Some of the best meals I’ve ever had have been cooked in a truck. From amazing hot dogs in Stockholm (with mashed potatoes and shrimp salad), to jerk chicken on Governors Island to curried goat in Darwin, I’ve enjoyed some amazing food truck meals.

Have you enjoyed food prepared in the back of a truck? Share your food truck tales in the comments.

The way in which addresses are written differs from country to country. Some places simply use building numbers. Others reference whole blocks. If you think you can just look for numbers on doors, you may be in for a disorienting surprise. Before you hit the ground, be sure to learn how buildings are identified so that you can find that hidden ramen shop that you’ve heard so much about.

Photo taken in San Francisco.

Keep track of how much you spend on a trip by hanging onto receipts for cash purchases and paying close attention to your credit card bills. When you get back home, sort through everything with your tripmates, figure out how much everyone is owed and settle up. Do this within your first week back from your trip. The longer you wait, the fuzzier the memories become and suddenly you’re fighting over money. No trip should have its memories ruined because you can’t recall who paid for you ugly friend to get his first handjob.

Andrew Evans did it. Grant Martin picked one up. They both lived to tell their tales.

Have you stuck your thumb out? Have you picked up a weary traveler? Share your stories in the comments.

Photo from somewhere in southern Montana.

You lose the majority of your body heat through your head. By packing a hat, you’ll ensure that you stave off the effects of the wind and cold that awaits you outside. Whether it’s with a ball cap, knit cap or an art installation that looks like the NBA championship trophy, cover up your head.

We’ve all been talked out of souvenir purchases. “It’s too big to carry home.” “It’s way too expensive.” “What are you going to do with that once you get home?” Occasionally, it’s for the best that you didn’t pull the trigger on that impulse buy (such as when I almost very drunkenly got a tattoo of the Yebisu beer logo while in Osaka, Japan). But more often than not, you end up regretting not taking home that special item.

So, justify that purchase. Negotiate a better price with the shopkeeper. Take home whatever you damn well please. If I had it to do over again, I’d find the $385 needed to take home that sweet taxidermy tableau above. Sigh.

I don’t have kids, so I don’t really know how challenging it is to tote them around when you travel. That said, exposing kids to the world, allowing them to experience other cultures and showing them that there’s life outside of their sandbox can only be good for them. I believe the children are the future. Teach them well and let them lead the way.

Whenever possible, time your travels such that you don’t leave or arrive in cities during rush hour. You’ll lose all momentum (and sanity) when you’re sitting in a virtual parking lot on the highway. If you want to keep things moving, let the work-a-day folks do their business during the busiest times of day and attack the road in between the rushes.

Photo from Yellowstone National Park – May 2010.

When the shit hits the fan, it’s time to humble yourself, follow instructions and help keep things calm by listening to the people in charge. Don’t worry about your belongings, your gadgets or your pride. Put on your life vest, tighten up your helmet and do as your told. It could just save your life.

The best part of being away from your regular work-a-day life is that you can let yourself go. That’s why no man should shave when he sets out on an adventure (See Evans, Andrew – Antarctica). Let those follicles grow proudly. If it’s good enough for Conan, it’s good enough for you.*

* Ladies not included – sorry!