Month: November 2017

  • Lonely While Traveling? Here’s How to Make Quick Friends!

    Lonely While Traveling? Here’s How to Make Quick Friends!

    Let’s face it – we are social creatures.  We enjoy making memories more than we love material things, which is why every major U.S. holiday centers around laughing/drinking/eating/celebrating with loved ones – so don’t think that it has to be different when you travel!!

     

    You’d be surprised by how friendly people are when you travel. Automatically, people you encounter will consider you a like-minded, open-hearted person, because you ventured outside of the continental United States.  That may change if you start to discuss U.S. politics, haha, but aside from that, people from other countries tend to gravitate to Americans.  They stay fascinated by our culture, particularly as many of the countries that I have travelled to still watch a majority of movies and tv shows made in Hollywood!  They grow up listening to our music and watching Hawaii Five-O, and they want to share this with you – and ask you questions about what real American culture consists of.  By way of example, I remember staying at a hostel in Australia, where we had a neighboring room full of Israeli gentlemen – we ended up singing Boyz II Men songs all night – American culture has truly permeated much of the world!!  So here’s my advice if you want to lose sleep so you too can enjoy a sing off with some talented foreigners :-):

     

    1)Sign up for excursions with cool groups – sometimes I look to have private travel experiences, but there are other times where I seek camaraderie with young, like-minded, adventurous travelers who want to have a blast while on vacation.  This has two results that work to your favor:

    a)Not only do they make the experience more fun, but they often share stories of other places they’ve gone that you may not have considered.  Citizens from countries like Sweden, Germany, and Australia, to name a few, generally have more paid time leave than Americans. Thus, the world is literally their oyster.  The more adventurous ones have the time to see places that we may not have even heard of.  I like to think of them as weaning out the bad from the good for me, so i don’t have to waste valuable PTO on somewhere that is overrated  For example, I met a German girl while in Thailand who had been traveling through Thailand for over a month.  She was able to knock some items off of our list, leaving only the best places on our to-do list!!  You don’t know, what you don’t know, right?  So I always make sure I have my phone or a small notepad/pen, so I can jot down local spots that don’t appear on the more mainstream travel websites.

    b)The folks on these awesome excursions usually want to be your best friend for the duration of the excursion.  I don’t literally mean besties, but they encourage you to stretch yourself and truly enjoy the experience.  Remember the German girl I mentioned above? Well, her name was Lauren too, and she decided that anyone named Lauren had to hook arms and jump off a boat in Koh Phi Phi – not something that would immediately come to my mind on my own, but here I am 2 years later writing about it, because it was an exhilarating experience – shout out to Bob’s Booze Cruise in Koh Phi Phi for organizing such a great day! Afterwards we continued to bond over drinks at the neighborhood bar, while checking out our photos from the day plastered on the wall.  There are many opportunities like this, world-wide, but you have to look for them.  There are certain agencies like G Travels and Cool Dingo Tours that cater to folks from 18-39 who want a fun, adventure-filled experience.  Even if you’re on the higher end of that, as I’ve been finding myself lately – don’t be scared – just go for it!!

     

    2)Poll the locals.  Again, this depends on what type of experience you’re looking for, but generally, I have always found that people love to talk to the Americans.  I’ve been to Australia a couple of times, and the moment they learn that I am not Aboriginal, but rather a Black American, I become an instant celeb.  They want you to show them the latest dance moves, music, fashion, and of course, show off that awesome accent, haha.  Even if you go to your hotel bar, if you start drinking and having a good time (in a respectable way), it’s magnetic. Often times, I’ll turn to the person next to me, and ask them to participate in a non-official poll about their country (fave restaurant/bar/park/attraction).  I’ve never had someone turn me down yet! They are often eager to share their love for their city/country with you, and in turn they want to learn more about where I’m from, which leads to an engaging conversation. Oh and remember that no matter how cozy you get with your new friend, or how easy the conversation is, keep the custom of the country you’re visiting in your mind at all times!  I posted a photo below of a pic I took with “new friends” while at a Bedouin camp outside of Dubai.  We had a great time talking all night, but as you see, my arms are not touching the back of my new friend, as I did not want him to feel uncomfortable with female contact.  Just an FYI 🙂

