10 Questions To Ask Yourself Before Choosing A Travel Partner

by Jessica Festa on

One of the most important decisions you’ll make when planning a trip is who you will travel with. While choosing a travel partner from hell will leave you miserable and wanting to go home, picking the right companion can enhance your trip as you share new experiences together. To ensure you make a good choice, here are 10 questions to ask yourself before choosing a potential travel partner.

Do you have similar budgets?

In my opinion, this is one of the most important questions to ask. If your partner is looking to eat at five-star restaurants and stay at luxury hotels, while your plan is to eat street food and CouchSurf, there are going to be problems. You never want to be made to feel like you’re compromising your travel experience to please someone else. Moreover, you also don’t want to go broke trying not to appear cheap in the eyes of your companion. Have a candid talk with your potential travel buddy about what their budget is, and how much they are willing to compromise. Would they mind staying in a hostel instead of a hotel? Would you mind going out to eat three nights a week if they’re okay with eating fast food during the rest of the trip? Ask these questions before you book, not after.Is this person independent or co-dependent?

When I tell people the story of traveling through Europe with an extremely co-dependent backpacker, they usually think I’m exaggerating. Sadly, I am not. If I so much as went outside to read a book without her, she would scream at me. If I made new friends, she became jealous. If I showed an interest in doing something that wasn’t in her already-made plans, I would get the silent treatment. There are some people out there who really don’t want any alone time when traveling. And, if that travel style matches yours, that’s fine. However, if your the type of person who likes to walk around on your own at times, or even just wants the option to be able to if you want, make sure your potential travel partner will be okay with this. In my opinion, the best travelers are a mix of both. You want someone who is excited to share new experiences together, but who also won’t freak out if you need a break sometimes.

What interests do you share?

While at work or Friday happy hour it doesn’t bother you that your friend is a party animal who sleeps the weekends away, it may when you’re spending 24/7 together. While you don’t need to plan an itinerary, discussing some possible activity scenarios is a good idea. Would your partner be interested in a homestay, to get closer to the local culture? How adventurous are they? Is their idea of a vacation lying on the beach the whole time, or exploring the city? Make sure you’re on the same page when it comes to what interests you have, because if your friend wants to browse museums while you’d rather go hiking and horseback riding, it probably won’t work.

What type of accommodation do you want to stay in?

This is another area where I have gotten into trouble with travel partners. While my only qualification for an accommodation is that it doesn’t have bugs, my travel partner in South America wouldn’t stay in dorms with more than four people and wanted to scope out every hostel before we booked. Moreover, while I was interested in CouchSurfing and meeting locals, she wasn’t. Luckily, we were both very independent and were fine with staying in separate accommodations and doing things together during the day. However, don’t assume your partner will be okay with this situation. Talk about it before committing to travel together.

How flexible are they when it comes to planning?

How much does this person need things planned out compared to how much you do? If you’re the type of traveler who enjoys just showing up to a place and living in the moment, you probably won’t enjoy your trip if your partner needs every moment of every day written in an agenda book. Discuss your travel styles and what your ideal amount of planning is, and see if you can reach a compromise.

How do they react to stress?

When traveling, I don’t get stressed out unless the people around me do. Incidents like lost luggage, broken electronics, missed trains and less-than-perfect hotel rooms don’t ruin my vacation. Because of this, I refuse to travel with anyone who freaks out over a lost shoe or a broken air conditioner. Yes, mishaps are annoying; however, if something isn’t jeopardizing your safety, you shouldn’t let it ruin your trip. Even more importantly, you shouldn’t let someone else let it ruin your trip.

What is their routine like?

Looking at a person’s everyday routine can give you insight into how they’ll travel. Do they take three hours to get ready? Are they big into partying? Do they sleep late or wake up early? Are they the type to sit inside all day doing nothing? Of course, people do act differently while on vacation depending on what they want to get out of the trip; however, if your friend is the type who can’t get up before noon if they’ve had too many beers, you may want to re-think traveling together.

How are your conversations?

Can the two of you hold a good conversation? Better yet, is silence awkward or comfortable? Do you have a similar sense of humor? You’ll be practically living with this person if you travel together, so you want to make sure you can have enjoyable talks without any discomfort.

How will it affect your relationship if the trip goes sour?

If you’re traveling with a close friend who you’ve never traveled with before, how will it affect your relationship if you don’t end up being compatible as trip buddies? Will it ruin the friendship? If so, maybe you should think about traveling with someone you don’t know very well, such as someone from CouchSurfing or Globetrooper. If you do go with your close friend, make sure to candidly discuss your travel styles, goals and that if you end up not being good as travel partners it doesn’t mean you still can’t be close friends.

Would I be better off traveling solo?

