Tips for the Travel Savvy
Greets everyone!
Well it is my third day without an office, computer or internet here in Kenya, so I am probably going to be looking into different avenues for energy during my remaining month in Kenya. The good news is that my buddy got his work visa today (after a short 8 month waiting period) so he is finally free to leave to his country in December... which equates to INDIA TRIP! As well as that i have officially decided to start looking into my Europe and Thailand trip which will start right after the India trip!
Basically that equates to about 37 days left here in Kenya before i shove off to Asia and tackle my 4th continent this year!
Based upon that I have come up with a short list of advice that I can extend to those of you looking to travel to the third world or any other place!
This list was compiled based off many of the hardships I have experienced on my journey, and for god sakes.. don't pull a Devan and NOT listen to the advice even if you have a believe that "it could never happen to me" because I was foolish enough to believe it and have since been in trouble more times than I care to remember.
- Do not get too drunk on your 21st birthday in a foreign town REGARDLESS of how many people you go with... Most likely you will end up stumbling away from them anyway and getting robbed by a cabbie.
- Do not believe prices that cab drivers, Matatu drivers or donkey owners when it comes to transportation. Because quite frankly, the more foriegn you seem, the more likely you are to be an easy target. The best advice I can give is to try and travel with a local or just ask the hotel manager how much it should cost for transport. Also, be sure that you have a map or a really good idea of where you are headed so that they can not take you on a journey. OH and despite how much fun you THINK a donkey is going to be to ride.. most likely you will just end up sore and covered in feces. Yes.. this is speaking from experience... those little buggars are fast and they don't have a break readily available.
- Always fully research a country over Lonely planet and by talking to people who have been there. IF it doesn't sound like a place you would feel comfortable with.. mostlikely you won't do well to WORK there for an extended period. That said, being a REAL tourist (personal driver, high-class hotel) is definitely recommended for any country. I have seen those pasty white people driving in their hired cars and they are as happy as pigs in mud about everything. So definitely put thought into the skills and experiences you are hoping to have then look at countries and cultures which fit into that goal. It is something that i wish i would have done, so this is most important.
- ENSURE YOU HAVE A COMFORTABLE PLACE TO LIVE BEFORE YOU GO TO A COUNTRY. I cannot begin to stress this enough. It has made my time here a negative one.. with the knowledge that I have a place to store my stuff that is safe and private.. it has made me relax for the first time since touching down. If you are uncomfortable with anything you are given in terms of living conditions.. change it and DEMAND change quickly. In business i know I will be much better suited to a country if I feel comfortable where I am staying.
- Always open a line of credit back in your home country before you leave, as well, get another credit card and debit card made up and be sure to leave all of the extras with your family. Money management is a huge issue when you are away.. and if you aren't the budgetting type (as I am) make sure that you oinyl take out small amounts or give yourself a set amount of money for a month. In any country.. money is king. It can get you ANYTHING done quickly, especially in the third world.
- Never lose your own identity when trying to become a part of a culture. While people truly appreciate the efforts you go to to try and adapt to their culture the fact of the matter is, unless you REALLY like the culture and are seeking to make it your own culture... you are still different and it is that reason that makes you special here. You are an individual... never forget the special gifts you have... it is really because I feel I have lost my identity and what makes me special that my time here has laso been so difficult. Everything has been so different i fear that I will be so different when I go back home that I won't have things in common with the people who I love.
- Be sure that you are happy in what you are doing... if not don't be afraid to quit. Sometimes in life you get to the point that you realize that everything you had set out to achieve has been side-tracked by things that are outside of your sphere of influence. If it gets to that point.. be sure to find other ways to amuse yourself. If your whole trip is ruined then all the money and time you have put into making the journey will have been wasted. So remember.. make the most of your trip, even if sometimes that means changing the entire focus.
- If you don't know the area, don't party. Don't just hop into a brand new area and crack a cold one, ther eis no doubt that something negative will happen. If you aren't big on drinking at all, good for you... while travel is fun when you party.. it may lead to things which you were not even aware of: muggings, druggings etc.
This is a short part of the list I will be compiling as a guide of traveling for my friends across the world.
I have finally have a place to live, infact I do.. its just a matter of helping someone move out and I finally have a place to rest my head for an entire month. Pretty exciting!
Hope everything is great with you!
Devan
PS: Actual line I used to get a guy who kept sleeping on my shoulder on a 8 hour bus ride (done in a southern american accent):
"Does this look like yo' mama's chest? Get your head off me BOY"
(This dude was big and he just grunted and rolled over as other people around him laughed)
Well it is my third day without an office, computer or internet here in Kenya, so I am probably going to be looking into different avenues for energy during my remaining month in Kenya. The good news is that my buddy got his work visa today (after a short 8 month waiting period) so he is finally free to leave to his country in December... which equates to INDIA TRIP! As well as that i have officially decided to start looking into my Europe and Thailand trip which will start right after the India trip!