     

    3)Poll the expats.  Ok, so maybe you have had enough sake or bratwurst, and want a good ole fashioned burger.  If you’ve been traveling for over a week, it’s not uncommon to miss the type of cuisine you eat at home.  Sometimes we’ll head to an expat spot, just so we can hear a dose of American music with a burger – Bangkok had just the spot.  Everyone speaks English, and the “locals” give you the lay of the land, from an American perspective.  Some expats have lived abroad for as many as 10 or even 20 years, so they have become experts in the own right.  They are also eager for you to experience everything their new country has to offer, only there won’t be any language barrier in receiving the info, and you can bond over their old haunts in the U.S. (everyone loves a New Yorker, what can i say?)…  After you bonded over how horribly crowded Times Square is, they’ll be excited to point you to the awesome local beach or bar where the locals won’t short change you with cheap alcohol.  This has been something that I’ve done in many of the countries that I have visited and I swear by it.  Then, when you speak with the locals, they will be impressed by the knowledge you picked up when hanging with the expats – it becomes an information circle, and they’ll let you in on even cooler activities.  Again, go for it!!

     

    4)Chill out by the pool or fireplace – so of course this depends on the climate of your destination, but I’ve found either of these spots to be key when meeting new folks.  When people are warm, they want to cool down poolside, with some Mai Tais.  After a long day of skiing, nothing is more comforting than warming up by the fireplace with a Bailey’s.  Again, people love to share awesome experiences, so if open up, and tell them how awesome your run was down the slope, I bet they will to – they won’t be able to help it.  In short, go where the fun folks unwind, and you’ll pick up some fast friends!!

     

    The advice above is helpful for those who want to meet others and share experiences while traveling.  This is not mandatory – but it certainly does add to the experience, as you’ll be moved to stretch your own boundaries, and may pick up some knowledge that you wouldn’t otherwise have access to.  And remember….keep a smile on your face, they’re contagious 🙂

  • Tired of Political Talk (Or Dry Stuffing) During Thanksgiving? Try These Travel Alternatives for Thanksgiving 2018!

    Tired of Political Talk (Or Dry Stuffing) During Thanksgiving? Try These Travel Alternatives for Thanksgiving 2018!

    I know some of us are excited about eating from a table full of goodies – stuffing, macaroni and cheese, cornbread, collard green, ham, turkey, and pie – just to name a few, haha.  Or maybe you love Thanksgiving because the day is full of family, laughter, and making memories, oh and football (As a fantasy football junkie, my eyes are glued to the screen).  

     

    Or perhaps Thanksgiving is a holiday that either fills you with anxiety (no one wants to discuss North Korea while buttering the cornbread), or due to logistics, you unfortunately can’t fly or drive to wherever you call home.  There are many reasons why you may not want, or be able to, enjoy Thanksgiving dinner with your family or friends, and that’s where I come in.  You may be surprised by how many options you have, especially in recent years as more places try to cater to Thanksgiving expatriates ← not sure if that is actually a coined term, but just roll with me.  So here’s your list, and include me in your list of thanks as your nephew begins to throw pieces of macaroni in your hair 😉

     

    1)Park City, Utah – this ski resort city is home to many hotels that cater to Thanksgiving activities, so not only will you not miss some of your own holiday traditions, like playing flag football or eating too much at many of the buffets offered by the regional hotels, but you may adopt new activities.  One example is Montage Deer Valley, which hosts an annual Turkey Shoot where you can learn archery!  They also have Christmas events available immediately after Thanksgiving, such as cookie decorating and a Christmas tree lighting – which is an awesome way to get into the Christmas spirit, rather than waiting in line at one of the big box stores for that 55 inch tv you had your eyes on.  Oh, and of course there’s awesome skiing here too – which should go without saying, but since this is a blog, I kinda have to say it.

