How to Eat Well When You Travel Solo

January 19, 2017 Lana @TravelSavvyGal Comments 0 Comment

If you’re like me and love going out to a restaurant with a group of adventurous friends, because it means you get to sample even more different dishes, the thought of traveling solo may give you pause. How will you consume enough meals to taste all of the local dishes? What if there are multiple dishes you’d like to sample, but you’re just not hungry enough to order (and eat) them all?

As someone who both loves to eat and savors my time traveling solo, this issue has come up for me time and again. Over the last two decades or so, I have definitely honed what types of food I seek out when I’m on my own on the road, to maximize the number of different bites and how much local cuisine I get to experience. And fortunately, as solo travel has become more commonplace, I don’t get nearly the amount of looks or raised eyebrows as I used to when asking for a “table for one.”

How to Dine Solo, Your Own Way

“Oh no,” you’re thinking, “I just don’t feel comfortable eating at a restaurant by myself.” Don’t worry, that’s okay! Several of the options below involve street food or eating-on-the-go. And even at a proper restaurant, a lot of times there is a bar where you can sit and order food and socialize, or possibly a communal table where you may encounter others traveling solo or other friendly diners.

For those of you ready to dine solo at a restaurant for the first time, it can look like whatever you’re comfortable with. I’ve seen people reading a newspaper or a book as they eat alone, which for many eliminates what would otherwise be a socially awkward situation. Others spend it on their smart phone, reading, planning, or staying in touch with friends. Some solo diners sit back and quietly take in their surroundings. And others will just keep a deep focus on the food, slowly savoring each bite.

Personally, I tend to either be introspective, reflecting on my day or strategizing for the day ahead, or will go into people-watching mode. I’ll sit and quietly observe the diners around me inside the restaurant, pretending I am at an outdoor table at a cafe watching the passers-by. Occasionally, I’ll read – usually a long-form newspaper article or an article to learn more about a tourist attraction I already visited. And when the food comes, I do my best to channel my focus on truly enjoying the flavors as I eat. Do what works best for you!

Foods to Seek Out

To eat well during solo travel, my basic strategy is to cobble together a bunch of different bites on my own, by sampling the offerings of different street food vendors or enjoying small plates of food at a sit-down restaurant – in whatever combination feels right on a particular trip. Here’s what to look for:

Appetizers

I mention a lot of specific types of cuisine below, but in fact, any restaurant can be turned into your own customized version of small plates by simply ordering 2-3 starters or sides instead of a main dish. Just ask before you order, and most places will be happy to accommodate you. It can also be helpful to specify if you want your dishes to arrive all at once, or to be brought out one at a time.

Bakeries

Bakeries and pastry shops (or bakery sections in supermarkets) can offer a quick bite in the morning to leave room for a larger lunch. You can also get a taste of local life by sampling the baked good of choice, whether sweet or savory. Or get a bunch of smaller items to sample for lunch, as nibbles throughout the day, or snacks to consume while out hiking.

Breakfast or Brunch

You may not have thought of it this way before, but many breakfast or brunch options can really be several different types of food all on a single plate together: eggs, potatoes, vegetables, and a sauce. Even if breakfast is included with my accommodation, I will still sometimes go out somewhere for a more authentic first meal of the day, and a lot of countries have very local breakfast options that you won’t see anywhere else (check out this post on Singaporean breakfast for the details on one of my favorites). And many breakfasts can be ordered for take away if you don’t feel like dining alone.

Buffets

In general I’m not a huge buffet person, but when I’m on the road for a limited time, it can often be the most effective way to sample many different dishes of the local cuisine. Often hotels or hotel restaurants will serve food buffet-style, and you typically don’t need to be a guest at the hotel to partake. Do be sure to check ahead of time when buffet meals will be available, as in certain locales it will only be offered on 1 night each week (or only specifically feature local cuisine on a single night).

Happy Hour

Taking place usually over a few hours in the afternoon, happy hour often includes special deals on small portions of food and allows you to sit at the bar if you feel like socializing. Italy has especially good happy hour options, from small bites or buffet spreads at aperitivo to traditional tapas in Venice known as cicchetti. Wherever you’ll be traveling solo likely has some similar local happy hour specials. Ask at your hostel or hotel, or gather some intel from locals who can point you in the right direction.

Indian restaurants

In my experience, there are a fair number of Indian restaurants all over the world that have lunch buffets or set menus available. When I am traveling solo and seeking out Indian food, I will also peruse a menu in advance to see if there is thali available, another option which is a built-in way to try lots of dishes. A thali is basically like a sampler platter and will include bread, rice, and a mix of other curries and dishes, all for a reasonable price. Usually a vegetarian and meat thali option will both be offered.

Set Menus

You’ll see a set menu option more often for lunch, with a choice of a few dishes for each course, sometimes including a beverage and/or dessert. Set menus offer a good value on price as well. One of my favorite places to take advantage of a set menu is in Liechtenstein, which otherwise can be a pricey place to dine out. Keep your eyes open starting in the late morning when these specials begin to be advertised, and find a spot that strikes your fancy or fits your budget.

Spanish restaurants

I have one word for you: tapas! These small plates have become trendy in a lot of places outside of Spain, so in many countries you’ll be able to find a Spanish restaurant where the dishes come in small enough portions that you can pick out a few different ones and still have a reasonably sized meal for one. Of course this works in Spain as well, and is especially fun at a busy market stall. Plus, many tapas places I’ve visited – both in Spain and elsewhere – have a bar where you can sit and order dishes, which can be a more social experience for solo travellers.

Street Food

There are many cities renowned for their street food offerings, but even for most others, you can find delicious and inexpensive bites on the go. Street food lets you eat with your other senses first – hearing the sizzle of a piece of meat on a grill, smelling enticing aromas waft toward you, or seeing where the locals queue up for the best bites. I’ve had some of my best street food experiences in Asia (Bangkok & Chiang Mai in Thailand have possibly been my favorite spots – for being able to get small bites from a lot of different vendors). But if you keep your eyes open you’ll see street vendors in most cities you visit, and there are also a lot of places where Food Trucks are trendy and ever-present with many types of cuisines represented. Go ahead and sample whatever catches your eye. Or tempts one of your other senses.

Tasting Menus

On the opposite end of the budget spectrum, you can also get a fair bit of food variety on the high-end of dining, especially when there is a tasting or degustation menu available. And at several of these more fancy establishments, you’ll even have the option to sit at the bar or communal table, which can be a less intimidating experience for the solo diner. This can be true even at Michelin-starred places, like the satisfying tasting menu I recently enjoyed at Stockholm’s Ekstedt (sitting at a communal table where I met and chatted during the whole meal with another solo traveller!).

Or the very reasonably priced tasting menus I enjoyed on my own at Restaurant Bieberbau in Berlin and several restaurants around Malta.

Turkish (or Middle Eastern) restaurants

This is another cuisine that naturally lends itself to having a lot of small dishes – called mezze – cobbled together to form a meal. Think grilled meats, falafel balls, hummus, babaganoush, and tabbouli in small portions that together can form a satisfying single meal with a whole lot of variety. Middle Eastern cuisines can also be well-suited to vegetarians, as many of the mezze are vegetable- or legume-based.

Vegetarian restaurants

Despite not having meat on the menu, vegetarian and vegan restaurants can offer some of the best variety of bites on a single plate. I usually encounter a mix of starches, proteins, and vegetables that can be mixed and matched for a single dish. Sometimes there are even small plates available. And although I’m not a vegetarian, some of my most recent memorable bites dining solo have been at vegetarian establishments.

Of course, there is no one right way to eat well while traveling solo. This list is really a starting point for you to venture out and figure out what types of cuisine and dining formats feel comfortable for you, and help you to maximize your time alone on the road. And of course, as you become a more and more seasoned solo traveler, use this list as inspiration for that food or restaurant to try next!

Do you notice yourself gravitating toward certain foods when you travel solo? What things have you found most helpful to keep in mind for eating well when you travel on your own? Any other advice or cuisines to add to the list? Share your tips below!

Top Travel Destinations of 2019

January 8, 2019 Lana @TravelSavvyGal Comments 2 comments

Happy new year!

This year is starting off in an unusual way for me – it’s January and other than a weekend trip by train to New York City, I don’t have a single trip planned yet.

Which means I’m in as much a need of some travel direction as everyone else who hasn’t made any big travel plans for the year ahead.

For my top travel destinations to recommend for 2019, I’ve included a mix of locations hosting special events worth seeking out and also some new, not-too-overrun spots to check out. My past lists have mostly focused on countries, but this year’s list has a few specific cities and sites as well.

And for the first time, it’s divided into sections: New Recommendations for 2019 & Previous Recommendations I’m Highlighting. With some great spots I’ve never featured before and also some previous destinations that are especially great to consider this year.

Without further ado, I present – in alphabetical order – this year’s top 6 new travel picks:

Berlin (Germany)

If you’ve never been to Berlin, the first image of the city that may come to mind is a view of the wall coming down. Which is exactly what the city commemorates this year – the 30^th anniversary of reunification. The Berlin Wall did not fall until November of 1989, however there will be a lot of special exhibits and events throughout the entirety of 2019.

Even separate from the historical significance this year, Berlin is such a cosmopolitan city that it is a great destination anytime.

While plenty of museums focus on the Wall, there is a wealth of other museums like you’d find in any other capital. Excellent food options abound, including many ethnic restaurants, and like any good German city, there is a great beer. Oh, and as you’ll see in the Cheat Sheet below, no shortage of beautiful rooftop views of the metropolis.

READ MORE: Berlin Cheat Sheet

Cambodia

Cambodia is best known for the Angkor Wat temple complexes, which was the main draw when I visited. For me it was one of those places (like Petra in Jordan) that really exceeded expectations. Don’t shortchange yourself and plan to spend at least 2-3 days there exploring, including areas outside of town and closer to nature like Kbal Spean. Plus, the town of Siem Reap keeps developing, with more options every year for exploring local culture and sampling traditional Cambodian cuisine.

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Of course, Cambodia has a lot more to offer beyond its most famous attraction, with plenty of notable cities, beaches, nature, and wildlife areas throughout the country. As most of the tourism centers on Angkor Wat and Siem Reap, you’ll have more relaxed experiences in capital Phnom Penh, in smaller towns, and along most of its coastline.

Chile

Did you miss the total solar eclipse in the US in 2017? I saw the partial eclipse from the roof of my office building, but after hearing others’ accounts of witnessing the complete darkness (or totality), I definitely want to see that for myself. In July of 2019, there is another total solar eclipse coming this time to South America, and many consider Chile to be the best viewing spot. If you’d like to go, now is the time to plan for it.

Georgia

The country of Georgia is probably the item that has been highest on my bucket list for the longest, without me actually having visited yet. So, why go? Like many former Soviet republics, a lot of its wonders were hidden from most of the world during the second half of the twentieth century, but there is so much to entice tourists to this nation bordering the Black Sea.

