Doug Lansky takes audience around the world in 60 minutes

Eat the local food, drink the local water and don’t worry about the dysentery that you’ll probably acquire – it’s not that bad. \nSuch was the advice from travel writer Doug Lansky, author, lecturer and seasoned visitor of more than 100 countries, at a talk Tuesday night in the Whittenberger Auditorium in the Indiana Memorial Union. Lansky exposed his personal experiences, as well as some often unsettling truths, from his world travels.\n“There is no wrong place to travel,” Lansky said. “It’s not that you should completely skip seeing the wonders of the world, but you don’t have to play connect the dots with them either. Go somewhere for what you are looking for, whether it’s to see tourist attractions, make friends or find the cheapest beer.’”\nLansky has reported on many human interest stories that most Americans are not typically exposed to while abroad – from sumo wrestling lessons in Japan to \nstaying at an all-ice hotel in Sweden – but he did have some tips for all travelers.\n“Push yourself out of your comfort zone,” Lansky said. “Meet people and put yourself out there. Immerse yourself in the culture directly; get under the skin of place. The more you learn, the more enriching your experience will be.”\nThe most common mistake Lansky encouraged all travelers to avoid was overpacking. It’s the classic faux pas that separates the true travelers from the tourists, he said. When Lansky once weighed the backpacks and bags of random travelers at a train station in Stockholm, he found that the average bag weighed 50 pounds – far too much for the serious adventurer, he said.\n“You can absolutely get by on a 45-liter bag with just a few basics,” Lansky said. \nA beach towel, a rain jacket and some clean sheets were on his list of must-haves.\nAt the end of Lansky’s lecture, the chance for adventure became real for the raffle winner of a free Eurail pass worth $1,000. Audience member David Orr was in the right place at the right time.\n“My wife e-mailed me at work and said that Doug was giving a talk, so I decided I would go,” Orr said. “We just recently got into wilderness backpacking, and although we have no formal plans to go to Europe, we have been interested for a while. And we have a friend who just moved there.”\nWith free lodging and free transportation, the Orrs will soon be taking their new hobby overseas. While the rest of the audience members might not have won a free Eurail pass, they received top tips from one of the world’s most accomplished travelers.