REFRESHER COURSE ON BRITAIN .
tips are always helpful

Travel

PVE BEEN able to fulfill half of this reader’s request — a
more-or-less reprint on one of last year’s columns.

The other request, for a com-
plete volume of travel information
(book, that is) is on hold, along
with my intention to read the Bi-
ble, cover-to-cover, unearth the
secrets of Brian’s family tree and
Start’ jogging: All I can plead is
terminal laziness.

Frankly,.,.finding this column
was a fluke. As a matter of fact,
‘the column no longer existed.
What survived was the original let-
ter I’d written my daughter and
.Geoff when they headed for
England last year.

EA
“travel

ets, passports and travellers’ che-
ques, be sure that the other has at
least $50 in cash at all times.

* If there is any sort of social
disturbance (riots, bombings, etc.)
get off the street immediately. If
it’s bad, get out of cheap B&B and
go to the most expensive hotel you
can find (second good reason for
carrying Visa).

* Never go near an abandoned
parcel. These are often bombs
dropped by the IRA.

*If one gets sick, the other’s
word is law. That means doctor,
hospital or ambulance — whatever
seems necessary to the captain.
Don’t fool around with cabs if the
condition seems serious. Your
medica] covers ambulances.

* If you get robbed, molested or
otherwise bothered, the British
police are great but call the Cana-
dian embassy at once. You may
need more help than you think.

* Take your damn vitamin pills
every day. Eating a lot of cheap
meals wiil dull your edge but you

+... won't realize it.

by Barbara
McCreadie
*

Suzy kept the letter.
. The letter was never intended to
be a column but some of their
friends read it and insisted that the
“thing warranted publishing since
I'd, ‘‘Said what they wanted to
hear.”’
Since the kids were heading for
England, only, the information is
biased, but some of the: basics app-

ly to anyone, travelling anywhere. "

* Don’t forget to pack soap (in a
- plastic dish) and a washcloth
(iploc bag).

: * If you lose each other, try.go-

ing back to the place you were last °

together. Or, if you’re-in a public
building, return: tothe ‘entrance
you came in by. ‘If that doesn’t
work (give it an hour) return to
your hotel. If you’ve checked out
and are somewhere where there is
no ‘thome base”’ get to a phone
and call me. With two calls I'll
probably be able to link you up
again.

* Always commit the name and
address of your hotel to memory.
Since you'll be in so many it’s easy
to forget where you live,

* Even if one carries all the tick-

* The water is safe to drink,
even though Suzy doesn’t think so.
(Wrote before Russia’s mistake —

* watch it!)

* Be. careful crossing streets.
Always look over your right
shoulder when stepping off a curb
— the traffic comes from the
wrong side.

trips, say so. If you’re sick to
death of plays or museums or
sunbathing or fish and chip shops
say so. Nicely, hoping the other
won't barnstorm,

* Don’t buy anything you can’t
carry for the rest of the trip,
unaided.

* Never be without a handful of
Kleenex.

* Never try to hide some physi-
cal problem from the other. If
you’ve got a blister on your foot
don’t grin and try to bear it. That
day you don’t walk. If you get
some sort of intestinal problem, be
honest. It might save your dignity.

*Get some of -your film
developed as you go. At least
you'll know if your camera (or
you) is working.

*Watch for signs of over-
tiredness in each other. On short
trips such as yours you can get
carried away with doing and seeing
too much. Result? Bitchiness.
Just what you don’t need.

* If a bathroom or shower looks
dreadful, take precautions. Cover
the seat with paper. Really soap
and rinse and dry your feet. Step
out of the shower onto something
clean.

* Geoff, this one’s for you.
Pack carefully. Use plastic bags to
keep laundry separate from clean
clothes. If you’ve got to pack
something damp like a washcloth,

* Other travellers can be fun but |

please agree to accept the decision

- of either one, no ifs or buts, if-one

is uncomfortable. This has always
been one of the top destroyers. of
vacations, even'with elderly people
like us.

* Don’t break the law, not even
a little bit.

* Eat breakfast, even if you
don’t feel like it. It saves you

money (it’s free) and fuels you up --

for "maybe ten or 15 miles of walk-
ing. =

- * Bring plenty of cotton socks.
Your feet can kill! Break in the

shoes you're taking until they’re - ,

really: comfortable.

*:The.“‘one looks, one sits with the

bags”’ is a good rule for buying
lunches, finding B&Bs or. getting
tickets or information. Suzy is the
best ticket line jumper in the
business!

* If you decide to drink, do it
close to your hotel, stay away from
dark streets and do it by

_yourselves. I’ve seen the two of

you under the influence and what’s
left of your brains isn’t much.

* Try to be accommodating but
don’t be afraid to say ‘‘no’’. If
von’ve had one tan manv shannine

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