Posts from — November 2006
Picking the Right Souvenir
When travelers go away on vacation, it is very common that they come home with a souvenir to remind them of the trip they just returned from. Most of the time, these small personal gifts are useless. They break, lose value, or simply become boring but, ironically, no one has the heart to throw them away. Below are a few helpful hints for picking the right souvenir on your trip so that you’re not wondering “why did I get that piece of junk” when you get home.
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November 15, 2006 2 Comments
Italian Lira Scam
Traveling to Italy? Don’t get hoodwinked by the modern currency scam. A few sneaky merchants are giving tourists change with a coin that carries no value. From Rick Steve’s Travel:
The old 500 lira coin (worth about $.25 before the Euro made it worthless in 2001) is the same size and design (silver outer ring with inlaid copper middle) as the new €2 coin (worth $2.50). Countless tourists are finding the old 500 lira coins in their pockets. I did — just last month. Each one you take costs you $2.50 and the only person dumb enough to take it from you is another tourist. Europeans never touch a coin the size of a €2 without verifying that it is actually €2. Study the photos here — the lira was passed off on me on my last trip. You are now warned!
November 13, 2006 1 Comment
Whale Watching In Maui
December is approaching and as most people are starting to unravel their winter coats from of the depths of their closets, others are choosing to escape the frigid weather and head to a more tropical environment.
Getting to Maui is a five and half hour flight from California or a six and a half hour flight from Tokyo, which makes it a very attractive vacation spot from both areas. United Airlines offers non stop flights from both Los Angeles (LAX) and San Francisco (SFO) to Kapalua, Maui. Make sure to plan your trip in advance as November-March are peak travel months and most hotels charge a premium rate for rooms.
If you are planning a vacation to Maui between December-April, not only will you be able to work on your tan, but you might be lucky enough to see Maui’s largest visitors, the humpback whale. Every year, 2,000 humpback whales migrate from their summer feeding grounds in Alaska to the warm and sheltered waters of the Hawaiian Islands. Here the whales mate and nurse their newborn calves, as spectators awe at the size and grace of these mammals. Whale Watch Maui offers a wealth of information on whale watching in Hawaii as well as inexpensive day tours.
November 8, 2006 No Comments
Tips on Proper Japanese Etiquette
Proper etiquette in Japan is dramatically different from what is considered to be etiquette around the rest of the world. If you are planning to visit Japan in the near future, either for business or leisure, below are a few reminders and tips to make you more familiar with Japanese etiquette so that you don’t make a fool of yourself.
1. Inside the house – When entering into someone’s house, it is customary to take off your shoes and change into slippers. These slippers will most likely be provided by the host. Upon entering a room with a tatami floor, be sure to take off your slippers.
2. Table manners – Blowing your nose, leaving food on your plate, and talking about disappetizing topics are considered bad etiquette. Most importantly, unlike other cultures in East Asia, it is considered extremely rude to burp at the table.
3. Eating at a restaurant – Do not leave a tip! When leaving, simply say to your server, “gochisosama deshita” (“thank you for the meal”). In most restaurants, it is common to take the receipt to the cashier and pay at the front.
4. Bowing – If the greeting takes place on a tatami floor, than it is customary to get on your knees in order to bow. If the opposite person is a higher status than yourself, you are supposed to bow deeper or longer than him or her.
November 6, 2006 2 Comments
Interactive Map of Skiing Resort in France (Serre Chevailer)
If you are planning on a ski trip to Europe soon, France might be the place for you. The food is magnificent, the weather is beautiful and the slopes are exhilarating. To help give you a better idea, below is an interactive map of Serre Chevailer, a ski resort in France.
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November 1, 2006 3 Comments
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