you do if you lose your passport or the passport gets stolen (especially in a ...
10
votes
3answers
211 views
Sightseeing for family in London?
Are there any special sights in London that are suited for the very different interest of a family consisting of 5 persons between 20 and 60 years old?
I don't think that museums are a good choice.
8
votes
3answers
3k views
What are the options for a prepaid SIM card in Berlin?
I'll be staying in Berlin for one month and I have an unlocked iPhone (GSM) that I'd like to use while I'm here. What are my choices for SIM cards and packages that include data?
28
votes
3answers
2k views
I have a tattoo. Can I visit a public swimming pool in Japan?
A friend of mine is currently traveling in Japan. She has a small tattoo on her neck. Now she wanted to visit a public swimming pool but was denied entry.
It was difficult to understand the reason ...
22
votes
4answers
1k views
Is travelling to Chernobyl safe for tourists?
Recently I read in my Lonely Planet and on some news site like for example this one, that the site of the Chernobyl nuclear catastrophe is open for tourists. There are also tour operators that offer ...
21
votes
4answers
5k views
Legalities and safety concerns of visiting prostitutes in Amsterdam
A friend of mine left his girlfriend after a long (~5 years) relationship. To cheer him up a little bit, we decided to go to Amsterdam, as they have liberal prostitution and drug consuming laws.
...
21
votes
2answers
212 views
How to go on a submarine tour?
I know some companies in Hawaii and grand cayman give you 45 min submarine tours for $400
Is there a way to get a more authentic experience, like being on a sub for an entire weekend?
Or do you ...
21
votes
6answers
2k views
What are the main differences in traffic regulations between the US/Europe?
There are the obvious ones. The US has the keep-your-lane system, where as in Europe you are expected to keep to the right (left for UK) as long as possible.
On my latest travel to the US, I was ...
20
votes
2answers
670 views
Vomitorium: Only common in the German-speaking world?
The first time I saw something like this in a Swiss Restaurant in Zurich I was really confused. What should it be used for?
(photo by TheoPB, available under CC-by-sa)
Then I was told that you ...
19
votes
4answers
2k views
What's the difference between embassies and consulates?
Today Mitt Romney called Benghazi the capital of Libya (it's Tripoli) and apparently mixed up consulates and embassies. I thought it'd be a handy question to have on here, for those sorting out visas ...
19
votes
2answers
761 views
What's the name for the “blocking” stickers used on car headlights?
I'll be driving my car from Belgium to the UK, with plans to then drive around the country.
Like most cars in the European mainland, my car's headlights/headlamps are slightly adjusted to the right ...
19
votes
4answers
555 views
Are cruises' Shore Excursions worth the money?
We recently embarked on a 12-night cruise (my first) and noticed the exorbitant prices for the shore excursions at every port. My question is - Are these really worthwhile, given that they relieve all ...
18
votes
2answers
1k views
Is it possible to get from the Philippines to Taiwan to Japan (or the reverse) without flying?
It's not that I have a fear of flying but it seems the best way to see Island countries is by island hopping and these three countries are all relatively close to one another if you take into account ...
18
votes
4answers
320 views
Can anyone recommend a good trekking tour for Machu Picchu?
I'm planning on heading to Peru to visit Machu Picchu next year. I heard there are some amazing and beautiful "long way around" treks that take you up and around to Machu Picchu the long way through ...
16
votes
3answers
1k views
Benefits of checking in online when checking bags
What is the benefit of checking in online for a flight when you intend to check bags at the airport? I understand some airports have special lines for people that are already checked in but are ...
15
votes
3answers
432 views
Declaring illegal substances at customs - what would happen?
I've always wondered this. Occasionally I declare medicines, or wood carvings or whatever when going through customs. The point of asking you to declare these things is so that they can inspect and ...
15
votes
2answers
231 views
Is there an equivalent to “The Man in Seat Sixty-One” for bus travel?
Whenever I want to learn about train travel for a specific country of region I first go to the site The Man in seat sixty-one. It lists the major routes, railway companies and describes rolling stock ...
15
votes
2answers
3k views
What happens if you miss a connecting flight?
What happens if you book tickets through an airline or travel agent, but on the travel date miss a connecting flight (either because the first flight was delayed, or because immigration/security took ...
15
votes
3answers
306 views
Are trains stopping between stations to let passengers board/alight just a Canadian thing?
