Japanese Travel Guide Offers Interesting Advice on Visiting Scotland

While travelling abroad, especially on different continents and in different hemispheres, it helps to be prepared for the potentially massive cultural differences so you don’t find yourself in an awkward situation or committing an embarrassing faux pas.

A travel guide has dedicated a section to offer some tips to Japanese tourists visiting Scotland. While some of them could prove to be reasonably helpful, others should take the travel tips “with a pinch of salt”, as VisitScotland aptly put.

The guide offers a good amount of strong advice, urging Japanese tourists to embrace the Scottish culture, giving tips on the best local marmalade and sausage, and how to properly order a drink in a bustling Scottish pub.

Cultural differences are also highlighted in the guide that gives some insights to the differences between the two nations. Tourists are warned that they must be patient and not expect to receive the same “quick, polite and accurate service” from restaurants and taverns that they would in their home land, which leads one to wonder if what type of bad experiences the travel guide has had with the service industry in Scotland.

Amusingly, the guide offers some quirky tips. In addition to warning them to avoid Scots in football garb, they are told never to call Scottish kilts “skirts” and never to call a Scottish person “English”. While that could help you avoid an embarrassing situation, others tips are meant to be a bit silly.

The guide mentions that, even though it rains quite often in Scotland, very few people carry umbrellas. This is said to “puzzle” Japanese tourists, as many of the Japanese always carry an umbrella in case of sudden showers.

The variety of guidelines that the Japanese guide book offers proves to be an interesting read, running the gamut of helpful hints to fun idiosyncrasies between the two cultures.

POTHOS can personally vouch that Scotland is a hospitable country with a rich and interesting history. One of our employees is a native of Scotland, and we’re quite sure she’d forgive you if you accidentally called her English!

Book cover can be found here: http://www.eturbonews.com/files/imagecache/fullpage/0a12_261.jpg

5 Scams Not to Fall For While Traveling

It may sound absurd that people might fall for any one of these 5 tourist scams, but there is a reason they are on this list! Read on and travel with caution!

Police Officers as Legitimate as a Village Person: The most common variation of this scam involves someone who appears to be an authority figure (how am I supposed to know what a police officer in Vilnius, Lithuania looks like?) that approaches you to warn of counterfeit money going around and insists on inspecting your wallet in order to ensure you have not been a victim. Naturally, after handing over your wallet the scam artist either runs off with your wallet/ passport or slickly steals what is of value inside of it before giving it back to you and telling you that you're clear.

Avoid anything that seems like suspicious police work! Don't hand over your valuables to anyone in a uniform!

Sorry I Bumped Into You! Let Me Take Your Wallet Now, Thanks!: Pickpockets are very common in areas with high tourist density and often work in teams in order to derail you of your valuables. These thieves often make their way through crowded areas where it is common to be bumped into or will accidentally spill something on you or something of that manner in order to gain access to you and anything you have that is worth money. Other common variants of this scam involve children asking for money, babies getting thrust towards you (in order for your instinct of reaching out for the child to create an opening to steal your goods), and other such events that cause you to fall victim because you are simply being a good human.

Avoid this by keeping your valuables somewhere safe and secure (no back pockets), keeping your purse/ bag around your body and secured in the front of your body, or by keeping your valuable items concealed under your clothing (though this practice when done poorly can showcase your foreignness, so be incognito).

Money "Errors" Like- Oh! 100 - 28 Isn't 11? Oops!: Only got 130 Euro for that $500 you just ponied up? No, the exchange rates didn't warp overnight (and those absurdly high exchange fees did not cost you 200 Euro). In locations that you are very unfamiliar with (though you should have done SOME research before showing up!), look out for the old slow count at cashiers where their counting methods may make it seem like you get the right amount or other similar curious encounters with exchangers. Also beware at restaurants and such (make sure you get the right amount of change back from your bill, as this is easily overlooked).

Avoid this by always using small bills and carefully counting your change. Also, make sure to only exchange money at a trusted retailer.

Scandalous Cab Drivers: Anyone who has traveled abroad should be familiar with the hoards of unscrupulous cab operators that lurk outside of airports (and other areas where transportation is a must), often following and harassing both individuals and groups about giving them a ride- maybe even offering a "package deal" that seems silly to pass up! Often these deals feature a discount hotel room with your cab fare, but when you show up to the (shoddy) hotel, the cheap rooms are all mysteriously gone and all that are left are overpriced rooms (with the cabbie getting a cut). Get fares up front and if it seems unfair, it probably is.

Ways to avoid this one are pretty straightforward. Do your research. Know the distance between the airport and hotel (or wherever you plan on traveling to)- make sure the driver knows that you are knowledgeable (even if you might be faking it). Only take trusted, licensed cabs (no... not every person with a car offering rides is a legitimate cab driver...) not just any unmarked car off the street- many cities like London offer a service that can provide an official cab for you for little or no cost.

And of course...

The Deceitful Do-gooder: Beware the all-too-eager-to-help bystander, they may be out to rip you off. This is not to say that you should be suspicious of every person that comes within a 48 foot radius and offers to help you out, some people actually are good Samaritans. Some common traps: In Spain, a woman offers you a sprig of rosemary and as you reach out for it, she grabs your hand and reads your fortune and demands payment; in Paris, people on the street may offer to make you a friendship bracelet and the next thing you know they have a super strong string tied around your finger threatening to break it unless you pay them big bucks; somebody may pop your tire and then nicely offer to help you change it (while their accomplice raids your vehicle); and don't forget the classic "I will take your picture!" and then scream at you as they are sprinting down the road while you are standing there looking foolish pretending to hold the Leaning Tower of Pisa up with just a finger (a mere finger!)... "Sucker! Thanks for the camera!" Others offer to help buy you train tickets, etc only to take off with your cash.

Bottom line is, not everybody is out to get you- but if you're not careful you might just get got by the one person that is. Don't give people an opening and you likely won't be targeted. If you are approached by someone it is typically a best practice to avoid eye contact and not to accept anything they are handing out.

5 Tips for First-Time China Travelers

Here is a list from CNN/ Lonely Planet that offers sound tips for anyone going (or considering going) to China.

1.) Before your trip, prepare for the language barrier by taking some courses in Mandarin or at least taking some time to learn key phrases. Also, don't leave without having a quality English-Chinese and Chinese-English dictionary for when you are in a pinch or need to make sure you know what is going on (also consider utilizing your smart phone and downloading a language translator app like Google Translate). Another tip- carry business cards in Chinese for places you want to go (like your hotel) in case you need to ask for directions or take a cab.

2.) Don't try to see all of China in one trip. It's impossible (unless your trip lasts several years). Pick a region or providence and stay there to really get a chance to experience it.

3.) Plan your trip according to the weather in that particular area. China is a massive country, so the weather varies throughout season to season uniquely in each corner of the country.

4.) Use public transportation. China is a great place to utilize public transport and doing so allows you to experience life as the locals do.

5.) Eat! Lots! China is filled with interesting and delicious cuisine just waiting to be slurped up (you might want to dedicate some time to practicing with chopsticks while you are learning how to say hello, goodbye, and thank you in Mandarin).

For the original post, see here: http://www.cnn.com/2011/10/03/travel/china-first-timers-lp/index.html?hpt=tr_c2