If you’re unsure of who would make a compatible travel partner, why not travel solo? Think about it. You won’t have to compromise your trip to please anybody else. Instead, you choose exactly what you want to do, and when you want to do it. No discussions necessary. Additionally, you’ll open yourself up to meeting interesting people on the road, having new adventures and getting to really know your capabilities.

[Image via Images_of_Money, Vagabondish, anna gutermuth, Big Stock]

Where To Sleep During A Long-Haul Road Trip: Putting A Price On Your Safety

by Laurel Miller on

As you may have gathered from my last few posts, I spent the second half of July and first week of August living out of my car during a relocation from Seattle to Boulder. En route, I had a family vacation on the Klamath River in Northern California, and business trips to the Bay Area and North Carolina, which is why I was in limbo.

I’ve road-tripped and relocated across the West many times, and love the time alone with my thoughts and enjoying the scenery. Now that I’m in my early 40s, however, I’ve become more wary about where I choose to spend the night. I’m still on a tight budget, but this increasing awareness is a direct result of life experience, and my obsession with TV shows like “Forensic Files.”

It’s not necessarily a bad thing. After all, someone who is truly fearful wouldn’t travel or drive cross-country alone. They certainly wouldn’t elect to drive Nevada’s notorious Highway 50, aka “The Loneliest Road in America,” but that’s what I did last week (anything to avoid the mind-numbing hell that is Highway 80). Allegedly, less than 200 drivers a day pass on this route, so one needs to plan accordingly.

Highway 50 is mostly high desert landscape, broken up by a handful of historic mining towns like the curiously appealing Austin. Located seven hours east of the Bay Area, this is where I chose to spend the first night of the final leg of my journey, in the rustic but comfortable Cozy Mountain Motel.

Although I was desperate to save money (my room was $60, and of the three motels in town, it had the best reviews … I also use the term “town” loosely), I didn’t feel safe camping alone in such a desolate region. It’s a shame, because the nearby primitive Bob Scott Campground, in the sagebrush and Piñon pines of the Toiyabe National Forest, is a beauty. Yet, due to its isolation and handful of sites, it wasn’t the place for an exhausted, solo female to spend the night.The next day, I had a grueling ten hours on the road before I hit Green River, Utah. Green River isn’t the most savory place, but it’s a popular jumping-off point to Moab/Lake Powell/Capitol Reef, Arches, and Canyonlands National Parks.

I was so wiped out when I arrived that I chose the first campground I saw: a KOA, which is the type of place I usually go to great lengths to avoid. At that point, all I cared about was a shower and rest, and because it was a glorious, hot desert night, I planned to sleep under the stars. Expediency meant more to me than dealing with setting up a tent in a less generic campground.

I walked into the office and asked the very friendly girl behind the counter for a tent site. Upon driving to the location, I discovered several things that didn’t thrill me. It abutted a vacant lot separated only by some sparse vegetation. Next to the lot was a rundown Motel 6. To my right were a few unoccupied, dusty campsites and open highway. Um, no thank you.

I scouted the mostly empty campground (which was primarily RV, and not tent, sites) and chose a location between two motorhomes, which was backed by a chain-link fence. Then I returned to the office and explained that I didn’t feel safe in my assigned site, and could I please have X or X location?

No problem. The receptionist said she understood, and proceeded to tell me a horrifying story about a recent encounter her mother had had in the town park with a drug-addled freak. She didn’t even charge me the higher RV rate.

An hour later, I was sprawled happily on my sleeping bag, reading, when the receptionist and her employer, a crotchety old man, whizzed up in a golf cart. She looked uncomfortable as he sniped at me for being in an “unauthorized site” because I was in a car. I was ordered to come to the office to rectify the situation immediately. Sigh.

Back behind the counter, the poor receptionist apologized profusely, and I shrugged it off, saying I’d rather pay more to ensure my safety. A manager was needed to get into the system and charge me accordingly, and when he showed up at the office, she explained the situation. He was clearly more interested in returning to his happy hour, so I was permitted to remain in my present location, free of extra charge.

Needless to say, I remained unmolested during the night, and although I was embarrassed by the musical campsites, the entire experience reinforced that it’s best to listen to your gut. Always insist upon putting your safety first.

[Photo credits: tent, Flickr user Pink Sherbet Photography; Arches NP, Flickr user Fikret Onal; Jason, Flickr user Stinkie Pinkie]

Infographic: Road Trips, Now And Then

by Chris Owen on

The price of road trips, what it takes to make them happen and what we do along the way have changed over the years. Not all that long ago, iPads were not the mobile way to entertain children as DVD players ruled the roads and mini-vans of family vacations. Going back further in time, we find camping that was nearly free, a Burger value meal cost almost ten times less and the price of gas would not have been a consideration by today’s standards.

This infographic from Baby Authority illustrates just how much has changed in 50+ years of road trips and makes us wonder what traveling the road will be line 50+ years from now.

