using 'navigate' intransitively

[I'm a Chubby Baby]

When I was in Thailand, the staff at the hotel I stayed recommended a local restaurant. So I decided to give it a try. I used Google Maps to navigate. But it led me to the wrong place.

Hello, everyone. A dictionary says when the verb 'navigate' isn't followed by an object, I means:
[no object]Plan and direct the course of a ship, aircraft, or other form of transport, especially by using instruments or maps.

I wasn't using any transportation. I was traveling by foot. so I was wondering if my use of 'navigate' wrong?
Also, is 'to navigate' enough? Is it clear that I am talking about navigating my way to the restaurant? Many thanks!

 

[teechar]

When I was in Thailand, the staff at the hotel I stayed recommended

That underlined part is wrong; you cannot stay a hotel! You stay at a hotel. So you can say "the staff at the hotel I stayed at" or better "the staff at my hotel".

I wasn't using any transportation.
I was traveling by foot

, so I was wondering if my use of 'navigate' is wrong.

No, your use of "navigate" is not wrong. When we say, for example, "navigate a ship", we mean "steer a ship through a particular course".

Also, is 'to navigate' enough? Is it clear that I am talking about navigating my way to the restaurant? Many thanks!

Yes, but you can simply say "I used Google Maps to get there/to the restaurant".
I would be more inclined to use "navigate" if I was driving, not walking.
[Edit: sorry about the messed up quote boxes. It's the system's fault, not mine. ;-)]

 

[Tdol]

Avoid square brackets where possible- they're used in forum code.

 

[Tdol]

Chubby Baby, did you paste your text here from something like Word?

 

[I'm a Chubby Baby]

Chubby Baby, did you paste your text here from something like Word?

Maybe. I can't remember. It's ten days ago.

 

[Tdol]

OK- not to worry.