44 little travel rules no one tells you

Here at Gadling, we pride ourselves on sharing the best travel tips and advice with you. And from time to time, someone from outside the Gadling family adds something so fantastic to the travel discourse that we need to feature it. And that's exactly what travel writer Robert Reid has done. [Full disclosure: Robert is a friend of mine. A talented and well-traveled friend, but a friend nonetheless.] In the latest entry on his blog, Reid on Travel, he shares 44 little travel rules that no one tells you.

At the heart of the post is the sentiment that we should each feel comfortable creating our own experiences. In other words, feel free to put ice in your beer (rule #8). Or proudly sport socks with sandals (rule #28). So long as you are broadening your horizons and being respectful of others, you should be comfortable being you.

Two of Robert's rules hit particularly close to home for me:

21. Try a couple days without the camera or email.

I tend to over-document my trips. Lately, I have been attempting to get lost in moments and experiences rather than viewing them through an LCD screen. As much as I love to share my pictures with friends, I'm trying to teach myself the value of being in the moment rather than framing it perfectly for an album.

37. Take public transit -- a tram (I LOVE trams), subway, ox cart -- at least once, even if you don't need to get where it's going. So few Americans EVER take one, it's sad.

I happen to love public transit. So much so, that I even used it in Los Angeles, where cars are considered a necessity (more on that in a future post). You can observe so many slice-of-life moments while on a train or bus that you would otherwise miss in a taxi. If you want to immerse yourself in a culture, public transit can provide you with a window into a place's real character.

Take a gander at Robert's full list and feel free to suggest some more travel rules in the comments below. And then plan a trip. Just be sure to get a hat (rule #29).

Photo by flickr user swimparallel.