When you are traveling to a new place, your first day will likely be expensive. You've been budgeting and pinching pennies to get here, and now that you've arrived, you are terrified because those pennies are bunching up into a great many dollars that you have to spend on taxis, hotel accommodations, and restaurant food that is far pricier than you want it to be.
So take a deep breath and don't be discouraged. The first day tends to be expensive.
You are still getting situated. You have to get comfortable and confident with where you are, and that doesn't happen when you're standing in cold, soaking deluge at the airport at midnight. It begins to happen the next morning when you have slept and regain your excitement, that fervor that drove you to travel in the first place. You've done your research. You do more specific research in the morning using that internet that came with the hotel, because you're savvy enough not to have to pay for another $40 taxi. Especially if you're in Europe, where public transportation is everything. Instead, the price to get into town will be cut to $5 and your satisfaction will be palpable.
Sunday, March 16, 2014
Wednesday, August 29, 2012
Haggling
When it comes to haggling, there is a certain mindset to have. I am a rather easygoing guy. I'm not very aggressive or assertive, at least not typically while shopping, but that has to change when you experience markets like those in third world countries.
The currency conversion cheat sheet becomes critical here, so bring that along to the market.
You should bear in mind that whatever prices they have listed could be jacked up a lot. Even being conservative about it, you can consider that you should be able to bargain and haggle the price to less than half of the price they give at first.
Remember that you can just walk away from any item. No matter how pushy they seem, (unless it turns into a kidnapping) you can simply walk away if the prices are too high for comfort. Don't feel guilty. Just walk away. I personally like to be sarcastic in it, and laugh at their prices when they're too high (any price they give me, really).
Usually, the more pushy the shopkeepers, the more opportunity to barter.
If anyone tries to force something on you, like putting a bracelet on your wrist, don't let them do it! If it's on you, there's a good chance that they won't take it back and you'll have to buy it.
I'd really appreciate feedback on this one from those who have done haggling before. I know that I'm not nearly as good at it as others, for the reasons listed in the first paragraph, so any extra input would be wonderful.
The currency conversion cheat sheet becomes critical here, so bring that along to the market.
You should bear in mind that whatever prices they have listed could be jacked up a lot. Even being conservative about it, you can consider that you should be able to bargain and haggle the price to less than half of the price they give at first.
Remember that you can just walk away from any item. No matter how pushy they seem, (unless it turns into a kidnapping) you can simply walk away if the prices are too high for comfort. Don't feel guilty. Just walk away. I personally like to be sarcastic in it, and laugh at their prices when they're too high (any price they give me, really).
Usually, the more pushy the shopkeepers, the more opportunity to barter.
If anyone tries to force something on you, like putting a bracelet on your wrist, don't let them do it! If it's on you, there's a good chance that they won't take it back and you'll have to buy it.
I'd really appreciate feedback on this one from those who have done haggling before. I know that I'm not nearly as good at it as others, for the reasons listed in the first paragraph, so any extra input would be wonderful.
Tuesday, August 21, 2012
Tours In Europe
When visiting a new city, you want to get a tour of it. Even if you're seeing the most famous works of art in the world, you may not know the history and context that gives that art such greatness. So you always, always, want to get a tour if you can. Especially for museums.
My favorite tour that I've been on was a walking tour through the Vatican in Rome, and it wasn't just because we had the most attractive tour guide possible. We were given context and understanding and stories for everything we saw. Da Vinci, Michelangelo, various popes, and all those cool cats had real lives and we were able to learn both their significance and the significance of their art both to them and the world they lived in.
Most major cities offer "free" walking tours. If you're traveling on a budget, these are ideal, 'cause as they will tell you, you give as much as you think the tour is worth. If you know your history pretty well, a lot of the tour may not be worth much. I, for one, found that the free walking tour in London wasn't all that impressive, but the one in Paris was great.
I also went on an inexpensive walking tour in Brussels, Belgium, which was my favorite tour on my last trip to Europe. Since we were a group of students, we paid about as much as we would have tipped on a free tour anyway, and the tour was fantastic, taking us all around the city and telling us not only the history of politics and such, but also of the beer, chocolate, and waffles that the city is so known for.
Take a tour, 'cause there's a good chance that you can cheat a city out of what it's due by being ignorant of what's standing in front of you.
My favorite tour that I've been on was a walking tour through the Vatican in Rome, and it wasn't just because we had the most attractive tour guide possible. We were given context and understanding and stories for everything we saw. Da Vinci, Michelangelo, various popes, and all those cool cats had real lives and we were able to learn both their significance and the significance of their art both to them and the world they lived in.
