The Key West citizen., 1952-11-13
HAL
BOYLE
SAYS
By Hal BOYLE

was thinking about this while
standing at the airport here, going
through the ritual of clearing Gus
toms for the homeward trek. /
reached in my topcoat pocket and
felt something wet. l pulled it out
it was bright red washcloth.
81 didn't know where else to put
It," explained my wife, Frances.
"And l just hated to throw it
away"
This experience convinced me
that people need few travel tips
even the best of wives.
set down here what have
learned:
l. Baggage. No matter how often
an airline says a passenger is
limited to 66 pounds of baggage it
never will convince a wife that
it's not fooling. For those last min
ute extras a wife can find no
other place for, wise husband will
always carry spare paper sack
in his pocket-and it win always
end up full.
The wise husband will also re-
main aloof in any argument be-
tween his wife and an airline Of
ficial over the question of excess
weight. After all, how does he
know his wife is wrong? Maybe
the airline scale is broken or in
accurate. Anyway, does he have
to 60 on living with the airline
or his wife?
2. Soap and cigarettes. In Europe
today it is no longer possible to
trade a bar of soap, a piece of
chocolate or a package of cigaret-
tes for a genuine $1,000 diamond
ring. Do bring along a few extra
bars of soap. : Many first class
hotels expect you to supply your
own. Do, also bring along a few
extra packs of cigarettes as gifts,
but don't expect them to over
whelm everybody. There actually
are many Europeans who prefer
other than American brand cigar
cites.
8. Black market. The average
American tourist feels life has
cheated him unless he makes
black market deal during his trip
abroad. It's very simple to make
one of those deals. Just 60 to the
nearest travel agency. Before you
can get through the door shady
character will sidle up to you
and CAD offer to change your mon
ey at a profit, OBJ offer to sell
you a SIS American fountain pen
for S. and (C) let you have a
rare old family cameo brooch.
By the time you get through the
door into the travel agency you
will find CAD some of the bills he
has given you are counterfeit, (B)
the fountain pen doesn't work, (C)
the cameo is a fraud, and CD
the shady character has vanished.
By and large, you can get no
more than 10 per cent edge in
black market money dealing in
Europe, and your money has a
cleaner feeling if you just change
| it at your hotel or bank.
4. Tips. In Europe every bill
you get includes a service charge
which is supposed to pay the wage
of those who serve you. But this
satisfies nobody. All who serve
you in any way expect an addi-
tional small remembrance from
you.
Don't make yourself miserable
or ruin your trip worrying about
how much you should give or whom
you should tip. A simple rule is
to tip everybody to whom you have
not been formally introduced. but
only give them half what you would
in America, as il already is on
the bill anyway.
Another and even more inexpen-
sive way Is simply to open your
billfold and hold ii out as you
pass. Servants consciences will
prevent them from taking as much
through avarice as you would give
them through ignorance.
S. Customs. Some people are bold
enough to clap piece Of rye bread
on each end Of q live elephant
and try to smuggle II through Gus
toms as a sandwich.
They take pride In trying 10
beat the customs man. Many trav-
elers complain bitterly about the
long suffering government agents.
But | have always found them viii
ling to share q live and let.live
policy. The wisest traveller | ever
knew said this is the way to deal
with customs.
'TeIl them firmly. 4 have moth.
ing~tO declare--absolutely nothing.
And no matter what they say. Just
sit sight-when they get tired Of
listening 10 you they win LET you
pass"