Follow the Rules !
Do you enjoy traveling as much as I do?
Then please, before you are leaving for your vacation , make sure you know the rules of the country you are visiting! Know them and follow them!
Some of those rules will be very different to what you experience in your country, but it is very important to understand them, otherwise you might risk high fines , imprisonment , even deportation.
Visiting Dubai
I you visit Dubai please dress conservative .Do not wear shorts, mini skirts or any revealing materials.
Do not use your cell phone when driving .
No public display of affection in public , no kissing or hugging...(:
No eating, drinking or smoking in public from sunrise till sundown
Do not take pictures of strategic buildings ( I almost got in trouble ).
Visiting IndiaWatch what you drink and eat, special street food ( same in Mexico). Drink bottle water and avoid ice drinks.
Dress very humble and conservatively, special if a women. You will get many men staring at you. Take of your shoes when entering temples ( same in many countries).
Do not pass any objects with you left hand ( same in many muslim countries).
Do not travel alone, special at night , or if you are a single women
Visiting MalaysiaNo alcohol in public
Do not touch the head of any person
Dress very humble, and do not show to much skin, not even on the beach.
No kissing in public or any other affection display . ( same like in many Muslim countries).
Remove your hat and shoes when entering a Buddhist temple. Enter a temple with your left foot first and exit with your right foot. This represents a Whole.
No drugs, ever!
Travel to Brazil
Do not carry lots of cash or flashy jewels,
Have photocopies of all you travel documents in you hotel safe .
Brazil is very busy, crowded with tourists .Be always vigilant with your backpack
Wear something casual, like locals, walking shoes a T-shirt, just to blend in
Visiting Italy
Do not wear a sundress or skimpy clothing when visiting Vatican city!
Follow the color lines for parking ( blue for paid parking, pink for mothers, white lines are free ).
Time clock in Italy ( and Spain, Tropical islands) is running slow...Some businesses are closed for lunch .
Watch out for Gondola rides in Venice. they can get very expensive at the end.
They are many rules all over the World. Just do you best and get informed.
The most important ones are safety , dressing humble and do not display your financial wealth. If not sure about a rule, just look around you , do what the locals do .
"When in Rome do as the Romans do".
Have a safe journey!
Please tell me about your funny traveling experience bending the rules ..
Recent Comments
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Great insights, Monica. It just a matter of courtesy as visitors to a country we visit! Cellphones are definite no-no anywhere whether it's a rule or not. Everyone should know that it's a risk to be on our cellphones while driving.
Thank you, I respect all the cultures, I try to learn and follow their customs and even dress like locals...
Not so much the rules but some of the behaviours...I love Indian movies where in the very intimate scenes the woman/man go to kiss each other passionately, the camera zooms in on them about to kiss and before they touch lips the scene fades out
When I was 18, a buddy and I traveled across country, out to California, then down the Caifornia coast and into Mexico. When we first tried to cross the border, a Mexican border guard pointed at my hair and said "Mexico no want hippies!" My hair wasn't even that long-I was an athlete, and certainly didn't consider myself a hippie. Disappointed, We went and asked a San Diego cop, "Can they do that?" He laughed and said "Mexico's a foreign country. They can do anything they want!" So, I stuffed the back of my hair up in my baseball cap and we turned around and got in a different lane to cross the border. This guy waved us right through, and we laughed as we continued our adventure! :)
Ha.ha, sweet deceiving the officers...in Jordan I had my hair covered as a Muslim girl, but my passport picture showed my real very long blond hair...the officers stopped me and ask me to remove my head cover.. ( not a custom of the country, just the opposite, you can remove it if your husband ask you too...not the case here:).
I tried to say no, but I end up waving .my hair ...the good thing is I got all the tips and free passes for my Jordanian adventures..
Pro and cons of long hair...
Enjoy your Sunday!
Actually, I thought this very normal and important rule is in most countries: Do not use your cell phone when driving .
At least in most countries in Europe, it´s absolute forbidden and high fine. As it should be, it´s dangerous.
But sorry, it´s nothing personal! Just for me as Europian, it´s absolute normal rule!
In my state in USA the rules about cellphone were enforce only last year, still many don't follow ! I agree with you! At work I am not allowed to walk and text
Hi Jo'hann (sorry , I don't have the right accent on letter O on my phone), I just noticed that you are from Island. .I've traveled to
many European countries, I use to live in France, UK and Holland but I never been to Island. . It is on my Bucket list. Any unusual laws I should be aware?
Thank you!
I don´t think so. But 2 are even so very important. It´s a huge gesture here but we are very upset seeing people go to the swimming pools (it magnificent, should test it, all with hot water and even better, hot pots) without going first naked in a shower. And too, we have had a big problem with (almost all tourist) drive outside the roads. Which damages the nature a lot and there is a fee for it. But it´s damage nature a lot.
But welcome, I´m sure you will be happy here!
Those 2 are very important rules to be broken..Thank you...
I am sure I will be in awe with your country...I still have so many to explore. . Have fun, stay creative !
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Thanks for this Monica. I'm not likely to need the warnings myself but will pass them on to family and friends :)
Thank you Valerie!