This week’s topic on Traveler’s Night In, a “tweet-up” for travelers, was Travel Problem Solving. Ten questions were asked and tagged #TNI- Here are the questions:
Q1. How did you find Zen w/ an annoying travel companion?
@TheTrvlPrincess Earplugs + Alcohol 🙂
@reggaebeachskb pray…….that the trip would end
@allaboutmexico: A1 I put my nose in my book or yawn, close my eyes & pretend to fall asleep.
@WorkMomTravels How did I know that “alcohol” would be a popular answer to Q1??
@globescribbler Space is key! You don’t have to stay together 24-7
@mygo2it Lick them. Would you bother someone that just licked you? =P
Q2. Border trouble, visas, passports – savvy ways to avoid hassles?
@alexberger: scan/e-mail yourself a copy of your credit card, passport & other documents. Can’t be lost, almost always on hand
@kaytsukel Be patient. Be nice. A little charm goes along way. Barring that, I’ve found cleavage also helps.
@KenandLarry Use a travel agent who specializes in the destination. And plan ahead!
@kitwhelan: If someone’s asking for a bribe, just pretend you don’t understand. Often they will drop it.
@GoApril: ZipSetGo has a widget on our site to see if u need a visa or not… Fast simple easy
@CravenTravels You don’t need any of these for the space shuttle by the way…
Q3. Caught in a Natural Disaster while traveling? Tell us your story.
@kymri Yes. Landslide in progress while trekking in Nepal. My story here: http://bit.ly/jk863L
@ACarlton Does an attempted coup de tat in Ecuador count?http://thetravelingbard.com/?p=698
@TravelMaestro: A3 Flash flood in my own ‘hood coming home from arpt. made it to w/in 1/2 mile then I ran for home on the hill. Car didn’t make it
@addict_nerd Drove thru Blizzard of ’08 BUF-NYC to make a cruise. Snow, freezing rain, hail, downpour, Sat. night on GW Bridge.Took over 14 hrs.
@ecuadorguide Past car door in flood waters. Had to climb out of window to push car out of water. The interior stunk of mold for weeks
Q4. Tips to cope with stress when your well-laid travel plans go astray?
@SpiritsTraveler Was in earthquake in Anaheim. My daughter (5 at time) thought it was better than rides at Disney! Scary aftershocks too.
@LiveShareTravel Just think you could be someone who doesn’t travel
@kirsten_al Give yourself the chance to freak out a bit, then put a smile on your face and FIND the positives even if it’s hard.
@globescribbler take it as part of the adventure and always carry snacks in case you get stranded. from experience stress+low blood sugar = bad
@Xplore724 Write about it in your journal. It will make a good story!
Q5. Most lost you have ever been? How did you find your way?
@NomadKeith ‘You are not lost till you sit down and give up. Until then, you are only mislaid’ (Hamish Brown)
@BlkChickOnTour I’ve never been as lost as I have in Bahrain, and it’s a small island!! Nothing is number and 75% of the streets have no signs.
@graceface Every time I tried to get anywhere in Bangkok by myself=immediately lost as fuck. Nice Thais pitied the poor solo lost white girl.
@realclubresorts Costa Rica the road turned into a cow path in the middle of a field. We traded American cigarettes for gas from a local farmer.
@elleswim Got wasted on a family trip to Mexico. Mom said if I was old enough to drink, I was old enough to make it home alone & left me
Q6. Your hotel is over booked or not what was promised, now what?
@triptrotting Try to find locals to stay with
@justinhamlin Man up and find another hotel. One setback is not the end of the world.
@kerrinsheldon Thank goodness I brought my tent…
@amandaelsewhere Cry. Wow. I’m learning I’m not so good at stress. But cut me a break. My car was stolen this week and Oprah is over.
@Hennartonline Tell them your @Klout score?
Q7. Money…how to get more quickly & avoid getting ripped off while traveling?
@budgettravelsac How NOT to get money – start a travel blog. How to avoid getting ripped off? Tell them you’re a travel blogger!
@Vacation_Mamma Tip: Did you know that Western Union won’t let someone under 18 receive money that you send? Always keep some xtra money hidden.
@DestinationCabo Always ask someone not related to the taxi how much the ride should cost, then go negotiate with taxi driver. Taxis = Ripoff!
@hjortur: Wear a T-shirt that reads: I’m kinda big on Twitter! 😉
@shinyredtype: Accept that sometimes you will get ripped off and choose your battles. $1-5 more for something won’t break you.
Q8. Sick while on the road…share your stories and advice.
@VitraSin take a pouch w/the essentials: advil, bandage, neosporin, etc just in case.
@packdsuitcase If sick on the road, take a moment to feel sorry for yourself, then move on and find a pharmacy.
@KatrinaMauro LOTS OF WATER and if fresh juice is available, that helps keep the immune system up!!
@whygocanada Travel with your own meds, including antibiotics! And make sure you have medical insurance! Not having it is a dumb way to save
@KelseyIvey If the the veins in your arm start turning black from a infected blister. Go to the hospital instead of taking a 4 hr plane ride.
Q9. Ways to handle flight cancellations, delays, involuntary bumps?
@jetsetfarryn Annoy the airlines via twitter
@timmermansr Deal with it. Air travel is all about safety, as it should be. Cancellations or delays are almost always safety issues, which is OK
@driftingfocus Take out my laptop and write a few blog posts!
@BryanCSnider Being patient is a blessing! I can’t tell you how many first class upgrades I’ve gotten just for being nice.
Q10. One thing you always do while traveling abroad to stay safe?
@ehalvey I’m usually traveling w/ my husband or a group. But I stick to well-lit spots when going solo. Know where NOT to go
@ilivetotravel Dont daydream. Look at the map as inconspicuously as possible. Learn some of the language. Keep my guardian angel happy.
@TravelPurpose: Exude confidence at all times, even if you are faking it
@cybertoad Leave copies of my travel plans (flight, hotel, contact info) & copies of my passport w/ friends/family in case of an emergency.
@kirsten_al A10 As a woman, I watch the way I dress and the jewelry I wear. Don’t want to draw too much attention
Miss #TNI this week? Join in with your answers to the questions in the comments below and make sure to join us next Thursday from 3:30 pm EST- 5:00 pm EST for all the fun!
Thanks to the ZipSetGo girls for organizing a conversation with travelers from all over the world and to YOU for participating in this great group!
*If you have any corrections or issues with the post, especially if it involves your tweet, please e-mail us (go@vagabond3.com) to have it addressed in the fastest way possible.
