What's your golden travel rule?

[Groundfeeder]

Is this because its easy for staff to override?

Suspiciously, this happened to a companion on the Indian Pacific who lost quite a few dollars and blamed the staff. Otherwise, a great trip.

 

[Flyfrequently]

Adding to my golden rule, checking the count of bags etc when leaving hotel/taxi/plane, I do check  in my handbag for wallet/cards/cash/passports

5 minutes before departing DPS 2 years ago after final secondary screening (LAGS etc at the gate) had a heart stopping moment doing this check.
When returning my passport to handbag's special spot, I misjudged and it fell to the floor, fortunately Mr Flyfrequently's eye sight is better than mine, spotted it under my seat - almost a travel mistake.

 

[Forg]

Is this because its easy for staff to override?

Given that they're mass-produced to meet a low price, I doubt they can be all that super-secure.
I think they're a bit like a club-lock on a car, easy to get past & only used to hopefully make the thief target something that's even easier.

 

[JohnM]

Is this because its easy for staff to override?

My response was really a jocular riposte to @bPeteb's comment about leaving something in a safe.

In reality, I never even think to use a room safe. I have nothing of value to worry about and keep my passport, phone, watch on my person at all times.

 

[somebol]

1. First rule of golden rules...
2. As long as you have your passport, phone and credit cards. everything else is replaceable
3. Never come home with dirty laundry

 

[Aeryn]

Whilst i dont travel with anything valuable except passport, credit cards, phone, tablet and sometimes a waterproof camera, i do sometimes use safes and I've never left anything behind in one.

I always empty it and put everything into carry-on bags the night before departure; and double check again in the morning.

IME it is not always feasible to have your passport or tablet or all cards/cash on your person all the time, especially if like me you often do very active or water based activities such as diving/snorkeling, sea kayaking, canyoning, ziplining or visiting sites that dont allow you to bring any sort of small bag inside.

I also always keep a spare credit and debit card stored separately from the ones on me as back-ups in case of loss/theft (plus versions on my phone), usually hidden in inside pocket of a jacket or bag locked inside a carry-on case or larger case in my room.

My main rules are:

1. If you cant afford travel insurance you cant afford to travel. And if you haven't declared an activity/location on said policy dont do that activity or do a side visit to that place on a whim.

2. Always leave a copy of your full itinerary and contact details with a non-travelling trusted family member or friend including details of your travel insurance.

3. Never knowingly book a hotel room or air bnb that has a shower/tub combo; never accept an upgrade to a room without a walk in shower.

4. Eat local, McDonalds and its ilk are only acceptable if you are stuck in an airport without lounge access and there are no other options.

5. Use bottled water to clean your teeth unless you are 100% sure the tap water is safe.

6. Always have at least 1 change of clothes in carry-on as well as any item that cant easily be replaced on arrival should checked luggage be delayed.

 

[Mattg]

Don't give your real (or main) email address when connecting to random public Wi-Fi networks.

 

[Mattg]

3. Never come home with dirty laundry

This one is interesting to me as I almost always come home with dirty laundry. I'd rather not waste time finding a laundromat, drying my clothes, etc. while I'm on holiday, when I have a perfectly good washing machine at home and can do my washing there much more efficiently and hassle-free.

I'm curious as to your reason for this rule?

 

[Aeryn]

This one is interesting to me as I almost always come home with dirty laundry. I'd rather not waste time finding a laundromat, drying my clothes, etc. while I'm on holiday, when I have a perfectly good washing machine at home and can do my washing there much more efficiently and hassle-free.

Agreed, I do laundry as necessary on longer trips to have sufficient clean clothes options and bake laundry days into my itinerary; but I would much rather use my own machine and laundry products once home on anything I dont need to re-wear before I get home.

I often rewash even clean clothes if they were laundered overseas.

 

[tassie6]

This one is interesting to me as I almost always come home with dirty laundry. I'd rather not waste time finding a laundromat, drying my clothes, etc. while I'm on holiday, when I have a perfectly good washing machine at home and can do my washing there much more efficiently and hassle-free.

I'm curious as to your reason for this rule?

Concur with @Mattg, I find I feel like washing everything I took on the trip anyway, so may aswell maximise dirty towards the end

 

[wombatpatties]

Absolutely concur

Have done that on all flights to the U.K. Nothing better than relaxing in a chauffeured car and saying to myself with a cheeky smile on my face DYKWIA!!

 

[wombatpatties]

This one is interesting to me as I almost always come home with dirty laundry. I'd rather not waste time finding a laundromat, drying my clothes, etc. while I'm on holiday, when I have a perfectly good washing machine at home and can do my washing there much more efficiently and hassle-free.

I'm curious as to your reason for this rule?

I always wash my clothes when away. Hubby and I returned from Hobart, and it was all his clothes in the wash, he thought our washing machine would be better than a hotel sink, but then WHO did the washing on return - me duh!

 

[AuSammy]

Have done that on all flights to the U.K. Nothing better than relaxing in a chauffeured car and saying to myself with a cheeky smile on my face DYKWIA!!

When we flew to London a few years back, a car and chauffeur cost way less than a Black Cab.

 

[I love to travel]

I always wash my clothes when away. Hubby and I returned from Hobart, and it was all his clothes in the wash, he thought our washing machine would be better than a hotel sink, but then WHO did the washing on return - me duh!

The only thing is drying them. Most of my clothes say no tumble dry so I am always looking for inventive places in hotel rooms to hang them.

 

[Matt_01]

I normally have my passport and phone with me at all times. I will normally carry some limited cash, local and what ever major convertible currency is left over from previous trips. I always carry a spare pair of glasses as I struggle to see without them, in the past I have lost or broken glasses while travelling.

 

[AuSammy]

The only thing is drying them. Most of my clothes say no tumble dry so I am always looking for inventive places in hotel rooms to hang them.

[Edited for clarity…… after you have washed in morning/evening shower, squeezed excess water out with towel ringer method, then to dry…. ]

On a cruise or hotel rooms with a mini-fridge enclosed in a cupboard - put your sox & jox on top of the fridge. The hot air from the fridge rises and gets trapped in the cupboard. Leave them there all day while you are out and about.

 

[DejaBrew]

On a cruise or hotel rooms with a mini-fridge enclosed in a cupboard - put your sox & jox on top of the fridge. The hot air from the fridge rises and gets trapped in the cupboard. Leave them there all day while you are out and about.

Took me a moment to realise you were talking about out drying them after washing (as opposed to “marking your territory”)

 

[Aeryn]

I normally have my passport and phone with me at all times.

Im guessing you do not go scuba diving or snorkeling when travelling or do you have some wizz bang dive safe bag that protects them from water and pressure?

Leaving on boat with unknown crew or other passengers whilst you are below the surface seems less safe than using a hotel safe to me.

Also need to consider TI, if the safe was broken into generally covered, if your passport gets soaked because you've kept it on person at an inappropriate time it could be considered negligence and not covered.

YMMV.

 

[RooFlyer]

As long as you have your passport, phone and credit cards. everything else is replaceable

I carry a spare phone with me, It’s cloned to my main iPhone.

Saved me last December when I dropped my main phone on the Hotel airport shuttle bus. when I noticed at security,I was able to call the hotel and let them know and the shuttle Driver dropped it off in his next loop.

 

[Matt_01]

Im guessing you do not go scuba diving or snorkeling when travelling or do you have some wizz bang dive safe bag that protects them from water and pressure?

That would be a fair enough assumption. I used to dive however many years I had a couple of operations that resulted in more difficulties in equalising, scuba gear was sold and my dive days are over.