By John Frenaye

Travel columnist

updated 4:56 p.m. ET May 11, 2007

John Frenaye Travel columnist • Profile • E-mail

Remember when you were a kid and all your friends would throw you down on the ground and begin to beat you till you cried "Uncle!"? Well, apparently I am reliving my youth, and you heard it here first: Uncle!

In my last column, I suggested that there were Twelve Commandments of Travel that Moses seems to have lost as he came down the mountain. I made the mistake of asking if my readers had suggestions for more. Apparently, I struck a nerve. It seems everyone has an opinion about how travel should be conducted.

Here is a sampling of the 1,854 e-mails I have received to date from some of our readers and in the Tripso Forums:

Thou shalt be flexible when the original plans go awry. There is always an alternative that is just as much fun, if not more. Seek and ye shall find!
-- Jeanie M. Schneider

Thou shalt not pretend to be an expert on the culture when you have only been in the country for five days.
-- Amanda Branch, Iowa

Thou shalt have thy shoes, metal objects, travel baggies of liquids and gels, and thy laptop out and ready to go through the detector before it is thy turn in line!
-- Bart Parker

Thou shalt remember it's not just your vacation. Be respectful of the rights of others and everyone will be able to enjoy their trip more. You're all probably going to the same place, and you'll all arrive or get checked in around the same time.
-- Chris

Thou shalt not complain that the local cuisine is "not like home." If you are not open to local cuisine, seek out the local McDonald's and stick with it.
-- Mary Lowe

Select wisely who you travel with; a friend at home may not enjoy the same "freedom" you feel when you travel.
-- Judy D. Watson, Georgia

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Because something is old and falling apart does not mean that you can take a piece home or destroy it more. It has been there for a few thousand years and could probably last a few thousand more with care.
-- Jerry Lang

Thou shalt not criticize or disparage another country's culture. If they don't eat the meat of the cow, there's a reason for that. Find out what it is and learn to understand why.
-- Claudette Sortino, Vermont

Thou shalt remember that although you can preview all the wonderful sites you hope to see on your vacation in mere minutes by scanning the pictures in the travel brochure, the reality of getting to each one of them could entail a full day on a crowded tour bus. Sightseeing can be hard work. Do your homework and don't blame others because the world is a big place.
-- James S. Taylor, Portugal

When traveling on a public conveyance, thou shalt bathe first, in soap and water, and not rinse the soap off with cologne.
-- Anonymous

Thou shalt not be an "Ugly American" and will be courteous, polite and respectful of the countries, cultures and landmarks that you visit (e.g., do not scream conversations across Notre Dame Cathedral to your tour mates!). Represent our country well.
--Anonymous

Thou shalt understand that European hotel rooms are usually smaller than American standard hotel rooms before you travel there. Managed expectations will reduce your stress and that of the poor hotel clerks.
-- Anonymous

Blog 80 Days or Bust Seeing, eating, drinking and blogging around the globe

Thou shalt understand currency exchange rates before traveling to your destination else you may be ripped off or spend unknowingly.
-- John Fox

Thou shalt not molest my seat on an airplane for no reason. Thou shalt not lean on it, pull on it, kick it, rest thy knees on it, etc.
-- Anonymous

Thou shalt not speak English abroad expecting the locals to not understand you. Most of them can. -- Anonymous

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