Well Weathered

Travel Survival Notes & Other Curious Observations

Monthly Travel Column by Paul W. Gioffi
Edition 2

Disclaimer: While travel can be exciting and rewarding there are unforeseen dangers that may arise. The Information presented in Paul’s articles is the author’s personal opinion and what may have worked for him yesterday may not work for someone else today or tomorrow. Therefore, you agree to use any and all information provided by the author at your own risk and agree that you will hold the author and ISR harmless in regard to any and all instances that may arise or result from use of this material.

Following, you’ll find travel tips number 5 and 6 from Paul W. Gioffi. To read the introduction to this column which began in February of 2006 please see Edition 1.

Entry 5: Latitude Attitude

If you’re changing your latitude, adjust your attitude. Not everyone sees things the way you and your people do. You may be on vacation thinking that this one will be the best ever. Your good day, however, is someone else’s bad day. It’s also not to your advantage to walk around with a haughty or bellicose attitude especially if you’re walking in someone else’s garden. If you’re a first-worlder traveling in the land of third-worlders, you may be somebody’s target. Whether you’re responsible for someone else’s woes or not, they may hold you accountable for a personal or collective misfortune and could easily lash out. You may have business class reservations, an advanced university degree and an upper tax bracket income, but many local inhabitants do not. Some have nothing to lose and everything to venture, and it might just be your pretentious pomp that sets things off in a bad way. Adjusting your attitude and your body language may be all it takes to save the day. A timeless Zen adage (later expressed by martial artist Bruce Lee) states, ‘empty your glass,’ which asks one to be open to new ideas. How can you learn new things and prosper if your glass is always full?

Entry 6: Gear Head

A former friend once labeled me a ‘gear head,’ while en route to a travel equipment store, meaning that I was preoccupied with accumulating too many supplies for hiking and traveling. There’s nothing wrong with a visit to the supplies store every now and then. Just make sure you’re not wasting your time and money on things you will probably never use, or items that you don’t need for an immediate outing. The portable shower bladder that hangs from a tree and the snake bite kit with venom removal apparatus may look interesting but will most likely collect dust while you meander through the streets and cafes of Buenos Aires, Argentina. They may, however, be entirely appropriate for the footpaths surrounding the Amazon city of Manaus, Brazil. Take inventory of your travel gear periodically and tailor your equipment list to meet the specific needs of where you will be. This will also save you time and space.

Well Weathered Article Index

I hope you have enjoyed this month’s edition of Well-Weathered Travel Survival Notes & Other Curious Observations. Check back next month for a new entry. Until then, safe travels.
Contact me at Well_Weathered@yahoo.com

Learn more about Paul Gioffi