Georgia has an 8,000 year (!!) history of winemaking, the longest of any country. Once known as the “Tuscany of the Soviet Union,” for decades Russia was Georgia’s main wine consumer, but in recent decades since the break up of the Soviet Union, its wine is more readily available to everyone else. There are incredible monasteries to check out, many of which also produce wine. And like any good wine culture, the food is also amazing.

Enjoying Georgian specialties at Supra restaurant in Washington, DC

I recently enjoyed Georgian food and wine at a local restaurant, and I’m even more obsessed than before!

Norway

Even if you’ve never been to Norway, you’ve probably heard about its dramatic fjords and natural beauty. Sure, you can be a tourist and stick to the cities, but this really is a destination suited to a traveler who enjoys the great outdoors. In summer, boat cruises in the fjords abound. On land, whether its taking a funicular up to enjoy some sweeping views, or hiking up to the same spot, it is stunningly beautiful to take in. In winter, there is snowy exploring, from seeing polar bears in the wild to a chance at viewing the Northern Lights.

Like the rest of Scandinavia, Norway is probably a bit pricey compared to where you currently live, however if you’re planning on a lot of hiking your costs can be kept pretty reasonable. Plus, there are many discount air carriers that go, so transport costs can be quite affordable as well.

The up side of Norway for tourists – like any Scandinavian destination – is that the country is quite safe and English is widely spoken.

The biggest surprise for me on my recent visit was the food. There are the fun, heart-shaped Norwegian waffles and some upscale, Michelin-starred options in the major cities, especially the nature-adjacent oil city of Stavanger.

TIP! Just be conscious of the seasons when you plan your trip, as the warm period is pretty limited to June-August, depending on where exactly in Norway you’re headed.

(Any City) USA

It used to be that America’s smaller cities did not have much to offer the well-traveled visitor, but I’ve noticed quite a change in recent years. With restaurant trends toward locally-inspired products and more and more people identifying as “foodies,” even off-the-beaten-path cities can be excellent travel destinations with ample delicious dining options for a weekend of exploring.

I’ve been pleasantly surprised myself in places like…

Boise, Idaho

Charlottesville, Virginia

https://www.instagram.com/p/BVQmk07grgO/

Detroit, Michigan

https://www.instagram.com/p/BZ9XSrjHLPk/

I hear great things about…

Asheville, North Carolina
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

And there are plenty of other American cities out there with increasingly more to offer any tourist, and I always find it fun to explore places before they become too popular with other travelers.

This year’s list of new spots is shorter than in previous years, but that’s because so many of my past recommendations are still so timely.

Here are 5 of the destinations I’ve featured previously that are also excellent choices for 2019 travel:

Australia

This country/continent has been a great value destination recently and is even more so for the coming year. There has been a recent further dip in currency, which is bad for my bank account, but great value for travelers who’ve been hesitant about visiting due to cost.

Belize

This Central American gem from the 2018 list continues to be one of the safest and easiest (English-speaking!) travel options in that part of the world.

READ MORE: Exploring Belize’s ATM Cave

READ MORE: How to Eat Like a Local in Belize

Liechtenstein

This micro-nation (from the 2017 list) is celebrating its tricentennial – its 300^th anniversary! – this year and will also have a host of special events taking place like some of the other destinations above. It’s an easy add-on if you’re already planning to visit Innsbruck (Austria), Munich (Germany), or Zurich (Switzerland).

Oman

This is another 2017 list pick that is already popping up on many other travel lists this year and continues to be a hot spot for discovering an authentic slice of the Middle East.

READ MORE: Top 12 Things to Do in Oman

Plovdiv (Bulgaria)

Bulgaria made my 2017 list of Top Travel Destinations, and it’s making a return appearance because my favorite city there, Plovdiv, has been designated a 2019 European Capital of Culture. Not only is it an ancient Roman city with plenty of ruins to explore, food in Plovdiv is delicious, and some of Bulgaria’s excellent wine country is nearby. Take advantage of the area especially catering to tourists and providing countless special events by visiting this year.

READ MORE: Best Light Shows Around the World

Certainly there is no shortage of amazing destinations to seek out, regardless of what kind of trip you’re after. What I find to be the most important thing is to make a plan for a year of travel early on, so the months don’t slip by without taking a trip.

Get inspired. And then get out there!

See all of my past annual travel destination recommendations here:

READ MORE: Top 8 Travel Destinations of 2018

I still stand by them all.

Happy travels in the new year, everyone!!

What destinations are inspiring you for 2019 travel? Anywhere I missed that would be a great destination this year? What travel do you already have planned for 2019? Let me know more in the ‘Comments’ below!

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Travel Superlatives 2018

December 19, 2018 Lana @TravelSavvyGal Comments 0 Comment

Wow, 2018 turned out to be quite the travel whirlwind – filled with many travel highlights, good and bad!

Last year, I explored 2 new countries. This year I made it to 5: Denmark, Honduras, Malta, Nicaragua, and Norway.

Not that I’m so into the whole country counting thing, but I keep track every so often and realized with my recent cruise stop in Honduras, I’ve now been to 59 countries!

This year, with some strategic planning around holidays and generous leave at my full-time job, I also managed several longer trips, many of them returning to some favorite countries and cities I’ve visited before – like Belgium, Italy (where I lived for 3 years!), New Orleans, Philadelphia, and San Francisco.

Across my many trips, there were those moments that stood out for being blissful, with the stars seemingly aligning just right. There were many visually beautiful moments, meandering on a road trip through picturesque scenery or hiking through breathtaking nature. And also hilariously terrible moments when everything seemed to go incredibly wrong and I tried to recover as best I could – or at least wallow in misery and live to travel another day.

Here are some of those memorable travel experiences:

A Multitude of Travel Fails

Sure, I’m Travel Savvy Gal, but how do you think I got so savvy? By doing things wrong, of course! Sometimes repeatedly.

And with all of my travel this year, even with all the things I did do right, it inevitably didn’t *all* go according to plan.

There were the little things that I kicked myself for – not paying attention to my direction and ending up on the sunny side of the bus or train, picking the one seat without a power outlet, or somehow finding the seat with a bar underneath and no space to stow bags.

But my most panicked moment came near the start of my first two-week trip to Europe. And I hadn’t even left the US yet!

After going through security, I was sitting at the bar at one of the airport restaurants and dropped my phone. Which of course I had done dozens of time before, but this was the drop that broke my cell phone for good. But it was so close to boarding time that all I could do was take my flight completely phone-less. On top of which, I had forgotten to set an out-of-office message on my work e-mail and couldn’t complete the authentication to log in without a working cell phone! (Luckily when I arrived in Milan, where I have a lot of friends from my 3 years living there, I was able to borrow a friend’s spare smartphone for the trip – phew!)

Then somehow that carelessness was like a curse that extended through the entire trip. As that two-week European adventure in April progressed, I just was not at my best for staying on top of all my belongings.

In Belgium, after a day of exploring when I first arrived, I took a train to Antwerp to reunite with my best friend from my time in Milan, and completely walked off the train without my main luggage that I had stowed on the shelf above the seats. Luckily, Antwerp was the final stop of the train, so when I realized I had left it behind a minute later, the train was still in the station with its doors open and I was able to walk back on and fetch it.

Then, at the last destination that same trip, on my final day in Copenhagen, I lost my Copenhagen Card – which was basically my pre-paid admission to all of the local attractions and my card to access public transit. So for things like the Carlsburg Brewery tour, I had to pay again to enter. Luckily, it was only about a $20 mistake in the end, but it literally cost me.

New Food Obsession

I don’t get obsessed with a new food every time I visit a new country (I swear!) but my Copenhagen obsession started long before I landed, just by reading a description of local delicacy, smørrebrød. Sure, it’s just an open-faced sandwich – Danish-style – but there is a whole lot more that goes into the perfect bite after perfect bite that I enjoyed there.

It is color, it is texture, it is flavor. All mixed together with the Danish design sensibility that extends to many area of life in Denmark. Plus, it’s incredibly delicious. So yeah, I admit it, I’m totally obsessed.

Luckiest Budget Moment

My first big trip of 2018 was a week in Nicaragua. I was meant to visit with a friend but she had an emergency (don’t worry, everything is fine now!) and had to back out last minute. I briefly debated whether to still go, although let’s be real, being on my own has not dissuaded me from a trip yet. It just meant that it would be a slightly different trip without her company and that I needed to make some adjustments to my plan to account for not splitting expenses two ways anymore.

My biggest in-country transit was between the island of Ometepe and the town of León, and certainly the budget way to traverse the distance was by bus. Although I had taken the converted school buses known as chicken buses on other stretches, on this journey it would have involved going into the capital city of Managua, transferring buses, and leaving again on a different bus.

With the buses stopping frequently, the trip would have taken all day.

I decided that even though I was traveling solo, I would splurge on a private car transfer to the ferry and then from the ferry on the other side, to minimize how much of the day I’d lose in transit.

My lucky moment came when I approached the reception desk at my guesthouse, and I happened to ask about the trip just as a couple was making the exact same inquiry. We even were targeting the same departure time.

So instead of footing the bill alone, I got to split the ride – 3 ways!

And of course, in true travel fashion, it turned out that there was a lot to connect me and the random couple – from hearing about their home in Denver, where my sister had recently moved, to conversing in Hebrew because she turned out to be Israeli. The driver even got in on the lively conversation along the way, with me translating since I was the only person in the group who spoke Spanish.

READ MORE: Top 13 Reasons to Visit Nicaragua

**While Nicaragua was a lovely destination when I visited in January 2018, it is currently not safe for tourists. Be sure to do your research and keep safety as your top priority before booking a trip.**

Craziest Hiking Conditions

I like to hike. Usually with a friend, and often sandwiched in between two city sightseeing days to get some time in nature. Occasionally, I hike solo. I’ve done some serious hiking on my own, but the last time was back in 2016 on a solo weekend in Liechtenstein.

Only because I am a semi-serious hiker, had done multiple 6+ hour hikes on my own before, and had trained before the trip, did I even attempt to hike high up in a Norwegian fjord while solo in late September. Which is basically the beginning of their winter.

Despite the cold, there were a lot of fun elements of the hike, however the final section was so brutal that all four people who started out ahead of me turned back before reaching the end. At that point, I was literally alone. In the middle of nowhere. With no cell service.

At the top, with a third of the hike still remaining, the wind was merciless and there were large patches of black ice, where the rock had iced over but you couldn’t tell if it was wet or icy until you extended a tentative step. Plus, the fog had rolled in and there was barely enough visibility to see from one bright red trail marker to the next.

But I am nothing if not persistent, so while continuing to be cautious, I slowly made my way toward the famous wedged boulder known as Kjerag. As its slightly rounded top was covered in a layer of ice and show, standing on it was not possible, but seeing the spot in view was still so incredibly rewarding.

