:travel tidbits
TRAVEL TIDBITS
Pocket-sized stories sourced from the world we live in Valuable travel precautionary
tips with women travellers: - Never accept unsolicited help with your transport or your luggage. Many criminals operate out of airports and hotels and specifically target foreign visitors.
- Keep your luggage locked, and in front of you, at all times when in airports, bus or train stations and at hotel check-ins.
- A Secure Baggage Wrapping service takes only a minute, and is suitable for a wide range of luggage, carry bags, golf bags, prams, car seats, backpacks and boxes.
- Never offer to carry someone else's luggage for them.
- Do not discard your luggage receipt until
you have safely retrieved your bags from the carousel and checked that they are yours. If your luggage appears to have been tampered with, do not pick it up off the carousel. Instead, report it to the airport officials immediately.
- Find out from airport officials what an official taxi looks like and hail them from a major taxi rank. Never share taxis with people that you do not know.
- Be suspicious of anyone asking you to bring a bag or package for them across border crossings.
- Avoid any public commotions. Scammers will make good use of any distraction that will divert your attention away from your belongings.
Victoria Ugarte, www.exploremyworldtravel.com
Watanobbi voted Australia's "most unfortunate" place-
name Watanobbi in New South Wales has been voted Australia's "most unfortunate" place-name, in a global poll.
"Most Unfortunate" Australian Place-Names
1. Watanobbi (New South Wales)
2. Nowhere Else (Tasmania)
3. Eggs and Bacon Bay (Tasmania)
4. Bong Bong (New South Wales)
5. Burpengary (Queensland)
6. Wee Waa (New South Wales)
126 | www.hermagazine.co.nz
"Most Unfortunate" UK Place-Names
1. Shitterton (Dorset) 2. Scratchy Bottom (Dorset)
3. Brokenwind (Aberdeenshire) 4. Crapstone (Devon) 5. Golden Balls (Oxfordshire) 6. Ugley (Essex)
"Most Unfortunate" U.S. Place-Names
1. Toad Suck (Arkansas) 2. Climax (Georgia)
3. Boring (both Oregon & Maryland) 4. Hooker (Oklahoma) 5. Assawoman (Maryland)
6. Belchertown (Massachusetts)
It beat rivals including Eggs and Bacon Bay (Tasmania) Bong Bong (New South Wales) and Burpengary (Queensland), in a poll of almost 2,000 people conducted by the genealogy website, findmypast.com.au and its global network of partner sites.
Findmypast.com.au and its partner sites asked customers in seven English-speaking countries (Australia, UK, U.S., Ireland, Canada, New Zealand, South Africa) to pick from its own shortlist of "unfortunate" Australian place- names.
Source: findmypast.com.au