Most major cities offer "free" walking tours. If you're traveling on a budget, these are ideal, 'cause as they will tell you, you give as much as you think the tour is worth. If you know your history pretty well, a lot of the tour may not be worth much. I, for one, found that the free walking tour in London wasn't all that impressive, but the one in Paris was great.
I also went on an inexpensive walking tour in Brussels, Belgium, which was my favorite tour on my last trip to Europe. Since we were a group of students, we paid about as much as we would have tipped on a free tour anyway, and the tour was fantastic, taking us all around the city and telling us not only the history of politics and such, but also of the beer, chocolate, and waffles that the city is so known for.
Take a tour, 'cause there's a good chance that you can cheat a city out of what it's due by being ignorant of what's standing in front of you.
Monday, August 20, 2012
Street Vendors
In some tourist places in any part of the world, people will come up to you showing you the products they are trying to sell. And they will talk to you, to your face, as you walk by. Ignore them. And don't feel impolite for doing so either, 'cause they are often being impolite with how pushy they are as they try to get you to buy their stuff. Even if you are interested in what they have to sell, do not show interest, and always be willing to walk away if their prices are too high. They need your business more than you need theirs.
Street Performers vs Beggars
When you walk the streets of any big city, you can run low on money quickly without buying anything. That's because there are beggars and street performers around. And the difference between those two categories is huge.
You hear music as you walk around a corner, and you are intrigued because someone is actually trying to make a meager living by playing music on a street corner. Or maybe there are a few guys breakdancing, or on a unicycle, or any other number of strange things. These are the people you should give money to. Don't give a lot, unless you are a huge fan or have plenty to spend, 'cause it's easy to give too much for your budget to handle, but try to keep small coins in a pocket handy to give to street performers.
However, when you see someone sitting down with a cardboard sign that tells you to give them money, remember what the performers did, and what this beggar is not doing. Anything. The beggar does nothing besides ask for money. The least they could do is dance a little jig, or attempt at singing, or anything, but instead they do nothing. These, in my opinion, do not deserve your coin. Don't feel pressured by them either if they sound pushy, 'cause really, they are asking for you to give something in return for not even trying to do something.
You hear music as you walk around a corner, and you are intrigued because someone is actually trying to make a meager living by playing music on a street corner. Or maybe there are a few guys breakdancing, or on a unicycle, or any other number of strange things. These are the people you should give money to. Don't give a lot, unless you are a huge fan or have plenty to spend, 'cause it's easy to give too much for your budget to handle, but try to keep small coins in a pocket handy to give to street performers.
However, when you see someone sitting down with a cardboard sign that tells you to give them money, remember what the performers did, and what this beggar is not doing. Anything. The beggar does nothing besides ask for money. The least they could do is dance a little jig, or attempt at singing, or anything, but instead they do nothing. These, in my opinion, do not deserve your coin. Don't feel pressured by them either if they sound pushy, 'cause really, they are asking for you to give something in return for not even trying to do something.
Join In The Fun
Along the note of the last post, you should also remember to join in when you see something fun going down. If a bunch of Spanish people are dancing and cavorting in the Grand Place in Brussels, Belgium, because their team just won a game in the Euro Cup, start dancing with them and try to sing along with their chants.
If you see street performers playing music, dance as you walk by, and sing along if you know the music. It's a good way to meet people (or at least for people to meet you). Every performer likes to have someone appreciate their work, and even if you don't actually like their music, you can still join in because it's fun.
If you see street performers playing music, dance as you walk by, and sing along if you know the music. It's a good way to meet people (or at least for people to meet you). Every performer likes to have someone appreciate their work, and even if you don't actually like their music, you can still join in because it's fun.
Exhaust Yourself
This applies more to short-term trips than to long-term, but is still very applicable to both. Anytime there is a chance to go out and see something extra, something optional, and your aren't vomitingly or diarrheaingly sick, go do it. You might be jet-lagged. You might be tired of people already. But that isn't important.
You need to go out and see and do as much as you can. You can sleep later. Right now, you're in a new state, country, or continent! Yes, you will probably have to crash much harder later, and you might be tired for the stuff you're actually required to do, but taste and see as much as you can, 'cause you may never have a chance to see it again. Exhaust yourself so you can see and enjoy as much as possible.
You need to go out and see and do as much as you can. You can sleep later. Right now, you're in a new state, country, or continent! Yes, you will probably have to crash much harder later, and you might be tired for the stuff you're actually required to do, but taste and see as much as you can, 'cause you may never have a chance to see it again. Exhaust yourself so you can see and enjoy as much as possible.
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