Best and Worst of Travel
NZPA report:
New Zealanders love to travel, but they don’t want to tip when they get there, according to a new top 10 travel “loves and loathes” list.
The list, released today by House of Travel, is the “best and worst of travel”, retail director Brent Thomas said.
So what are they:
Top 10 things New Zealanders love about travel:
* Your own entertainment system – and starting movies as soon as you board.
Yes this is superb. Makes a big difference. Also the fact the most airlines now have personal entertainment systems in economy class also now.
* Counting down the number of sleeps until you leave.
Not so much for me. It means I am frantic finishing work stuff.
* Standing in front of Big Ben, the Pyramids or Taj Mahal and realising that you’ve made it.
Yeah.
* Getting entrenched in the local customs and culture.
Not sure I get entrenched but I do like experiencing them.
* The blast of heat you feel on arrival for a tropical break.
Yep, so long as not too humid. Hawaii was perfect.
* Copenhagen Airport.
Never been there.
* The super cheap Thai foot massages at Bangkok Airport.
Hell at Akl International they were giving free back massages for a while.
* Not having to make your bed every morning.
Oh yeah.
* Curries, “real pizza”, pastries, ceviche – authentic fresh local cuisine.
After I visited Rome, couldn’t eat pasta in NZ for some months.
* Getting home and planning your next trip.
Yep, always have one in the works I say.
Top 10 things New Zealanders loathe about travel:
* Passport photos.
Almost as bad as parliamentary ID photos
* Virtually every airport in the country “making some changes”.
I remember the days when it wasn’t a half marathon to go through Auckland International Airport.
* Early morning international flights.
Oh God I had so many on my last trip. Left Dubai at 2 am. Left Iran at 4 am and left Israel at 6 am.
* Having to take your laptop out going through security.
That and most things about the security checks.
* Having to “fight” for the arm rest.
If you have a window seat this is not so bad as you can lean on the window and rest there. But I prefer aisle seats as I like to be able to get in and out without disturbing others. It is a blessing when the centre seat is empty.
* The realisation that you only have one more sleep before you go home.
Nah by the end of a good trip, you are ready for home.
* Hotels and beaches that are nothing like their website pictures.
Beaches normally live up to billing, but some hotels are misleading. But this is why I look at user ratings – rarely wrong.
* The “bad hair days” caused by humid holiday spots.
Ha – not an issue shall we say.
* Unpacking and finding that your toothpaste, moisturiser or shampoo has leaked.
Or shaving cream!
* Tipping – why is that porter just hanging around?
I detest compulsory tipping. I love to tip for good service, but hate being forced to tip.
December 9th, 2009 at 1:11 pm
Not knowing who/when to tip is most annoying, once you figure it out it’s not so bad.
December 9th, 2009 at 1:15 pm
“Almost as bad as parliamentary ID photos”
Yeah. At least you don’t have to wear your passport photo in a visible place at all times!
December 9th, 2009 at 1:21 pm
“foot massages” in Thailand. is that what we are calling it now.
December 9th, 2009 at 1:50 pm
I love travel, and have been to quite a few different points around the globe. Lots more still to do though. Here’s my set of tips for enjoying a new country.
1. Learn to speak some of their language. A few simple words conveys your interest in their country and results in locals really helping you out. A ‘Moi!’ in Finland work wonders. So does a ‘Bonjour’ in France… but only in as much as the French will immediately stop pretending not to speak English just to stop you making a butchery of their beautiful language!
2. Eat local food. Now I drew the line at mouse embryo’s in northern China (still feel sick thinking about this..) but if you feel the need to visit McDonalds in Rome then it’s time to return to NZ. Be adventurous – there’s a world of fantastic local cuisine that’s just waiting to be sampled.
3. Drink local wine. Fortunately I’ve never been anywhere where really, really bad wine is made. I’m told Uzbekistan’s drop is to die for (or perhaps because of). Or even try some of the local hard stuff. There are some local Oozo’s from inland Greece that I can still taste… 12 years on.
4. Meet, don’t see . Go to locals pubs, restaurants etc. If you only go where the tourists hang out then you’ll get half the experience at twice the price. If you are a kiwi then trade on this fact when meeting locals. It’s great currency, and we’re generally liked by the peoples of most countries. Meeting people creates lasting memories, while the being a tourist fills your hard drive with photos that quickly mean nothing
5. Partial planning. Hit the web and sort our some keys on (1) thru (4) above before you go… but don’t pre-book everything. Leave enough slack in your itinerary to take our opportunities that crop up.
6. Have your shots. I have had one nasty experience as a result of (2) and having an aversion to pre-holiday jabs
December 9th, 2009 at 2:34 pm
To any bloggers (or journalist) thinking of travelling to Iran.
BE CAREFUL!
“The Committee to Protect Journalists has published their annual census of journalists in prison. Of the 136 reporters in prison around the world on December 1, ‘At least 68 bloggers, Web-based reporters, and online editors are imprisoned, constituting half of all journalists now in jail.’ Print was next with 51 cases. Also, ‘Freelancers now make up nearly 45 percent of all journalists jailed worldwide, a dramatic recent increase that reflects the evolution of the global news business.’ China, Iran, Cuba, Eritrea, and Burma were the top 5 jailers of journalists.” rmdstudio writes, too, with word that after the last few days’ protest there, largely organized online, the government of Iran is considering the death penalty for bloggers and webmasters whose reports offend it. (copied from Slashdot)
December 9th, 2009 at 3:05 pm
Drunk / dumbass kiwis doing the haka in inappropriate places
December 9th, 2009 at 3:09 pm
Lucky bugger, we haven’t taken a holiday for three years now and it’s way past time the family did. Are bloody determined to next winter.
December 9th, 2009 at 3:39 pm
The worst thing about returning to NZ is the inevitable stop for refuelling at Sydney and the hoards of low life who board the plane for the trip back to NZ.
These people think that a singlet, jandels, smelly jeans and a bone carving are acceptable attire when travelling.
As soon as I see these low life board the plane my heart sinks, it makes returning home horrible.
December 9th, 2009 at 3:45 pm
TimG
“Drunk / dumbass kiwis doing the haka in inappropriate places”
Drunk / dumbarse Kiwis doing the haka at all!
December 9th, 2009 at 3:47 pm
Frankly I found the whole ‘article’ a load of bollocks. Even though I travel quite a bit, I glanced at this rubbish and thought “Oh, The House Of Travel has rushed off a quick press release composed of utter bullshit – but why would the herald want to indulge them?”
And here, I find that you have not only referred to it, but you have studiously ANALYSED it too!
Your standards are slipping David, sorry to say it.
December 9th, 2009 at 3:59 pm
Ross Nixon 2:34 pm,
… sounds like DPF had a lucky escape after his recent trip.
December 9th, 2009 at 8:45 pm
I think one of the best things is coming back and at some random time in the future your watching a tv show or movie and can go “been there”.
Like Angkor Tom in Tomb Raider, Jerusalem in History Channel programmes etc etc
December 9th, 2009 at 9:00 pm
My rough rule of thumb dividing places I like visiting, versus places I don’t, can probably be summarised as the presence or absence of toilet-paper. This is how I separate the developing world from the developed world.
Learning some local lingo is invaluable. You’d be surprised how far you can stretch “hello”, “goodbye”, “thankyou” and “I’d like a beer” in most places.
As getstaffed has already mentioned, getting out from the tourist spots is highly recommended. I remember being in Xi’an, walking out two streets from the old imperial city, and suddenly being the only Euro around. Tourist traffic is really, highly concentrated.