Author Unknown
Regarding Travel:
Thou shalt not expect to find all things precisely as they are at home. Thou has left home to find things different.
Thou shalt travel in a spirit of utter humility. The fact that people may think, speak and act differently does not make them inferior.
Thou shalt not let thy travel companions get on thy nerves, for thou art paying good money for this experience.
Thou shalt not worry about things at home while thou art away, for he or she that worrieth hath little joy.
Thou shalt not judge all people of a city or a country by one person with whom thou hast had a problem.
Thou shalt remember that endless waiting lines, delays, cancellations and bad food are a part of traveling, and thou shalt smile and not complain.
Thou shalt not expect or demand that everyone speak English.
Thou shalt carry thy passport on thy person only when necessary, for it is a valuable document and prime target for thieves. When in possession of said document, it shalt be hidden under thy clothing; it shalt not be carried in purse, pocket or backpack.
Thou shalt not litter or in any way spoil the places thou shalt visit. Take away only thy memories; leave behind only thy smile.
Thou shalt not make promises to the people you meet unless thou can follow through.
12 Comments
Agree with all, except the passport one. You should always have it with you, carried safely, when in a foreign country. In many countries this is required by law, but you will also find you may need it when using a credit card, or when exchanging money, as your drivers license is probably irrelevant as a form of ID.
There are exceptions of course, some countries it is not needed. But better to get into the habit of always having it with you and knowing where it is at all times.
That’s a fair point. I usually always carry photocopies on me and keep it in a safe in the hotel room – one of my friends was robbed overseas and it was a huge pain to have her passport re-issued. You’re totally right though that drivers license is an irrelevant form of ID in most other countries – we learnt that the hard way trying to get into clubs in the UK!
I guess it’s all about striking the balance depending on which country you’re in :)
These are cute! But the English kept distracting me.. shalt? Thy? I like casual English better, haha.
Lol I agree! … and it’s surprisingly difficult to write consistently in old English!
These are 10 fantastic commandments of travel. I totally agree with them and am particularly fond of number 7. We English-speakers tend to expect the world to speak our language but in many ways that just defeats the purpose of travel!
Completely agree! I feel so ignorant and often embarassed when I have to ask if people speak English in their own country. But I do enjoy a good game of sign language charades :D!
Love it, couldn’t agree more.
Thanks Kirsty! Thanks for stopping by!
Haha. Love number three. Though often easier said than done.
Definitely easier said than done! Even though my travel companion is the best in the world, we still manage to get on each other’s nerves from time to time!! Lol hard not to I guess when you’re with someone 24/7 – travel definitely has the ability to make or break a relationship!
I like your list> We could definitely travel together. I did a similar Ten Commandments of Travel List a few years ago when I wrote for Examiner. If you;re interested, here’s mine: http://www.examiner.com/article/travelers-ten-commandments
Thanks Carole! Love your list as well – I can’t believe someone refused to get in a line because of foreigners – you’re TRAVELING! Lol people never cease to amaze!