Yep, for “young adults,” not “for dummies,” because if you’re a dummy, stay at home and do whatever it is that dummies do, like, you know, going tanning or picking your nose, or something like that. For those of you who have seen the movie Taken, you know what happened to the dummy friend, and although I’m aware that is an extreme situation, I cannot stress enough how being aware and savvy can get you out of tough binds ranging from slight discomfort to serious danger. Yes, my dad suggested I add this section to the blog, and, no, he is not Liam Neeson, and neither is your dad, so take heed!
This post is the first in a series. And don’t make any Jack Handy references, please!
Travel Tip #1: Invest in good walking shoes. I know you’re poor. You just booked a ticket for Europe that costs more than your credit card limit, you have student loans, the rate of exchange isn’t great… or maybe that’s just me?… Well, maybe you have the money, but you are painfully aware that good walking shoes often resemble moon shoes and/or leather tonka trucks. Well, they may cost more than you like, but I highly recommend buying a pair of earth-toned Birkenstocks (I think the ones with the thong are flattering and don’t shout “tourist” as much as the 2-strapped ones) and also a neutral-colored pair of nice sneakers, like Nikes, something simple and durable, no imitation material. Other options will debilitate you and/or make your feet smell like you grabbed them from the elephants’ cage at the zoo. Consider it an investment. If you could smell my feet after wearing shoes made with imitation leather, you would petition for the purchase of good quality walking shoes to be a tax write-off. Again for the penny-pinchers or hobo students, if you buy cheap shoes that end up killing you, you may have to buy new ones, which ends up being about as expensive as one pair of nice shoes. And unless you’re at the beach, flip flops don’t cut the mustard, people!
Travel Tip #2: The return trip should be your priority. This is particularly important in a foreign country, where bus drivers or random passersby may not understand the meaning of the word “lost”! Say you’re at a hostel on the fringes of the city center,or say you’re just going on a day excursion to some quaint village off the beaten path. Chances are, at some point, you will be taking some form of public transit (a bus or a train) to get there, unless you can afford a taxi. Chances are also likely that along your route, there will be what I call an English-language black hole. This may seem like a no-brainer, but I want to stress that getting somewhere is usually easy, but getting back can be a major disaster. Make sure you are aware of how you can get back, what time services stop and where, if there is a festival going on that weekend that affects bus times. Find this out. BEFORE. YOU. GO. Bus stops do not always have maps, routes or times posted, and you do not want to end up squatting in an English-language blackhole for an extended period of time, especially if you’re alone!
Travel Tip #3: Go to Church, even if you’re not religious. No, I’m not preaching from the blog, or trying to convert people, but going to church in a foreign country is fascinating. If you’ve ever been to mass before, you’ll know what’s going on no matter what the language. And more specifically, if you are in Spain, you’ll realize there’s really not much else to do on a Sunday, considering every little thing is closed.
Travel Tip #4: Find out what a popular regional drink is. Ask someone from the region if there is a regional drink you should try. It’s a good conversation starter, and you could end up really liking it… or, as in the case of Alhambra beer (Granada) or caipirinha (Lisbon), you could end up completely obsessed.
Travel Tip #5: In an emergency? Don’t call 911. At least, if you’re in Spain. Then you’d call “112”… Find out the emergency number in a foreign place, before you get there. God forbid you need to use it, and pity the fool who needs it AND is dialing 911. Now that person is in trouble.
Travel Tip #6: Look for hostels with breakfast included. These are typically buffets consisting of the basics. Today, the hostel where I’m staying had cereal, granola, buns, croissants, cheese, ham, various fruit spreads and beverages (coffee!)… You can stock up for the most important meal of the day and then you’ll find yourself more content with all the walking you’ll be doing, not to mention, less likely to fall for the expensive, ginormous meals that are often advertised on the beaten path (here’s looking at you, street ad with vat of seafood paella pictured… I bid thee adieu. That ad follows me around everywhere I go in Spain, I swear)….
Travel Tip #7: Take your headphones out. Chances are you’ll hear some interesting, enlightening things. You don’t have to be actively trying to take things in, taking your headphones out is half of it. Oh, the things I’ve learned and friends I’ve made from casually eavesdropping.
Travel Tip #8: Learn another language. Obviously, if I’m studying in Spain or moving there temporarily, it helps that I’ve put in the time to learn the local languages (be it castellano [“spanish”], catalan, etc.). As you would imagine, it helps in basically any conceivable situation. However, I found out that you can use that supplementary language in more interesting ways… for instance, when I was in Paris, I spent a lot of time on my lonesome because I was meeting up with friends halfway through the trip. Now, there’s a bit of, je ne sais pas, bad blood, between Americans and French, or so I’d heard, so, everytime I spoke to someone, I would say “Parlez-vous espagnol?” (do you speak Spanish?), and they were SOOOO nice to me. A lot nicer than if I spoke in my strongest yankee accent, I’m assuming… I didn’t test out my theory, though… but if I had, I would have asked the haughtiest looking French person I could find if they knew where I could get some “freedom fries”. Also, I’m pretty sure I’d be wearing a camouflage fanny pack. and an Uncle Sam hat.
More travel tips to come…
1 comment:
Alhambra beer!! Yummmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm
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