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Most Drinks Consumed

This one might be a tie. Between a cocktail crawl, giant boozy slushies, a distillery visit, and wine tasting in New Orleans (let the good times roll!) and also California wine country, where a friend and I road-tripped with just two winery reservations and still managed to squeeze in tastings at 12 wineries in basically 2 days.

In both cases, a lot of different venues were involved, and getting to sample all of the delicious concoctions was also incredibly tied to the sense of place in each location.

Travel Research Fails

While in Belgium during my April trip, my main concern when picking when to take a day trip to Ghent, Belgium from my home base in Antwerp was centered in part on the weather and in part on my friend’s schedule. And I didn’t know any better, so didn’t do my due diligence until I was en route and realized just how many museums and restaurants would be closed since it was Wednesday. Which seemed awfully random but now I know and you should, too – so it featured in my blog post with tips for visiting Belgium.

READ MORE: 9 Top Belgium Travel Tips

In Philadelphia in the US, I thought I had done my due diligence when I found a spot with great cocktail reviews close to where I’d be exploring on Saturday afternoon of my weekend trip. After trying and failing to find this amazing bar, some closer looking led me to realize that it was a cocktail school, not a bar where I could order drinks! (Luckily, some alternate options were also nearby, and I enjoyed a great pre-dinner cocktail.)

Most Unexpected Outing

I had briefly been to a secluded beach in the north of Haiti on a cruise with my family over a decade ago. This past February, I returned to a completely different part of the country on a work trip, splitting my time between the capital of Port-au-Prince and the northern Artibonite region. As you might imagine about a country with many travel warnings in place, security is key and was my main focus there.

What was completely unexpected was the cosmopolitan and – thanks to the many aid organizations and non-profits – thriving expat scene in Port-au-Prince. The one Friday night I spent there, I went salsa dancing! Read all about how salsa dancing in P-au-P was different than I expected in the caption below:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BflPTeRnrVl/

Best Sunsets Enjoyed

I’m not much of a morning person, so I’m far more likely to catch sunset than sunrise (other than in winter, like this recent gem spotted on my way to work). After a year of traveling, a few of these stellar sunsets stand out more than most:

I saw several great sunsets in Malta, but the one that stands out the most was spotted toward the end of a whirlwind day I later called my perfect sightseeing day. After many buses, city exploring, a wine tasting, and some coastal hiking, I swam and took in the views as I swelled with the satisfaction of a wonderful, full day of solo exploring and enjoyed the lovely colors as the sun set over the water.

As someone who loves water views, I also took *so many* pictures of sunset on my Caribbean cruise. I still think my favorite views though, were on the first night as the ship left port in Miami just as the sun was going down:

READ MORE: Top Tips for Taking a Cruise

On vacation, watching sunset it usually an item on my itinerary, while at home, I often get caught up doing something without remembering to glance outside. I almost missed this boldly colored one while at home in Baltimore, but then I just happened to look out the window and see how stunning and bright this one was. Luckily I have a rooftop deck and was able to rush up there with both my phone and camera to appreciate its beauty. Plus, snap a few shots, of course.

https://www.instagram.com/p/Bj7Ix-0H3XU/

Most Unexpected Foodie City

You’re probably expecting me to list some famous city that you have heard of or been to, but may not have realized has a foodie scene.

Well, here goes: Stavanger, Norway. No, doesn’t ring a bell?

Honestly, I had never heard of Stavanger either until I realized that it was the most convenient jumping off point for all of the hiking I wanted to do in the nearby Norwegian fjord. But critical to its foodie scene is the fact that Stavanger is also an oil city and has plenty of high-paid executives that frequently dine out for business and sustain some fancy and delicious places all around town.

Norway’s first Michelin star awarded outside of Oslo was to a Stavanger restaurant back in 2016 (now there are more). And I enjoyed some of my most memorable meals of the year there.

Most Last-Minute Flight Purchase for Vacation

I thought it was cutting things close when I lived in Milan and didn’t buy a ticket for a weekend trip to London until the Wednesday before a Friday afternoon flight. For the first time in my life, when I scanned my boarding pass at the gate, it beeped.

Because I had been tagged as a high security risk.

“Did you by any chance by your ticket in the last 48 hours?”

Why yes, yes I did. After breathing a sigh of relief as they confirmed the likely reason for my being flagged, the flight attendant fortunately had no problem letting me on the flight.

This year, I topped that moment.

I had planned months ahead for my Norway trip, securing a one-way evening flight to Bergen (via Stockholm) on Norwegian Air. Early afternoon the day before my flight, I started getting a series of text notifications about problems with the airplane.

Twenty texts and two hour-long phone calls later, it became apparent that my original flight would be canceled. And I’d be delayed at least one day – if not more – due to the connection I’d then miss.

So I did what any frequent traveler would do – right? I started a whole flurry of activity.

I checked with travel insurance to see what extra costs would be covered. Then I called Norwegian Air on different numbers simultaneously (one on my cell, one on Skype) to get a hold of a person as fast as possible to refund the original flight.

AND then, once my confirmation e-mail came through, I bought a completely new one-way plane ticket to Bergen on a different airline.

By the time this all got sorted out, it was so close to 24 hours before my flight departed the next day that my purchase confirmation and check-in reminder came within 10 minutes of each other!

(And just for the record, Norwegian Air’s Customer Service is excellent – My request took a month to process, but not only did they refund the cost of my original flight, they also paid me for the $300 fare difference for the last-minute flight I booked. So I never did have to make that claim with my travel insurance.)

Biggest Travel Win

A Romanian friend who has been living and working in the US quit her job to return to Europe and wanted to go on a girls’ road trip to San Francisco and nearby wine country in the Napa and Sonoma Valleys. So she called me, obviously! (No arm twisting required.)

We booked flights to California three weeks in advance. As is my usual, I booked the flight, told my friend, then added us to the wait list for all 3 of the nights we’d be in wine country for the most outrageous restaurant in the region, The French Laundry. Which is considered one of the hardest reservations to get in the US (even if you book months ahead of time).

I didn’t think much of this, and had pretty much forgotten all about it by the time we started our trip.

After all, I had joined a wait list for Osteria Francescana in Modena, Italy and for Noma in Copenhagen, Denmark when I visited both areas in April of this year – and didn’t hear from either restaurant. But of course you can’t get in off the wait list if you don’t even try.

So imagine my surprise when I got a call from a California number I didn’t recognize as we were wine tasting up and down the Napa Valley on Sunday afternoon.

The French Laundry has a spot for us? What?!?!??

YES, of course we want to come for dinner on Monday at the French Laundry. Most people make a dinner reservation at The French Laundry, and only *then* book a plane ticket to California. Which was the only way I thought I’d ever be able to go. Then here they were offering me a spot! (Although of course also asking me to pre-pay the $700 for two on my credit card online within the hour at a moment’s notice.)

No problem, sign us up!

In the wake of the flurry of activity securing the reservation, I felt like pinching myself to see if it was all really happening.

I’m still in such disbelief that the website confirmation of my reservation is still open in the browser on my phone 2 weeks later:

After the call and confirming our seats, my friend and I were finally grabbing some lunch in between wine tastings and just looked at each other – did that really just happen??

Those ‘pinch me, is this real?’ moments are what makes me love the travel experience and continue coming back for more. More new experiences, more elation, more crazy disappointment that sometimes is so ridiculous that it borders on the hilarious.

You need the travel blunders to appreciate the wins. Without the lows, you can’t fully appreciate the glorious highs when everything goes right. It may sound counter-intuitive, but it’s true, I promise.

I just try to be present in the moment and savor it all as it comes, grateful to be here and able to experience it all.

For more highlights from recent years, check out my previous Travel Superlatives round up posts:

READ MORE: Travel Superlatives 2017

READ MORE: Travel Superlatives 2016

What were the highlights of your travel year? And what was the craziest thing that happened to you on the road? Any place that I mentioned you’d like to see more blog posts about?

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Travel Superlatives of 2017: To Inspire Your Next Adventure

December 20, 2017 Lana @TravelSavvyGal Comments 0 Comment

This year has involved quite a lot of transitions. I started my first full-time job in quite some time (hint: it’s not blogging) and have been slowly figuring out how to balance it with my passion for blogging, travel, and you know – life, the universe, and everything!

This also marks a full year spent back in the US after five years abroad, and it hasn’t always been smooth sailing. I was shocked at how much my post on moving “home” resonated with readers, and continues to resonate with many others experiencing the same challenging transition. It is the post when I felt the most vulnerable clicking that “Publish” button, but such a lesson to me that it is when you really put your authentic self out there that you connect the most with those around you.

And that’s really what my travel superlatives come down to. It’s a collection of moments in far-flung places and spots close to home when I connected with those around me. Sometimes through an experience and sometimes a meal, but all were opportunities for wonder with some excellent company to share it all with. And a bit of adventure.

I hope you enjoy my stories from the road and perhaps even find some travel inspiration for the year ahead. Here are the moments resonating with me from the past year:

Best Nature Adventure: Belize’s ATM Cave

I love caving and adventure, plus the tour to Belize’s ATM Cave (you must be on a tour to enter) was touted by every operator as the top day trip to do from San Ignacio, Belize. The tour itself was absolutely incredible, involving plenty of strolling, swimming, and even a bit of rock climbing to navigate the internal passageways of the cave, including ancient Mayan sites. Wow, just wow.

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Best Tour: Hoover Dam insider “Dam Tour”

The Dam Tour is limited to 20 people every half hour and can only be purchased in person on the day. But it is worth an early start to guarantee a spot on one of the coolest tours I’ve ever been on. Due to security concerns, the insider tour no longer includes a trip to the Power Plant floor, but in its place you get to wander behind the scenes through the inside of the dam itself in areas that were never intended for visitors. There is amazingly cool graffiti and other markings along the way, plus some killer views through vents peering from the inside out!

Best Wine Tasting: DelFosse Vineyards in Charlottesville, VA

I spent the weekend before my birthday on a getaway to Charlottesville, Virginia, a pretty easy drive from the Baltimore/Washington, DC area. I had been a few times before and one of my fondest memories from a weekend I spent in 2007 was of a barrel tasting at a winery up a gravel road a bit outside of town. My return visit to DelFosse Vineyards a decade later was just as memorable, with a personable and delicious journey through their wine collection during the tasting. Both their whites and reds are something special. And yes, there’s still a gravel road for those last few minutes.

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New Go-To Activity: Hiking

I’ve always liked hiking and mixed it in with my city escapes, but this is the first year that I’ve headed into some weekends with an intense desire to get out in nature – at which point I hunted down a hiking buddy or headed out on my own. Maybe it’s my mentality shifting with age, but nothing helps to reset my mind than exploring nature’s beauty with my own two feet.

