Travel Tips

Travel Photographs
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I caution in my book about taking photographs of government officials or police when traveling.

 

Here are a couple of real-life examples of how travelers got themselves into trouble with their cameras in foreign countries.

 

What You Don’t Know Can Hurt You

Difficult Travel
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My long time friend Dr. Rand Blimes created a travel blog to document his family’s year-long adventures while traveling through Asia.

 

Rand is an engaging writer and if you like travel, you’ll enjoy his stories. This article is one of his best pieces of work.

 

Why We Travel to Difficult Places

Additional Step to Leave Cancun Starting Today
Additional Step to Leave Cancun Starting Today 683 576 Greg Ellifritz

Starting today, any travelers visiting the Mexican state of Q. Roo (Cancun, Playa del Carmen, Cozumel, Tuluum) have to pay an $11 departure tax before leaving.  This tax IS NOT included in your plane ticket like most other taxes.

You can either pay the tax online or at an airport kiosk.  See the article below for more details.

 

Visitors To Cancun Must Pay New Tourist Tax Starting April 1

Everything is an Adventure
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I’m outside the USA (generally in some third world place most would consider hell) about six weeks a year.

The screwed up travel situations that I’ve encountered could fill books. How do I stay sane?

The same as this guy: “the real secret is that I treat my life as an adventure.”

 

Stress Free Travel: How to Avoid Travel Mistakes

Passport Photos
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A very cheap option for getting some extra passport photos.

 

I keep a few extra photos taped to the inside back cover of my passport. You never know when you might want to go on an unplanned adventure and will need a photo or two to get your visa at a land border crossing.

 

Passport Photos Are Expensive, But They Don’t Have to Be

Cultural Differences
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Fluent in Three Months is the best language learning site on the web.

 

Benny makes it a project to move to a different country every few months and learn the language as quickly as possible.

 

He’s listed some interesting cultural customs from each of the countries where he has lived. If you are interested in travel or foreign culture, check this article out.

 

The 23 strangest habits you’ll pick up after living in 23 different countries

Safe Hotel Rooms
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Solo Female Travel
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“It is critical to understand that safety is not the same as comfort. Just because a place is “safe,” doesn’t mean you won’t encounter different cultural norms that make you uncomfortable. It also doesn’t mean that crime doesn’t happen.

 

These ideas often get misconstrued and, while getting out of your comfort zone can be a really good thing, it can also be uncomfortable.

 

Too often, I hear people talk about letting their guard down because they’ve heard a destination is “safe,” and then they are frustrated when they realize that things can still go wrong…especially when they encounter cultural norms much different from their own.

 

The truth of the matter is you can be unsafe anywhere at any time.”

 

Read the article.

 

Why Solo Female Travel Isn’t “Safe”

International SIM Cards
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For my friends who travel internationally, this is a great resource comparing international SIM cards.  For those of you who don’t know, there’s basically three ways to use your phone internationally.  You can use your own phone/data plan, but its absurdly expensive.  You could also buy a local SIM card.  You get a local phone number and it’s really cheap.  The downside is that it’s a pain in the ass to buy a SIM card and get it recharged in some countries.

 

A third option is to buy an international SIM card.  These are more expensive than the local options but work in multiple countries.  This article compares the features of the best international SIM cards available.  Recognize that your phone needs to be unlocked to use this strategy.  If you are on a contract with many US cell companies and haven’t paid off your phone, it is likely still locked.

 

International SIM Card Comparison: Which Is Best?

 

 

Street Food
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I make it a point to eat street food as often as possible whenever I travel in third world countries.  Contrary to popular belief, the food is fresher and prepared in a more sanitary manner than the food you will find in most tourist restaurants.

 

Read this article for some tips and then go get some street meat!

 

How to Eat Street Food Without Getting Sick