What To Do When Your Travel Destination Feels Too Much Like Home

by Jessica Festa on

Sometimes it happens. You’re excited to go on a trip to a faraway destination, away from the fast-food chains, honking taxicabs and hoards of English speakers. However, despite looking forward to culture shock, when you get there you feel as if you never left home. The truth is, you can usually drive to the next city over from your hometown and still find differences, whether it’s the architecture, the vibe or the type of people who live there. To help you feel more like you’re traveling and less like you haven’t left home, use these tips.

Seek Out Cultural Differences

Just because the culture looks similar to yours upon first glance doesn’t mean it is. Befriend knowledgeable, friendly locals like taxi drivers, hostel owners and tour guides and ask them what some aspects of the culture are that aren’t immediately obvious. Ask questions about rituals, customs, holidays, cuisine, how people interact, schools of thought, government policies and anything else that may affect the daily life of locals. You may even want to do some online research. Once you discovered some interesting tidbits of cultural knowledge, find out how you can experience it firsthand, whether through an excursion, class or site.Give Yourself A Mission

If you’re having trouble finding cultural differences, choose a topic you find interesting and set out on a mission to learn everything you can about it. Art, food, fashion, history and architecture are some good areas that can lead you to making cultural discoveries. Set out to learn and experience as much as you can regarding this topic, digging into its past, present and future. If nothing else, you’ll at least gain a new area of expertise.

Get Lost For The Day

One of the best ways to make cultural discoveries is to simply stroll the streets of the city and get lost. Although you’ll be wandering aimlessly, keep your eyes open for possible points of interest. Doing this, I’ve discovered artisan shops, unknown classes and tours, authentic eateries, unique architecture and have just been able to get a feel of the town’s vibe in general.

Head To Non-Touristy Areas

Usually, when you’re walking down a street with signs in English, overpriced restaurants, Burger Kings and myriad travel agencies, you’re in the touristy part of the city. While these areas often offer worthwhile shops and activities, it isn’t the best location when you want to feel culture shock. I recommend spending the bulk of your time in the more non-tourist spots, as you’re more likely to see deeper aspects of the local culture. Ask your hotel for a map, and have them circle non-touristy areas that are also safe to explore.

Stay Away From International Chains

Sure, McDonald’s is great if you want to grab a quick burger and fries on the go, but don’t expect to get any real value from your stop there. First of all, while people think these international fast food chains help them save money, the truth is eating at local restaurants and cafeterias is often much cheaper, healthier and tastier. Additionally, you’ll gain cultural insight by dining at local eateries and seeing what everyday people eat and how they dine.

Take A Local Class

When traveling to a new place, I love taking a class that is related to the local culture. I’ve taken Tai Chi in China, learned to tango in Argentina and cooked traditional mole in Mexico. Even if the class ends up not being something I would stick with, I always leave feeling like I learned something about the city I’m visiting.

Do Something You’ve Never Heard Of

In a new city, it’s always worthwhile to do something you’ve never done before; however, it’s even more advantageous to sign up for an activity you’ve never heard of or can’t do anywhere else. For example, when I was in New Zealand I saw a local agency advertising zorbing. At the time, I had no idea what it was, which of course meant I had to sign up immediately. The activity entailed jumping Superman-style into an enormous beach ball that had a pool of soapy water inside, and being rolled down a giant hill. It was one of the most fun experiences I’ve ever had in my life, and really showed me how much locals value innovative adventure. It’s no surprise New Zealand is one of the top adventure destinations in the world. Other one-of-a-kind experiences I couldn’t pass up while traveling include relaxing in the world’s highest beer spa in Bolivia, learning to play mahjong from a local family in China and doing shots at the world’s highest distillery in Colorado.

Skip The Hotel And Opt For A Homestay

For the most part, staying in a hotel is a surefire way to be blinded from the local culture. Sure, you’ll feel pampered and have access to a great restaurant and spa, but a hotel’s main focus is usually ensuring the guest has a comfortable and pleasant stay, not that they feel culture shocked. While there are some great experiential hotels out there, nothing beats a homestay when it comes to getting to experience the culture of a place. You’ll get to live with a family and learn about cooking, how the home is run, dynamics between family members and general daily life firsthand.

Revel In Your Comfort

If you are really having a difficult time finding cultural differences and still feel like you haven’t left home after trying the above mentioned tips, just go with it. Be happy you’re in a place you feel comfortable, and just have fun exploring and discovering new things.

