“Bad habits: easy to develop and hard to live with. Good habits: hard to develop and easy to live with.” – Orrin Woodward
I was on my way for business to China. I was really exited because I was going to meet new people and learn more about their Customs & Habits. I’ve never been to Asia before so I looked forward for this trip. As for many of you, for me travelling means fun and most of the time is to relax and write. Even when this is for business! Travelling does not only mean long trip by plane but also by train, ship or even just public transportation in your own country.
But your travel pleasure can be completely ruined by someone else sitting or walking next, behind or in front of you. So my trip to China turned out to be a very interesting one. As I was travelling alone I was prepared and willing to share a piece of my personal bubble with other people I’ve never seen or talked to in my life. When seated next to someone it is always nice to introduce yourself. And definitely so in a plane, where you will be seated for hours next to this person and sharing a small 5 square feet. This does not mean you will have to entertain this person the whole flight and become best friends for the rest of your lives, but this is just being polite!
When travelling you are sharing a limited space with more people. Be considerate and don’t make yourself way at ease as if you where at home. Some passengers think they are sleeping on their king size beds or eating at their own dining table. Remember, you are not! The person seated next, behind or in front of you would like to enjoy the flight as much as you. Some people have these interesting habits like the passenger seated next to me who seemed to follow a ritual of his own. As soon as the plane took off he went to the lavatory changed in a pajama, applied lotion, cleaned his glasses, pulled his seat full to the back and covered himself from head to toes like a mummy. He did not drink nor eat during the whole flight. On my other side I had Mrs. Talkative who was talking, during the whole flight, to the passenger seated in front of her, probably a family or someone she knew.
Travelling with children is also challenging because the plane is transformed into a flying playground. Most of the time parents get exhausted of their own kids and they let them run up & down the isles which they think is safe because their kids can’t get lost in a plane. But what about the safety in a plane and the flight crew who must do their job serving food while stepping over little kids crawling on the floor? And some adults easily transform into kids by being over active in their seat moving continuously and poking you with their elbows. They seem to forget or ignore that Dining Etiquette applies here as well. You have to keep your elbows moving back & front but not sideways as if they where wings! Mind there is someone seated next to you.
When you’re in public you are not at home. Some of the habits you might have and do at home can’t be done in public. When traveling by bus or train and carrying a backpack or oversized handbag, be careful not knockout someone else with your luggage as you go through the narrow pathways.
Avoid continuously talk on your mobile in public spaces, and especially when travelling by train or bus. A mobile conversation is not private and everybody can follow your conversation. Turn-off of all the sounds on your mobile devices, and please also when listening to your favorite music even when you are using headphones. The person seated next to you will have to listen even if he/she doesn’t like your music. And besides, this is very anti-social as you’re shutting yourself off from the outside world.
Escalators or moving sidewalks are fantastic inventions to mobilize people faster from one point to the other. But they are not to socialize and have conversations. The idea is to stand still at your right but to keep left free so other people can keep moving on the left side. When entering and leaving the train or bus it's very handy and polite to allow people first to get off and then to get on.
Travelling is wonderful and is to be enjoyed doing. By being considerate to others you are being considerate to yourself, and making sure your trip will go smooth. More so when you take your good habits with you!
