On vacation one should be able to relax and forget the daily stress. This though should not lead to bad behaviour or carelessness. For most travellers this is self-evident, but we all have seen those whose “holiday mood” is a synonym to “idiot mood”.
No one is perfect and like mentioned, vacation should reduce stress. There are still lots of things that are easy to do and make you look much smarter. Here are some questions any traveller could ask themselves:
When travelling…
Do you make room for others when you’re done taking your photos, or do you keep blocking the view?
Do you print all of your travel documents or only the essential ones? Do you for example use mobile boarding pass?
Not flying is probably not an option for my readers, but how much do you consider other options? For example if you travel between Helsinki and Saint Petersburg, there really is no point in flying instead of taking a train. Do you prefer direct flights and pay maybe a little extra, or have layovers to get the cheapest price?
When flying, have you ever compensated your CO2 emissions?
Do you take your trash with you from airplane or does your seat look like a landfill after you?
Do you pack too much just in case? (See previous post about packing.)
In a hotel, do you put for example bottles and cans aside for easier sorting or put them in the trash can with everything else?
In what condition do you leave your hotel room? Do you make the cleaning staff’s life easier or harder?
Do you use more or less water than at home?
Some hotels advice to leave towels on floor if you want them changed. Do you change towels more often than at home? Do you ask the bed sheets to be changed more often than at home?
Do you eat everything you take at the hotel breakfast or leave food on plate? Usually it’s a buffet, so you can take exactly the amount you need.
Do you think that you have to use everything available in a hotel room just because it is “free”? Do you take stuff from the room that you don’t actually need? That is extra weight in the plane and the hotel needs to replace those things.
What type of souvenirs do you buy?
Do you shop in small stores or use international chains?
Do you use public transportation instead of taxi or rented car? (See previous post about public transportation.)
Do you jaywalk more or less than home?
Do you do research about local habits?
Do you try to speak the local language? (See a previous post about languages.)
How do you treat waiters or other service staff? Other travellers, locals? Same way you treat people at home, better or worse?
How do you feel or react when you see other travellers behave badly?
So you’re not perfect? Me neither! But instead of increasing stress, I believe that considering these little things can actually make you feel better. Do you agree? Which of your pet peeves are missing from my list?
