By Scott Shaw
As
I spend a lot of time out there on, “The Hard Road,” as I like to refer to it,
I am often asked questions in regard to how to best travel internationally. To
answer, here is, Part One…
One
of the main things that I have to say, before I go into particulars is, look
nice — dress nice. Westerners are commonly looked down upon, across the world,
because they do not respect customs, and dress so shabby. This being said, what
you wear at home, should not necessarily be your fashion choice for
international travel. This is to say, if you dress shabby at home, because that
is your style, don’t do it internationally. So, forget about the tee-shirts, no
matter how accepted they are where you live or how much they cost. Pack a polo
shirt instead. They are just as comfortable and they look so much nicer.
The
reason for this is simple; there are a lot of restaurants, religious shrines,
and even museums that will not let you in if you are not wearing a collared
shirt. It is fine to be overdressed, but you should never be undressed.
This
is the same with shorts. I never recommend wearing shorts. First of all, you
will not be admitted into many places if you are wearing shorts. So, save
yourself the embarrassment of being turned away. But, more importantly, they do
not protect you from the sun, the elements, or even scrapes and scratches. When
you are traveling you want to be able to experience all the sights and sounds
as best as possible. So, you do not want to damage your body in any way, shape,
or form. Wear pants!
This
brings me to jeans. No!
Again,
though you may wear them at home, you will not be let into many restaurants and
higher end establishments if that is what you are wearing. No matter how much
they cost. And, we all know, some jeans can be very expensive.
Why
bother holding back your options, simply to embrace your style? There are a lot
of very comfortable pants out there that are functional, while being
fashionable, (if that is what you are after), while still being acceptable in
all establishments.
Shoes…
Since I was a teenager and throughout my adult years, tennis shoes have been my
mainstay. I wear them with suits, tuxes, everything… Why? It is simple. They
are comfortable.
Here
in the States, culture and fashion is very different from many other countries.
We, in many cases, allow room for the artist and the fashionista. Other
cultures do not. They find it disrespectful if you show up in casual attire,
like tennis shoes. For this reason, though I highly recommend you bring a
comfortable pair for walking, have a back up.
Long
ago, I realized if you want to wear tennis shoes to do all of your walking and
you do not want to weight your luggage down with a traditional pair of hard
shoes, there is a great alternative, dance shoes. Companies like Capezio, make
black dance shoes that literally squish down to almost nothing in your
suitcase. When you need to go out to a nice establishment, they look as good as
any dress shoe.
The
other style of shoes I recommend is, walking shoes. In the mid 1980s a company
called Rockport and later Dexter began to make these shoes that were designed
externally to look like dress shoes but internally they are like tennis shoes.
In more recent years, companies like Sketchers have followed a similar path,
but made the shoes much more fashion friendly. If you have limited space and
want to travel light, go for a pair of shoes like these. Then, you can have
comfortable feet while walking and still look good when you go out to dinner.
The
main thing is, wear shoes that have a rubber style sole. You never want to wear
shoes with a slick sole. And, for women, do not wear high heels. I can tell you
from personal experiences, as I have been attacked a few times out there on the
hard road, if you have to fight and kick someone in the groin, the head, or
run, you do not want to be wearing shoes with slick soles or you may fall. You
need to always be wearing sturdy shoes that you can maneuver in, and if
necessary kick ass.
This
leads me to sandals and flip-flops. No! Do not wear them. They are not good for
long walks. They do not look nice, and you will not be allowed to enter many
establishments if you are wearing them. But, more importantly, they offer your
feet no protection. If your feet are damaged, much of your trip may be ruined.
Also,
always make sure your shoes are well broken-in before you bring them on a
journey. A funny, (well not that funny), story happened to me in regard to this
matter. Since they were introduced, I loved Nike hiking shoes. Every pair I had
were very comfortable and durable. Just before I was on my way to East Asia, I
purchased a new pair — assuming that they would be like all the other pairs I
had. I arrived and begin to walk. This pair destroyed my feet. As high-end
tennis shoes were very expensive where I was, (in comparison to the States),
and I couldn’t even find a pair that was big enough, when I was finally willing
to pay the price, my journey really suffered. So, break-in your shoes!
Since
9/11 the rules about what you can and cannot take on airplanes, in regard to
shampoos, shaving creams, sunscreen lotions, and the like are continually changing.