I happened to notice this little gem on the VIA Rail website
On some VIA Rail routes, you can get off and on the train exactly where you want — even in places where there is no scheduled stop! The ...
15
votes
2answers
215 views
Where would be the optimal place to watch the Nov 2012 Solar Eclipse from?
There's a solar eclipse going across northern Australia on November 14th, 2012:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_eclipse_of_November_13,_2012
Given that climate and weather varies substantially ...
14
votes
1answer
233 views
An online map indicating the status of all open and closed international borders
I like to make up my own interesting international routes on my longer trips rather than always following conventional routes.
But often it's tricky to plan a route in lesser-known parts of the world ...
14
votes
5answers
2k views
3 days in Amsterdam: What to see?
In a few days I'm flying to Amsterdam. We will spend there a fun weekend as I repeatedly mentioned in previous questions. But nevertheless a little bit of sightseeing is also necessary. I don't know a ...
14
votes
2answers
824 views
Are there ways to call “international” toll-free phone numbers?
I just had a lot of grief changing a plane ticket from a somewhat exotic location.
It involved calling with Skype from Tbilisi Georgia to the nearest office for my airline in Istanbul Turkey.
It ...
14
votes
1answer
461 views
Itineraries in South Africa (+/- 2 Weeks)
I plan to travel to South-Africa at the end of this year (last week of December, first week of January). Now I would like to have some advice on some possible itineraries. The trip will take about two ...
14
votes
2answers
398 views
What exactly is allemansrätten in Sweden?
My understanding is that it is a limited right for a traveler to camp out on any "unsettled" property in Sweden, public or private. Of course, there are important restrictions, such as NO right to ...
14
votes
2answers
323 views
Trick to breaking down air routes
For example, last year I was looking at Bogota, Colombia to LON. This was quite pricey, but it turned out if I bought separate tickets - Bogota to Orlando, Florida, and then an Air Berlin flight to ...
14
votes
3answers
1k views
Are there any issues with using credit cards in Germany?
On my last trip to Germany my credit cards (chip-based Visa and MasterCard) were declined more than usual. I've been there like 10 times and haven't noticed this before but on this trip train ticket ...
13
votes
4answers
319 views
Is the Cairo - Cape Town Highway passable?
The Cairo - Cape Town Highway sounds like a very interesting route to discovery Africa by car. The Wikipedia web site says that some parts are still not finished. So my questions are:
Is this ...
13
votes
2answers
372 views
Is there a feasible way to combine hitchhiking and couch surfing?
On my previous trip I tried hitchhiking for the first time and became addicted so this year I'm spending six to twelve months traveling in East Asia and Eastern Europe.
I also tried couch surfing for ...
13
votes
3answers
1k views
Is it possible to travel through Burma (Myanmar), entering at one border crossing and exiting at another?
I know that it is possible to enter Burma/Myanmar from several border crossing with neighbouring countries, and I'm pretty sure that from some of them at least you do not have to be on a package tour.
...
13
votes
5answers
239 views
What kind of questions should I be asking about tropical destinations?
Tropical destinations have to be one of the most popular categories, which means there are always deals popping up, so it's hard not to be driven by these deals.
If I'm merely looking at the ...
12
votes
3answers
315 views
What are more authentic places in London, as opposed to the ones overcrowded with tourists?
My friend has just arrived to London and she's trying to find some city areas to explore that are not yet overcrowded by tourists. She's looking for particular regions where tourists aren't as ...
12
votes
2answers
349 views
When travelling overland in Russia I hear you must register with the police in each new place, but does this cost money?
When travelling overland in Russia (i.e. not on the Trans-Siberian) I hear you must register with the police in each new place, but does this cost money?
I know there are some gotchas with ...
11
votes
3answers
255 views
Feeling the spirit of Helsinki, where?
When I visit a city, besides visiting the main tourist attractions, I usually like to see some places that can make me feel the true spirit of the place I'm visiting.
As an example, if you visit Pisa ...
11
votes
1answer
593 views
Would visiting North Korea as a tourist cause problems travelling anywhere else?
You can take tours from China across into North Korea (or by train, in theory) - but assuming you do and get your passport stamped, are there other countries that will hold this against you?
For ...
11
votes
2answers
2k views
What does one year of traveling around the world cost?
What does it cost to travel around the world for one year on average? I am not considering the continuous cost you have at home (Insurance, mortgage, etc) and the around the world tickets, since those ...