Click to Enlarge Image

[Flickr photo by Stuck in Customs; Infographic via Baby Authority]

5 Secret Tech-Savvy Tips For Traveling Abroad

by Elyse Pasquale on

As a perpetual wanderer who spends roughly half the year outside the United States, I’ve learned a few savvy tricks for bettering my own travel experience. From making free phone calls to accessing the entire “Doctor Who” series, here are five tech tips for the modern traveler abroad.

1. You can watch Netflix out of the country.

You can also watch HBO Go and Hulu, listen to Pandora Radio or access Facebook in China. All you need is a VPN. This stands for “Virtual Private Network,” and what it does is run your Internet traffic through a network with a different IP address, making your computer look like it’s back in the states, while you’re typing away in a hostel in Beijing.

StrongVPN and Hide My Ass! are two reliable and cheap VPN services, starting as low as $6.55 per month.

Once you sign up, you’ll have access to a number of servers around the world. The set-up instructions are also easy to follow, and both companies have excellent 24-hour customer service. A VPN will work on your iPhone, iPad and computer.

2. You can make free calls to the United States.

T-Mobile is the best cell service for travelers abroad, but they don’t really want you to know it. They certainly won’t advertise the fact that all calls made to the United States from abroad over a Wi-Fi connection are free. As in, totally free. No roaming or data charges apply.

Wi-Fi calls connect to a UMA (Unlicensed Mobile Access) network. Much like a VPN, UMA gives the Wi-Fi caller external IP access to T-Mobile’s core network, making the phone act like it’s in the United States, even when it’s not.

Heads up, university students heading overseas in the fall: it might be worth it to invest in a T-Mobile plan for the year to keep in touch with friends and family back home.

T-Mobile and Blackberry also have the best-combined overseas data plan. For $19.99 a month, unlimited emails are covered. This service doesn’t cover apps like Twitter and Facebook, but once on the UMA Wi-Fi network you can access the phone’s web browser and log onto your favorite social media apps.

3. You’re at risk for being electronically pick-pocketed

RFID (Radio-Frequency Identification) “skimming” is the world’s latest, greatest form of pickpocketing. RFIDs are the radio frequency chips in your credit cards and passports that carry all sorts of personal data, and stealing that data is a piece of cake. All it takes is someone with a portable card reader to simply walk closely past you in a crowd.

I personally know travelers whose data has been accessed while in transit, and their bank accounts drained. Crowded transport hubs like airports, train stations and shopping centers are pickpocketing hotspots, electronic or otherwise.

How to protect yourself: invest in an RFID-proof wallet or passport case. I swear by PacSafe‘s anti-theft and travel security products, carrying the RFIDtec™ 150 RFID blocking passport wallet everywhere I go.

4. You don’t need a converter.

I’m often asked which adaptor plugs are used for different countries, and if purchasing a converter is necessary. Today, most – if not all – modern electronic equipment comes with a converter already built into the charger. This covers your camera, iPod, computer and cellphone.

What you do need is an adaptor plug. Different countries use different types of plugs. In Europe, the plugs are two-pronged and round. In the United Kingdom, they’re three-pronged and square. It’s always a good idea to do some research in advance and determine which plug adaptors you’ll need when traveling.

I recommend purchasing an all-in-one or universal plug adaptor that will work in Australia, Europe, Asia and the United Kingdom, currently available on Amazon.com for less than $5.

So when DO you need a converter? The answer is: for a hair dryer, curling iron or electric shaver. If you absolutely have to have your styling products abroad, then you’ll need to invest in a good step up/down voltage converter. Be warned: even with a converter, I’ve seen rural European sockets melt American appliances to mush, with a good dose of indoor fireworks to boot.

Take my advice: buy a hair dryer abroad. It will most likely cost you less than buying a voltage converter and it will be one less thing to lug in your suitcase.

5. There’s an App for that.

Need some helpful phrases in Amharic? A guide to traveling to Paris with kids? European train schedules? Where to find Madrid‘s best tapas? There’s an app for that. Really, there is.

It’s a good investment to purchase destination-specific travel apps before you leave on your next trip abroad. Mobile guidebooks, language lessons, city maps and comprehensive transit information are just the tip of the travel tech iceberg.

Apps don’t take up that much room on your electronic devices, and they don’t cost a lot. What’s an extra $20 in your travel budget if it means you can competently navigate the London Underground or effortlessly order the next round in Moscow?

How To Decide Between Slow And Rapid Travel

by Jessica Festa on

One of the toughest decisions when planning a trip is deciding whether to get to know one or two areas extensively, or pack in as much as you can at a rapid pace. As someone who has taken both types of trips, I can appreciate the benefits of each. It all depends on your travel philosophy and what you want to get out of your trip.

