Method

When traveling now-a-days, carrying money is about as necessary as eating. Luckily people haven’t started charging for air yet.

In the previous SimplyLeave.com article we went over how to transport your money in such a way that it vanishes, now let’s look at three money-toting methods that encourage it’s persistence.

Creative Commons picture by infomatique.

3) Money Belt

Your crotch is pretty high on the list of “areas of your body that you instinctively protect.” Why not use your instincts to your advantage? When you carry money near your genitals, you will be surprised how fast you react to someone try to grab it.

Don’t use if:

You put ALL your money in there. It is embarrassing to have to root around in your crotch when you want to buy that candy bar in the airport. You can get arrested for that in some places.

Even beyond your pride, reach into your money belt all the time sacrifices one of it’s main advantages: that people don’t know you are keeping your money by the baby maker.

You are usually better off if you carry the things you will need frequently somewhere else.

Read the rest of this entry »

Having the only pint of ice cream on the bus tour of death valley is a rare situation. It is a circumstance where people want to steal a possession from you that isn’t money. For all those other times here is a look at the three least secure ways to carry your money. [The three most secure ways to travel with money is the next article.]

Creative Commons picture by gruntzooki.

3) In An Open Purse, in Cash

A big wad of cash loosely stuck in an open purse is like a big red button with a sign that says “do not push.” Previously honest people will be tempted. Those who have spent the last few years working at a boring job will wonder if they could get away from it. Even a devout monk would get a rush of adrenaline looking at it. It is just so easy.

Extra points if:

You only hold one side of the purse, so gravity seductively pulls it open.
Read the rest of this entry »

Chatting with the people you meet during your travels can be one of the most rewarding parts of any trip. Other travelers can have a lot of experience, and people in other parts of the world can explain perspectives that are very different from those you might find back home. Here is quick guide for conquering your initial fear and starting a conversation.

1 - The Weather

Creative Commons picture by extranoise.

As blasé as it may sound, talking about the weather actually works. The weather is something that we all experience, are all influenced by, and usually don’t blamed on strangers. A quick “I’m glad it is such a nice day” or “wow, I wasn’t expecting that rain” is a nice non-aggressive opener.  It is so good at starting conversations that I sometimes wonder if all of human society would fall apart without such a topic.

Disadvantage

You can get trapped in a conversation doldrum. Once the ice is broken you are still miles from other topics.

Read the rest of this entry »

If you travel a lot, you might as well accept it. At some point your bags will get delayed, and possibly lost altogether. Now that you have come to peace with this fact, you can focus on lessening the sinking feeling of standing by an empty luggage carousel. Before you leave, put some of your essential stuff in the bags of your traveling companions. The stuff you put in friend’s bags will help you last until the airlines find your bag.

Creative Commons picture by mel e mo.

If your bag gets on that airport conveyor belt enough, it will eventually not return on time. It is one of those unavoidable risks of air travel. However, airlines rarely simultaneously lose two people’s bags, and they are even less likely to lose four people’s bags at once. If you have a set of underwear in all four bags, the chances are pretty good that you will not have to immediately go shopping.

If you are traveling with some buddies, cross-packing is one of the best way to avoid those embarrassing “I have no clothes” situations. Before you head to the airport just swap some of your essential stuff with your friends. As an addend benefit, it will probably make them more sympathetic when your suitcase doesn’t show up in the baggage claim.
Read the rest of this entry »

Tipping Truth - There is no universal tip-based insult

Some think the best tip-insult is to not leave a tip. Rookie mistake. There are many countries where this is the norm. This is the polite way to deal with good service. In those situations, it is clearly a bad insult.

I know, for us tip-happy Americans it seems crazy. In some parts of the world people charge exactly the amount of money they want.

1 - Insult With a Large Tip in Japan

If you want to anger a service worker in Japan, leave a large tip. Twenty percent will probably be enough to shock them into a memorable state of irritation. A tip implies that they will only do their job correctly when given extra money. In some situations it also implies that the tipper now owns a part of the enterprise they tipped and expect to receive a percentage of the income every month. OK, I made that last one up.

The point is that tipping in Japan is an insult with finesse.

2 - Insult by Omitting a Tip in Chile

Not leaving a tip in a restaurant used to actually be a crime. I’m not talking in a metaphorical way either. There was a law against not tipping at least 10% at restaurants. Modern mean people need not fret though, that law was repealed in 1981. As far as I know, it is now completely legal to comment on the poor quality of an establishment’s waitstaff by not leaving a tip.

Read the rest of this entry »