     

    2)Europe – I can’t limit this to just Germany or Paris, etc.  Sure, they don’t celebrate Thanksgiving across the pond, but maybe you’re trying to avoid the carbs this year.  If that is the case, you can fly/stay in Europe for really affordable prices.  The high season for many European countries are during the summer or in December when the Christmas markets attract tons (and tons) of visitors.  Our Thanksgiving holiday happens to fall on that shoulder period right before the hordes of Christmas visitors flock to the Christmas markets, especially popular in Germany, so that means you’ll be with the locals.  Many of the Christmas markets open between the 2nd and 3rd week in November.  If you can survive the cold weather (prepare for 30 – 40 degrees),   then you’ll be able to stroll along some Christmas markets dating back centuries, picking up amazing Christmas ornaments along the way, drink great-tasting wine, and eat ridiculously tasty pastries and other local faves, among local visitors. And did I mention hotels and flights are amongst the least expensive this time of year (this does not extend to Dec, so your window of opportunity is short)?  The Christmas Fair in Budapest certainly rivals any of the Black Friday plans you have…What are you waiting for?? Go…

     

    3)Hawaii – maybe you wish to stay warm, and be an ocean away from anyone causing you anxiety (bosses, inlaws, certain political figures)…if so, this may be the destination for you!  Many Hawaiian hotels offer locally themed Thanksgiving buffets (Hawaii is a state afterall, so they celebrate this awesome holiday as well, unlike in Europe).  You won’t likely find cornbread and stuffing here, but rather local faves along the lines of pork dishes, local fish specialties, and Asian-inspired dishes like ramen bowls, and spring rolls.  Then you can sit back and enjoy all that Hawaii has to offer without the horrible crowds often found during the summer or winter months.  Whether you try surfing, taking a hike through a rainforest, or up a volcano, or just wish to lounge on a beach, this possible Thanksgiving destination will set you in an awesome mood just in time for the cold(er) weather December brings.

     

    4)New Orleans – this city gets a special shout out because as with everything else, New Orleans does everything differently  – they are afterall, the mastermind behind turdunken (turkey stuffed with chicken and duck).  Sure, they also serve turkey with rice and gravy, but its done cajun style along with po boys, crawfish specialities, and fried turkey, which is a popular staple.  You can also make your way to the Bayou Classic Thanksgiving Day Parade, which ends at the French Market, where Santa sits waiting take family pictures!  The next day, venture out to City Park for the Celebration at the Oaks, where there are literally tons of light displays, mostly on, you guessed it, oak trees, which will set your mood just right for Christmas!

     

    5)Take a cruise – ya’ll know I love cruising, so this recommendation shouldn’t come as too much of a surprise.  Thanksgiving has, for some, become a day where you are perfectly ok with being as gluttonous as possible – so can you imagine being on a cruise which specializes in offering too much food on a normal day at sea??  All cruises that offer a Thanksgiving day sailing includes both buffet and dining room menus that feature turkey, with all the usual accompaniments.  Also, many cruise companies know how important American football is to the tradition of Thanksgiving, so many set up large screens so you can watch the Detroit Lions and Dallas Cowboys play their opponent.  Further, some of the ports of call that are used to passengers on Thanksgiving weekend have developed their own version of Black Friday or Viernes Negro, with sales that rival those state side. Sure, many of the ports of call don’t celebrate Thanksgiving, but many do partake in Christmas activities, which start around Thanksgiving weekend. Again, in some ways its the best of both worlds, warm weather and tropical drinks along with turkey, and new friends.

     

    Ultimately, there’s nothing like spending Thanksgiving with your family or close friends.  Sure, I love the food (I think I’ve made that apparent already), but nothing is quite like the feeling of being surrounded by your loved ones, laughing, and taking part in traditions that are time cherished.  However, that’s not always an option, for many of the reasons I noted above, and if that is the case, you should definitely check out the options I provided.  Regardless of where you find yourself on Thursday, I want to wish each and every one of you an amazingly happy and healthy Thanksgiving!!

  • 5 Reasons Why Road Tripping Through Europe Is, Well…A MUST!!

    5 Reasons Why Road Tripping Through Europe Is, Well…A MUST!!

    Last week, we returned from an 8 day road trip through Germany, Luxembourg, France, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, and Austria.  I promise  that I will write specifically about some of the cities we travelled to (and show pics) in upcoming weeks, once I sift through the countless photos we took, but in the meantime, I need to give “road tripping” a huge shout out!!