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Most Memorable Bites: Cambridge, MA & Charlottesville, VA

Let me start by saying that I had some pretty epic meals this year. From cooking my first-ever rack at lamb at home to savoring meals at high-end restaurants serving up 20+ course tasting menus, there have been some very delicious bites (yes, I’m a lucky lady!). But the two most memorable dishes of the year for me are the ones that were unique and flavorful and even months later stand out in my mind.

The first is a a crab and kimchi stew that I enjoyed at The Table at Season to Taste in Cambridge (Boston), Massachusetts. It was such an incredible overall (solo dining) experience that I boldly wrote a whole blog post about it as my best of 2017 all the way back in March and it still rings true all these months later.

A post shared by Lana Cohen (@travelsavvygal) on May 11, 2017 at 5:15pm PDT

The other most memorable dish is a crispy scallop appetizer that I enjoyed at Brasserie Saison in Charlottesville, Virginia. It doesn’t sound like all that much but it stands out in my mind both for being something I have never seen before (Crispy scallop outside and smooth-as-silk inside? Amazing!) and also because it was so perfectly executed that every bite was a piece of heaven.

READ MORE: How to Spend a Weekend in Charlottesville, Virginia

Best Art Exhibit: Kusama’s Infinity Mirrors

I first saw Yayoi Kusama’s art in Stockholm, Sweden and was so in awe of her unique style that I waited in a crazy line to get access to another exhibit of hers this year in Washington, DC. This latest exhibition included multiple ‘infinity rooms’ that were basically giant cubes you could step into with mirrors on all sides and see incredible lights and designs reflected all around you. Check out my blog post for more on the mesmerizing art, plus details on how to get access and when this exhibit may be headed your way – in 2018 it will be in Los Angeles, Toronto, Cleveland, and Atlanta!

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Best Way to Experience My New Home City: On the Water

Part of my adjustment back living stateside has been to express gratitude and focus on all of the benefits of being back after time abroad. Certainly the convenience of American life and access to ethnic food top my list, but being in the city of Baltimore specifically means that I live quite close to the water. I can walk there in around 5 minutes and there’s even a free commuter water taxi stop nearby that will take me to a few different spots across the harbor. And my running route takes me along the water’s edge by Fort McHenry, where the Star Spangled Banner (the American national anthem) was written. Some of my favorite Baltimore water views from the past year:

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Hidden Gem City Escape: Detroit, Michigan

When you think of ‘Motor City’ you’re probably imagining car production or dangerous neighborhoods, but the Detroit of today is so much more. My highlights from a long weekend there included fancy cocktails bars, craft breweries, apple cider mills, some delicious bites, and all sorts of notable art and architecture. Detroit’s revitalization is still a work in progress, but it is already soaring and a spot I’d return to in a heartbeat!

READ MORE: Finding Zero Mile in Detroit

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Hidden Gem Outdoors: Sanibel Island, Florida

My first flight of the year was in January to visit my dad who now lives in Florida. Of course, the primary goal of the trip was to spend some quality time together, so I specifically refrained from doing too much research. Even the lovely stroll we took through an ecological preserve was something I spotted in a brochure after I arrived, not a bucket list item I had planned in advance.

So when we ended up taking a detour to Sanibel Island, I innocently took a stroll only to encounter loads of people with buckets and walking with their eyes glued to the beach. As it turns out, Sanibel Island is considered by many to be the best shelling beach in all of North America! Even though I’m no expert, it was exciting to see so many beautiful shells and even some of the sea creatures that had washed ashore.

Favorite Getaway: Staying with Friends by the Beach

I could pretend I had some posh chalet in the mountains somewhere, but let’s be real, I’m not that fancy. The place that I spent the most weekend getaways in 2017? With friends by Bethany Beach in Delaware. It’s been a perfect haven and relaxed getaway on many a weekend, with great food and wonderful company. Thanks for hosting and for all the great experiences this year!

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Most Random Visit: Berlin Wall in a NYC Office Building

When I visited Berlin, Germany for a long weekend, I of course made it a point to see several sections of what remains of the Berlin Wall, including the open-air East Side Gallery. Across the ocean in New York City, the Berlin Wall was the last thing I expected to see in a random office building, and yet there are several panels that can be visited in the lobby for free!

https://www.instagram.com/p/BS4kdtIg2G1/?hl=en&taken-by=travelsavvygal

Biggest Bucket List Item: Rock Climbing in Red Rock Canyon

Starting with my college years, plenty of friends have talked up Las Vegas as a site for gambling and debauchery. And the ones who really know me well touted the foodie scene there. But the biggest attraction for me has always been the rock climbing I’ve been hearing about for ages in the nearby Red Rock Canyon. My guided trip there was just as wonderful as I had imagined, with incredible scenery and a lot of fun on the rock.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BbjskCEntkN/?hl=en&taken-by=travelsavvygal

Best Travel Experience: Hitching a Ride on a Boat in Bermuda

I was excited at having bought the Bermuda-exclusive loquat liqueur at the Goslings store in downtown Hamilton, the Bermudian capital that was half an island away from my cruise ship. The feeling of accomplishment slowly melted into apprehension as I realized that because it was Sunday, the ferry turned out to be on a truncated schedule and the last one had already left back toward the dock where my cruise ship was anchored about 20 minutes before.

I was quite annoyed at this point – Why hadn’t I checked the schedule properly beforehand? Why didn’t I realize it was a sign taking a taxi into Hamilton from the beach was a bad idea when no one else was headed that way? – I probably should have seen the signs ahead of time, given that I’m an experienced traveler. But fortunately we had another day in Bermuda, so I wasn’t exactly in a rush. At least the cruise ship wouldn’t leave without me if I didn’t get back by a certain time.

I started running through possibilities in my head. There seemed to be a local bus station nearby, and many buses had passed through the main street downtown. Surely it would be cheap to take the route to the far side of the island, although the trip might take a while and who knows how long it would be before the next bus. A taxi was an option, but probably a $60 one. So it wouldn’t be a cheap mistake, but at least I’d make it back to the ship for dinner.

One consolation was that I wasn’t alone, there were actually 4 of us from the cruise strip stranded at the now-closed ferry terminal. But as possibly the most assertive one of the bunch, I was tasked with asking around and trying to figure out our best option to get back.

It was at this point that I noticed a boat crew at the far side of the dock that seemed to be cleaning up for the night. There was a decent chance they were locals and could hopefully point us in the right direction, maybe even let us know if buses were still running or if our best bet was to hail a taxi to get back.

I couldn’t tell you exactly what I said in my first thirty seconds of talking, but the guy who seemed to be the head of the crew approached as I was chatting with one of the deck hands and said, “Actually, we have to get this boat back over to the Dockyard for a tour in the morning, do you want a lift back?”

What?!? By opening myself up and asking strangers for help did I really just score all of us a free ride back to our cruise ship?

“As long as you don’t mind loud music and will buy drinks on the way, you can ride back with us.”

Um, YES PLEASE.

The older couple in the group was a bit skeptical if this was some sort of scam, but this was not only super convenient and generous, the crew explained that this was what your typical everyday Bermudian hospitality was all about. Plus, they were headed that way anyway.

Within minutes we had dark-and-stormy’s in hand (the local cocktail) and were cruising through the harbor on a catamaran with music blasting. I would have called it the best private boat tour of my life, but it was just locals helping out some clueless tourists and letting loose at the end of a long work shift.

Along the way, the crew pointed out a few famous Bermudian houses on the water, but mostly we sang and danced together the whole way. We pulled up and docked just a short distance from the cruise ship, as the catamaran was part of an organized tour the next morning. And when we tried to pay for our drinks, they just shrugged and wished us well.

This is how close the catamaran got us to the cruise ship.

What were some of your highlights from the past year? Or your most memorable travel experience? Anything from my round-up that you’ll seek out in the year ahead? Let me know in the ‘Comments’!

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Top Tips for Not Losing Things When You Travel (& How to Handle It When You Do)

September 19, 2017 Lana @TravelSavvyGal Comments 4 comments

Lost or misplaced items can be incredibly frustrating, especially if it was something expensive or with sentimental value. But this is an experience I honestly haven’t been very familiar with, despite my frequent travels. Until this year.

I still can’t pinpoint what exactly has changed. Is it that I’m getting older? Is my mind just overloaded with the stress and changes of moving back to the US after 5 years abroad? Or maybe I’ve always lost things, and it’s just that I’ve lost more precious things this year so I noticed it more?

Who knows, and honestly the reason is not nearly as important as the result – this year, I’ve definitely been losing things far more often than I’d like.

Things that were expensive to replace. Things that I picked up in past travels and had a special place in my heart. And things that were just inconvenient to not have anymore.

The good news is that an ounce of prevention goes a long way. And fortunately – for my sanity and my wallet – I manage to hold on to my possessions successfully most of the time. Here’s how.

Tips for Not Losing Things When You Travel

Certainly the easiest course of action is not losing things in the first place. While that is never 100% guaranteed, here are some things you can do to greatly minimize the number of things you will misplace or lose while you’re on the road:

Pack brightly colored objects.

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve lost black or navy umbrellas. I’ll be sitting down at a restaurant and leave it on the seat next to me, and never spot it when I leave as it blends into my surroundings.

My bright pink umbrella? I’ve had it for years! Even the few times I’ve walked away without it, inevitably a server or friend will see it and pass it back to me. Choose bright or unusual colors when you can, and you’ll be much more likely to hold onto important objects on the road.

Have a designated spot for the items you always travel with.

Some people make lists. I travel enough that I just know which items I keep where. For my well-traveled wheeled carry-on bag, I know that my deodorant, toiletries bag, and hairbrush always gets packed in the small outside pocket. My cell phone charger is always in my purse.

However you need to remember it (there’s probably an app for that), set up locations that you’ll always use for all of the items you’ll need on a trip. It’s much easier to see if something is missing or forgotten if you have one place it will always be in your luggage.

Have secure places to store sensitive items.

Of course, for things like your passport or driver’s license or credit card, you don’t want to have those items easily accessible to possibly be snatched or fall out of your bag. Be sure to have an extra zippered compartment to seal with your valuables inside.

And for longer journeys, consider hidden compartments in your main luggage for some emergency cash or to store your second credit card or bank card as a backup just in case the unexpected happens.

Put things back where you got them from.

Having those set places to put certain objects only works if you consistently put things back where you got them. Every. Single. Time. It may seem tedious, but this is the only way it works.

Exploring a new city or country can make you more on edge than normal – that’s part of the excitement! – which means that is especially important to follow the system you set up. Even if it means stopping for an extra minute before getting a start on your day or taking extra care when packing your bag.

Routine, routine, routine.

Most of your time traveling will not be in the moment of packing or unpacking at home or at your hotel or accommodation. It will be you in the airport or train station, boarding a bus, or on foot exploring. This is how you’ll make the most of your time traveling, but also consists of hundreds of little opportunities to possibly leave something behind.

