I have had quite a few interesting experiences during my travels while on plane, boat, bus, taxi and train! I’d like to share some of those with you. Hopefully, it will give some insight and awareness as to what kind of topics or personality traits to avoid while taking public transportation across the globe.

I want to delve right into some taboos in different cultures. Some of the issues deal with veganism. Others are not related to diet at all. During a trip to Mexico, I ventured far away from my stay in Guadalajara by taking the city bus to Tequila. After my sightseeing adventures were complete, I realized that there would not be much time for the long drive to the airport. Since a retailer in town called a taxi for me, I made the assumption that it would be a reliable and reputable driver. He did not speak English. For some reason, he decided on taking the long road to the airport. It turned out to be less expensive. When I realized this later on, I asked him to take the quicker, more expensive route instead. He still took his leisurely time to drive. My anxiety caused me to “blank out” and forget some of my basic Spanish language skills. I did catch one thing he told me. He said that Americans are always in a hurry. I ended up missing my flight. The airline found me a later flight which had a layover overnight in Houston. I was very fortunate to find an available hotel room since hurricane Katrina had struck just a few days earlier and New Orleans residents were being evacuated to Houston for accommodations. The moral to this story is to give yourself plenty of time for airport transportation when you are visiting countries which are known for their laid back atmosphere and leisurely paced lifestyles.

My next faux pas was in Santiago, Chile. The taxi driver was asking me about my background, country of origin, and marital status. When I mentioned I was single, he asked if I desire to be married. I said “Yes.of course”! He then started to grill me about children. When I casually mentioned that I am not interested(at that point) to have kids, he became almost enraged! He said “Oh.. You don’t want to ruin your perfect, little body with a big, pregnant belly?” I told him that wasn’t the case. It was only that I feared hospitals and the child-baring process. He still continued to grill me consumed with the notion that it was a North American female vanity/beauty-type issue! The lesson here is to not reveal too much about your personal life regarding family and marital status, yet still maintaining a level of friendliness of course! Some countries view marital status and parental status differently than others. In certain cultures, it is not uncommon for people to be married very young and bear many children.

In another Spanish-speaking land, I took the city bus as my mode for transportation one day. I needed to convey to the bus driver that my destination was the old part of the city. Unfortunately, I frequently mistake the Spanish word for “old” for the word “trip or vacation”. The two words are spelled not too differently. The driver was a bit confused as to which word I was verbally pronouncing. The moral to this story is if you know in advance that certain words sound similar, it would suit you well to bring the PointIt Guide or a translation guide on your vacation. All that you would need to do is point to something in either guide and the driver would understand what you wish to express.

My next “transportation-like” experience happened in Egypt. The mode of transportation was simply walking. What I did not realize is that women are not allowed to walk next to or in front of a man and simply start chatting with him. Women typically must walk either behind a man or next to him holding hands(if on a date).

Another sticky situation that comes to mind is something that occurred during my vacation in South Africa. My day tour was with a privately hired van and a private tour guide. The guide was extremely kind and friendly. However, once the topic turned to food and my veganism, it became apparent that she was quite upset. I was speaking in a very polite, non-judgemental manner, not insulting or forcing my beliefs on her at all. However, she started explaining to me that vegetables are expensive and hard to come by for lower income folks. She felt saddened and a bit angry by the concept of veganism for that very reason. I felt compassion and was rendered silent. What could I have said?!

Travelers should definitely be prepared about their destination countries’ customs and ways of living. We need to be sensitive to those issues, if we are aware of them. It is helpful to research this on the web prior to your trip. Tourism websites give plenty of information regarding the safety, conditions, and customs of different modes of transportation in various countries. In general, it has been such a pleasure conversing with all of the taxi drivers, bus drivers, tour operators, cruise directors, and train conductors throughout my international journeys. I have enjoyed having conversations with them and sharing stories about our cultures.

Please remember to prepare for the different customs in each destination you visit and you will have a happy, fulfilling vacation!!