    Prior to this trip, I only considered road tripping to be an American pastime.  Sure, as a Top Gear (and now Grand Tour) aficionado, I knew certain places like Romania and Italy have gorgeous roads to drive on, but I never  considered taking such a trip myself!  Since we don’t have countless PTO (or cash), we decided a road trip would be the most cost and time effective manner to see this region, and we were spot on!

    Here are my top 5 reasons why you should consider taking a road trip through Europe:

    1)You can rent what would be deemed a “premium car” in the states for a relatively decent price in Europe, especially when booking with Sixt.  Sixt is a German-based car rental company, that is steadily expanding in the U.S.  While in Europe, you can rent a BMW 4-series for as low as $26/Euros a day!  When driving on those fun European country roads (winding and high speed limits) – renting a BMW or Audi is exactly what you’ll want to drive to make your trip unforgettable.

    2)Speaking of roads – driving on the famed Autobahn was everything i hoped it would be. The Autobahn is comprised of a series of highways in Germany with varying speed limits – including many stretches with no speed limit at all (though they recommend you don’t go beyond 81 miles per hour).  How often do you get the chance in America to legally drive on a highway without observing ANY speed limit? Pretty sure, its nil, as all of our highways have a speed limit attached to it. While driving, I reached 136 mph, while hubby maxed out at 145 mph.  Driving through the autobahn-less other countries were magical for other reasons – they were simply gorgeous.  Experiences like this can’t occur while you’re flying or cruising!

    3)You will visit and better experience towns and villages that don’t appear in Travel & Leisure or Conde Nast.  For those of you who want to experience truly authentic aspects of one’s culture, driving through the smaller cities may be exactly up your alley!  Some of the best bars and restaurants are not found in the largest cities, but rather in the smaller towns and villages, where local people stick to recipes and traditions passed down among many generations.  You also get a better feel for the true local culture as you visit the shops and maybe even small town museums which truly reflects the history and soul of your destination.  We visited towns in Germany where the locals only spoke German, and the menu only offered truly German specialties like spaetzel.  This is, after all, why you visited the country to begin with right?  If you want a more American experience, stay in the larger cities, or, well, in America J.

    4)You dictate your own time and can customize your own schedule – As much as I love cruises, sometimes it is truly frustrating when you can’t explore a city’s nightlife or take the time to get off the beaten path because it’s too far away from the cruise terminal, and you don’t have enough time.  The same can be said if you fly into a city, and don’t rent a car – you may feel locked into the main city (where uber exists, lol), and you may be nervous to explore.  When you’re on a road trip, you can decide exactly how long you wish to stay in a given city, and you’ll find yourself much more willing to explore!!  For the most part, we stayed along our itinerary’s routes, but we found ourselves falling in love with some cities more than others – and because we had a car, we could do EXACTLY what we wanted.  We stayed longer in Strasbourg, and had amazing wine, food, and croissants, and spent less time in Zurich (kind of meh), because we were afforded the flexibility that comes with road tripping.  We also added the famed Nurburgring racetrack onto our itinerary, because hubby is obsessed with Gran Turismo, and we happened to drive by the city, so we stopped off! You may only get a small amount of PTO, like we do, so don’t waste time in towns/cities that may not be  your cup of tea – dictate your own schedule!

    5)Off roading!  Ok, this may not be something you see in the brochures, but every country has some cool off-road opportunities, that are not easily accessible to those of us that may not be expert hikers.  I like to do what I call mini-hikes (max 2 hours, unless it’s like Machu Picchu of course), but I’m not generally the type of person who is itching to hike for 6 or 7 hours while I’m on vacation.  When you’re on a road trip, that 6 or 7 hour hike can turn into 10 or 20 min ;-).  We went off road near the Eibsee Lake in Germany – the hike is supposed to be about 3-4 hours long – but we didn’t have that kind of time (or stamina, lol), so we drove through the forest for about 20 min, and then hiked only about 15 min down to one of the most amazing vistas I’ve ever seen in my life.  Again, this is all about time management. If you have the time, and love to hike – awesome!! But I only receive just over 3 weeks of PTO a year, so it’s critical that I plan each day perfectly!  So when you are road tripping – get off the main road, and explore a bit!