Basically that equates to about 37 days left here in Kenya before i shove off to Asia and tackle my 4th continent this year!
Based upon that I have come up with a short list of advice that I can extend to those of you looking to travel to the third world or any other place!
This list was compiled based off many of the hardships I have experienced on my journey, and for god sakes.. don't pull a Devan and NOT listen to the advice even if you have a believe that "it could never happen to me" because I was foolish enough to believe it and have since been in trouble more times than I care to remember.
- Do not get too drunk on your 21st birthday in a foreign town REGARDLESS of how many people you go with... Most likely you will end up stumbling away from them anyway and getting robbed by a cabbie.
- Do not believe prices that cab drivers, Matatu drivers or donkey owners when it comes to transportation. Because quite frankly, the more foriegn you seem, the more likely you are to be an easy target. The best advice I can give is to try and travel with a local or just ask the hotel manager how much it should cost for transport. Also, be sure that you have a map or a really good idea of where you are headed so that they can not take you on a journey. OH and despite how much fun you THINK a donkey is going to be to ride.. most likely you will just end up sore and covered in feces. Yes.. this is speaking from experience... those little buggars are fast and they don't have a break readily available.
- Always fully research a country over Lonely planet and by talking to people who have been there. IF it doesn't sound like a place you would feel comfortable with.. mostlikely you won't do well to WORK there for an extended period. That said, being a REAL tourist (personal driver, high-class hotel) is definitely recommended for any country. I have seen those pasty white people driving in their hired cars and they are as happy as pigs in mud about everything. So definitely put thought into the skills and experiences you are hoping to have then look at countries and cultures which fit into that goal. It is something that i wish i would have done, so this is most important.
- ENSURE YOU HAVE A COMFORTABLE PLACE TO LIVE BEFORE YOU GO TO A COUNTRY. I cannot begin to stress this enough. It has made my time here a negative one.. with the knowledge that I have a place to store my stuff that is safe and private.. it has made me relax for the first time since touching down. If you are uncomfortable with anything you are given in terms of living conditions.. change it and DEMAND change quickly. In business i know I will be much better suited to a country if I feel comfortable where I am staying.
- Always open a line of credit back in your home country before you leave, as well, get another credit card and debit card made up and be sure to leave all of the extras with your family. Money management is a huge issue when you are away.. and if you aren't the budgetting type (as I am) make sure that you oinyl take out small amounts or give yourself a set amount of money for a month. In any country.. money is king. It can get you ANYTHING done quickly, especially in the third world.
- Never lose your own identity when trying to become a part of a culture. While people truly appreciate the efforts you go to to try and adapt to their culture the fact of the matter is, unless you REALLY like the culture and are seeking to make it your own culture... you are still different and it is that reason that makes you special here. You are an individual... never forget the special gifts you have... it is really because I feel I have lost my identity and what makes me special that my time here has laso been so difficult. Everything has been so different i fear that I will be so different when I go back home that I won't have things in common with the people who I love.
- Be sure that you are happy in what you are doing... if not don't be afraid to quit. Sometimes in life you get to the point that you realize that everything you had set out to achieve has been side-tracked by things that are outside of your sphere of influence. If it gets to that point.. be sure to find other ways to amuse yourself. If your whole trip is ruined then all the money and time you have put into making the journey will have been wasted. So remember.. make the most of your trip, even if sometimes that means changing the entire focus.
- If you don't know the area, don't party. Don't just hop into a brand new area and crack a cold one, ther eis no doubt that something negative will happen. If you aren't big on drinking at all, good for you... while travel is fun when you party.. it may lead to things which you were not even aware of: muggings, druggings etc.
This is a short part of the list I will be compiling as a guide of traveling for my friends across the world.
I have finally have a place to live, infact I do.. its just a matter of helping someone move out and I finally have a place to rest my head for an entire month. Pretty exciting!
Hope everything is great with you!
Devan
PS: Actual line I used to get a guy who kept sleeping on my shoulder on a 8 hour bus ride (done in a southern american accent):
"Does this look like yo' mama's chest? Get your head off me BOY"
(This dude was big and he just grunted and rolled over as other people around him laughed)
1 Comments:
At 5:48 AM, Devan Legare said…
Well put.
It is/was definitely a difficult time in my life and it is good to have the views of those strangers who peer in through this little window I have created here on the web to put their oar in the water.
It does sound like you have had extensive traveling experience. Where have you visited?
Post a Comment
Links to this post:
Create a Link
<< Home