International Travel07 Feb 2007 07:41 pm
Foreign Travel Assistance at the Hotel
If you don’t know the local language, traveling around a foreign city can be more carefree with assistance from your local hotel. Hotel personnel almost always have a command of the English language. TIP: Before you leave the hotel get a hotel business card or stationary that has the hotel name and address in both the local language and English. This helps if lost on walking excursions and getting local taxis.
Not a bad idea. And before you leave find out who is on duty so they will also know that you might call and are out.
If possible rent a cell phone for your use in that country in case anything were to happen.
I have learned that traveling is so much better if you have mobile phone access.
If you have a half-way decent cell phone from America, you can simply purchase a SIM card (subscriber identity module) at the airport. Most airports in Europe actually have vending machines distributing these. So, get yourself a nice GSM phone and off you go!
[…] I regularly traveled to Sao Palo, Brazil. I liked to stay at the airport Marriott, very friendly staff and very accommodating to your schedule, but that’s another story. I arrived at the airport late one night from an interior Brazilian city and needed to catch the Marriott shuttle bus. I had done this previously, mind you (in the day light). I walked up to the curb area where I thought the bus left last time. A van was there and a driver standing outside of it. I approached him and said MARRIOTT? He replied back in his Portuguese accent MARYART – I again said MARRIOTT and he shook his head yes. I boarded the van. The van quickly filled up over the next 15 or so minutes and off we went. As we sailed by the Marriott going about 100 kilometers/ hour I realized that I was on the wrong van. I was in the back of the van and no English speaking people around me, so I just sat back and enjoyed the ride. About 10 kilometers later we pulled into a small hotel and everyone got off the van but me. I went to the front of the van with a copy of my MARRIOTT reservation in hand. The driver had quite a heated discussion in Portuguese with the bellman at the hotel, and off we went back to the airport at 120 kilometers/hour. When we arrived back at the original starting point the driver walked me up the walk about 50 feet and pointed to the word MARRIOTT on the van waiting there. I thanked and tipped him for his trouble. One of my travel tips is be sure to show the written copy when asking for directions or in this case, shuttle vans. (See that post here: Foreign Travel Tip) […]
Actual topic. Writing is worthy of attention.
well this is useful… (at least for me)
very thanks
——————————–
travel directory