Your Travel Wonders
Q: Asked me a question?
A: I’ve answered it!
Asia Favorites
Q: What is your favorite country in Asia?
A: Japan and Singapore.
Europe Favorites
Q: What is your favorite country in Europe?
A: Germany and Italy.
Planning
Q: How do you do some many things in such little amount of time?
A: My family and I simply plan at least six months ahead before every trip so we have enough time to figure out what the weather will be like and what to take with us. We also use two travel planner sites such as TripIt and Sygic Travel: Travel Planner to organize different events and spots we want to visit throughout the trip.
Traveling Smart / Cheap
Q: Isn’t it expensive to travel so much?
A: It really depends on the time you buy the ticket. As mentioned in the last question, we buy our tickets six months or even a year ahead of the actual trip. Plus we go for cheaper hotels and go to the country when it isn’t in the middle of the tourist season.
Safety
Q: Aren’t you concerned about your safety if the country is dangerous in some sort of way?
A: Of course I take into account of a country being safe or not. Thing is, I don’t want these things to stop me from living! There will be crime in any country, so you really just need to do some research on what areas not to go to while you are walking around. If the country is far too dangerous overall, I definitely recommend not going there for obvious reasons. Another thing I look at is the current progression of terrorism throughout the European countries. All I can say on that part is again, I don’t want those things to stop me from living. That’s what terrorists want and I am not willing to hide because of their violent actions. I have been to a number of targeted cities that had ISIS terrorist attacks and was lucky enough to not endure any of them. Of course it leaves off an unpleasant vibe but I’m not going to let these attacks ruin my love for travel. Just be aware of your environment!
Discomfort
Q: What is something that truly made you uncomfortable during your travels?
A: Something that has truly made me uncomfortable during my travels is the time I witnessed an elephant performance in Thailand and shark finning in Hong Kong. Being someone really attached to wildlife, seeing these animals tormented for such ridiculous reasons such as entertainment and a bowl of soup broke my heart.
Tourism
Q: Do you agree that tourism kills culture?
A: Yes, I do believe that tourism kills culture. Even though tourism can be the main source of income for a country, it definitely limits cultural practices. For example, buddhist monks are constantly being photographed by tourists while doing sacred practices which can be seen as disrespectful. Tourists need to remember to respect the country’s culture when visiting and admiring its treasures and practices.
Illness
Q: How can I avoid getting sick while traveling? What do I do if I do get sick?
A: Always, always, always pack your medication, first aid, and allergy treatments when going to another country. It doesn’t matter if the country is considered “safe” when it comes to parasites and illnesses, it is always better to be safe than sorry. If it is too late to prevent the sickness, figure out what it may be and begin to treat it however way you can. It is usually pretty easy to tell what it is especially when it comes to the extreme ones. For example, I got traveler’s flu while coming back from Malaysia since I was stupid enough to not pay attention to what I drank there. I’ll tell you, there is a reason why this sickness is nicknamed Montezuma’s revenge. Avoid it at all costs by being prepared!
Pickpocketing
Q: How do you prevent pickpocketing?
A: When it comes to avoiding pickpocketing, it’s pretty simple for me. What I tend to do to prevent getting my stuff stolen is grabbing everything I need and hiding it inside the place I am staying. If you pack your stuff outside your room, you risk the chances of exposing your belongings to people around you. I also advise that you have your most valuable possessions and documents on you at all times. What my family usually does is we wear security travel pouches underneath our clothes so they are on us and out of sight. I do suggest having purses since those can get ripped from you pretty quickly and unnoticably. For backpacks, just check on your stuff frequently and pack your belongings inside in a reasonable manner.
Damaged / Lost Luggage
Q: What do you do if the airline damages or loses your luggage when you arrive to your destination?
A: The airline must pay for when they damage or lose your luggage. I cannot give an exact amount on how much they will pay you since it depends on the airline you use. Though, from my point of view, it should be reasonable enough to pay back for what has been damaged and/or lost due to their actions.
Language Barrier
Q: How can I communicate with locals if I do not know the language?
A: There are always apps that can help translate languages. Just look around for which one suits you best. Though, I would highly suggest having a translator or a local friend with you instead to just save you the trouble of trying to translate a conversation. If you have a local helping you around, you can bet that will get to see the country better and live how the people there go about their daily lives.
Transportation
Q: What is the best source of transportation?
A: Once you are outside the airport, I recommend figuring out if there is any metro or train station that leads to the city you are going to. These systems tend to be cheaper and can be faster than Uber in certain situations. Plus, once you study the routes and times for different stops, you can get around better throughout your whole trip.
Jet Lag
Q: How do you deal and schedule around the issue of jet lag?
A: Honestly, I have never really had an issue with jet lag that it interfered with my travels. To help sleep on the plane, I put on compression socks, noise cancelling headphones, and wear comfortable clothing. If I do not sleep so well, yes, I do walk around a bit tired if we flew for a really long time and landed in the other country with a whole day ahead of us. What helped me with that was taking a really short hour nap in the middle of our daily schedule to rest up before continuing our list of things to do. If anything, I have had issues with jet lag when I was flying back home and had to get back to my regular life routine. The best thing I can recommend is to try scheduling flights that have evening arrivals at your destination.
Money Exchange
Q: How do you exchange money and deal with scammers in a different country?
A: To exchange money, you can go to a currency exchange office or use your ATM card in any official bank ATM station. To save time, it is good to know the exchange rate in the country you are visiting. Also, I recommend that you have a credit card that does not charge currency conversion fees. We have had some problems with exchanging money due to scammers we had to deal with. Our ATM card number was stolen and we found this out by monitoring our account for suspicious activities and contacting our bank right away. It is important to know how to cancel your card if anyone buys something through your account. Have your bank phone number on you at all times in case your card is lost or stolen. To avoid getting scammed, if something sounds too good to be true like someone offering a deal meant just for you…it is most likely a scam. Another thing, do not show your cash in public.
Don’t Be A Target
Q: How do I make myself not stand out in the crowd?
A: To not stand out in the crowd, do not show your valuables, money, cameras, and/or phones too much in public. Just try to not make yourself super flashy and do not show off your expenses. Also, please just be aware of your surroundings in general.