[Images via Shutterstock]

10 Smartphone Apps For Business Travelers

by Jessica Festa on

Traveling for business can be stressful. Juggling clients and projects away from your desk with unreliable Wi-Fi, especially in an unfamiliar city, will make you wish you had some serious help. For assistance on the road, check out these 10 apps for business travelers.

TripIt

The first step to getting work done efficiently while traveling is to be organized. TripIt allows you to forward your flight, hotel, car rental, tour confirmations and travel information to one place and creates an easy-to-read trip itinerary for you. You’ll also be able to add maps, travel notes, photos and recommendations.

Evernote

Evernote started as an easy way to take notes, and transformed into a tool for users to always remember their brilliant ideas. Notes can be saved as text, pictures, audio files, websites and more, and is sorted into notebooks, which can be efficiently tagged. And coming in December, the app will be adding new tools for businesses.

Dropbox

One of the biggest hassles when traveling is not having access to your files. Dropbox solves this problem by creating a place where you and your coworkers can save and access shared text, audio and video files. No longer is it necessary to email yourself or attach files.JetSet Expenses

While on the road, it can be difficult to keep track of what you’re spending. JetSet Expenses allows users to track expenses, create expense reports and get paid in a timely manner. It’ll help you save money, and reports can be sent directly to your boss.

Wi-Fi Finder

To do work, you’re often going to need Wi-Fi. Wi-Fi Finder uses GPS to find hotspots. Additionally, you can download locations offline if you’re not going to have good cell service.

QuickOffice

QuickOffice‘s mobile app allows users to view, edit and exchange Microsoft Word and Excel documents, as well as PowerPoint Presentations. You’ll also be able to get and send files from the cloud quickly and efficiently.

Asana

Asana, a “shared task list for your team,” allows for you to create and collaborate with coworkers. Make and assign job duties, add due dates, view projects and make edits in real-time.

AwardWallet

Many business travelers have a large reserve of points and miles. AwardWallet keeps track of your loyalty programs, frequent flier miles, hotel and credit card points, allowing you to view and manage them all in one place.

FormMobi

FormMobi is useful for when you want to create personalized forms, film out and sign documents and store data that can be shared with your team. With the option to drag form elements you want, making your own is simple, and photos and voice notes can be added at anytime.

HoursTracker

While traveling, you’ll often be accounting for your own work and hours. HoursTracker allows you to choose between manually inputting your hours or setting a timer. You can track your hours and overtime in the app, as well as send the timesheet to your boss.

[flickr image via Johan Larsson]

10 Pieces Of Travel Advice To Ignore

by Jessica Festa on

As someone who has traveled solo to dozens of countries, I’m often given “helpful” advice from well-meaning friends and family. The problem is, much of this advice can actually hinder your trip experience. Think twice when you’re given these common travel tips.

Don’t Talk To Strangers

This is probably the most common piece of advice I receive before going on a trip, especially as I’m often traveling solo. For me, talking to strangers is one of the most important steps in getting to know a culture. I stay in hostels so I can hangout with other backpackers, or I’ll do a homestay to immerse myself in the daily living of locals. Additionally, I pepper cab drivers with questions, ask bar tenders to help navigate me to offbeat attractions and invite tour guides out for drinks. I’m not saying to put yourself in dangerous situations where you’re completely alone with a total stranger; however, having conversations in public spaces can enhance your trip. If I could revise this tip, I would say “talk to strangers, but have your guard up.” There’s a difference between chatting and spending some time with someone you just met, and believing there’s no way you’re new friend could rob or harm you. Use good judgment, and you’ll be fine.Hostels Are Dirty

I’ve stayed in at least 100 hostels in my life, and I can only think of one that I considered dirty. Off the top of my head, I can think of two hotels that were less-than-pristine, even one that had a dead frog on the floor. Yes, in a hostel you’ll often be sleeping in a room with at least three other people, so the level of tidiness you’re accustomed may be compromised. However, clothes strewn about the room does not mean there are cockroaches or rats. Most hostels are clean and safe while still embodying a character of their own. I’ve stayed in hostels where the walls were covered in vibrant graffiti to reflect the local streets, themed like a medieval castle to show the city’s history or just extremely laid-back with bean-bag chairs and a barefoot philosophy. The only thing that’s really ever compromised is your privacy, although many hostels now offer private rooms.

