Don't Be Rude!

Ok...this article as been a long time coming. I have written on the subject of staying calm while traveling and how important it is to not lose your cool when things don't go your way. Sometimes losing your cool may be justified when those in charge lack any resemblance of care when you are calmly trying to get them to recognize your reservation or accommodate you somehow because the airline canceled your flight etc. But please recognize the difference between losing your cool and being just plain rude.

Honestly though, this article is not addressing the times when things have gone awry on your travels. Nope, unfortunately I am addressing those travelers who feel it is socially acceptable to be rude just because you are "so and so" from "XYZ city" or country. Let me make this perfectly clear...rude behavior is never acceptable. NEVER! I don't care who you are and where you are from, no worker at any hotel, resort, or on any cruise line or tour bus deserves to be treated rudely.

Let me give you an example of some of my observations while traveling around our country and abroad. Mr. or Mrs. Tourist sits down at the resort restaurant in Mexico. Said tourist then begins to yell orders at his or her server from several feet away while server is trying to listen to and understand another group of foreign tourists at a table across the room. The poor server is trying to understand some of the worst examples of our English language while orders are being thrown at him or her with not even a simple thank you or a pleasant "pardon me." Mr. or Mrs. Tourist somehow has forgotten that they are the visitor in a foreign land and expect everyone around them to speak and understand as they do and to jump at their beck and call. That is just plain rude in my book.

So many times we like to complain about ABC foreign city and say they have such rude citizens blah blah blah. When, in reality, we (U.S. citizens) can be some of the most rude travelers I have ever seen.

I have witnessed foreign travelers in Japan turn up their noses as they read a menu and then have the gall to ask someone who can barely understand every other word..."don't you have something with chicken in it?" Or they get mad at the Japanese server because their eggs were not cooked exactly like the way we are used to here in the U.S.

Please remember when you are traveling abroad (no matter where you are from), you are the visitor. You are the foreigner. You are the guest and show some manners for Pete's sake and represent your own Country with respect and humility. No one deserves to be treated rudely ever! You, the traveler, are the one speaking funny when you are in a foreign country so remember that and speak slow and be courteous if you are not easily understood and think about how others feel when they come to your Country and have a hard time communicating in your native language.

Do you have some examples of rude behavior that you have witnessed during your travels? Share them with me. Thanks for reading and please leave a comment, even if you disagree.

Video Tip of the Week (Disney Related)

Here is this weeks edition of my "Travel Tip of the Week." I am making this one related to Walt Disney World and will be posting further info in much more detail related to the topic of staying off-site versus on-site at Walt Disney World.

Go Where the Locals Go

I know you hear that a lot from travel guides, blogs etc., but if you are one who ends up going to the same restaurants all the time, even on vacation, then this blog is for you.

Part of the whole vacation experience is getting out of the normal routine and away from the troubles back at home. If that is the case, then why would you want to only stick with the same eating places that may make you think about things back at home? I am always shocked to see travelers who will go wait in line to be seated at places like Cracker Barrel or Chili's when they have those same restaurants back at home.

Are you afraid to branch out? There are a lot of resources that you can draw from like your travel agent (me) or sites like www.cityspur.com where you can find great eating choices at your vacation destination that are not chain restaurants.

For example...some of my greatest memories of our travels are some of the "off the beaten path" restaurants that we found simply by talking to store clerks, taxis drivers etc who then recommended some of their favorites in town. Some of those "honey holes" are places like "The Cottage" in La Jolla California. It is such a small quaint eatery and their food was out of this world. Another local favorite in La Jolla was "The Coffee Cup." This again was a small local establishment off of the main drive that runs through La Jolla's tourist area. It was actually a place we would have never found had it not been for a store employee who said..."you have to go to the "Coffee Cup." It is open for breakfast and dinner and can get busy with the locals on the weekend. But this brings up an advantage for you as the tourist. You can visit these local places during the week when the locals are at work and while the other tourists are still lined up to get into the IHOP.

Those are just two ideas to get you to see that the real experience when traveling and the true escape comes when you leave what you know to go try something new and different. Traveling should be a cultural adventure even here in the U.S. You can learn a lot about the different cultures of a State and city when you get out of the tourist filled areas and go sit among the locals and just take it all in.

If you never try to branch out...promise me that you will on your next vacation. I will then promise that it will add so much more enjoyment and great memories to your vacation getaway.