Vacations can too easily turn from delight to disaster.
A misunderstanding with a travelling companion, a hotel that doesn't fit the bill or a waiter disgruntled over a scanty tip can all sour a trip. A bit of road-tested etiquette, though, can shift the odds into a traveller's favour.
In 30 years as a travel agent in Los Angeles, Nadine Nardi Davidson learned about the good and bad. She heard it all: fighting children, romantic getaways turned relationship killers and generally miserable experiences. She decided to write a book: Travel with Others Without Wishing They'd Stayed Home.
While no single formula may work for everyone, good communication usually gives a vacation a fighting chance, Davidson said.
Married couples have to recognize the needs of a spouse. The adventurous thrill-seeker of a family needs to acknowledge a partner who prefers lounging and shopping - or playing golf. They should make accommodations to suit both tastes, says Davidson.
"I knew one couple where the husband wanted to walk through the Amazon but for the wife that wasn't a vacation," Davidson said. The couple compromised, the husband joining a buddy for a jungle trek before meeting the wife in a four-star hotel in Rio de Janeiro, she said.
"We have to realize there's no right or wrong way to travel," Davidson said.
Another thing to remember: "Just because you've spent money on a trip doesn't mean you're going to have fun."
When travelling with friends or family, a discussion about money is particularly important.
"When people aren't clear about how much money and who is expected to pay for what, it can ruin a lot of trips and a lot of relationships," she said. "Make sure it's very clear what you're going to pay for."
Planning a trip with family? Drop a few clear, written notes to make the finances clear. "It might be something like 'You can sleep in our condo but expect to pay $200 a day for food or beverages,' " she said.
Also, don't make assumptions about someone's budget. A well-paid CEO might not find the benefits of a five-star hotel worth the cost but someone from a lower tax bracket may see the amenities as the perfect once-a-year splurge, Davidson said.
"The main thing is to discuss it in advance," she said. "A good way to know is to ask where someone went last time and where they stayed and how they liked it."
Someone might mention a posh hotel, and others might choose a three-night stay in the family's recreational vehicle. Both can make good vacations; it's just best to understand everyone's tastes before setting out, Davidson said.
Two families travelling together have their own considerations.
Davidson said she knew of two families (the husbands were close college buddies) who rented a mini-van and headed off on an adventure. Then, one family's child accused the other couple's girl of taking a hair barrette. The argument ended when one mother said, "Your child's a liar."
Needless to say, the trip didn't go well. "The parents made a big mistake getting involved in their kids' argument," she said. "The kids forgot quickly, but the parents didn't. It ruined their relationships."
For unmarried couples travelling together, frank discussions early can eliminate later disappointment, Davidson said.
"You always need to know what strings are attached to an invitation," Davidson said. Ask about splitting the cost, or be clear about paying. Don't be afraid to discuss any romantic expectations, which left unaddressed could end with disappointment and anger, she said.
"If you can't be clear about those things, then you probably shouldn't go," Davidson said. "You can buy insurance in case someone breaks a leg and can't go, but not for a broken heart."
While travelling companions represent a daily, even a minute-to-minute, relationship, travellers should understand the need for fundamental courtesy," said Jacqueline Whitmore, founder of the Protocol School of Palm Beach.
The lack of etiquette often presents itself aboard an airliner. "People roll their eyes when they must turn cell phones off. They're surly to flight attendants, drink too much and get out of hand.
"Pack a more positive attitude when you travel," Whitmore said. "It's very stressful now and by the time you get through security and get on the plane, you're just exhausted."
Avoiding the creation of undue stress makes travel is easier for everyone. Deciding if, or how much, to tip can ease tension. When in doubt, particularly in a foreign country, just ask, Whitmore said.
Here are a few guidelines from Whitmore:
- Tip a restaurant's wait staff between 15 per cent and 18 per cent of the bill before taxes. For valet service, tip $2 or $3 each time an attendant retrieves your car. At the hotel, tip a doorman $1 or $2 per bag for moving the bag from the car to the bell cart. Similarly, tip the bellman $1 or $2 per bag, depending on size and weight.
- Parents travelling with children should also consider the needs of youngsters when making reservations, particularly when staying in an intimate inn or bed and breakfast. Ask if children are welcome or if there's a need for special accommodations when making reservations, said Randy Fought, owner of Bed & Breakfast Inns Online. His company in Madison, Tenn., offers a marketing portal for 5,000 inns.
"First inquire, don't just show up unannounced if you're bringing children," he said.
-Always respect other travellers. Just keep in mind there are other people there wanting to enjoy themselves
Source: The Canadian Press
The last time that we had a temperature over 30C in May was in 1953 
Business travellers may not be quite as desperate to stay in touch while flying as airlines imagine. A survey in the latest National Business Travel Monitor of those based in the US found that only 23 per cent thought mobile phone calls should be allowed on board, while more than two-thirds said that, if mobiles were permitted, callers should be confined to a designated section of the aircraft. Following the recent report from Scandinavian Airlines that passengers were using laptops to make cheap calls via its in-flight internet access system, the survey may give carriers pause for thought. However, the silent majority of passengers may be encouraged to hear that, while the proportion of travellers keen to access the web on aircraft has risen from 27 per cent in last year’s equivalent survey, it is still only 36 per cent. 