I usually have both a cardigan and a scarf with me when I’m traveling, in case the weather cools down or I enter a museum with the air conditioning on full blast. This means that these two items are laid over the top of my purse, which means that every now and again, and each time I leave a place, I reach over and confirm that I still have both.

Of course, the one scarf I did lose recently (a beautiful one I had purchased in Barcelona traveling with a friend), was when I decided that in Belize that I didn’t need to keep it out anymore, and put it into my backpack and then wore it again without checking that I still had it.

Check thoroughly every time you leave somewhere.

There are a few places where you’re most likely to leave a treasured item behind: your accommodation, transportation, or at a restaurant or concert/performance. Out and about, I’m most likely to leave a sweater or umbrella or shopping bag behind. Or my phone charger or something in the bathroom wherever I’m staying. Knowing which items you frequently forget can help with your checking, including having a list of those final things to confirm you’ve got.

When I’m carrying multiple items, I’ll do something that I recently discovered that oddly my mother and I both do – count how many items I’ve carrying, and then check for that number of items. If I know I’m carrying 3 things and I only count 2, I know I’ve missed something.

The real bottom line, though – whether you’re a counter, or list-maker, or simply a thorough searcher – find a checking method that works for you and USE IT consistently!

Leave an obvious reminder somewhere you’ll definitely notice it.

It may sound silly, but I’ve been known to leave something on the floor exactly in front of a hotel door to make sure I can’t leave without grabbing it. Or hold my wallet in my hand until I put my credit card back inside after paying the bill.

While those suggestions may seem over the top, there’s no better way than something extremely prominent to get your attention and make sure you don’t leave a beloved item behind!

How to Handle It When You Do Lose Something

Of course, even with the best preventive methods, it’s still possible to lose something. In some cases, the item might be expendable, but of course the incidents that stick out most in my mind (and probably in yours, too!) are those where it was something critical like an ID or bank card or some object or item of clothing with sentimental value.

A few things I’ve lost recently have really thrown my world upside down, since I’m not accustomed to losing things. In my effort to retrace my steps and find the missing items, I have picked up a few tips on how to best do this, and which methods were most effective.

While some of these suggestions may seem obvious, it’s definitely worth mentioning them all as I’ve (foolishly) overlooked them at one time or another. And shouldn’t have.

Act quick.

Especially if you lose something while in transit, you may first realize the loss upon your arrival. By which point you might be exhausted or jet lagged or both. The inclination in the moment will definitely be to delay reporting an item as missing, but this is never the right choice. The quicker you act, the more likely you’ll be able to locate whatever you’ve lost.

Go in person. Otherwise call.

Again, this seems so simple, but you’d be amazed at how much a difference it makes to search for your item in person. It’s much easier for someone to blow you off on the phone, or only look for your missing item half-heartedly. When there is a distraught person right in front of them, there will be a more thorough search.

When I lost my work ID a few months ago and was fairly certain I had left it at the gym. I called and they said the looked for it but to no avail. When I arrived in person the next morning to ask about it, they located my ID in under a minute.

Depending on where you lose something, you might also run into an automated phone line where it is difficult to get connected with an actual person. So make that extra effort if you really want to recover the item you’ve lost.

Officially report valuables as lost.

For any important document like a passport, credit card, or bank card, be sure to contact the bank or company that issued your card or the relevant consulate to make an official report IMMEDIATELY. As bad as it is to lose something, it is even worse to have to deal with unauthorized bank withdrawals, surprise charges on your credit card, or identity theft.

TIP! Keep a hard copy list of important phone numbers, like your bank, credit card company, and local consulate or government office, so you can contact them if needed. If you have access to WiFi, you can always call on Skype or dial the collect number.

TIP! Some companies allow you to place a hold on your card instead of canceling it, so you can reactivate it and continue using it throughout your travels if it’s later recovered.

Continue checking every possible spot.

You’ll probably replay your step-by-step movements and might even become convinced that you know exactly where you lost something. Don’t trust your memory! Especially after replaying events over and over in your mind, you may be rewriting history. Continue to check everywhere.

It’s hard to check with lots of places and you may start to feel silly asking again and again, but push through and go through all the motions for your best shot at recovering what was lost. Decide how much you want to avoid sounding like a careless person by inquiring in multiple places versus how badly you’d like your item back.

When I lost that beloved scarf I had bought in Barcelona, Spain, it was on my way back to the US from Belize. I was unsure if it had been left behind at the airport in Belize, the Houston airport where I connected, the airport restaurant where I ate dinner, or in my Lyft ride home.

Although I I filed a lost item report with the airline online, there was no one to call or way to upload a photo, and I never personally checked with any of the other possible locations. In retrospect I should have also called each of those locations to speak to someone personally and leave no stone unturned in my search.

Four months later, and my scarf has not been recovered (and probably never will be).

De Halve Maan brewery tour — Happier times wearing my scarf in Brugges, Belgium

Trust me, if you’ve never lost something important, it can feel devastating in the moment. And if you’re like me and don’t typically lose things, it can be unnerving as well.

Of course, credit cards that need to be canceled or a lost passport can be difficult and possibly expensive to resolve. But even the sentimental items with low monetary value can be quite upsetting to lose as well.

Think more deliberately about how you safeguard your valuables and keep track of all of your belongings on the road. And keep these top tips in mind in case you do lose something, so you can take all the right actions as quickly as possible.

How do you keep your belongings safe on the road? Or secure when you’re out and about where you live? Any tips that I missed?

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Fun Facts: Things to Know about Belize Before You Visit

September 1, 2017 Lana @TravelSavvyGal Comments 0 Comment

Usually I’m a planner. I learn about a new city or an event happening in a country I’ve never been, and add it to my Bucket List for a future visit.

In the case of Belize, I had overlooked it during my Solo Trip to Mexico in 2009 since it was a bit outside of my backpacker budget to do a quick trip there and back from the Yucatan. And I hadn’t really thought about it much since then until I was starting a new board on Pinterest and was intrigued by all of the outdoor adventure activities and beautiful beaches.

So when I had a week open up in May for a trip, I ignored the budget flights to Iceland and Europe and impulsively went in a new direction – Belize!

I only booked my flights two weeks in advance, so it was a bit of scramble to get things planned for my time there and I didn’t have the opportunity to do my typical advance reading to prepare for a trip. Which made the trip even more exciting as I discovered all of these quirks and local sayings and particular history of the region.

Here’s what I discovered:

Belizeans sure love their flag. You’ll see it proudly displayed pretty much everywhere you go.

And Jesus, too. Not only are Christian religious symbols prominently displayed outside homes and businesses, but there are also large signs with the ten commandments written out that you’ll also see in a lot of different spots around the country.

Bus Stations really are an incredible crossroads…

In Belize, the bus station accepted 4 types of currency! To be fair, both the Belizean dollar and US dollar can be used to pay for anything around the country, but you can also use Mexican and Guatemalan currency there if you need to.

Even the bus station vendors have hot sauce available. It really is the universal condiment around Belize, but I was still amazed at its presence next to the pre-cooked food already divided into different take away baggies.

Everyone can tell you where and when next bus is leaving. There was no information booth that I saw (although any tourist office can help with bus schedules). But equally reliable? Asking any Belizean hanging out at the bus stop when the next bus will be. They’ll give you times, tell you whether it’s local or express, how much it will costs, & which area it leaves from. Just incredible!

It’s a small enough country to have some national standards…

Like Marie Sharp’s hot sauce. Marie started her company in Belize back in the early 1980s and she has already been inducted into the Hot Sauce Hall of Fame. And it is her Belizean brand that is the standard that you will see at street food stands and on restaurant tables – unless there is a homemade version.

Or Belikin, Belize’s national beer. If you ask for a “beer,” you’ll get the Belikin standard brew. If you ask for a “stout” or a “lager” you’ll get the Belikin version of those styles. Any other beer you must ask for by name.

Beers are smaller! You’ll notice that Belikin beer comes in 250 mL bottles, which is just small enough compared to the standard 330 mL bottle of beer that you will notice the difference!

You might experience a 4-bath day when you go. If you’ve ever heard of the expression (or musical band) ‘three dog night,’ this is a similar notion. A three dog night refers to a cold night out in the Australian outback, when you have to cuddle up with 3 dingoes (the dogs) to stay warm. A 4-bath day in Belize . . . that’s a hot and sweaty one.

Houses are colorful. There is something about the tropics that lends itself to brightly colored houses. You’ll see plenty of these around Belize, including many in a shade I started calling ‘Belizean blue’ because you’ll see that exact shade in so many places.

Buses are the way to go for some local flavor . . .
Repurposed American schoolbuses are the main mode of transportation. Different companies may paint the outside in different colors, but the inside is the same school bus with benches set up you may know from your childhood. And just like back then, the seats get sticky in the heat and there is no air conditioning. But it’s definitely the most affordable way to travel Belize while getting a taste for how the locals live.

And they’ll play music very loudly. Buses may be the cheapest way to get around, but they’re certainly not the most serene. Most of the ones I traveled on had upbeat music playing quite loudly for most or all of the ride. I wasn’t sure if this was a strategy to keep people happy and quiet, but that certainly seemed to be the effect.

Non-express buses will stop at pretty much any point along the route. This is a great convenience for anyone who lives off-the-beaten-path, but you can imagine how much time all of these stops will add on to your trip. There’s a reason the express buses are a bit pricier.

Some unexpected foods you’ll find everywhere. There are Caribbean and Latin American specialties and their variations, but there’s also an abundance of banana bread and fried chicken. Who knew?

But in general you’ll find the best local specialties at street food stands. Whether it’s seeking out the best rice and beans (look for a giant pot) or getting salbutes fried to order, the flavors you get at the street food stands outpace any brick-and-mortar restaurant I visited.

READ MORE: How to Eat Like a Local in Belize

Expect that you’ll frequently be all by yourself with relics. Sure, there was someone staffing the booth when you bought your admission ticket to the museum or archaeological site. But chances are that as you explore the rooms with the priceless artifacts, or even the pyramids, you’ll be all on your own.

And that there’ll be almost no safety measures for climbing all those Mayan pyramids. I scaled my fair share of pyramids during my week-plus in country, and there were very few handrails or markers for dangerous sections or to prevent you from falling off the top. A local shared that the vast ruins of Xunatunich only had railings put in just last year – and only 2 of them across a huge area! Tread carefully.

Belizeans are genuinely friendly. They’ll chat you up on the street and then share their favorite local spot for a meal. Not for a monetary tip, but just to welcome you to their beautiful country.

Simone Biles is the most beloved athlete. Maybe it was my visiting within a year of the Rio Olympics, but although there are Belizeans who have somewhat “made it” in professional sports, American gymnast Simone Biles (who is of Belizean descent) is the true star if you ask any local.

Belize City is not the capital. I guess I spent my childhood gazing longingly at an outdated globe, because even though the capital city shifted to centrally-located Belmopan back in 1970, I had it in my head that it was Belize City until my visit. Oops.

