Ask Gadling: Making a five-year travel plan

by Annie Scott on


This week’s Ask Gadling question comes from Ryan in San Diego.

“How do you choose where to go? I haven’t traveled all that much, but I want to. My friends all just want to go to Hawaii to relax and I don’t really know where to start. Are there certain places I have to go to be considered “well-traveled”? I’m not rich, but I can take a vacation or two per year.”

Gadling: Hey Ryan, I totally get the wanderlust thing. I mean, I love Hawaii, and everyone should go there, but I understand the desire to see the world. You’ve already taken the first step by figuring out that you can take one or two vacations per year. What you can do now is make yourself a five-year travel plan. Here’s how:

Make a list.

One or two vacations per year for five years is seven or eight destinations. There are no hard and fast rules for where you have to go to be “well-traveled,” but to be able to participate in most travel-related conversations, I would say you should definitely hit France, Italy, India, China, Japan and at least one country in both Africa and South America. If you have domestic cities you’d like to see, consider hooking them onto your international trips with couple-day layovers.

View more Ask Gadling: Travel Advice from an Expert or send your question to ask [at] gadling [dot] com.

Strategize.

Rather than just blindly choosing which one to visit first, lay out the plan. Do you have a friend living abroad in one of those places? Go there sooner rather than later, in case they move. Are you planning to move to the east coast in two years? Save your western Europe destinations for after that; it will be cheaper to fly. Furthermore, are you in a good position to add destinations? For example, when you go to Africa, investigate a safari company that will take you through several countries. You could also try to plan two longer trips to Europe and Asia and country-hop there, as well. Traveling to multiple destinations per trip will actually save you money in the long run, if you’re planning to hit all those destinations eventually anyway.

Amass information.

At this point, you should have a list of destinations and a vague idea of what year you’ll be going to them. Now, the real research starts. Find out what the weather will be like and plan your trips by season. Find out what goes on in Italy in September/October, or what festivals are in India in February. Ask friends and family what they recommend doing in your various destinations, and be sure that whatever activity you want is available at the time of year you’re visiting. This may sound like a lot of work, but it can be fun — just keep in mind that you’re actually going to get to go to these places and do these things. Keep the excitement of it all in mind.

Enlist friends.

Your friends may be beach bums by nature, but gauge their interest about your destinations. They may surprise you, and it can be good to have a traveling companion. Maybe you’ll have a different one for every trip — and that’s fine. It’s also fine to go alone, or make friends with locals and other travelers while you’re there (then you don’t feel alone, like you’re not sharing your experiences with anyone).

Get specific.

Now comes the really hard part: making concrete decisions. Take a look at your first two trips. Decide on your cities, and go ahead and book your hotels. If you’re doing this blindly, it can feel very intimidating, but just keep in mind that no matter where you stay, it will probably work out just fine. Google every potential hotel to see what guests have said about it. Perhaps the most important thing to keep in mind when booking a hotel in a strange city is transportation; like, if you’re not renting a car, stay somewhere near the city center and decide in advance how you’re going to get there. Do they have an airport shuttle? Is there public transportation available? If you are renting a car, you may be able to save money by staying somewhere a little out of the way, but check online to see that previous guests aren’t reporting muggings and kidnappings in the area.

The first trip is the hardest (most intimidating), but by the second, you’ll probably be addicted — and feeling well-traveled.

The feeling of being well-traveled doesn’t come from crossing countries off a list, but from the act of planning your trip and the experience of seeing all your decisions, blind and otherwise, come to fruition. It comes from truly exposing yourself to and immersing yourself in something completely new. Good luck planning your next five years of travel!

[Photo credit: Annie Scott]

Ask Gadling: How do I pack for a trip to Antarctica?

by Andrew Evans on

No matter where you go, packing right is the first step to ensuring a positive travel experience. So, what if you’re heading off to a more extreme destination, one that very few people have ever been to? This week’s question comes from Cedric in Amarillo, Texas:

“I’ve just found out that I may be going to Antarctica at the end of the year. I have no clue what to pack but feel like I need to dress like an Eskimo. Any tips as to what I should buy or bring?“

Gadling: Antarctica is the coldest place on earth, so bear that in mind, however, know that most recreational travel to Antarctica takes place in the austral summer (November to March), which is comparatively warmer than usual with average air temperatures that hover around freezing (32°F, 0°C). That’s a whole lot warmer than either Moscow or Montreal in the winter.

View more Ask Gadling: Travel Advice from an Expert or send your question to ask [at] gadling [dot] com.

