Travel experts can slip on their tongues too. There is a lot of good travel advice on the Internet, but there are also plenty of boneheaded tips that leave you wondering what these people could have been thinking. Like any other kind of tip, travel advice needs to be taken with a grain of salt, and maybe a nip of tequila and lemon too. Always go by your instinct. If a travel tip sounds like bunk, it probably is. Use your head. You may not travel all the time, but you are an expert on what you desire out of a vacation. Here are some dumb tips for travelers in 2009. Don’t follow them blindly.
“When you eat at a buffet, skip the items at the front and head to the end. The cheap food is always up front, where you fill up your plate first. Owners save the best food for the end so you reach it will a full plate.”
That may be great advice for a heart attack or a gut to pack home, but it’s horribly unhealthy. Cheaper items may be at the front of the line, but these are also often the healthiest items like salad fixings and vegetable soups. Instead of trying to get as much food value as you can out of a buffet, eat what you most enjoy. You can be completely satisfied without taking out your calculator and estimating the cost of the meal against what you actually paid. You are there to enjoy yourself. Eat what you like and what’s good for you.
“Taking a cruise is a smart way to control a budget. You’ll know the cost of the trip in advance, and your major expenses will be covered in one rate.”
What kind of planet are these people on? When you go on a cruise, the finer things such as drinks, extra activities such as the gym and shore excursions, and many of the luxuries that are the reasons people take cruises in the first place cost extra. The finer things in life you’ll get charged extra for, just like the real world. Unless you plan on never leaving your cabin, you’re going to pay extra. If you want to save money, try camping at a state park. Cruises are vacations designed for those who are prepared to spend.
"Consider purchasing Goodnites that protect kids from accidents but are more underwear like. You can even get them for kids over 125 pounds. Any kid you travel with should wear them as they save hotel beds, car seats and restaurant chairs.”
Would you wear a diaper on vacation, especially if you are 10? Kids hate being degraded just like the rest of us, and most come potty trained after the first few years. Why doesn’t the whole family just pack catheters to avoid having to ask where the bathroom is in French? These kinds of tips are downright ridiculous when you say them out loud.
“For cruises, always choose one that’s the last to sail in a particular region because the souvenirs are on sale.”
Sure, why not book a cruise that costs thousands of dollars so you can save 75% on t-shirts and cheap plastic mugs? In fact, why not just skip the cruise and hit the thrift store? You can find most of that stuff much cheaper at the Goodwill, and it will only cost you 35 cents. Most people make decisions on which cruise to go on based on the luxurious accommodations, not the cheap prices on souvenirs.