Travel Tips.

I started this blog in 2009 with no future plans for it. As you can see, I haven't utilized it much. But as I continue to visit as many countries as I reasonably can, I've started collecting a number of travel tips that need to be committed to e-paper. Otherwise, they'll eventually take their own vacation from my memory. I may add to this later, but here goes what I've got so far -- in no particular order:

1. How do you figure out where to go? Start small by spending very little money and staying local. You should first figure out what you like to do. Are you a history buff? Do you like churches? Maybe "foodie" is on your resume. Whether it's haunted houses or knitting, first figure out what makes your brain click at home *and then* go out and spend the big bucks looking for those same things abroad or elsewhere.

2. Believe it or not, but traveling alone is GREAT. The pessimist might worry about being lonely, but I've never had that experience. By traveling alone, you don't have to worry about someone else's schedule, accommodating anyone else's diet or budget, or making anyone else happy other than yourself. Yes, it'll be more expensive on the hotel front but nowadays there are so many more options available to keep you from breaking the bank.

3. Speaking of traveling alone -- when dining out, EAT AT THE BAR. Even if there are 2-3 of you, eat at the freakin' bar. Many reasons: 1) the bartender will be your new, instant friend; 2) you will meet fun, interesting people who are also eating at the bar; 3) you can almost always get a seat at the bar -- even at the hippest joints with no available reservations for months. If you do not drink booze, I cannot help you. Another bit of advice: when traveling alone, limit your drinks to two. Three tops.

4. Always pack an emergency dress. In the summer, pack an emergency swimsuit - especially if you're traveling in Texas.

5. When packing, take as little crap with you as possible. My BFF taught me how to travel with carry-ons ONLY and it has been life changing. I realize this is not always possible, but I strongly encourage you to give it a shot. I also try to pack with as little as possible but with a little bit of room left over. After all, what good is purchasing an awesome souvenir if you can't bring it back with you?

6. And speaking of souvenirs, don't do it - unless it's something awesome for yourself. Most people back home don't give two shits.

7. This one is a little harder, but my brother is **awesome** at it. A good alternative to bringing back souvenirs for your dad/siblings/neighbor -- send a postcard! But don't forget to simultaneously purchase your postage when you buy the postcard. 99% of the time, the vendors will have them (unless you're buying it from a street vendor). Not sure where to drop it in the email? Your hotel will (especially if you tip!). And if you're AirBnB-ing it? They'll also know. One other thing: be sure to write the date on your postcard. It's always fun to see how long it takes to reach its destination.

8. Tipping. Even though you may be traveling to a country where tipping is not customary, you might be expected to tip simply because you're an American and it's *our* custom to do so. (I'm guessing you're an American if you're reading this. And probably one of my personal friends because I surely don't have a wide audience. Or *any* audience, for that matter. #sadface) The most varied experience I've had was in Mexico City: some places did not expect a tip; some places asked if you'd like to tip; and other places pretty much expected it.

9. Before you go (and this applies to international travel, not domestic), practice your conversions. What does 69 degrees Fahrenheit translate to in Celsius? Is 2 degrees really that cold? And what about meters to miles? Etc. For money conversions, get an app. I like XE Currency Converter. But it's been the temperature one that has popped up most frequently for me.

10. If you're going to post pictures to Instagram/Facebook, do it when you're back at the hotel for the night with access to wifi. You're not gonna want to post updates later, back in the States, once you've returned home.

11. And another thing about FB! Do not compare your trip to others'. You will inevitably have someone comment, "you should have told me you were going to XYZ." Yeah yeah yeah, like I'm a freakin' mind reader? THANKS. (Also: don't be one of those people.) If you want advice or trip ideas, ask it early. Otherwise, be prepared to shrug off those type of comments. And going back to my original comment (sorry, I got sidetracked), one of your friends will inevitably also be traveling to wherever it is you're going / have gone. Do not compare your trip to theirs! Yes, it might look awesome from this side of the computer, but that's the beauty of FB: you can filter out the crap and make everything look awesome. Be happy with what you've accomplished and never forget that you will *never* be able to do everything everywhere you go. So don't lament what didn't happen. Just go back! But pick a different season next time.

12. Don't be afraid of public transportation. Most big cities have transportation systems that are easy to navigate (NYC notwithstanding). And language barriers can be difficult to overcome, especially when you're in a city without a data plan or cellular service. Case in point: Seoul, Korea, has an *awesome* subway system. But if you want to risk it with the cabbies, good luck. Because the cab drivers don't speak English and you cannot fake Korean. True story.

13. Figure out what the local food is and give it a shot! Almost everyone has some culinary marvel they're proud of. And when in doubt, ask whether it's okay to drink the water. Actually, just go ahead and ask. The only time I've had a problem was in Korea -- a bottle of water I purchased turned out to be the equivalent of Coca Cola's Dasani. And if you're not already aware, Dasani lists magnesium sulfate, potassium chloride, and salt in its ingredients list (oh, and also water). I don't know which one of those ingredients is the devil, but it does very terrible things to me. I very quickly realized this (albeit the hard way), but once I switched to tap water and avoided that particular brand of water, I was fine.

14. Yes, we live in an electronic world - but be sure to also take a physical printout of your hotel accommodations or travel plans with you just. in. case.

Alright, that's it for now! If you have anything specific you'd like to know, drop your question into the comments. Thanks!