The Travel Tips Thread!

[PedroSteckecilo]

It's vacation season! Hence I figure we need a general thread for travel tips and such.

So for starters...

Any Londoners want to recommend/warn me about any areas in their fine city?
Any Parisians?
Romans?
Countrymen (Couldn't resist)?

 

[PedroSteckecilo]

I suppose I could also give tips on travelling in Calgary, Canada...

1: Don't come in July, unless you like crowds and cowboys.
2: Avoid Forest Lawn and the NE of the city, it's like the only danger spots really.
3: The Calgary Zoo is one of the better zoo's in the world with lots of animals and exhibits.

 

[PedroSteckecilo]

On a similar note...

No Matter What Car You Drive, You Do Not Have Enough Gas to Make it from Kamloops, BC, to Hope, BC, along the Coquahola Highway, period stop, fill up in Kamloops!

 

[PedroSteckecilo]

I suppose I could also give tips on travelling in Calgary, Canada...

Good Calgary fact a couple friends of friends of mine learned... Don't drive down major streets in Calgary in a small sedan waving Oilers flags and yelling "Flames Suck" out the window. Them looneys were lucky to make it back alive, no matter how true their message.

I had a friend who ran through West Ed. wearing just a Flames Jersey and Flames Boxers, he was lucky to make it out alive.

 

[Conqueror Kenny]

London tips
[li]It isn't actually as intresting as it seems[/li]
[li]Bring an umbrella or something of the sort[/li]
[li]Don't ask the locals for help, you will most likely get abuse.[/li]
[li]London Zoo is dreadful there are hardly any animals[/li]
[li]Try the London eye it's good for sightseers[/li]
[li]Have a look at what's on in the west-end there may be something good[/li]

 

[snuffler]

1: Don't come in July, unless you like crowds and cowboys.

Stampede sucked this year IMO. My friend and I were there for about 10 minutes before leaving to go drink at Tequila Night Club down the street . Also if you're coming to calgary, don't forget to hit up the Night Clubs. They're the shit.

 

[the monopoly guy]

Wisconsin

Don't drive too fast at night, deer are FUCKING EVERYWHERE, and they seem to be attracted to headlights.
Don't wear a Chicago Bears anything...most people will get pissed.

 

[PedroSteckecilo]

1: Don't come in July, unless you like crowds and cowboys.

Stampede sucked this year IMO. My friend and I were there for about 10 minutes before leaving to go drink at Tequila Night Club down the street . Also if you're coming to calgary, don't forget to hit up the Night Clubs. They're the shit.

I can't say I'm a fan of Calgary's club/bar scene, too much generic dance music that is always way too loud, too many fake-n-bake ladies, too many underage douchebags, too many douchebags, no culture. Bars are just as bad, you have Irish pubs... and you have Sports Bars... that's basically it.

Though if you're a beer connosuer and you come through Calgary, be sure to check out the Wild Rose Restaurant at the Currie Barracks and The Hop In Brew on 12th Ave SE (order a Goldspur, 14% alchahol and tastes like heaven, gets you drunk way faster than you intend though)

 

[snuffler]

I can't say I'm a fan of Calgary's club/bar scene, too much generic dance music that is always way too loud, too many fake-n-bake ladies, too many underage douchebags, too many douchebags, no culture. Bars are just as bad, you have Irish pubs... and you have Sports Bars... that's basically it.

Though if you're a beer connosuer and you come through Calgary, be sure to check out the Wild Rose Restaurant at the Currie Barracks and The Hop In Brew on 12th Ave SE (order a Goldspur, 14% alchahol and tastes like heaven, gets you drunk way faster than you intend though)

Its a teenage club scene I'll admit that. But I love it. I went to nanaimo for a month back in April and the place literally closes at 1:00. The whole town. Just shuts off. It made me yearn for Calgary.

