As the world is slowly getting back into the travel groove, so do tens of thousands of people around the world who rent out their properties on platforms such as AirBnB and the millions who use these properties for their travel accommodations. AirBnB has grown from an apartment-based San Francisco startup into a multi-billion dollar…
Category: Travel Wisdom
Politics and Travel
2020 will remain in history not only as one of the most disruptive year for travel due to the coronavirus pandemic, but also the year of many political unrests and tense situations around the world. Protests in Hong Kong, Thailand, Belarus, just to name a few, elections in the US, the war between Armenia and…
My Thoughts on Elephant Riding
Recently, I had a chance to spend an hour riding an elephant in a village near Chiang Rai, in northern Thailand. Some of you progressively-minded readers might gasp in horror – how irresponsible of me. Don’t I know how awful it is for the animals’ spines and how badly these elephants are treated in the…
Yes, I am Concerned About the Coronavirus!
A few weeks ago, I wrote about my thoughts on the (still beginning) coronavirus pandemic and its travel-related implications. At that time, I’ll admit, they were somewhat nonchalant. Boy, has the situation changed since then. The world is in full-blown scare. Tens of thousands of people are being infected far outside of China, the initial…
10 Items You Should Never Lose On Your Trip
Last week, while lounging on a beach on a small Thai island, I went into the sea with my waterproof camera in the pocket of my shorts. The waves were a bit rough, and getting out of the water was challenging. I managed to cut my foot a bit on a sharp rock while doing…
7 Bad Habits Of Backpackers
As humans or various cultures and languages, we have a few things in common, regardless of our background. We may not always understand each other, but there are certain unspoken rules, or guidances if you will, that keep us together as humans. Nowhere else are these rules as important as when we travel, but unfortunately,…
Transportation Primer: Taxis
In my previous post, I wrote about the basics of bus transportation. Now, let’s talk about taxis. From my experience, taxi and other small vehicle drivers are some of the most dishonest, most aggressive people you are likely to meet in just about any country. These are rough men, hardened by the years behind the…
Transportation Primer: Buses
As a traveler, outside the place where you stay the night, you will spend most of your time on the road. And unless you are on a multi-day hike or a bike ride, that means some mode of transportation. As someone who has countless hours of experience with pretty much every mode of transportation, from…
The “20-Dollar Rule” and Other Useful Hotel Tips
In one of the previous posts, we discussed the pros and cons of accommodations in hotels, hostels, AirBnB or Couchsurfing. I will now share the most widely known secret that lots of inexperienced travelers are unaware of. Based on my experience of around-the-world travels, you can find a room in a hotel for $20 plus/minus…
Hostel? Hotel? AirBnB? Your Accommodation Options Abroad
When it comes to budget accommodations on your journey, many young backpackers choose to stay in hostels. It appears to be almost a rite of passage – to stay in a big, famous party dorm where beer and music never stop. And I get it. After all, a huge part of backpacking is socializing and…