Category "etiquette"

Leaving belongings in a capsule hotel

I am considering staying at Hotel Asakusa & Capsule for a few days. I know I have to leave the hotel during the day for cleaning, I don't mind this as I wi

OK, we are all adults here, so what is a bidet for and how do I use it?

Confession time: I am from one of these barbaric countries where the use of the bidet is not widespread. So I have no idea... Question 1: What is the bidet goo

In Japan, should rental cars be reserved in advance?

Is it acceptable to show up unannounced to a car rental shop and rent a car for ~5 days? Is it better to reserve in advance via a website? I speak decent japan

What was the meaning of this Indian gesture/greeting?

While on a business trip to India last week I saw two different gestures of greeting. Most people greeted me with the traditional Namaste greeting, with the han

What's the proper etiquette for visiting the German Biergartens?

I passed through Munich last year and stopped at one of the biergartens. Well I tried. It was absolutely packed, it took forever to find a seat. At least one I

Hotel Pool FAQ and Etiquette

For quite some time when traveling I was happy when I had access to a shower with non-freezing water, when my bed was not part of a shaky triple bunk bed in a b

Do's and Dont's of doing a pilgrimage as an atheist?

I plan on doing the St-Jacques-de-Compostelle pilgrimage, but I am also unequivocally atheist. My motivation for undergoing a (mostly) religious pilgrimage is p

What should I do if I forgot to turn in a hotel room key card after checking out?

I recently stayed at a hotel and received two room key cards to access the room: one for me and one for my brother. They are like credit cards with a magnetic s

Wearing shorts with hairy legs in Moscow

Is it appropriate to wear shorts or walk around beaches if you have hairy legs, as a man in Moscow?

Is wearing shorts in Transsiberian trains okay

I am planning a trip with the Transsiberian railway in September. I read that they heat the train compartments very well. Since I am more the low temperature lo

Is there a guide for breast feeding etiquette around the world?

I was talking to a friend who became a mother recently. She needs to travel, and takes her son along, but she was saying that one of her problems when travellin

Walking 14 km on a pilgrimage road where footwear may be considered disrespectful

There's this 14 km long road that's one of the main attractions in Thiruvannamalai, Tamil Nadu, India. The road goes all the way around a small mountain called

Luggage etiquette on European trains

I'm backpacking across Europe with a very large (70 liter) backpack, plus a smaller daypack (35 L). I've found myself taking a number of trains, with different

Dos and don'ts at a Vietnamese wedding

I'm invited to a wedding in Ho Chi Minh City. I know virtually nothing about Vietnam, I'll be there for the first time in my life. I know a little about Asian

With the passing of Thai King Bhumibol, are there any customs/etiquette as a traveler I should be aware of?

Even with the news that the King of Thailand passed away, I had already scheduled a trip a year ago to visit Thailand in a week or so. I understand that most

Would it be ok to eat rice using a spoon in front of Westerners?

It seems to me that Westerners are willing to learn to use chopsticks in Asian restaurants. However, when spoons are the way the dish is normally eaten within t

What is way to eat rice with hands in front of westerners such that it doesn't appear to be yucky?

In India, we eat rice using our fingers. Generally in the West, a fork or spoon is used. I have tried eating rice with spoon but I don't feel satisfied with it.

How to get to understand a culture as best one can through the internet

I'll be going to Prague later this year during Christmas and this will be my first trip to Europe. I don't know very much as to what to expect other than some g

How to double-check and not pester airport officials?

I was reading this article. In it the author says - Not checking and double checking A hard and fast rule I have learned over the years is to double check

How much to tip uber driver going out of his way to get me my phone? [closed]

I was traveling to San Francisco the other day when I took an uber to my hotel, and I accidentally left my phone in the car. I got a call from