Please Don't

Do you remember my "please don't" post a while back?

I mainly listed things people should not do while traveling abroad...things that may bother more than just one soul on this planet dealing with tourists and such. Since I could write books about such very annoying and entertaining (yes I admit it's also quite entertaining) behavior I thought I'd share some more. Again, please be aware of the fact that not everyone's like that, and that things like the ones I mention may or may not happen every day. Everything I'm writing down has happened and will happen again. Everything I'm writing down is not intended to hurt or offend anyone. It's intended for my own pleasure (so I can finally vent and get it all out), or basically for entertainment/information. Isn't it nice to know a thing or two about how people see you and what you should try to avoid once you enter a different continent or country, or state for that matter?!

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• Please don't assume anyone crossing your way (in a hotel, on the street, in the lobby of a building, or at the tourist information center, etc) is your technician. If your laptop/computer/iPhone/iPad/etc doesn't work we can't fix it for you. As much as we like you to keep in touch with family and friends back home, we are no technicians. Heck, I can't even fix my own at home, so why should I try to fix yours?! Please go to some store that may actually help you with that. Thank you.
• Don't be upset when you want to pay in another currency and people don't accept it. When you travel to a different country, that specific new country may or may not have the same currency as you are used to. Deal with it. Inform yourself beforehand, change it too, or have some with you when you enter that country. Don't be upset when people tell you you can't pay in your currency, or if so, the exchange rate is incredibly ridiculous and you would loose lots of money. Hotels and restaurants aren't banks. Shops aren't banks either. So if you want a good deal on your "foreign" money go to a bank, compare the rates and then change to the local currency. It's that simple.
• Inform yourself whether or not hotels charge extra for calls made from the rooms...local calls aren't free in most places, so make sure. And don't yell at the person telling you you spent $1.20 on a local call. It's not worth it. You called, you pay. Plus, come on!!! $1.20 is not $147!!!
• Smile! Even if you're tired from your trip, or mad at your spouse for not finding something or having booked something wrong don't blame it on the first person you see. Don't blame it on me. I'm sorry for all the trouble but you need to work this out with your friend, spouse, father, mother, etc. Not with me. Thank you. So please don't yell at me because I'm not your enemy. And please smile!!! Life may suck right at this second...but there's no need to yell and call names. It's not going to be better that way. Just smile!
• Speaking of language...don't swear in front of me. Don't swear at all. I don't care if you do it, because heck I know I do it, too...but there are certain places you just should watch what you're saying because it's just very inappropriate. So yeah, watch your language. 
• Smile!! Yes, again. Even if your day is crappy - smile. In college, first class in my field of expertise, I was told that when you work with people you gotta smile and stay positive towards others even though your day is one of the worst possible ones. It doesn't matter if you just broke up with someone, went to a funeral or so or just have a bad day. No one's supposed to see this - just you. Your attitude towards others determines what echoes back to you. 
• A/C's aren't used in every place and even though you may have it on full time all summer long back home get used to the fact that your travel destination may not even have air-conditioning. Inform yourself beforehand, and then stop complaining. You had plenty of time to read if air-conditioning is available or not. If you failed to do so, your problem. Not mine.
• Don't ask the first person you come across with what you could do in a specific city/town/area. You are holding a guide in your hand, so open that one and read. You bought that guide, and brought it with you so why not open it up and read (preferably before you start your trip!). There's nothing worse than asking anyone what you could do/see/experience in a city when you first get in. It just puts a stamp on your forehead staying "I'm a dumb tourist!!".
• It's okay to ask for a good restaurant though, like where locals do love to go eat or have a drink. This is absolutely fine. Sometimes you get directed to the best places ever, those not mentioned in a travel book. Wish we had NFT's over here!!!
• Get used that certain countries and cities don't have the same standard you're used to. If you have a gigantic bedroom in one city, you may not get the same sized room in another hotel. Same goes for temperatures...if you had brilliant weather in New York, traveled to Berlin and were lucky enough to get lots of sunshine and warm temps...don't get mad at the first person on your next stop because the weather's not the same. And don't start sentences with "this place sucks, because it's wet!".
• Use the bathroom in your room. Don't pee on the street. Enough said.
• Don't release gas in front of strangers either...especially when it can be heard and well, smelled.
  You are welcome for the last two visuals!!!

Ready to travel and annoy people?
I sure am.

Not so sure where to go though...and when and all but somehow I feel this very strong urge to get down to the basement, get my suitcase and pack some essentials and go...will I do it?! Maybe. Just not now...maybe in October or November!!!! Or December before Christmas?!

I can feel the travel bug got to me...again.

♥ Selma ♥