8 Things Hollywood Taught Us About Travel

Hollywood taught us a lot of things, good and bad. Drugs are bad, ETs only visit America, being mafia is cool and songs aren’t important for a movie to be good are among my personal favourites. But some movies involuntarily gave us important travel advice. You might have seen many of these famous movies, but read again to let their wisdom on travel fall upon you!

8) Pack light (2012)

This might be taking it a little too far, but the movie clearly taught us how to pack everything important urgent in the world – in one big ship. I’m sure you too can manage to pack yours in a bag. Ditch denims for track pants, jackets for wind cheaters, sweat T-shirts for shirts that wrinkle and so much more. Here’s a pro tip: Pack as few clothes and as much money as you can. Now, double the money and half the clothes.

7) Do not forget important stuff (Home Alone)

And that includes children too! While McCallisters forgot little Kevin, forgetting important items can be equally traumatising. Packing light and packing smart are two different things. Don’t miss your medicines, sanitary kit, sunglasses and items specific to the place. Lastly, avoid taking your laptop unless you’re on a business holiday.

6) A friend on the road is a friend indeed (Madagascar)

The movie taught us that friends come in all sizes and we must learn to get along and get awesome. Your pack might have a sized up hippo friend like Gloria or a nerd like Marty the Giraffe. In all probability, you will run into dimwits like Julien the lemur and evil people like the penguins. But in the end, travelling with great pals will always work in your favour.

5) Nothing beats depression like Travel (Euro Trip)

Learn from Scotty, the jilted nice guy who not just recovers from his unceremonious breakup, but also manages to find his ‘the one’ while travelling. If your chagrin and troubles don’t seem to vanish, shut out everything and go travel. You don’t need well-wishers’ advise or solo sessions that spell depression. Just hit the road and hope.

4) I will be back. What about you? (Terminator 2)

Though Arnold had his troubles, he promised to come back and he did. Don’t visit a place to strike it off from your check-list. Folks unknowingly travel to impress people around them and hence don’t revisit. A true travel addict will however proudly go back if he or she liked a place.

3) Manage your budget and use credit cards with restraint (Dumb and Dumber)

This hilarious (some say outrageous) Jim Carey movie had some really deep travel messages for us all. The movie shows that while holidaying, you should mark your budget carefully and not go on a spending spree – credit card users beware. Lastly, the most profound of it all is – when a bunch of girls (that too hot gymnastic girls, mind you!) ask you for directions, you should always oblige.

2) Respect the Culture and Traditions (Godfather)

Arguably the best movie of the century, The Godfather teaches us that it’s imperative to learn the culture, traditions and a bit about the language of any place we travel to. If you go to Sicily, you should know what might get you killed and what might help you make friends. So learn the common phrases in the local dialect of the place you are visiting or you will have to pee in a bottle!

1) Don’t Procrastinate (Up)

If you’re planning to travel after meeting your responsibilities towards family and society, you’re going to one sorry person. In the movie, 78 year old Carl Fredricksen finally acts on the dream that he and his deceased wife always had – living by the edge of a waterfall. He heads to South America. Travel is like food, salary, marriage or family… it should not be delayed. Do you even know how badly you need a holiday? Head somewhere crazy and you might get to see some talking dogs or may be a bird more exotic than Kevin!