 

[PedroSteckecilo]

London tips
[li]It isn't actually as intresting as it seems[/li]
[li]Bring an umbrella or something of the sort[/li]
[li]Don't ask the locals for help, you will most likely get abuse.[/li]
[li]London Zoo is dreadful there are hardly any animals[/li]
[li]Try the London eye it's good for sightseers[/li]
[li]Have a look at what's on in the west-end there may be something good[/li]

Damn, and here I was actually excited to be going to London in a couple of weeks.

 

[_Serendipity_]

Nah, London is one of those places that is fantastic to visit, but not so great to live. For one thing, it's the biggest city in Europe by quite a long way (12-14 million people), so there's just so much stuff that it's hard as hell to get bored as a tourist.
The zoo is a bit shit, but the West End is amazing, as is the London eye.

 

[The_root_of_all_evil]

Agreed, London has some wonderful places, but they're usually not on the list.

Natural History Museum, Kew Gardens, Leicester Square etc.

Be VERY careful though, there are a number of professional bag-snatchers there, especially in the Starbucks. (A friend of mine got hers stolen in under five seconds)

 

[John Galt]

If you ever go to Florida, for the love of god don't come here in the summer. It's either too hot to do anything or it's raining. The best time to come would be around late September to early November, then it's pretty decent without being too cold for the beach. One more thing, don't bother with the east coast, there's nothing there besides the Kennedy Space Center that's not better on the west coast.

 

[PedroSteckecilo]

There's a good one...

If you're traveling in Canada, as long as you're not in Toronto, ask the locals for help, we're really very friendly here. We also, oddly, tend to turn in lost stuff and we don't have a lot of pick pockets or bag snatchers... except in Calgary during the Stampede.

 

[sammyfreak]

London has two really great things, the Freud museum (it is fucking awesoe, they have the sofa!) and the best public transportation you have seen in your life. Even better are the trains heading out to the countryside, go to Stratford-Upon-Avon and se a Shakespeare play there, better then anything in London.

Also, if you people wanna go to a really cool place South Africa is teh shit. Completely awesome country, especially the area around Cape-Town.

 

[PedroSteckecilo]

My sister went to Cape-Town, she said it was one of the best places she's ever been.

 

[BallPtPenTheif]

London tips

[li]Don't ask the locals for help, you will most likely get abuse.[/li]

that makes me want to go to London and ask for help. i also want to go to France and not speak French. i need to work on some antagonism issues.

 

[PedroSteckecilo]

London tips

[li]Don't ask the locals for help, you will most likely get abuse.[/li]

that makes me want to go to London and ask for help. i also want to go to France and not speak French. i need to work on some antagonism issues.

I'm going to London and France in a few weeks, I'm a Canadian so I'll assume everyone is as nice as Canadian's are (see my previous post), and I also don't speak French, I'll tell you how it goes.

EDIT: I'll see London, I'll see France, I'll desperately hope Air Canada doesn't lose my Underpants.

 

[BallPtPenTheif]

I'm going to London and France in a few weeks, I'm a Canadian so I'll assume everyone is as nice as Canadian's are (see my previous post), and I also don't speak French, I'll tell you how it goes.

please do. part of me thinks that their culuralcentric rudeness is probably a myth since i can't imagine being that rude to a foreigner.

as an American traveling brings on a bit of a conundrum. i don't know if other cultures have this issue as well. but typically, in America liberalism teaches to respect other cultures when they are visiting America. addittionally, liberalism would preach that when traveling abroad you absorb as much of the language and culture possible before going as a sign of respect.

the conundrum here is that apparently, to not be a typical american redneck, i would have to happily let foreigners trample on my social norms (lines, spacial comfort zone, etc) when they are here and then try to assimilate to their cultural norms when abroad (wife in a burka, respecting caste system, etc).

i don't like the double standard.

 

[The_root_of_all_evil]

Also, if you people wanna go to a really cool place South Africa is teh shit. Completely awesome country, especially the area around Cape-Town.

I doubt Fondant would see it that way.

If you ever want to visit Leicester, come on a Sunday or Monday, it's a lot less crowded and we do have some great Museums. Also we have possibly the broadest range of races anywhere.