You Must Be Rich To Travel

Along with being a writer, my job titles have included waitress, cashier and telemarketer. I’ve never had a particularly high-paying salary, and I’ve always managed to be able to take extended trips. Just because you can’t afford to stay in five-star hotels and eat at Michelin-starred restaurants every night doesn’t mean you need to stay home. Use some budgeting tips, and you’ll realize a little cash can go a long way. Travel during shoulder season, stay in budget hotels or hostels, travel to countries with favorable exchange rates, avoid restaurants with English menus, take public transportation or walk instead of cabbing it and travel slowly instead of hopping between 10 different cities. While you may not be living in the lap of luxury, you’ll still experience a new culture and enjoy the benefits of travel.

Females Shouldn’t Travel Alone

It’s odd to me that – as a young female who has traveled solo numerous times through countries many wouldn’t visit in a group – people still tell me I “can’t travel alone as a woman.” I, along with countless other solo female backpackers I’ve met on my trips, am living proof this is false. I’ve backpacked solo through Thailand, China, Brazil, Argentina, Peru, Chile, Bolivia, Ecuador, Morocco and most of western Europe, and have never so much as been pick-pocketed. Use your brain and listen to your instincts, and you’ll be fine. Don’t walk alone at night, don’t flash electronics and expensive jewelry, stay out of dangerous neighborhoods and always be alert to your surroundings, and you should be fine.

Planning Out Your Trip Is Essential

I’m a firm believer in planning a trip without making plans. While you may want to have a rough itinerary and know your flight dates, planning every single detail of a trip can make it difficult to go with the flow. Before arriving to your destination, you have no idea what you’ll encounter and what opportunities will arise. Keeping your itinerary loose and your options open helps you experience more. Know country entry and exit requirements, do some research on the culture and leave the rest to chance.

You Can’t Travel To (Input Lesser-Known City)

I’m not saying every city in the world is 100% safe, but the popular school of thought seems to be if a person hasn’t heard of a city or doesn’t know anyone who has been there, it isn’t safe. Many times, this actually ends up being inaccurate on many levels. For example, when traveling through Ecuador I visited Vilcabamba, Cuenca, Banos and Quito. One friend of mine commented, “I would love to travel through Ecuador. Although I’d only go to Quito, not those other places I haven’t heard of.” The truth is, Quito was the most unsafe by far of the four cities. Just because a city is more popular than others in terms of tourism doesn’t mean it’s safer. And, just because you don’t know someone who’s been to a certain place, doesn’t mean you can’t pave the way.

Don’t Visit (Insert Popular Site) Because It’s Too Touristy

In order for a trip to be well rounded, you should include a mix of touristy and off-the-beaten path fare. Many travelers believe visiting touristy sites is, well, too touristy, and will omit these points of interest from their itineraries. Would you really want to visit Paris without seeing the Eiffel Tower? Or Rome without visiting the Colosseum? New York without the Statue of Liberty? These sights are iconic, and for good reason. A site doesn’t become touristy because it’s got nothing to offer; in fact, these places usually hold much historical and cultural significance. While filling your itinerary to the brim with tourist sites can leave little room for surprise, not including them at all will lead you to miss out on important knowledge.

Eating Street Food Will Make You Sick

This is a tip I often get from concerned family and friends. Everyone’s heard one horror story of someone getting food poisoning from street food in foreign countries. To counter that, I’ve actually gotten sick from dining in upscale New York restaurants. I know many people who eat street food and at small local eateries religiously when they travel, and have never had a problem. Eating at these places will not only give you insight into local culture, you’ll be consuming the most fresh and delicious food in the city. Bonus: you’ll be saving a lot of money by avoiding the touristy eateries.

You Need To Know The Local Language

While knowing some useful phrases is helpful, you don’t need to be fluent in the local language to visit another country. Depending on how long you spend in a place, you may actually pick up on language just from being immersed in it. I become an expert in charades and hand gestures when traveling, and always bring a pen and paper to help draw or write down words I can’t pronounce. You’ll find a way to communicate. And when in doubt, you can always look up how to say something.

