Travelling soon? 4 basic things you must know

The prospect of travelling to another country is pregnant with the promise of experiencing a different culture and a new way of life.

Different countries have their unique way of doing things, hence it is important for tourists to have a proper understanding of the culture and customs of their place of visit.

Having basic knowledge about where one is travelling to can be an added advantage and can help a tourist avoid being cheated and exploited.

For example, taxis are expensive in Paris, especially at night while metros are cheaper, so getting acquainted with the way of life is always essential.

Here are four key things tourists should know about places they plan to visit.

Basic knowledge of the mode of dressing

So as not to disrespect the locals in your place of visit, it is pertinent to understand their mode of dressing.

Some countries don’t allow ladies expose any part of their body or wear bikinis in public places.

In some countries, men can’t wear shorts or anything revealing when attending church, mosque or other places of worship.

Learn the language

It is often advisable to learn basic aspects of the language as this is an extremely important tool of communication.

A tour guide can’t remain with you at all times, so it is often advantageous to learn the language a little.

Every tourist should be able to say “hello”, “goodbye”, “thank you” and other ommon phrases in the language of the place they choose to visit.

With a relatively decent command of the language, it makes it much easier to make new friends and converse.

Learn the custom and tradition.

Every culture has peculiarities that if flouted, can be upsetting to the hosts.

In some cultures, pointing at people could be wrong, talking over a meal, giving thumbs up and speaking loudly in public places could be offensive.

It’s often helpful if a tourist gets accustomed with the etiquettes of his/her host country.

You wouldn’t want to stick out like a sore thumb or be described as a “bad mannered” tourist, would you?

For example in France, not greeting a store owner is considered “bad manners”.

Obtain the city map

It is often advisable to download the city map on your gadget as soon as you arrive at your destination.

Getting around the city transport network could be made easier by having the citymapper app on your phone.

The app uses GPS to get you from point A to B with ease and it gives you the options of bus, tube, taxi as well as foot routes to places you would love to visit.

For example, when travelling to Lagos, Nigeria, once the GPS is on, tourists are able to navigate their way through Lagos.