Cemeteries have above-ground coffins. Like many of the houses and buildings in Belize, cemeteries are colorful places. And instead of burying the dead, I saw plots with elevated coffins where relatives come to pay their respects.

English reigns supreme . . .
More currency with Queen Elizabeth. If you travel a lot, you’ve probably seen her face on quite a lot of currency by now. Formerly known as British Honduras, Belize is still part of the British Commonwealth.

It’s not just lip service though, the Queen came for a visit! Queen Elizabeth II has visited Belize twice – one in the mid-1980s, another time in the mid-1990s. Of course, the part of her visit that people referenced the most during my trip was when she ate a local rodent whose meat is considered a delicacy, the gibnut, now also nicknamed the ‘Royal Rat.’

Everyone speaks English and takes US dollars. I feel like some travelers harbor fear of foreign countries due to the language barrier. Perhaps a fear of not being able to make yourself understood? In any case, there’s no need to worry in Belize as everyone speaks English. And you can pay with US dollars anywhere, even in small towns or on local buses (although you’ll often get change in BZD, with 2 Belize dollars equaling $1).

Visitors Centers are mostly in English. Although there are quite a lot of Spanish speakers around, interestingly the Visitors Centers I popped into seemed to cater exclusively to English speakers. That said, they were quite helpful.

Some expected groups….
Maya tribes still exist. For some reason I always lumped the Maya in my head with the now-extinct Aztec and Inca Empires. However while the Maya experienced a decline, their culture and traditions continue on across Belize and some nearby countries. I got my most personal experience on a tour of a Mayan chocolate producer, carrying on the traditions of many centuries ago.

And some unexpected ones…
The Chinese. Originally brought to Belize from China as laborers, many of those original Chinese stayed. Today there is also a more recent influx of Chinese looking to build businesses and wealth, or to use Belize as a stepping stone for ultimate relocation to the United States.

Mennonites. It was a surprise when I spotted my first Mennonite family in Belize – the wife in a bonnet and long dress & the husband in denim overalls with a wide-brimmed straw hat. Just like in other places, they also shun technology in Belize and focus on hard work and farming the land.

Belize has the lowest population density in Central America. There are a lot of natural reserves and open, lush swaths of green as you make your way across the country. Enjoy!

And it’s a peace-loving country, one of the few in the region that has not had a civil war. You may associate Central America with some violent conflicts, but it is a point of pride in Belize that handover of power has been a peaceful affair.

Belize also boasts the second-largest barrier reef in the world, after Australia’s Great Barrier Reef. The reef system is just off the coast along most of the country, and is so lengthy that even Charles Darwin was impressed. Opportunities to snorkel and scuba dive abound.

Like anywhere I’ve ever visited, Belize has a bunch of quirks that come with any country, along with some pretty impressive products and traditions and diversity for such a small nation.

But Belize also had so many things that surprised me along the way – I was already jotting down some observations on my first taxi ride from the airport to the bus station!

What’s the most interesting thing you learned about a place while visiting? Anything else you discovered about Belize if you’ve traveled there? Or anything else you’d like to know before you go? Share away in the ‘Comments’ below!

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Top Tips for Taking a Cruise

July 26, 2017 Lana @TravelSavvyGal Comments 0 Comment

“Oh, this is obviously not your first cruise!”

This sentence was uttered at dinner the first night of my most recent cruise, and was spot on about the couple across the way. How did my tablemate know?

What you may not realize is that not all information about taking cruises is intuitive or readily available on your cruise line’s website. So there are all sorts of tips and tricks that you only pick up with experience. And so you if you’ve gone on a cruise before, you can pick out the other experienced cruisers by how they take advantage of this insider knowledge.

My most recent cruise was for just over a week, but now I’ve spent a total of 50 nights of my life sleeping on a cruise ship – that’s nearly two months!

It had been about a decade since my last cruise, so even though I wrote most of these tips the night before I left, I waited until after the cruise to publish them so they could be as thorough as possible. I only had a few new ones to add, though – most of these tips are tried and true over many years and sailings & will still apply when you go.

For ease of reading and planning, the tips are organized into sections:

Before You Go
On the Sailing Date
Aboard the Ship
In Port
At the End of the Cruise

Read on for all the details of how to make the most of your cruise, and happy sailing!

Before You Go

When to Book

There’s probably not an exact magic time to book, although you can get great deals far in advance or last-minute. The best time to book in general though is whenever the cruise line is running a sale. If you have an idea of which cruise lines or itineraries you want to travel, be sure to join the cruise line’s e-mail list to be the first to know when they are running specials.

TIP! I called with a few questions and was intending to book later online, but the agent on the phone then offered a free bottle of wine & fruit and cheese plate if I booked before hanging up. Like in any sales situation, you might get more than expected if you don’t commit at first.

What Room to Choose

No matter what you expect, it’s highly unlikely that you’ll spend much time in the room besides sleeping. So if you’re on a tight budget, book an interior room and save the extra money for extras and excursions. Although if you can afford it and you’re cruising for your honeymoon or want an extra-special experience, by all means go ahead and splurge!

Gratuity for Cruise Staff

Your lovely cruise staff probably works for meager pay with long hours on a moving ship. Back in the day tipping was at your discretion, while on my latest sailing it is compulsory and at a set rate per person, not per room. You had the option to pre-pay, otherwise expect this charge to be a hefty chunk of the charges you amass on board.

TIP! You will be tipping either way, so account for this in your travel budget. For my cruise it was $13.50 per person per day, and a bit more per person if you had a suite. It adds up fast!

Beverage & Internet Packages

No, this is not your typical hotel room with WiFi included, so don’t expect to be spending your time online unless you purchase internet access. And if you’re enjoying cocktails on vacation, that can run anywhere from $10-16 a drink. Like with booking the cruise itself, wait for a SALE. It’s worth paying attention to the pre-cruise messages, I was able to get my beverage package bundled with internet access on a single device at just two-thirds the normal price.

TIP! At least on my most recent ship, the way the internet worked was each person got an access code, but you could switch devices. I mostly used it on my cell phone, but twice switched it to my laptop to do a few things. Don’t get sucked into buying a plan for multiple devices if you won’t need to use more than one at a time.

TIP! I have cruise line status that entitled me to a 15% discount, but the discount during the sale time was still a better deal, especially with packages bundled together.

Dress code

Fortunately I’ve cruised before, so I knew to expect some nights with more formal dress in the Main Dining Room. But this really wasn’t information that was readily available before my cruise without a bit of digging. Even for short cruises of 3 to 5 nights, there’s usually 1 formal evening, and some ships have “smart casual” nights as well. Be prepared with at least one outfit for each, although be advised that “formal” dress can range from a button-down and slacks for men and a dress for woman to a tuxedo and formal ball gown.

TIP! Find out what others in your group will be wearing, and dress to match their level of formality so you all fit in with each other for picture-taking (and feeling comfortable).

Bringing Alcohol On Board

There is usually a limit to the amount of alcohol you can bring with you on board. For my last cruise, this was 2 bottles of wine per room. Be aware that you can request wine glasses and enjoy some in your room, however if you bring your own bottle to a restaurant on board there is typically a corkage fee that can be quite high.

TIP! If you’re bringing your allotted bottles, plan for this with your packing and travel arrangements to the ship, especially if you’re flying in.

Booking Excursions

Excursions are another item that will often be discounted if you book these in advance. And in all likelihood, at least some of the activity options will be offered as part of a pre-cruise sale. Certainly book early if there is something you really want to do, otherwise wait for the cruise line to offer a discount. And there are usually at least some availability after you board, although typically at full price.

Bring Lots of Reading Material

Yes, there is usually a full schedule of events on the ship, but you likely won’t be interested in all of them. I always stock up on books to read before I sail since it’s a bit hard to find new books in the middle of the ocean. Or if magazines or podcasts are your thing, bring more than you think you’ll need, just in case.

READ MORE: Summer Reading List

Join the Rewards Program

You never know when points or status will come in handy. I’ve cruised enough to have status, and there are extra discounts plus an expedited check-in line at the terminal. There’s no reason to wait on this – even if it’s your first cruise, start working toward status now!

Bring Cash for the Casino & Additional Tipping

Sure, you can charge your gambling money to the room no problem. The fine print? There will likely be an additional percentage added on as a fee for the service. Even if you think you might want to gamble a little, bring plenty of cash to maximize your net winnings. You may also want some cash on hand to tip staff along the way (you’ll certainly get better service from your bartenders by doing that!) or for additional gratuity when you depart.

Online Check-In

This is a great way to save time on the check-in day. And it’s not like flying when you can only check in 24 hours in advance, since ships usually require more advance notice to have all the details ready at the cruise terminal. On my ship you needed to check in 3 days in advance, or you had to bring your documents to the terminal and wait for someone to type it into the computer. So basically it saves lots of hassle if you do it yourself ahead of time, find out when the deadline will be for your sailing.

On the Sailing Date

Don’t Arrive in Your Departure City the Same Day you Leave

Whether flying, taking the train or bus, or driving, there is plenty that can go wrong when you plan to arrive the same day as your cruise. And I know of people who have literally missed the boat after a failed flight connection or some other transit delay. Arrive a few days in advance and make a trip of it, or at a minimum, plan to be in town the night before you cruise.

The only exception? If you are an hour or less driving time away. Leave early, and you should have plenty of buffer time to make the cruise. (I was fortunate this time to be a mere 5-minute taxi ride from home to the Cruise Baltimore Terminal!)

Plan to Eat Lunch on Board the First Day

Most ships start boarding in the late morning, so don’t make lunch another logistic to figure out when you can enjoy lunch on board for free. Just be sure to allow enough time for the check-in and boarding process that you’re not finding yourself in line at the cruise terminal getting hangry with your stomach grumbling.

TIP! Find out if there is more than one dining option for lunch when you board. Even if there are multiple options, most people tend to head in a single direction, so you can have a more relaxed and less crowded first meal by hitting up the alternate spot.

Pack a Carry-On Bag with Anything You’ll Need Through Dinner

It is too chaotic on departure day for anyone to board with their full luggage unless you’re a super-light packer, so expect to be separated from most of your things for at least a few hours. A good rule of thumb is to pack all your valuables, plus everything you might need through dinnertime in a carry-on bag. For many this includes a bathing suit if you want to wave goodbye to dry land from the jacuzzi, plus any essential medicines and a camera or other electronics. And if you’re carrying on wine bottles, it’s best to carry those with you to be inspected during your security check.

TIP! Your room will likely be ready right when you board, so you can drop off any heavy carry-on items right away and just keep the essentials with you until your luggage arrives.

Lock your luggage

Your large luggage gets whisked away pretty much on arrival, and will sit around unattended a lot at the terminal and again on the ship. Usually bags are left outside your cabin door until you see it and bring it inside, which might be hours. For peace of mind (and if you like your stuff!) lock your bag.

