Excuse Yourself from Being Stupid

Excuse Yourself from Being Stupid. You heard what I said. I can do stupid things, especially when I travel.

I don't know all the French verbs. I don't know all the German customs. I don't know the Japanese rules on wearing a robe in public. I don't know everything on a Brazilian menu. I don't know all the facts about Italian wine. I don't know the Arabic word for “Hello,” but I will find out.

There are a lot of things I don't know and that's why I travel. Doing something stupid normally happens when I don't know everything I'm supposed to know. So no matter what I do and what I say, I will get something wrong and I will be stupid.

So what!

Doing things wrong and being stupid is how a child learns. It's the quickest way to get it right. Almost every kid is a faster learner than I am, especially when it comes to languages. So I don't worry about it.

I find that most people in foreign countries are very patient and good hearted. I'm given the benefit of the doubt and forgiven for my mistakes, especially when I learn from them.

Once again I learn to relax and enjoy my vacation, knowing that knowledge is wealth and I will get a whole lot “richer” before the end of my trip.

I also take steps to reduce my risk, such as when it comes to renting cars abroad. I always get full insurance when I rent cars in third-world countries like Brazil or Thailand and whenever I drive on the left side of the road like England or Australia. It's the smart thing to do.

I actually had a blind person in Tunisia walk into my car, when I was fully stopped at a stop sign near a market place. It was very comical. I was hoping everything was all right. That's when several passersby came up and guided him to safety.

I saw him before he ran into me. He had been walking very strangely, so I had remained stopped.  He had no white cane, so I didn't know he was blind until he walked into my car.

But everyone there was acting strange in my eyes; it was a market place in Africa, after all. So I thanked the dear Lord for full insurance and drove on.

So excuse yourself from being stupid on your trip. Relax and enjoy the differences and truths that make travel great.

Travel. Be a child again. Discover people, things and ideas that are fantastic.

Be stupid. Do it all again and again until you get it right.

Here is a quick list of Travel Secrets I found out about on my trips. I hope it helps you in your search for better travel:

Go to the Page on My Way to Travel

Slowing Down

Nervous about travel?

Travel is Scary

Learn to Like Yourself as You Are

Time Slows Down when Traveling

Retirement Plans

KISS - Keep It Simple Stupid

Being Stupid

The Power of the Open Question

Ask the Unbusy Police Officer

Ask the Locals - They know

Listening - An Important Skill in Travel

Contrast the Old and the New

Some Unusual Travel Insights

Be a Good Guest

Take a Walk - Relax - Enjoy Good Travel

Get Lost on a Bus - I Dare You

Change Course - Follow Someone Else's Idea of a Good Trip

Good Exercise is a Travel Bonus

Friendship

Interacting with Children in a Foreign Land

Treatment of Americans Abroad

Terrorism

After All - It's Your Vacation