    So you guessed it…now I need to plan my next road trips through Italy, France, Romania, and Spain/Portugal…if you have any other suggestions, please comment below!!

  • 5 Tips For Surviving That Long International Flight

    5 Tips For Surviving That Long International Flight

    I’ve asked folks why they steer clear of traveling to certain destinations, like Thailand or Australia, and most often, people cite the fear over the long flight as a chief reason (aside from the cost).  Of course, 15 hour flights are not “fun”, but you can make it more bearable by keeping in mind certain tips – and I left out the easy ones (like packing a book, or your fave snack – but I highly recommend you doing both of those things as well!)

    1)Whatever you do, don’t drink too much alcohol.  I know, I know – this is not what you wanted to hear, but it’s true!  You don’t have to avoid a glass of wine or a shot of rum – but you should stay clear of getting drunk, thinking you’d pass out and have a good sleep.  Flying actually dehydrates you – as does alcohol – thus, you’ll end up having a pretty restless sleep, and wake up feeling both groggy, and extremely thirsty. It’s just not worth it – enjoy the free wine the airline usually provides, and wait to throw down until you land – the drinks will be better anyway 😉

    2)Don’t dress too lightly – Maybe you’re flying to Tahiti, so you come dressed in shorts and a tank top.  I literally see this all of the time – but do you know what else I see?  Those same folks freezing once the airplane reaches its flying altitude and the air is freely moving about the cabin.  I tend to dress in layers, because it’s always easy to remove the sweatshirt, and socks, should the cabin stay normal room temperature, but more often than not, you’ll be glad that you didn’t come onboard wearing only a tank top – hoodies are also great for tuning out noise and light. Oh, and please bring close-toed shoes…if there’s ever an emergency (though unlikely) you’ll be grateful that you’re not tripping over your flip flops.

    3)Don’t pack your medicine in your checked luggage – I tend to be a bit more cavalier on this for short 2-4 hour flights.  However, for any flight longer than 5 hours, I put all of my medicine in a small toiletry bag, and pack it in a book bag.  We all could see firsthand how cramped the economy seats have gotten – hour 8 of heading to Sydney, Australia, is not the time for you to realize that you forgot to take your birth control or Valium.  As much as I like to pack everything into my checked luggage (if I even decide to check luggage), I make sure this is not one of those items. I even take it a step further – I don’t pack prescription medicine into the bag I place over head – only in the bag I put under my seat.  I know, trust issues, right? But, I’ve heard stories about folks dipping into someone else’s luggage on long haul flights or accidents happen and you don’t have access to your overhead luggage – especially if it is maybe 2 or so rows away from you.  I like to minimize these risks and keep my medicine right by my side (or feet, so to speak).

    4)Don’t forget to use the bathroom immediately before the flight – I can only share my experiences… before a flight, I flush my body out with water all day (literally). I don’t drink anything except H20, and I drink it all day long.  Of course, this also means I use the bathroom all day too.  Then I pop in to use the restroom again, right as they start checking in first/business class customers (no worries they’ll call my name there, LOL).  By then, I’m fully hydrated, and I don’t have to use the restroom – so usually, I can wait about 5 (sometimes even 6) hours before having to use the restroom on a flight, even after drinking water with the meal service.  If you have a window seat, your aisle companion will be very grateful!  Personally, I tend to do this because I simply hate using those small, cell block sized airplane bathrooms – and I know you do too.

    5)Don’t forget to leave the USB wires for your phone and iPad out so that its easily accessible.  I’ve flown via Norwegian Air, Air Tahiti Nui, KLM Airlines, Emirates, Lufthansa, Qantas, etc., and they all have individual USB ports. Most are connected to the televisions (or close to them), but a few are located under the arm rest (sneaky right?!)   No need to resign to the fact that your phone will be dead upon landing.  I usually put my on airplane mode, + Power saving mode (thank you Samsung), and leave it charged in during the flight.  This has saved me a few times when I had to make emergency calls or look up something critical upon landing at my destination.