Twenty years ago, I wrote and published a dozen rules for improving any vacation trip. Though most of them haven't changed, they have all been modified to reflect the lessons that 20 additional years of travel have brought to mind. Here's how I travel today:
1. I combat transoceanic jet lag by going to sleep immediately on arrival. Time was when I would instantly hit the streets on my first full day in London, Bangkok or Seoul. And that overexertion would turn me into a sleepless zombie for the remainder of my first week abroad. No longer. I now go to bed the moment I reach the hotel; I make a relaxed transition to a new time zone and enjoy a much clearer head than ever before.
2. I prepare for my trips with histories and art appreciations. I read about Buddhism on most trips to the Far East. I refresh my memory about the evolution of the Gothic cathedral before a trip to Germany. And through such preparation, my trips become greatly more meaningful and rewarding.
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3. I no longer bring an outfit for every conceivable occasion. I've come to peace with the probability that I will not be invited to a garden party on my two weeks in Spain, and I will not be asked to meet the Queen. I now travel with a single, medium-size suitcase that's only half-full. And that one factor has improved the enjoyment of my trips to a greater extent than any other.
4. I equip myself with the names and addresses of competent, English-speaking physicians. If I am unable to obtain the names of reliable physicians at my destination in advance, I obtain a list maintained by the International Association of Medical Assistance to Travelers (use any Internet search engine to find them).
5. I haggle over the price of accommodations and take advantage of the perishable nature of hotel rooms. Because such lodgings are a complete loss if unsold for a particular date, owners often react favorably to a request for a discount.
6. I take one meal a day "picnic-style." I make one meal a day out of the simple, cold ingredients purchased in a foreign grocery or delicatessen. In this manner, I not only eat sensibly, healthfully and cheaply, but I eat better, enjoying the local specialties in cold food that every country offers.
7. I bring along a small but select assortment of travel products. And I emphasize "small." Eyeshades to ensure sleep. Earplugs to blot out unwanted noises. A small, coffee-immersion heater. And comfortable walking shoes, however unsightly they may be.
8. I acquire the names and addresses of people to look up. I take pains to enjoy the most memorable events of travel: when you interact with residents of a foreign location.
9. I make use of government tourist offices and institutes. By simply requesting literature from them, I often learn about fascinating events and activities.
10. I stay calm and roll with the travel punches. I accept the fact that travel is an inherently uncertain activity that doesn't always come about without glitches or delays.
11. I buy various forms of cheap travel insurance. I never did so when I first traveled, but, oh, how I learned! Travel is a complex activity in which many things can and do go wrong.
12. I avoid the heavily touristed areas and opt for the undiscovered. Having had my fill of all the massively popular destinations — the Londons and the Acapulcos, the Honolulus and the Orlandos — my current tastes are for the places that are not inundated by visitors. Mature travel consists of continuing to act as a pioneer.