What causes discomfort in Antarctica is the wind and the wet, so preparing yourself against the elements is what matters most. The weather changes constantly, so like San Francisco or Scotland, the key to real comfort is wearing layers. Your packing list also depends on what you plan to do in Antarctica. Are you taking a cruise or are you going to live on a base? How much time will you spend outside?

DIG IN YOUR CLOSET
Before you run off and drop a thousand bucks at REI, dig deep into the back of your cluttered drawers and see what you already own. Anyone who survives a snowy North American winter should already own a lot of necessary clothing for a trip to Antarctica. That horrible homemade sweater embroidered with pineapples that you got for Christmas last year? It’ll keep you toasty and nobody will actually see it when you wear it.

UNDERWEAR
Start with the important stuff–long-sleeve long underwear is essential. The generic cotton kind you grew up with (the kind favored by Seattle grunge rockers) is fine, but the synthetic blends that wick away moisture are far superior and will keep you both warm and dry. Nylon and polyester are optimal, as is silk. Basically, you want you first layer to be warm and form-fitting so that you look and feel just like a sexy superhero.OUTERWEAR
You absolutely, positively MUST have a pair of waterproof pants–if you’re going to spend money on something, make it this outer layer (ranging from $75-$100). These can be nylon or gortex but just make sure that it’s 100% waterproof and not simply water-resistant. A strong pair of Insulated snow-boarding or ski pants add extra warmth, but if they get wet, you’ll be miserable. This light outer shell layer can be worn right over your long underwear or you can add a pair of sweat pants or nylon action pants underneath.

For your upstairs, add as many layers as you need or want: long-sleeve t-shirts, flannel button-downs, or a good, strong polar fleece. Turtlenecks with sweaters are good, but again, avoid cotton if you can help it. Wearing so many layers will cause you to sweat and wet cotton just stays wet and makes you cold. Wool outer layers will keep you very warm. Once you get to Antarctica, you can judge how many layers you’ll need to feel comfortable. Always have an extra dry layer available to add in case the wind picks up or the temperature suddenly drops (which it does frequently in Antarctica).

COAT
Obviously, the coat thing is kind of important. Realize that most coats you find at the local mall are not up to Antarctica standards. Overall, you want a parka that is fairly heavy-duty, waterproof, insulated (!), long-ish (going well past your waist) and with a drawstring hood. Zip-out insulated liners are great. Also, consider wearing a coat that’s one size too big in order to accommodate all the extra layers you’ll be wearing. Be sure you can move comfortably in it.

Please note that if you are taking a cruise, most shipping companies will include appropriate parkas for passengers, and that the United States Antarctic Program (USAP) also issues coats to its employees.

You might also want to bring a lighter, waterproof windbreaker for those times when the you are going to be particularly active or when the air is warmer.

FEET
Bring lots of dry socks–preferably long, over-the-calf socks. Thick, woolly hiking socks are good. No matter how “warm” the air is, you will often find yourself wearing two (or three) pairs of socks on your feet in order to keep your feet warm. That’s because you are likely to be walking in snow or on ice, exposing your feet to the lowest temperatures around.

Knee-high rubber boots or “wellies” (wellingtons) are the overshoe of choice for Antarctic cruisers as you will be landing from a small zodiac boat right into the waves. These provide total protection from the water but are not very warm or supportive once you’re on land. If you plan on hiking a lot, then bring a very sturdy, dependable pair of waterproof, broken-in hiking boots. Put your waterproof pants OVER your boots or wellies to avoid water seeping in.

HANDS
Bring gloves that allow you some movement which close tightly around your wrist (stuff the outer glove inside your coat sleeve to prevent cold wind from cooling your wrists). Mittens are especially warm but not everyone’s thing. Snowboarding gloves are both waterproof and durable (and my own preference). Some travelers also like to wear a pair of tight, knit gloves under a pair of mittens. Also (personally), I found my pair of neoprene wetsuit gloves allowed my hands to get warm while keeping them dry (when kayaking). Pack two pairs of gloves for your trip, and always keep one of the pairs dry and available.

HEAD & NECK
Pack a wool or polar fleece-type hat that covers your ears. Ear muffs work, too, but you always want something covering your head. Also, bring a scarf. There will be moments when you don’t need it and other moments when you’ll be readjusting and re-tying it around your neck to chase out that one little knife blade of wind. Neck gaiters are also very useful and comfortable.

CAMERA
Take your very best camera and a way to backup your pictures regularly (laptop, extra flash cards, external hard drives). Bring a dry bag and carry your camera in it as often as possible. Be vigilant in keeping your photography equipment dry. Otherwise, you’ll end up with an expensive, camera-shaped paper weight.

