There are some very innovative ideas in this article that will help most of you improve your packing skills.
Don’t make a culinary faux pas. Read the article below to learn about how dining customs vary across cultures.
Did you know that there are some countries that will give you a passport after you invest a significant amount of money in the local economy or pay a large fee?
Having an extra passport may reduce the hassles in traveling to certain countries that require visas from Americans. Read the article below to learn about the process.
If you want to live in another country without buying a passport, your best bet is probably a long-term “digital nomad’ visa. More and more countries are making these visas available. Read more about that process below.
Have you ever wondered how much English the average local speaks in the countries you visit? This information is available.
In my travels, I’ve found that once you drop below #30 (into the moderate proficiency category), it’s actually fairly difficult to find an average person on the street or in a bar who speaks English conversationally.
Many amateur travelers worry about this. You shouldn’t. When two people want to communicate, they can generally make it happen regardless of language barriers. I’ve been to 15 of the countries on the “low” or “very low” proficiency section of the chart and I’ve done fine by learning 20-50 words of the host country language.
Don’t let a lack of language skills impede your travel plans.
Read the article below and understand that some of our commonly-used hand gestures are quite offensive in other countries.
Bargaining and haggling in local markets is a favorite pastime for many tourists traveling in foreign countries.
I think the best advice about the bargaining/haggling process was written by Christopher Blin in the book Swimming to Angola. In that book, he wrote:
“1) Think of what they want you to pay- eye level
2) What you want to pay- chest level
3) Where you are after bargaining- somewhere around the neck
4) What the locals would pay- knee to ankle level
5) What they would charge if you forgot to ask the price beforehand -above the top of the head
You win the game if you can keep your transaction within the “strike zone”- from knees to chest.”
If you want some more haggling tips, I think you’ll like the article below.
I think it’s really important for all travelers to learn at least a few words of the language spoken in their vacation destination countries. There are lots of good ways to learn. I prefer using either DuoLingo or The Pimsleur Audio lessons.
You can also learn some words the original way, by simply studying them.
The link below is a great resource for learning some elementary Chinese before your next trip to Asia.
I enrolled in Global Entry about a year ago. It was worth the hassle of traveling 90 minutes to the closest processing center for a 10 minute interview and fingerprint scan. It’s allowed me to re-enter the USA much faster than my previous attempts.
The problem for most people is scheduling the interview with CBP officers. There are limited sites with limited appointment windows. Sometimes it takes months to get on the interview schedule.
CBP added a new feature called “Appointment Scanner.” It monitors for open interview appointments that pop up due to last-minute cancellations. When they find an appointment that fits your requirements, you’ll receive a text message or email (or both – your choice). This alert has a link to the Global Entry scheduler website, where you can login and claim the appointment.
Read more about the program at the article below.
While you are on his site, you may also be interested in his list of credit card offers that will pay for your Global Entry Fee.
One of my favorite activities to do in foreign countries is to go hiking. I can’t think of many international trips I’ve taken that didn’t have at least some component of hiking involved.
I really like hiking at night as well, but not many people do it. In fact, the article below is the first article I’ve ever seen on the topic.
I will echo the author’s advice about having a good headlamp. I’ve found it to be essential for traversing wooded areas and when there is little starlight/moonlight in the sky.
Enjoy the article. I’d encourage you to plan a night hike soon.
Sometimes the airlines screw up. When that happens, the budget traveler is often able to capitalize on the error.
How do you find mistake fares? Read the article below for some good tips.