The Benefits Of Slow Travel

If you’re unsure of what slow travel is, it’s traveling slowly both in pace and in your mindset. This type of traveling involves taking your time to really appreciate your surroundings. The thinking is that you would rather get to know one place fully than more places a little bit. When you slow travel, you get a more in-depth knowledge about the culture. And for many people, gaining a broad understanding of a place and its inner-workings is more meaningful than seeing extra cities.

This thought occurred to me recently when I was at a BBQ with a friend of mine who has lived in various cities all over the world teaching English. When another attendee who was the same age as my companion began rattling off the over 150 countries he’d visited, my friend turned to me with a sad expression and said, “He’s traveled everywhere and I’ve only been to a handful of places.”Of course, the grass is always greener on the other side, and I had to explain to him that this person probably visited so many countries because he stayed in every city for a few nights, learning only surface information about the food, customs, language and daily rituals of the people.

I had my most memorable slow travel experience when I stayed in Ghana, Africa, for a month. I home-based in the village of Achiase, staying with a family and volunteering at a local orphanage. During the experience, I got to spend a lot of time with locals, learning about social etiquette, typical dress, how everyday foods were prepared and what kinds of topics the children learned at school. Because I also wanted to see some of the historical and nature sites outside of the village, I went on weekend trips to other cities via the tro-tro. Because of the pace I traveled at, I never experienced any travel fatigue, a common side effect of long trips.

If you are taking an extended trip and traveling slowly, I highly recommend doing a homestay, as that’s the best way to get to know the culture first hand. Moreover, don’t pack your days with endless activities. Instead, take it all in slowly and enjoy every second.

Along with the benefit of cultural immersion and less travel fatigue, it’s also easier on the environment and your wallet. Staying in one or two places means using less fuel, and overall just leaving a smaller carbon footprint. And, you won’t have to spend as much money on transportation and site entry fees.

Slow Travel On A Short Trip

While many people talk about slow travel on extended trips, it is also possible to travel this way on shorter trips. Again, try to focus more on learning and experiences and less on sightseeing. Your first step is to choose your home base. Try to pick a city that has much to do or an interesting cultural aspect, as well as one or two interesting day trips. If you have a laundry list of sights to see, cut it in half and fully experience just a few. Moreover, instead of staying in a standard hotel, try to stay somewhere where you’ll feel at home, like an apartment, short homestay or with a local on CouchSurfing. Cozy bed and breakfasts can also be a good option, especially if you spend time chatting with the owners.

Another good decision is to find one or two establishments you love and become a regular at them. Of course, eating at the same restaurant for dinner gets boring when on vacation; however, choosing a favorite coffee shop or ice cream parlor will help you establish a similar routine to that of a local.

If you have a specific interest, one idea that can be helpful is to choose a destination that caters to it and fully immerse yourself in learning all you can. For example, if you’re interested in wine you may want to head to Napa Valley, Burgundy or Mendoza, stay on a winery and get to know local viticulturists and what they do. Personally, I love giving myself missions like this on my trips because it helps lead to deeper discoveries than most tourists get to make.

The Benefits Of Rapid Travel

While slow travel wins the argument for cultural immersion, sustainability and budget-friendliness, there are many reasons to opt for a rapid travel trip. First of all, if you don’t get to travel very often, you may want to consider seeing as much as you can in one shot. Moreover, if you have a certain travel goal that requires seeing many different cities, like visiting castles, hiking various terrains or seeing historical sites, you may want to stick to an itinerary that allows for a broad diversity.

My favorite rapid travel trip was through Patagonia. I stayed two, sometimes three, nights in each city, making my way from Bariloche down to Ushuaia and over to Chile. The quick-paced style worked in this case because my main travel goal was to hike as many different landscapes as possible. And, because each area of Patagonia offers contrasting scenery, I loved being able to see as many as possible.

The truth is, not everyone travels to experience culture and to learn deeply. There are travelers who love city hopping, taking in the major sights and experiences and then moving on. If your restless legs start itching after a few days in one place, you may be better off with a rapid travel itinerary.

Rapid Travel On A Short Trip

I will admit, this can be tricky. Personally, I recommend fast travel only if you’ll be somewhere for at least two weeks. That is, unless you want to spend most of your vacation on public transportation. However, it’s not impossible, and if you can plan a good route that doesn’t require too many lengthy train journeys, go for it. If opting for this, your best bet is to plan a detailed itinerary out in advance. Make sure all accommodation and flights are booked and that you know exactly what you want to do in each city. Once this is sorted, book any tours beforehand, or as soon as you arrive to the destination to avoid any time-wasting hassles.

The Verdict?

Personally, I love both travel styles, and incorporate both into my trips. I often switch back and forth between slow traveling in one destination, then rapidly traveling from city to
city and country to country on another. It all depends on what you want to get out of your experience.

[Travel Salem, taylor.a, roger4336]