OTHER STUFF
Unless you’re trying to ski across the continent or circumnavigate by kayak, you don’t need a lot of specialized gear so leave the compass and MRE’s at home. What you do need is sunglasses (polarized), serious sunblock (30+ SPF), a day pack (small, light waterproof backpack with a dry pair of gloves and an extra layer), a water bottle, seasickness pills, chapstick and some intense skin moisturizer. Last of all, be sure to bring a swimsuit. Most ships and bases will have a jacuzzi, and Antarctic plunges are a common tradition.

In conclusion–don’t fall prey to the ideology that you are going on some major, unprecedented expedition and that you need to special order a ton of gear. You don’t. Antarctica in the summer is far warmer than most people expect, and as long as you have the essentials, you’ll be fine.

Ask Gadling: How to get a ticking clock through airport security

by Annie Scott on


Today’s question comes from Joseph, who’s currently traveling in Copenhagen.

“I recently purchased a late 1920s savings bank clock while antique shopping at the Gammel Strand antiques market in Copenhagen, Denmark. I was wondering if you have any advice for transporting the clock, which is still ticking, back to the United States without raising too much suspicion from airport security. I have read too many news articles regarding airport terminals being evacuated because of passengers leaving ticking clocks in their unattended bag and I would prefer to not end up on a Fox News Alert in the near future.“

First, we followed up with Joseph to ensure that the clock is small enough to be carried on the plane. If it were bigger than regulation size, we would have to recommend a specialty shipping company, as checking the clock in a suitcase or box, even if the ticking didn’t bother the security guards (after the usual x-ray), would mean a lot of jostling and probably damage to the clock. Joseph assured us the clock was about 12″ by 2″ wide; definitely small enough.

View more Ask Gadling: Travel Advice from an Expert or send your question to ask [at] gadling [dot] com.

I enlisted the help of our resident pilot, Kent Wien, and our resident flight attendant, Heather Poole, for their airport expertise on this one.

“They can x-ray the item and see that there are no other components necessary for a bomb,” said Kent. “Not a worry at all. He can even have it in a bag if he likes.”

“Can he put it on the conveyor belt? If so, he’s fine,” said Heather.

If the clock is too delicate for the conveyor belt in any way, like you’re concerned that the rubber flaps of the machine might damage the clock face, consider wrapping it in cloth and sticking it in a shopping bag for the security portion of your trip.

Don’t tape it up with styrofoam or other packing materials, making it hard to get to in case of questions.

“If he can hand-carry it,” said Kent, “he’ll have the opportunity to show it to security, which would help.”

Heather suggested asking to have it put in the airplane’s closet for the duration of the flight — that way, it won’t run the risk of damage in the overhead if there’s heavy turbulence (and the ticking won’t freak out your neighbor).

Thanks for the question, Joseph, and congratulations on your find!

Ask Gadling: What if I don’t speak the language?

by Annie Scott on

Today’s question comes from Justin in Boise, Idaho:

“I’m going on a vacation to Zurich next month. My girlfriend chose the place. I don’t speak any German. Neither does she. Are we going to die?”

Gadling: Everyone dies someday, Justin, but not speaking German will probably not be the end of you.

It just so happens that I went to Zürich last month. Like you, I speak not a word of German. However, it turns out that German wouldn’t have helped much. In Switzerland, they speak Swiss German, which Germans can barely understand.

I’d love to tell you “don’t worry, everyone speaks English there,” but they really don’t. The people at your hotel probably will, and they can direct you to some restaurants and activities where there will be English speakers, but you’re definitely going to be in some situations where you just plain can’t converse with the locals. You will be thankful for your girlfriend, just for somebody to talk to. Here are some tips for getting along:

1. Have the hotel people teach you to say “Do you speak English?” in Swiss German.
You could say it in English, but it’s more polite to ask in the primary language of wherever you are. Even if you say it poorly, people will appreciate the effort — and that gets whatever conversation (or rigorous gesturing) you’re starting off on the right foot.

View more Ask Gadling: Travel Advice from an Expert or send your question to ask [at] gadling [dot] com.

2. Use silly tricks to remember street names.

Languages like German include some very long and complicated street names. If you look at the whole word, like “Waffenplatzstrasse,” it can be a little intimidating, and thus, impossible to remember. That can be a problem when you’re trying to get back there later; you don’t even know what to look for on the map. Firstly, keep in mind that “strasse” just means “street,” so the only part you need to remember is Waffenplatz. Sounds like … “Waffle place.” That’ll work. As long as you can get the first four or so letters into your head, you should be able to recognize it when you see it again.

