6 hints for hitting the road and enjoying it
January 8th 2007 03:52
Ok, so they're not specific to travel in Viet Nam, but through the course of my many excursions, throughout the world, here are a few hints for the trendy traveler (and no, they don't include Louis Vuitton luggage or bringing your miniature dog in your purse!)
First and foremost, however you decide to arrange your travels, commit to your chosen method and enjoy it.
For me, this included coming to a realization that given my time constraints I would not be able to set up a personalized itinerary. In fact, this meant that I would not even really have much time to read-up on the things I could do and see. And therefore, I made the choice to allow a group far more knowlegable then myself to take control of my itinerary. I chose to travel with a tour led by Intrepid Tavel (found at www.intrepidtravel.com)
Though every participant in my small group was wonderful, a few seemed to vacillate between enjoying what the tour provides, and being fully dissatisfied with the trade-offs they made in order to enjoy the ease of traveling by tour. Though understandable, it is enormously frustrating for fellow-participants. Therefore, to get off on the right foot of your travels, to endear yourself to all you meet, adopt a positive attitude about your travels and make sure to keep your negative energy to a minimum.
I hesistate to say it, and remember,moderation is the key, but the number two trendy travel trip is to either 1) have saved enough money to really enjoy the activities you might not anticipate but will inevitably arise or 2) put some of those expenses on a credit card and worry about them later.
I know that seems irresponsible, and it probably is, but here's how i see it. If you've already blown heaps of cash to get somewhere and to do the things you're doing, you might as well do all the things that are available. It would be a shame to have to pay the airfare and all the other costs again at some point just to come back and do one or two things you missed along the way. If you think about it that way, putting it on a credit card will probably save you money in the long run.
Number three trendy travel tip--slow down, stay put.
Though tours are not ideal for this, nor schedules, or bosses, employment, or commitments, if you have the time, stay somewhere. For a week or two. Really get to know the place. Remember street names, find a favourite bar, have a waiter or waitress who knows your name, a street vendor who stops yakking at your to buy something. Be a worshipper at more than one famous temple, know which cafe on cafe row serves the hottest espresso, the strongest brew, or the creamiest latte. That sense of belonging you'll get when someone asks you for directions and you truly know how to direct them there will be overwhelming.
Number four trendy travel tip--consider your travel partner carefully and then consider them again.
Traveling with anyone can be stressful. Traveling with someone who is equally as laid back, stressy, neurotic, chaotic, bitchy, uptight, poor, worried, or apathetic as yourself usually means disaster. Are you traveling with a lover, a friend, a partner, an acquaintence? No matter who this person is, consider your characters and make sure you'll suit one another for a period of time. There is nothing worse then arriving somewhere to find your partner wants to do none of the same things as you, or that you're constantly the one who feels like they need to complain that they're not seeing what they want. Ideally, everyone is laid-back and easy-going while maintaining the ability to make decisions based on information. However, anyone whose ever had a travel buddy for more than a few days knows that personalities that seemed great before can seem stifling in such close quarters. Not every relationship survives overseas travel, foreign languages,and foreign food.
Tip number five--engage with the local culture but not to the detriment of all other types of fun.
If paintings on rice paper or silk are the local specialties, make sure you check some out. In fact, if you're looking for gifts make sure you buy them. But remember, copyright laws mean pirated DVDs aren't going to be available forever, so if you're curious about having a look at those, don't spoil your own fun.
If dumplings filled with shrimp paste are the local culinary specialty don't miss out on a taste, but you don't have to eat them every single meal of every day your in town. Mix it up. Try the place claiming to be the original and then try some others. And, when your pretty much sick of the local specialty, don't beat yourself up for grabbing something else.
Trendy Travel Tip number 6--GET YOUR ASS UP AND GO.
Making the decision, siphoning the funds off, and booking the trip are the hardest parts. Therein lies the stress, anxiety, and nervousness. Therein is the first hurdle any traveler must climb. But you can't be a trendy traveler, or a traveler at all if you never pick up and go....
First and foremost, however you decide to arrange your travels, commit to your chosen method and enjoy it.
For me, this included coming to a realization that given my time constraints I would not be able to set up a personalized itinerary. In fact, this meant that I would not even really have much time to read-up on the things I could do and see. And therefore, I made the choice to allow a group far more knowlegable then myself to take control of my itinerary. I chose to travel with a tour led by Intrepid Tavel (found at www.intrepidtravel.com)
I hesistate to say it, and remember,moderation is the key, but the number two trendy travel trip is to either 1) have saved enough money to really enjoy the activities you might not anticipate but will inevitably arise or 2) put some of those expenses on a credit card and worry about them later.
I know that seems irresponsible, and it probably is, but here's how i see it. If you've already blown heaps of cash to get somewhere and to do the things you're doing, you might as well do all the things that are available. It would be a shame to have to pay the airfare and all the other costs again at some point just to come back and do one or two things you missed along the way. If you think about it that way, putting it on a credit card will probably save you money in the long run.
Number three trendy travel tip--slow down, stay put.
Though tours are not ideal for this, nor schedules, or bosses, employment, or commitments, if you have the time, stay somewhere. For a week or two. Really get to know the place. Remember street names, find a favourite bar, have a waiter or waitress who knows your name, a street vendor who stops yakking at your to buy something. Be a worshipper at more than one famous temple, know which cafe on cafe row serves the hottest espresso, the strongest brew, or the creamiest latte. That sense of belonging you'll get when someone asks you for directions and you truly know how to direct them there will be overwhelming.
Number four trendy travel tip--consider your travel partner carefully and then consider them again.
Traveling with anyone can be stressful. Traveling with someone who is equally as laid back, stressy, neurotic, chaotic, bitchy, uptight, poor, worried, or apathetic as yourself usually means disaster. Are you traveling with a lover, a friend, a partner, an acquaintence? No matter who this person is, consider your characters and make sure you'll suit one another for a period of time. There is nothing worse then arriving somewhere to find your partner wants to do none of the same things as you, or that you're constantly the one who feels like they need to complain that they're not seeing what they want. Ideally, everyone is laid-back and easy-going while maintaining the ability to make decisions based on information. However, anyone whose ever had a travel buddy for more than a few days knows that personalities that seemed great before can seem stifling in such close quarters. Not every relationship survives overseas travel, foreign languages,and foreign food.
Tip number five--engage with the local culture but not to the detriment of all other types of fun.
If paintings on rice paper or silk are the local specialties, make sure you check some out. In fact, if you're looking for gifts make sure you buy them. But remember, copyright laws mean pirated DVDs aren't going to be available forever, so if you're curious about having a look at those, don't spoil your own fun.
If dumplings filled with shrimp paste are the local culinary specialty don't miss out on a taste, but you don't have to eat them every single meal of every day your in town. Mix it up. Try the place claiming to be the original and then try some others. And, when your pretty much sick of the local specialty, don't beat yourself up for grabbing something else.
Trendy Travel Tip number 6--GET YOUR ASS UP AND GO.
Making the decision, siphoning the funds off, and booking the trip are the hardest parts. Therein lies the stress, anxiety, and nervousness. Therein is the first hurdle any traveler must climb. But you can't be a trendy traveler, or a traveler at all if you never pick up and go....
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