The weirdest travel requests

From asking a consulate Prince Charles' shoe size, to why ruined castles are built, tourists have been coming up with the weirdest travel queries.

Sure, travel arouses excitement, curiosity even but this one borders on the wacky. Recently, a news website mentioned that The British consulate has revealed, travellers have made a number of weird requests like asking for the telephone number of Phil Collins and Prince Charles' shoe size. A man rang the consulate in Sydney to ask what clothes he should pack for his holiday, while another in Sofia, Bulgaria, wanted the consulate to sell his house for him, a news major reported.

It's weirdville alright!

Artist Seema Narayan reveals a few fun anecdotes from her last year's Scotland holiday with her husband. "We were a travel group of about 20 and each day someone would come up with something weird to ask the travel co-coordinator. One day, there was this young woman who asked if Nessie (the fabled lake monster) was ever fed, and if so, when....it really made us laugh," she says.

Advertising executive Ramila Sharma also has a howler to share. "I had gone to UK for a work trip and took a sightseeing tour too. And I was so amazed when someone piped up, 'why do they build so many ruined castles and abbeys in England'; I can't stop laughing when I think of it," he grins.

While a man is said to have called the consulate in Florida to report that there were ants in his holiday villa and asked for advice on what he should do, Indian travel company coordinator Nisha Phillip recalls one that she heard right here on home turf. "I was accompanying this group of ladies on a coastal sojourn and one of them, asked me, 'so which beach is closest to the ocean in India'? I was too flabbergasted to reply and then realised she was a simpleton," she smiles.

The right questions to ask:

What is included and excluded in the trip?
How do I get the best deal on airfare?
How can I keep the budget in check?
Do I need trip insurance? Where are the good spots to eat and drink at?