3. When shopping, just watch the till.

In Europe, numbers are pretty much the same. Someone ringing up your snacks doesn’t even need to know you don’t speak their language — just watch the numbers on the till and count out the money. A thank you in the local tongue is a nice touch, and it can be a big thrill to feel like maybe they didn’t know you weren’t fluent.

4. Bookmark Google Translate.

If you have an internet-enabled phone and plan to roam internationally, bookmark Google Translate or a similar site on the phone. When deeply in doubt, you can quickly check a word or phrase. For example, you might see a sign by a door and not know whether it says “Come in” or “Staff only.” It’s easy to find out. If you’re not going to have internet access, it’s best to invest in a pocket dictionary (though that makes you look really touristy — nothing wrong with that, but it can be dangerous to be conspicuously confused).

5. Visit the Tourist Info center.

In Zürich, you can find a Tourist Info center right in the main train station, and there are others throughout the city, as well as in most other major European cities. Look for a prominent “i” on most city maps. The Tourist Info center is a great resource for things you can do around town — even off-the-beaten-path things. They’ll have a wealth of brochures printed in English and can improve the quality of your trip 100 percent or more, especially if your hotel concierge is a dud (or your hotel doesn’t have one).

6. Keep a small notepad with you.
As a last resort for when you are trying desperately to pantomime “toothpaste” and nobody seems to understand you, it can be helpful to have a notepad and pencil with you. Draw it.

Good luck to you, Justin, and have a great time in Switzerland!

Ask Gadling: Getting the most (hotel) bang for your buck

by Melanie Nayer on

We’ve talked a lot about hotel promotions and packages, but how do you choose what’s best for you and your budget? That’s the topic of this week’s question, from Cindy in San Antonio, who wants to book a nice hotel without paying for unwanted amenities.

“I want to go on vacation this year, but I’d also like to get the most bang for my buck. I don’t want to seem greedy, but I want more than just a hotel room and I don’t want to spend money on things I’m not going to take advantage of, like free water sports or spa gift credits. How do I get the most bang for my buck at hotels, without having to compromise my vacation?”

Gadling: Your question isn’t out of the ordinary and certainly isn’t greedy. It’s completely natural for you want to the most for your hard-earned cash, especially when you travel. I’m here to tell you it’s possible to travel in style, without breaking the bank. Here are a few tips before you book:

1. Think outside the box. Just because you’re familiar with some hotel brands doesn’t mean you should exclude others. Many people fall into the “I can’t afford that” or “It’s too basic” frame of mind without even checking out the hotels first. Hotels like Hyatt, Marriott and Wyndham have ‘upscale’ brands that act like resorts and offer different amenities and packages from their flagship hotels. In the same way, luxury hotels like the Ritz-Carlton and Four Seasons offer vacation packages that include everything from dinners to spa days to tours, and more. The cost for these add-ons is often less than what you would pay if you priced it out a la carte, and you get the service that luxe hotels are known for. Don’t shy away from boutique brands, either. Hotels like Kimpton’s and Affinia’s are smaller than big name hotels, but they offer the same amenities (sometimes more) and host special ‘theme’ packages depending on the time of year you travel and what you’re looking for, including family packages, girlfriend getaways and city tours.

View more Ask Gadling: Travel Advice from an Expert or send your question to ask [at] gadling [dot] com.

2. Use loyalty points. If you’re a member of a hotel’s loyalty program, look to them first before booking. Hotels will cater to their loyalty members, even if you don’t have enough points for a free night. Just having a membership goes a long way these days (and the memberships are free!). If you’re not a member of any hotel loyalty programs, check with your credit card company or airline rewards programs. Credit card companies offer great travel deals that allow you to gain points when you book through them, and they also have promotions that are specific to them so you might find something that suits your tastes and isn’t offered on the hotel’s websites. The same logic applies to airline miles programs – airlines and hotels have teamed up to offer packages that include airfare and hotel stays, so it’s likely you can save money and stay at some great properties.

3. Don’t be afraid to ask for what you want. If you find a hotel and package price that’s perfect, but the package offerings aren’t quite right, call their customer service line and ask for some re-shuffling. Tell the agent exactly what you like and don’t like about a package, and ask if they can accommodate you with another package for the same price, or throw in a few of the things you’re seeking. Many times, the hotel will sell you the package with all the inclusions, and give you the extras you’re seeking for free. Valet service or free parking, free WiFi, additional beds (which often come with a charge) and credits in either the restaurant, bar or spa are common requests that hotel’s often accommodate. Remember, this is the hospitality business – their job is to cater to the customer, so ask for what you want and you’ll be surprised at what you get!

Enjoy your vacation, Cindy, and remember: you work hard for your money, so make it work for you!