Lessons from the road

When I was a child, one of my mother’s favourite philosophies was: keep an open mind, but not so open that your brains fall out.

And with that advice firmly tucked in my head, I have spent almost half my life travelling and living in various countries, sometimes adapting easily while at other times being forced to keep an eye open.

Here is what I learned during my voyages:

1) Try local delicacies. They are often the cheapest and most nutritious food that is available. This would explain why my comfort foods now range from dhal (lentil) and rice, to maple syrup and hummus with pitta. That is not to say I’ve tried them all at once.

2) Mind your Ps and Qs, especially during travel. It is stating the obvious from the manual of manners, but to be gracious goes a long way. It doesn’t matter if you’re stranded at the border customs in the US or being detained by Indian airport authorities who make you sift through your luggage before they touch it. As a journalist carrying all manner of electronic equipment, I understand that I may scream “extra interrogation”, and you can add to that metal-ended stilettos that set off alarms or a misplaced nail file. What matters most is that you smile.

3) Shop for bargains. That’s easy here, but a supposed no-no in the western hemisphere. Not so. What I learned in New Delhi, I employed in New York. Where I saw opportunity, I dived in. Flea markets, vintage stores, organic food markets – the list goes on. In Abu Dhabi, try the Hamdan Centre or the fish market at Zayed Port. If you do it right, the savings will leave you breathless.

4) Ask for directions but follow your gut. It feels strange admitting that requesting guidance from strangers can go gravely wrong, but let it be known that little good has come from vague advice during travel, be it through rain, sand or snow. My favourite memory is from Al Ain, the land of endless roundabouts, where my friends and I wandered around the Jebel Hafeet mountains, attempting to get on the road to the top, because we thought it was better to listen to a man on the street than follow directions on a map. So off we went, following directions that went: “seedha, seedha, seedha, halas”; or “straight, straight, straight, the end”. Except we went in circles around the roundabouts for two hours. That was one time when I did let my brains fall out instead of merely keeping an open mind.