Aboard the Ship

Maximizing Mealtime

If there is a buffet restaurant, it’s implied that it will be all-you-can-eat. What frequent cruisers know is that all main dining areas are all-you-can-eat, including the formal dining room. Regardless of the meal, don’t be shy about asking for two appetizers if you want both or a special combination of dishes with everything you’d like to eat. There was even one night I wasn’t particularly fond of the appetizer I ordered originally, so requested a different appetizer as a replacement. It’s all included, so take advantage!

Getting Discounts

Booking excursions and beverage or internet packages are usually cheaper in advance when they’re on sale (see above), but lots of other things will be cheaper once you’re on board. Wait for on-board coupons and daily specials – especially for spa bookings and specialty restaurants that aren’t full. Just show some interest without committing, and in all likelihood someone will be able to offer you a service or meal at a discount.

Snagging a Deck Chair with a View

I love a cozy spot to watch the ocean go by, but I hate having to pounce on one of limited spots on the pool deck, which I think gets packed on pretty much every cruise ship. Explore the boat on your first day and find the less-frequented spots, especially on the lower and upper decks. My go to spot for reading and relaxing on my last cruise was Deck 5 under the lifeboats because there were chairs for lounging, beautiful views, it was always in shade, & servers came around to bring you drinks from the bar.

Avoiding Lines for Activities

To avoid lines for sports and activities, don’t go right at the beginning or the end of the time frame. For example, it seemed that the first and last hour of the 3-hour rock climbing time slot was always busy, but there were never long lines during the middle hour.

Corollary: Activities will be packed on the last day of the cruise, hit up anything you want to do before then.

In Port

Beating the Crowds

No matter how organized the ship, getting on and off in port can take some time. You may be allowed to depart first if you have a scheduled excursion, otherwise you’re likely to be waiting in a fairly long line. Just waiting an extra 10-15 minutes before you try to leave can mean a pretty hasty exit.

You’ll also want to avoid boarding in the last half-hour to hour before the ship leaves port, when lines can snake back-and-forth a few times and it can be a bit of a wait. You’ll spend much more time waiting in line as the deadline approaches, possibly with the hot, tropical sun beating down on you. Leave a little late, come back a bit early!

Stay Nearby for a Few Hours Before the Cruise Leaves

Being in port is just like your departure day – you don’t want to be somewhere far when the time for the boat to leave approaches. I’d plan to be back in the vicinity of the ship at least 2 hours before it is scheduled to depart, that way you’re not stuck in some mode of transportation on the far side of the island or somewhere far from port. On this last cruise, the four people you see above arrived 15 minutes after we were supposed to set sail, and nearly got left behind!

Buying Alcohol & Other Duty-Free Items

Usually there is at least one spot, if not several, that is close to port and sells duty-free items. This can be anything from jewelry to bottles of liqueur, and usually they’ll be delivered directly to the ship and dropped off in your stateroom on the final night. Even if you buy alcohol outside of duty-free establishments, it will get confiscated when you board and also returned to you the last evening.

TIP! You won’t have bottles of alcohol while you’re on the ship, so have a plan to carry it off and get it home at the end of the cruise.

Making the Most of Beach Days

Nothing inspires people to set an early-morning alarm like a chance to get an early start on suntanning.

Head out early for beach days if lounging chairs are limited, or if you’d like to get an umbrella or other covered area to spend your time. And bring plenty of sunscreen!

At the End of the Cruise

Additional Gratuity

Even if gratuity is pre-paid or automatic, you’ll likely get the opportunity to leave additional tips for outstanding staff, which they definitely always appreciate. If you think you may want to do this, have some cash on hand at the end of the cruise to leave behind.

Double Check Your Duty-Free & Alcohol Purchases Before You Depart

You’ll probably be so sad that your vacation is ending and focused on stuffing all your clothes back in your bag that you’ll forget all about your duty-free purchases. These are typically delivered on the final night, so keep an eye out and be sure that everything you’re expecting actually arrives before you leave the ship.

Leaving the Ship

Usually there will be the option to self-carry, if you can transport your luggage on your own. It’s nice to have the freedom and flexibility, but you do need to be able to maneuver or possibly carry your own bags. And you may be in line behind people with specific time slots trying to catch airport transfers. The elevators can also get pretty backed up on the departure morning.

The other option is to register for a specific time slot to leave, which means tagging your luggage and having it packed and outside your door the night before ready to be picked up. Then of course you’ll need to wait for your group to be called to exit and again to retrieve your bags when you exit immigration, but are spared all of the time waiting for an elevator and lugging it around.

Know your options, and choose what’s best for you.

There’s certainly no one right way to take a cruise vacation, but whatever your preferences, use these tips to make the most of the experience!

Have you taken a cruise before? Any other questions about the experience? Any tips or tricks that I missed? Share away in the ‘Comments’ below.

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Summer Bucket List: Making the Most of the Season

June 22, 2017 Lana @TravelSavvyGal Comments 0 Comment

Summer is a season where as a child you likely were off from school, and had a whole bunch of activities to enjoy while on vacation. For me, the thought of summer evokes the warmth of the summer sun and memories of playing and frolicking outside while I could. In a way, even then, I had a ‘Summer Bucket List.’

Even though I’m an adult older now, not much has changed. I’ll use any excuse to stay outdoors and have the wind on my face and feel the heat of the sun’s rays. From taking a road trip to dining outside, there are so many ways to take advantage of summer, even if big travel is not in the cards.

Some of these may pass you by if you’re not actively planning, so now is the time to get your ‘Summer Bucket List’ for this year started!

Head to the beach

No ‘Summer Bucket List’ would be complete without some time at the shore. Hot weather is tolerable up to a point, and then all you really want is somewhere to cool off. I love days at the beach because I can cool off in the water, then stay on the sand to dry off and warm up. And depending on which beach you’re at, there will be other activities you can enjoy there as well.

Go camping

It’s not so much fun shivering in a tent, but in warm weather, camping is lovely. This is something you probably won’t want to do for a lot of the year, so block off the time now to get out there. Especially since many campsites fill up in summertime and you may need to reserve in advance, this might be the hardest item on the ‘Summer Bucket List’ to make happen without some forethought.

Cook on a campfire (& make s’mores, of course!)

Camping is great, but even if you don’t go, you can still cook like you are out in nature. Roast some marshmallows, cook some meat on a stick, and get the flavor of the outdoors into your food. And if it gets chilly in the evening, you can warm yourself by the fire.

Watch the sun set

If it’s cold outside, it’s hard for me to get motivated to stand around outside, but in the summertime there are tons of excuses to be outside and watch the sun set. Be sure to pay attention so you don’t miss the beautiful colors for however many moments they last.

Go on a road trip

Driving in cold weather is fine, but it’s so much more enjoyable for me when the weather is nice. Between rolling the windows down and having the breeze blow by, it’s a great way to take in beautiful surroundings, and stop anywhere the mood strikes.

Take a hike

I don’t mean this in a mean way, I literally mean go hiking somewhere. If it’s the peak of summer you’ll want to do this earlier before the heat of the day, but there are lots of great hiking spots that aren’t too strenuous in the heat. And in the summer sun, the views will be amazing!

Travel somewhere cooler

I realize that not everyone is a summer baby like me, so you may not be as comfortable in the absolute heat of the season. Summer can be a great time to venture somewhere with a typically colder climate. I went on a great Alaskan cruise during summer, and lots of people head to places with less extreme temperatures.

Dine at a table outside

For me, it’s a totally different experience to dine out with a heat lamp as opposed to just enjoying a naturally hot day. Summer is a time of year that I try to eat outside whenever possible, and luckily plenty of restaurants by me offer outdoor seating. Enjoy the novelty while it lasts!

Head to a rooftop bar

The warm weather of summer is definitely the time to head to a rooftop bar. Being a bit higher up means great people watching, and if you’re lucky, a bit of a breeze as well. It’s never as fun for me to go to a rooftop bar in winter when the space is enclosed – I much prefer the open air of summer.

See an outdoor sports game

In the US, it’s baseball season, and there are plenty of other outdoor sporting events to attend wherever you are in the world. It’s a chance to support your local team while enjoying the atmosphere of being outside. And it may not be the healthiest, but I love stadium dining once in a while.

Drink iced coffee

When it’s wintertime, I always like my coffee hot, but there’s just something refreshing about iced coffee on a hot day. If you’re a caffeine fiend like me, freeze some coffee so it stays just as strong when the ice melts, but enjoy coffee as a cold beverage to fuel your other summer endeavors.

Enjoy some light summer reading

I like reading a mix of serious and light reads, but summertime for me is mostly about books that are not too weighty. Especially if I’m on vacation. There are a million settings where you can enjoy the nice weather of summer and get engrossed in a novel, find the one that works for you. Or read a book that will inspire your next trip!

BBQ

Whether it’s for a group of friends or just for yourself, the warm weather of summer is the perfect time to cook outside over a fire. The flavor of a grill just screams summer for me, and I love cooking outside as much as I can!

Go on a picnic

Enjoying the outdoors doesn’t necessarily mean planning elaborate travel. It can be as simple as a day trip to a beautiful spot, where you can enjoy a lunch as simple or as intricate as you’d like. And if you do go on that hike, enjoy a picnic lunch along the way.

Take a boat ride

I’m lucky to live quite close to the water, with a water taxi nearby. Even if it’s just traveling across the harbor, there is something so lovely about getting out on a boat. And it’s all the more wonderful when you have extended time to be out on a boat tour, or if you’re lucky enough to have a boat (or know someone who does). Take advantage this summer!

Watch an outdoor movie or play

Lots of cities around the world offer outdoor movies during the summer season or some variation on a play in a park. I even saw an outdoor opera once! There are plenty of performances outside, or even movie screenings to enjoy, be sure to block off the time.

Eat your favorite summer foods again and again

There are certain foods that evoke summertime. Perhaps it’s a slice of watermelon or a barbecued corn-on-the-cob. Indulge those summer memories and seek out your favorite foods of the season.

Plan fall travel!

I’ve actually already started planning for fall this week. I booked a long weekend in Detroit to visit friends in early October, and am eyeing possible foodie weekends in a few spots, including Mexico City. Even though it’s time to savor summer, don’t forget about taking advantage of slightly cooler temperatures when autumn arrives.

What do you have planned for the summer? Anything I should add to my ‘Summer Bucket List’? Tell me all about in in the ‘Comments’ below!

