Aug 23, 2007
12 rules for traveling better, at whatever price level you choose (first of a four-part series)
As some readers may recall, we've included on occasion all sorts of lists: the 10 great myths of travel, the 10 great truths of travel, the 10 ways to eat better, the 10 commandments of smart travel, etc., etc., most of them related to cost-conscious travel. Today we're composing a list having nothing to do with the price of travel, but simply suggesting ways to travel better on any sort of budget. The list is based on my own travel experiences, and no one else's, and because of its autobiographical nature is set forth in the first person. (I'd be interested to have your comments.) Here are the first three ways in which I travel today (and there will be three more on each of the following three days):
1) I combat trans-oceanic jet lag by going to sleep immediately on arrival. Time was when I would instantly hit the streets on my first full day in London, Bangkok or Seoul. And that over-exertion would turn me into a sleepless zombie for the remainder of my first week abroad. No longer. I now go to bed the moment I reach the hotel. I make a relaxed transition to a new time zone and enjoy a much clearer head than ever before.
2) I prepare for my trip with histories and art appreciations. In my early years of travel I thought nothing of flinging myself to exotic foreign destinations without first studying the history and culture of the places I was about to visit. Result: I arrived as an untutored ignoramus, confused and bewildered. No more. I now read about the beliefs of Buddhism on most trips to the Far East. I refresh my memory about the evolution of the Gothic cathedral before a trip to France or Germany. And through such mature preparation, my trips become far more meaningful and rewarding.
3) I pack less and enjoy more. I no longer bring an outfit for every conceivable occasion. I've come to peace with the probability that I will not be invited to a garden party on my two weeks in Spain, and will not be asked to meet the Queen. I bring a quarter of what I used to carry and travel with a single, medium sized suitcase half full. And that one factor has improved the enjoyment of my trips to a greater extent than any other.
Write and read comments about this post.
1) I combat trans-oceanic jet lag by going to sleep immediately on arrival. Time was when I would instantly hit the streets on my first full day in London, Bangkok or Seoul. And that over-exertion would turn me into a sleepless zombie for the remainder of my first week abroad. No longer. I now go to bed the moment I reach the hotel. I make a relaxed transition to a new time zone and enjoy a much clearer head than ever before.
2) I prepare for my trip with histories and art appreciations. In my early years of travel I thought nothing of flinging myself to exotic foreign destinations without first studying the history and culture of the places I was about to visit. Result: I arrived as an untutored ignoramus, confused and bewildered. No more. I now read about the beliefs of Buddhism on most trips to the Far East. I refresh my memory about the evolution of the Gothic cathedral before a trip to France or Germany. And through such mature preparation, my trips become far more meaningful and rewarding.
3) I pack less and enjoy more. I no longer bring an outfit for every conceivable occasion. I've come to peace with the probability that I will not be invited to a garden party on my two weeks in Spain, and will not be asked to meet the Queen. I bring a quarter of what I used to carry and travel with a single, medium sized suitcase half full. And that one factor has improved the enjoyment of my trips to a greater extent than any other.
Write and read comments about this post.
Labels: tips
Fifty years ago, 
Arthur Frommer is generally acknowledged to be the nation's foremost travel authority. He is the founder of the