So, you will need to check that out with your particular airline before you
travel. I can tell you about one experience I had. I was flying into Shanghai
for an extended stay in the mid 1980s. When I unpacked I discovered that my
shaving cream had exploded. Now, this was not my first trip to Shanghai and I
knew everywhere to go to buy necessary items. But, nobody had any shaving
cream. What I ended up doing was that each day, in the shower, I would soap my
face up and in association with the water and the steam I was able to get a
pretty good shave. The point is, while traveling, you will forget things, lose
things, or things will explode and you will not have all of the amenities that
you have at home. What you need to do is not shut down but explore your options
and make new things work for you.
Many
people either over pack or under pack when they are preparing for a journey.
Both can cause you to not have an ideal travel experience. Here is my normal
packing listing. I have used this for journeys that have lasted one week, to
trips that have gone on for as long as two months. Though this clothing segment
is designed mainly for men. (As obviously, I am a man). It can, however, be
easily adapted for women. And, this list includes what I am wearing while I
travel.
Here it is:
One suit (matching pants and a
coat).
One sport coat.
Two pairs of pants.
Five shirts.
Fire underpants.
Five tee-shirts.
Five pairs of socks.
One pair of tennis shoes (running
or cross training).
One pair of dress shoes.
Two neckties.
One belt, black.
One pair of sweatpants.
One pair of swim trunks.
Here are the particulars of this
list:
Sport
coats or suit coats are great for men (and women) because they allow you to
look nice while carry necessary items in your pockets.
Two
pairs of pants (in addition to the one pair that is associated with the suit).
You can intermingle them as necessary.
Choose
five shirts that you can intermingle and match with your pants and jackets.
This way you will always be able to present a fresh look.
One thing to keep in mind when
choosing your clothing for travel is that dark colors and prints hide stains
much better. As we all periodically spill things, and when you’re traveling you
may not have the opportunity to change right away, it is best to wear clothing that
conceals stains. This is why solid whites and light colors are not ideal travel
colors.
Five
underpants. Wear either briefs or boxer-brief style. As you will probably be
walking a lot, you really need the absorption of sweat provided by this style
of underwear. Boxers just will not do it and you can easily develop a rash.
Five
under or tee-shirts. Wearing an undershirt is something that I discovered in
India many years ago. If you only wear a shirt, all of your sweat soaks through
the shirt; then you and your shirt look very bad. If you wear an undershirt,
however, all of the sweat is absorbed before it gets to your shirt. I
personally wear tank tops. But, whatever style works best for you. It is your
choice.
Five
pairs of socks. Ideally, I recommend black workout socks, because they are
absorbent, comfortable, and they look fine if you are wearing a suit. But
whatever color or style you choose, it is best if they are all the same color.
In this way, if you lose one, (as socks always seem to get lost), you can
easily intermingle your remaining pairs.
The
reason I bring one pair of sweatpants is that they serve two functions. One,
you can sleep in them in association with a tee shirt. Two, you can work out in
them with a polo shirt.
The swim trunks are obviously for swimming. They can also be used to work out in. And, if it is warm where you are, you can also sleep in them.
The swim trunks are obviously for swimming. They can also be used to work out in. And, if it is warm where you are, you can also sleep in them.
When
packing all of your stuff there is an endless choice in suitcases. Choose what
works best for you. One thing not pack your items in, however, is a backpack.
Across the world, everyone associates backpacks with hippies. And, nobody likes
hippies.
A
word of warning. Women do not carry a purse, particularly a designer handbag.
There is a lot of thievery across the globe and if your purse is loose in your
hand or on your arm, you are just inviting a purse-snatcher to steal it. If you
must carry a purse, carry a small one with a long strap that you can wear over
your shoulder and across your body.
There
are also a lot of pickpockets out there. And, they are very good. You will
never know that your wallet or your passport was stolen until it is too late.
So for both men and women, if you are carrying things in your pocket, either
keep them in deep front pockets or use the button to latch down your back
pockets. This is the same with sport coats. Many sport coats have a button on
at least one of the inner pockets. If you need to carry your wallet or passport
with you, put it in that pocket and button it. Even if it is a bit of hassle to
open and close it, it is worth the trouble to keep your items safe.
Okay,
there you have it. The first installment of the Scott Shaw Guide to
International Travel. Hope it helps and gives you some food for thought.
Copyright © 2011 —
All Rights Reserved
This article can also be found on Scott Shaw.com at The Scott Shaw Guide to International Travel
