Picky Points For Every Polite Traveler
One of the most important things you can take with you on any trip is manners. Consider honing your courtesy skills or learn something new for the trip, especially if you are visiting a country other than your own.
In general, the rest of the world stands on ceremony we seem to have long since forgotten.
There are many things that will make you and the people around you on a trip feel more comfortable. Comfort, after all, is the point of etiquette, and on a trip you want to be comfortable. After more than a half century of traveling, Aunt Pat can definitely attest to that.
1. Before leaving on a trip, try to learn to say “hello,” “please,” “thank you,” “no,” “yes” and “beautiful” in every language (even your own) that you may encounter on the trip. (“Where is the you-know-what?” is also a helpful thing to learn).
2. Never douse yourself with - or even come close to - perfume, cologne or strong powders before you board a plane, train or bus.
3. Cordially greet people you encounter in the course of your travels, whether at a party, seated at a cruise ship table or in a row of people on a plane, train or bus.
4. Speaking of travel personnel: Be polite to all airline employees, both on the ground and in the air, no matter what. Remember, they have the power to seat you well - and to ignore the “call” light with the perky little stewardess embossed on it.
5. You will be everyone’s hero if you offer to help struggling moms and dads with their entourage. A smile of assurance that you don’t automatically hate them because they have brought their kids is always nice, too.
6. Do not act like you were born in a barn, especially on crowded conveyances. Keep your seat area neat, free of newspapers, magazines, food scraps, wrappers, earphone wires and stuff not quite under your seat.
Share the arm rests, especially with the poor person stuck in the middle seat. If the person seated in the window or center seat wants to get out of the row, stand up, do not make them crawl through that eye of the needle the crawl space has become.
7. Speaking of feet, while it is a good idea to remove shoes for the sake of your feet, it may not be for your row mates and beyond. This is best done in the lavatory where the ventilation is better than at your seat. While in the lav, slip the shoes into a zippered plastic bag (you have packed a few, haven’t you?) and your feet into slippers or a pair of clean socks.
8. Carry-on luggage has its own set of rules.
First, bring as little as possible. This is for your own good and it will also save room for all the mommies and daddies on board who are surely carrying a whole nursery with them.
If you must carry on your whole wardrobe, when you place it (accent on place, not shove) in the overhead bin, try not to crush the package of Venetian glass, the cashmere jacket or the fancy hat belonging to the people who have gotten to the bin before you.
Backpacks should be judiciously used. At all times, and especially in close quarters such as the aisles of planes and other crowded areas, they should be carried, not worn.
9. On a cruise, where dining can seem like a formal occasion to most Americans, there may be more utensils set at your place than you have ever seen before. Never fear. Follow the captain, if you happen to be at his table.
10. Attire. Aretha Franklin spells it: “R-E-S-P-E-C-T!” If you never feel uncomfortable about anything you wear, think it is stupid to care, and etc., it’s time to wake up. That attitude may work at home, but while traveling, consider the people around you, who might care a lot.
Word to the wise: A Hawaiian shirt worn in Paris, Punjab or Prague is a flag waving at the pickpockets that says, “Come closer. I am your next victim!”
If you practice being polite, you are more likely to have a bon voyage than a bad one.