Summer vacation brings out the best and worst in people that have been waiting the whole year to take a break from their lives. Even if you’re on a break, you need to remember a few do’s and don’ts to ensure that your summer travel is a memorable one.
Do’s:
1. Dress suitably
Just because you’re on your summer holidays doesn’t mean that places of worship, high end restaurants and conservative societies are too. Educate yourself about the dress codes of the region you’re visiting and follow them or you may be harassed or turned away.
2. Tip generously
A lot of young people work over the summer gets their first jobs during the summer holidays. Even if the service isn’t up to your high standards, tipping a young worker generously would lift their spirits high and they’d remember your name and face for the rest of your life.
3. Be a gracious traveler
During the summer, the heat and people’s stress levels sometime rise. Even if you’re frustrated with the weather and are tired, don’t take it out on others.
4. Travel light
The golden rule of summer travel is to only pack what you can carry on your own. Pack only the most essential items and avoid carrying anything expensive on your trip.
5. Be a well-mannered traveler
Learn the mannerisms and social norms of the area that you’re visiting and then follow them. Say please and thank you, in the local language or in English, and smile a lot. Following these simple manners will leave a lasting impression of you in people’s minds more than you’d ever realize.
Don’ts:
1. Don’t wear a skimpy outfit on the plane
Most summer holidaymakers get into the vacation mode so early that they board the plane with their khaki shorts, short shorts, flimsy t-shirt and flip flops on and end up freezing when the temperature dips at high altitudes. If you must wear something skimpy on board, at least bring a shawl or jumper to cover yourself up with.
2. Don’t think you own the road
If you’re traveling by road, remember that there would be many other holiday makers on the road as well. Follow the rules and don’t get too competitive with other drivers.
3. Don’t act entitled
If things in a foreign country aren’t up to your high standards, it’s not their fault. It’s your fault for expecting everything to be just like back home. If you act entitled in another country, it gives your country a bad name and it may prompt the locals to beat the heck out of you or harass you as well.
4. Don’t distract/disturb fellow tourists
When you are at a popular tourist spot, don’t talk and act too loud. Respect the other visitors’ right to enjoy the destination as well.
5. Don’t be a know it all in unknown territory
If you’re hiking through a trail and a sign says ‘no entry’ or ‘beware of falling boulders’, take it seriously. If the locals warn you about an area in town that is unsafe for tourists, listen to them. These precautions could be the difference between a memorable and a nightmarish vacation.