By LESLEY CARLIN, TripAdvisor.com
Dear TripAdvisor: Asking to switch seats ... Clipping nails on plane
Q: My husband and I booked a last-minute trip. The flight was nearly full, so we couldn't get seats together. Can we ask the person sitting beside one of us to change seats so we can be next to each other?
Dear TripAdvisor: Avoid looking like 'Ugly American'
Q: How can one avoid looking like an "Ugly American" in Europe?
A: Here are my top five tips:
1. Don't assume everyone speaks English. In major cities, you'll find that many people do, but you always need to ask -- in the local language --instead of addressing someone in English.
Dear TripAdvisor: Making a close connection ... Pumping milk on plane
Q: I was flying recently and had a close connection, so I asked the flight attendant if she could make sure I got off the plane first. She made an announcement asking people without connections to stay seated, but no one complied. I missed my flight. What else could I have done?
Dear TripAdvisor: Southwest bungled the Kevin Smith situation
Q: What do you think of Southwest Airlines kicking director Kevin Smith off a flight for being too fat?
A: I think Southwest screwed up.
Dear TripAdvisor: Hogging an airport outlet in a snowstorm
Q: I was in an airport recently that shut down completely due to a snowstorm. It wasn't the newest airport, and there weren't a lot of outlets where people could recharge their cell phones or computers. A family camped out in front of the one outlet near my gate and plugged in a portable DVD player to entertain their kids.
Dear TripAdvisor: Snoring neighbors ... Cell-phone abusers
Q: What do you do if someone in the hotel room next to you is snoring so loudly you can hear it in your room?
Dear TripAdvisor: Sidewalk etiquette ... Apartment sitting ... More
Q: I'm a New Yorker, and I'm constantly stuck behind tourists who stop in their tracks to point at something or consult a map. Can you give some sidewalk etiquette tips?
Dear TripAdvisor: Doggie bags at buffet ... Baby-proofing hotel room
Q: Can I ask for a doggie bag at an all-you-can-eat buffet?
A: First, could we all agree that "doggie bag" is a horrible term? It's a euphemism gone wrong -- it's basically equating restaurant food with Alpo. If you want to take food home, you should ask for a box.
Dear TripAdvisor: Vacation rental ... Terrible Parent of the Year
Q: How much do I need to clean a vacation rental when my stay is over? There's a professional cleaning service included in the rate, but do I still need to vacuum, clean the toilets, etc.?
Dear TripAdvisor: Ladybug in the salad ... Get high in Amsterdam?
Q: If your waiter in a restaurant is great, but you find, say, a ladybug in your salad (I am speaking from personal experience), how should you adjust his tip?
