Don't Pee At Night In Switzerland & Other Bizarre Travel Rules To Follow

Do you live the jetsetter lifestyle? Have you roamed most of the 195 countries that Planet Earth has to offer? Have you scanned most horizons and those obscure corners of the globe? Even if that answer's 'no' (and it definitely is for us), we can say one thing with a certain degree of authority--you would not have come across all these unorthodox rules that certain countries follow. 

In this particular scenario, when we do use the word ‘unorthodox’, we do not use this lightly. It means exactly that along with a little extra side of absurd! Tell us which ones you already knew. 

The Swiss say 'shhh!'

In Switzerland, it is common courtesy to not flush your toilet between 10pm and 7am as it may lead to disturbance during people's allocated sleeping time. Even though this is not a blanket ban or government-mandated, landlords in Switzerland are given a free reign to set their own house rules. Wondering where to buy adult diapers from? Whilst on the subject, another heinous crime that is looked down upon in Switzerland is urinating while standing up after 10pm. This obviously pertains to the gents, so please take a seat next time or get ready to face some serious questioning, some of which may sound like, ‘How could you?’. 

Even lions get bored in Baltimore

You’re bored, it’s the weekend, you call your friends to ask if they would like to go out and they all conveniently ditch you for other plans. What do you resort to? You call your last friend to see if they would like to go to the movies – the lion (no, not a term of endearment for one of your friends--an actual lion!), only to find out that the law in Baltimore, Maryland does not permit you to bring a lion to the movie theatre. And no, we’re not lyin’!  

No commando in Thailand

This may come as a big blow to those of you who value non-conformity, but under the Thai law, it is illegal to enter public spaces if you are not wearing any underwear. Therefore, forget going commando and listen to what your mother always told you as a child – always leave the house wearing a fresh pair of tighty whities!

Russia doesn't like dirty cars

If you’re ever in Russia and you see a brilliant stretch of road or the possibility of a scenic drive, our top tip would be to first bring out the mop and that ragged car cleaning bucket. That's because driving a dirty car in Russia is a fineable offence! Yes, you did hear that correctly. In accordance to Russian Federation motoring rules you could be liable to pay a fine of up to 500 Rubles (about ₹ 530) on the spot, pun intended, if found in contempt. 

Visiting Malana? Touchy topic

In accordance to customs the residents of Malana in Himachal Pradesh, India are the descendants of Aryans and hence consider all non-Malani people to be inferior and consequently untouchable. All tourists in Malana, if allowed inside at all, must stick to the designated paths and not touch any of the houses, walls or people. If the directive is broken, visitors are expected to pay a penalty sum that will cover the cost of the sacrificial slaughter of a lamb in order to purify the object that has been made impure. Dreary me, I would hate to be a lamb around these parts!

Married women don't wine or whine in Bolivia

If you’re a married woman who enjoys her wine and happens to be in La Paz we have bad news for you, I’m afraid. In a baffling affirmation of sexism, the Bolivian capital has a law on the records that states a married woman be served no more than one glass of wine when in a public space. If a married woman is caught overindulging this gives the husband the right to file for divorce! The reasoning behind this ludicrous law is that it prevents woman from indulging in extra marital engagements, because as we all know that all married women are bound to indulge in affairs as soon as the second glass of wine touches their lips.