Mexico Isn’t Safe

Sure, there are places in Mexico travelers should avoid; however, this doesn’t mean Mexico as a whole is unsafe. For example, on a recent trip to Puebla, I felt more than comfortable with my surroundings. Not only that, but my friends took a trip to Mazatlan to take part in some adventure sports and had a great trip with no problems. Moreover, taking a road trip through Baja California will introduce you to some of the country’s best wine in a relaxed setting. Don’t believe everything you hear. Also, realize one person’s idea of an unsafe city may differ from yours. A friend once deemed Playa del Carmen unsafe for travel because “a friend of a friend’s girlfriend got sick after drinking and was probably roofied.” If that’s all it takes to scare people away from a city, I’m surprised they even leave their house.

[Images via Jessie on a Journey]

How To Enjoy A Small Town Stopover

by Jessica Festa on

Many times when you’re traveling long-term, and sometimes even during shorter trips, you’ll find yourself having to stay a night or two in a small town with not much to do. Instead of sitting around complaining about how you have to waste a travel day, use these tips to make the most of your small town stopover.

Keep An Open Mind

If you arrive in the town thinking, “wow, this is going to be boring,” then it will be. Instead, keep an open mind and seek out interesting experiences. Wander around, peruse shops and sights and keep an eye open for anything that might be worth taking notice of. Something as simple as stepping into a woodworking shop and chatting with the craftsman can help you to discover something special about the town. Additionally, sometimes small towns have passionate philosophies that can be interesting to explore, as well. For example, when I spent a day walking around Brattleboro, Vermont, it was palpable how much the tiny town focused on “going local.” Every shop sold locally produced products, and the businesses all worked together to help each other out.Talk To Locals

While I highly recommend doing this in every city you visit, talking to locals in the small towns you stop in is helpful for various reasons. First of all, you can learn about worthwhile activities in the area, and find out about offbeat favorites like where to get the best coffee, who the wackiest local is and where to go to for a great view. When I was in Ouray, Colorado, I became friendly with a local who told me where I could find the town’s most notable dessert, The Scrap Cookie. He also told me that, although it wasn’t on the menu, they would create a scrap cookie sandwich with ice cream, as long as you told them a local had tipped you off.

Stop At The Library

So maybe the town library doesn’t scream “exciting!” but you can often find a lot of information, history, exhibits and classes at these places. Stop in, take a peak to see if there a seminar schedule and check out what’s inside. At the very least, you can always find an interesting book to help you pass some time.

Discover A Local Specialty

Most places, including small towns, usually have something they’re known for. It may be something they’re only well known for by community members, however, it’s usually still worthwhile. Find out what it is and try it for yourself. Maybe they’re known for having great seafood, or making a special kind of handicraft. For example, the small town of Calderon in Ecuador is well known for making masapan handicrafts. They are made of bread and then laminated with clear glue to make different figures. Not only are they aesthetically pleasing, they have a cultural meaning, as masapan is used to honor the dead in Calderon.

Ask Your Hotel For Help

Who better to help you find something worthwhile to do in the town than the people from your hotel. It is their job, after all. Even if there isn’t much to do in the area, hotels usually have a few activity options on hand to help direct guests. For instance, when I was in Dingle, Ireland, it seemed like the town was nothing more than a body of water and a small strip of shops. However, after consulting with the hotel, I was able to find an array of day trips that allowed me to explore nearby islands, 4,000-year-old “beehive huts,” scenic hikes and to meet Fungi, the town’s famous dolphin.

Learn About The Town’s History

If you can’t find much that interests you with a town’s present, try digging into its past. This is one of the top ways I spend my time in small towns, as you can almost always find something noteworthy. I’ve learned about haunted sites, public scandals, local celebrities and where to find heritage buildings this way. For example, when in the old mining town of Ouray, Colorado, after a bit of prying I was able to discover some old ghost towns in the area. It was intriguing to hear tales of the people who once lived in these towns and to actually see their homes and hangouts.

Take A Day Trip

If you’re not happy with where you are but are forced to stay there for the night, think about taking a day trip. Find out about nearby towns, parks, hiking trails, wine regions and adventure outfitters, and spend your time doing the things you actually want to be doing on your trip.

Give Yourself A Mission

When traveling, I often like to give myself small missions to keep focused on learning about the town. If you like food, set out to discover the best places to get a burger, or the eatery serving the most decorative desserts. Maybe it’s history you’re into. Do some research, explore the town’s heritage and visit ancient sites. If you like fashion or art, try to meet some of the local artisans and learn more about what they do.

Plan For Your Next Stop

If you can’t find anything you want to do in the town you’re in, take some time to plan for the rest of your trip. Find an Internet cafe and do research, read blogs, peruse travel guides and look at photos to decide how to best allocate your time for the rest of the trip.