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Rules for Travel That I Swear By

June 20, 2017 Lana @TravelSavvyGal Comments 0 Comment

Travel is something so personal, so particular to the individual, that it might seem weird to think about rules for travel. Certainly you should take trips that work for you, but over lots of different types of travel – backpacking, luxury, weekend getaways, & everything in between – I have honed my own travel savvy guidelines for making the most of any trip:

The first time you see something you like, buy it. It sounds simple enough, but in the moment of traveling, I often succumb to wondering if the price will be better if I wait and find the item somewhere else or if I’ll find something I like more later. Overwhelmingly, any time I didn’t buy something I liked, I went on to regret it (like that oil and vinegar holder shaped like a bunch of grapes in Siena, Italy that I didn’t buy). Often you won’t see something again, or the next version will be pricier, which is how this became one of my top rules for travel. You’ll save yourself a lot of stress if you just buy something you want, when you see it first.

Keep expectations low. I don’t mean to be a downer here, and you don’t always have to assume the worst case scenario, but when traveling it doesn’t hurt to do a bit of contingency planning. Or at least keep expectations minimal. Either an experience will meet your low expectations . . . or you’ll end up pleasantly surprised, like I did at the Al Alam Palace in Muscat, Oman (pictured above). When you have high hopes going into the unknown, it often results in disappointment, while starting off with low expectations often results in surprise and delight!

Minimize the number of different places you sleep. It’s always nicer to have a home base for a few consecutive nights than packing up all your stuff and checking out each morning. On my recent 8-night trip to Belize, I only stayed in 2 different places (San Ignacio & Placencia) and loved using these spots as jumping off points for excursions and exploring during the day. That said, sometimes you do have several consecutive single nights to accommodate your itinerary, and the rules for travel go out the window. But when this happens, I try to pad it on either side with multiple nights somewhere, which helps avoid extra re-packing and maximizes travel time each day.

Pay attention to (and follow!) local norms. Really take in your surroundings and how the local people behave. This can be anything from how to order at the neighborhood coffee shop to how people ride public transportation. And an important one in many places with basic sewage systems – in the bathroom, when you notice a trash bin filled with toilet paper, it means that the toilet paper shouldn’t be flushed, and you should follow suit.

Crowd source all street directions. Definitely don’t assume that because you asked a local how to get somewhere, that you got accurate information. First of all, in some cultures people never say they don’t know something, so you might be getting directions from someone completely clueless. But even if not, a local can be mistaken or confused about where you’re heading. If I’m turned around, I’ll ask one person for directions that I start following, but maybe a minute later I’ll ask someone else, and again a few minutes later. If you talk to enough people, you’ll be pointed the right way!

Look like you have nothing of value. I’m not really a backpacker anymore most times that I travel, but I sure look like one most of the time. Pickpockets and the like are always sizing people up based on appearances, so I try to look like I own nothing worth stealing. Although I flew Emirates First to Sri Lanka (thanks, free upgrade!), I took my large backpack as my suitcase, which meant that when the 1^st class car was sold out, I was able to take the 2^nd class train cars within the country without being a target. And on my recent trip around Asia, Australia, and the Middle East, I traveled with my old, shredding, barely-white-anymore cloth purse. Even though I had a fair bit of cash on me at the outset, no one even showed remote interest in my ratty handbag, which is just the way I like it.

Be aware of your surroundings. This is one of my top rules for travel. It’s easy to get caught up in sightseeing, but it is at the most incredible sights that people are likely to prey on tourists. Enjoy your travels, but don’t do it at the expense of a bit of travel savvy. There’s a lot you can tell about a place just by observing, so make it a point to consciously check out the area around you as you go, and trust your gut instincts if something doesn’t feel right. It doesn’t need to be logical, but only stick around the areas where you feel comfortable.

Take calculated risks. No matter how you travel, or how much you plan out ahead of time, you’ll inevitably end up in situations where you’ll need to trust someone. Like that time my friend and I left our bags behind to swim to the island of Bled in Slovenia. Or on my recent Belize trip when I brought my valuables to a local waterfall for the day, fairly certain that it would be small enough I could easily watch my things, and that they’d be safer with me than left unattended at my guesthouse. Be cautious, but caution doesn’t mean taking *no* risks.

Pack as if you will have to carry your luggage up and down stairs by yourself. Because let’s be real, often you will. Even in decently fancy places, there is not always an elevator and the bellhop may not be nearby when you arrive or leave. And there have been countless times in airports that I’ve boarded outside where you have to climb up and down the stairs yourself. If you can’t carry your luggage, you’ve packed too much!

If you have the opportunity to take an earlier bus or train, do it! Transportation can be unpredictable and you never know what might happen if you wait. I’ve passed on the opportunity to take an earlier mostly empty bus, only to find myself later elbowing hordes of people to catch the next bus that arrives, already overcrowded. Even if you’ve pre-booked a ticket for later transportation, you can often ride sooner for no extra cost if you just ask.

Corollary: Transit time always takes longer than you think, so plan accordingly. Even at home, buses and trains and planes don’t always arrive on time. And in foreign countries, you usually have no idea how reliable transportation is until after you arrive. Plan your itinerary to allow for some buffer time between connections, to ensure you don’t miss a key transfer.

Say yes to the unexpected! Some of my best travel experiences have been when I took a leap of faith and yes to something outside of my comfort zone, like having a local we had just met guide me and my sister through a cave in Oman. Or putting complete faith in a restaurant owner to serve me a mix of the best dishes, without asking about the price. Still not convinced? Read the book Yes Man, one of my Top Books to Inspire Travel, about all the adventures you’ll have if you say yes more.

Do you follow any of the same ‘rules for travel’? Are there other rules that guide your travel? I’d love to hear them!

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Confessions of a Travel Addict (& all the other ways I get my fix)

June 13, 2017 Lana @TravelSavvyGal Comments 0 Comment

As I walk out of the theater, the bustle of Times Square and the city of New York surrounds me, but I am pleasantly removed from it all as I float along, caught up in my thoughts. Thinking about the play, considering the characters.

I can’t bear the thought of checking my cell phone to see what happened in the intervening time. So I don’t.

I am drawn toward Central Park, so begin meandering north. I feel an urgent need for some beauty and nature – trees & grass & sky. Things that are green and blue. Things that are vibrantly alive.

And standing there in this spot, seeing the NYC skyscrapers yet also seeing the leaves framing it, I know that in a world that feels like it’s gone mad sometimes, maybe art and beauty is all we have?

“Rome is burning, and you want to put on a play?”
“Rome is always burning.”
-‘Indecent’

Indecent, which I saw last week, was the Broadway play that inspired these feelings and musings. While set nearly 100 years ago, it resonated with me on a deep level and felt incredibly applicable to today’s world. It’s not the time to shy away from art, it’s the time to embrace it wholeheartedly.

And in the age of a constant news cycle, it’s so each to become numb and desensitized, with people already spinning the news before the facts have even been reported, theater helps you to feel.

I love experiencing the rush of seeing the world outside with completely different eyes after emerging from live theater, done well. A story that takes you on a journey, and at the end, the actors have laid bare the core of humanity and touched your soul. And you want to extend that moment for as long as possible.

That is the life cycle of watching a play or musical live, and I crave the experience. And writing it all out and thinking about the emotions live theater evokes for me, was when I realized it. The arc of live theater is just like the arc of travel for me. >And I just can’t get enough.

Stages of the Travel Experience

My grandfather always said that there are three stages of travel: the anticipation, the experience of travel itself, and savoring the memories afterward. He was right, of course, although I complicate most things and find a bit more nuance to the arc of the travel experience.

And yes, I’m admittedly a travel addict, but I also can’t get enough of live theater. Or spending days outdoors hiking or rock climbing. What is it that I crave about each of those experiences, travel included?

Planning & Anticipation

Okay, so my grandpa was right about this part, the pre-trip experience is all about the anticipation! Of what you might see or do when you travel. For me, this often involves doing some research in advance. But even if I don’t make it anywhere on my list, just going through that planning process gives me satisfaction. Whether it’s which play to see, where to go hiking, or what travel destination I’ll hit up next, the anticipation is always the first part of the experience for me.

Uncertainty

Of course, no how little or how much advance planning you undertake, life is unpredictable. But this uncertainty, for me, is also part of the emotional journey. Wondering what a new country be like when I arrive, what is around the next bend of the hike, what will the main character of a play do when caught in an impossible choice. Even on the unusual occasion when things do go as planned, you don’t know that it will happen ahead of time, it only becomes apparent when you’re in that moment. Keeping you on your toes, experiencing the world.

Emotions Along the Way

Of course, not every travel experience is wonderful. I’ve heard people often say that it will either be a great experience or a great story. Like possibly my craziest hotel check-in ever in Bulgaria last summer (great story) or the wonderful time I had on my recent visit to Belize (great experience). In the rush of emotions, good or bad, I always feel palpably alive, and try to savor the full range of emotions that I’m experiencing.

A Change in Perspective

For experiences that really touch you, whether seeing a transformative theater performance or taking that life-changing trip, you never quite look at the world in the same way. I like to think that I come out of these experiences with new eyes. Taking a kinder look at a stranger after exposure to a different culture or the opportunity to see the world through another point of view. And I crave whatever experience will shake things up for me!

Reflection

Now to that post-travel step my grandfather always talked about. Looking back and savoring the journey. When I reflect, I find myself wanting to extend those moments just a little bit longer, like I experienced on a recent theater-going day. Whether it is walking for a bit completely disengaged from technology like I did last week in New York, or delaying unpacking when you return home from a big trip because you want the visual reminder of where you’ve been, looking back is a special part of the experience for me as well.

End of the Journey

There is always a sense of catharsis or the satisfaction of having reached the end of a journey, and that moment of calm is part of the emotional cycle that keeps me a travel addict – always coming back for more. It’s a form of meditation, when your mind is naturally blank after a day of physical or emotional exertion, or at the end of a trip. Even if a theater performance provokes unease or I feel more exhaustion than satisfaction for all of those great travel stories, there is still a sense of calm and peacefulness at each experience coming to a close.

Until Next Time

If you’re a travel addict like me, you know what happens next. The moment one journey finishes of course, you’re looking forward to when you get to have the experience all over again! Feeling the emotional highs and lows, pushing yourself to your limits, and getting to the essence of what it means to be alive.

There’s no denying that the arc of travel for me is an experience that stretches me to grow in beautiful and unexpected ways. Even when I am not traveling, the drive for those emotions is so strong that I’ve found all sorts of other ways to fulfill that urge. To feel my humanity. To take that journey. To acutely experience being alive.

So that’s when I plan an outing to see live theater. Or go on a hike. Or spend a day rock climbing in a beautiful location.

I’ve been an avid theater-goer for the last 20 years, almost to the day. I’ve been rock climbing for 23 years, and hiking since I was little. Even several decades after I began to do each, I still actively seek out these things. Nourishing my soul. And I travel. A lot.

The truest confession of this travel addict? I am unapologetically hooked.

Do you find the same fulfillment that I do from the experience of travel? And when you’re not on the road, how do you get your “travel fix”? Are you seeking out activities with similar emotional experiences like I seem to be? I’d love to hear your thoughts and insights, share away in the ‘Comments’ below!

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