Spend This Time Relaxing

This could be a good time to ensure you don’t come down with a case of travel fatigue. Instead of scrambling around to make the most of every minute of your trip, take some time to unwind with a good book and a glass of wine, lie in bed and watch a movie or just swing the day away in a hammock. You may even want to splurge and pamper yourself with a spa treatment or expensive dinner, which will always help you remember your time in the town in a positive way.

[images via Shutterstock, Jessie on a Journey, Jessie on a Journey, Shutterstock]

How To Vacation With Friends Without Killing Each Other

by Rachel Friedman on

Every August I head to Long Beach Island for a week with girlfriends. (Yes, this is part of the Jersey Shore. No, I have never met Snooki.) This is our fourth year going and it’s taken about that long to figure out how best to vacation together. One of my friends, for instance, likes to have breakfast at the exact same time each morning while reading the New York Times. Mess with this routine at your own peril and travel gods help you if she hasn’t had her coffee yet.

Another mate is perpetually training for a marathon that requires a vigorous dedication to 6 a.m. exercise. And I am constantly experimenting with weird food choices (heads up, guys, I’m not eating gluten this year!) and strongly believe that if we are not all drinking cheap white wine by 4 p.m. then we are not really on vacation.

The point is, we all settle into different cycles while we’re traveling, and if you’re not careful then it’s easy to disrupt the carefully crafted vacation balance. So if you, like me, want to maintain your at-home friendships post group excursion, follow these five simple rules.

Choose Wisely
I’m sure you’ve heard this delightful expression: you can pick your friends and you can pick your nose but you can’t pick your friend’s nose. There should be a travel version of this disgustingly conveyed wisdom, something like: you can pick your friends and you can pick your route but you can’t pick your friend’s route. (I’m still working on the phrasing. Suggestions are welcome.) We don’t all have the same ideas about travel. Some are determined to spend their entire South Dakota vacation at Mount Rushmore while others think the state is all about the Corn Palace (I hear it’s a-maize-ing). Agree where you’re going and what you want to see once you get there – before you start the trip.Talk it Out
What are your vacation hopes and dreams? Have any pet peeves or weird quirks? What time do you like to go to bed? To get up? I know your mom says the way you belt out show tunes in your sleep is endearing but I want to know about it beforehand so I don’t think we’re being invaded by Broadway bandits. And if me rising early to snap a million photos of the sunrise from our balcony then babbling on about how glorious it is will make you want push me over that same balcony, I want to know about that, too. Oh, and single folks should establish a hook-up policy. Mine goes something like this: do not let me go home with anyone sporting facial tattoos no matter how passionately I pontificate about how brave it is to disregard societal notions of beauty (that is just the cheap white wine talking).

Take a Break
You are traveling together. This does not mean you are conjoined twins. If you want to ride horses in the Andes for six hours that’s great, but to me this sounds like a special breed of torture. Let’s go our separate ways for a bit. We might part for the hour or day or week or longer. That’s cool. Like couples who pursue separate hobbies, we’ll have lots to catch up on when we reunite. That old travel spark will ignite between us once again and we’ll ride off together into the sunset, renewed and reinvigorated by each other’s tales of solo adventure – just not on horses, of course.

Money, Money, Money
People say there are three crucial conversations to have before getting married: about children, religion and finances. Luckily, you can avoid the former two with your travel partner – but not the latter. Are you planning to split costs equally? Divide up bills based on what each individual eats and drinks? Are you going to pay for all our trips because you recently won the lottery or work in finance or both? Hash it out now and not when the Excel spread sheet is circulating two weeks after the trip and that little square next to your name says you owe more than is in your bank account.

Keep it Real
This falls under the category of obvious but important life advice (and also under the category of white girls trying to sound like rappers) but it’s also vital for traveling with friends. If you’re annoyed, speak up (be nice, I’m sensitive). Suppressed feelings fester under the very best conditions but in enclosed spaces like cramped hotel rooms and overcrowded Bolivian buses they positively pickle. You’re bound to get into some minor scrapes with buddies on the road – the longer the trip, the more likely – but this can actually be a good thing. As long as you resolve the issue in a timely and diplomatic way and without anger-invoked defenestration from your hotel room, you’ll probably find yourself closer than ever after having survived your adventure – and each other.