So, I love to travel. It is my number one favorite thing to do. The planning and the prep stresses me out to no end, but once I get past security and am in the airport, I am just SO PUMPED about the adventure ahead. I really believe that I am the best version of me when I am somewhere new, on an adventure, soaking it all in. I don't really like the term wanderlust because lord, it has been so overused but yeah, I got it bad.
I wouldn't consider myself an "expert,"but I have to say, I'm pretty damn good at it by now. When I renewed my passport two years ago, I got extra pages and it made it my goal to fill them all up by the time it expired. Haven't filled up all 50 yet, but I have used up 10 pages with seven countries in two years, so I'm on my way.
With all this traveling comes a lot of reading blogs, pinteresting and asking for advice. There are people that are better at it than me, and feel free to google for more extensive information, but here are thoughts and tips for living your best travel life.
A little heads up: I am NOT a free spirit, play it by ear, let's see what happens kind of traveler. I don't plan out every day, either, but if you want to fly by the seat of your pants, ignore all these tips because they are for someone a little more pulled together than that. I am also past the stage of traditional hostels, just so you know. Also, I am wordy as hell so get ready for some quality reading.
1. PLAN AHEAD.
Omg, I cannot stress this enough. First, you will probably get a better deal. Second, then you will have a long time to look forward to something and third, you have more time to plan and
really think about what and how you want to spend your trip. I like having a plan. I am not going to type up an itinerary but I always make a list (I LOVE LISTS) of the top things I want to do/see/eat/buy and decide which things are NOT TO BE MISSED. Lately, I have been going on trips with a set mission (get wedding dress made, go to a friend's wedding, eat ramen), but sometimes if I'm just on a vacation, I like to have an idea of what cool things I should check out. I don't get too stressed about picking the best and coolest and highest reviewed, but I know from experience that trying to plan a trip when you're already there (especially with limited time) is stressful, annoying and can be a waste of time. Double that if you're traveling with someone because you have to worry about however they're feeling as well. Almost everywhere has wifi these days, so you're not going to be stranded BUT you still have to shift through all the nonsense, so you might as well do that before you leave. I guess I like to just have some sort of outline. Because you and I both know nothing EVER goes to plan, so let's not kid ourselves. There will often be some sort of delay, cancellation, closing, or a better offer presented. Don't stress trying to plan every detail, but prioritize the things you really want to see. And also don't let anything make or break your trip because there is nothing worse than being grumpy on vacation and regretting it later.
Bottom line: Make an outline, keep it loose, keep it tight.
How I plan:
Flights:
Skyscanner is a really great resource for Asia travel, as it has the low budget options that Kayak and sometimes Google doesn't have. Google flights is fantastic if you are REALLY flexible because it lets you look at different locations, as well as dates. I've been lucky enough to randomly pick destinations like that once or twice and it is hella fun. Now that I'm in my more grown up life, I have time constraints and Skyscanner is awesome for showing my where I can go for the cheapest. Kayak is pretty irrelevant here because there are SO many cheap airlines that don't show up on it. Depending on the length of the flight, a budget airline is a great option. Lucky me, I'm short and don't need a lot of leg room. This can be a problem for some people, so be careful. Also, these airlines often don't provide ANY sort of refreshment, including water (it's not free), so try your damnedest to get a snack to bring on board. Peach is great for Japan, VietJet for Vietnam, Cebu Pacific for The Philippines and Eastar Jet and AirAsia (I think these give you water) for various places around Asia. Decide how long you can last with limited leg room and no water. If you can find a deal or have the budget, opt for Korean Air, Asiana or any of the fancier country-named airlines (Vietnam Airlines, Air Japan, etc) because they will give you a meal even if the flight is just two hours! Also, Korean Air is HELLA NICE and you will wonder why every thing in life can't be so lovely.
When I have destination in mind, I will look at 3-4 different sites just to get an idea of my options. If I have a lot of time, I will set an alert and wait a few weeks to see if I can get a better price. When time is of the essence, I decide on a max budget and then just hope for the best. You can make yourself crazy trying to find the best possible price, so unless you have the patience of a saint, you need to make some decisions. If you are far enough ahead of time, you can usually find some good prices and if you are flexible with times, you can defintely wait for a deal. If you have set vacation time, bite the bullet and buy the ticket. The price will probably keep going up and then you're really going to be pissed you waited (like I have done multiple times). Book your shit and then double check on it a few weeks before your departure to make sure they haven't changed anything up on you. Once I booked a Delta flight waaaaay far in advance and no one told me they moved the flight forward by 4 hours (WHO DOES THAT?) and my angry dumb ass was. stuck in the airport for 7 hours. Got some SkyMiles out of it, but it was not worth it. Anyway, always check in online and double check all yo shit.
I am lucky enough to be financially secure enough to not have to take the absolute cheapest flight available anymore, because those often involve an absurd layover in some godforsaken airport. I honestly don't even know why some of these itineraries are an option because half the time you could walk to your destination in the layover time, but whatever. Some people have more patience and less money than me. But, please, do think
very hard about how much you value money over time. Is $100 worth sleeping on the airport floor for 13 hours? And be especially conscience of
when your layover is, because you might think you have 13 hours to explore your layover destination, but not if it's overnight! Also, be careful if you do venture out of the airport because they are not always close to anything and you have to think about when you need to be back and if traffic is going to allow that. Plus you have to drag around your luggage (if you have a 13 hour layover, you are probably too cheap to check your bag) and go through security again. If you decide to stay in the airport, make sure things will be open and there are decent places to eat and entertain yourself. Not all airports are created equal. If you ever get the chance to have a 13 hour layover in Incheon, Korea, do it! Its a fabulous airport. I do NOT recommend doing the same in Manila.
Hotels:
So, I've had run-ins with two major accommodation sites at this point in life so I am currently re-evaluating my attitude, in case it's actually me that is the problem. Basically, I used Hotels . com a lot because they have a great rewards program that was a nice benefit. But, I missed some of the fine print (and an email, apparently) and they wiped ALL my points after a year of not staying in a hotel with them. A year doesn't seem like an unreasonable amount of time to not stay in a hotel! Whatever, it's mostly my fault but dammit! Also, I have used Airbnb 4 times now and 3 out of the 4 have been pretty sucky. That is for another post (I already had a fb rant) but I don't know that I'll be using it again.
Regardless, it's REALLY important to read ALL the fine print and reviews when booking a hotel. Finding a nice budget hotel can be tricky business, so you kind of have to decide to decide what is on YOUR list of priorities. Budget alone? Find, pick the cheapest and have fun with the roaches and low water pressure. Amenities? Choose something pricier with a good reputation. Need to balance them? Get ready to shave off years of your life comparing and reading reviews. Some things you need to keep in mind, however, when doing any of it are what you need for a good stay. These are some things to consider, in case you are like me and have a terrible memory.
-bed comfort
-bathroom situation (shared, tub?, water pressure)
-distance to shit you want to go to
-distance to airport (especially if it's your first or last night somewhere)
-noise level
-free breakfast?
-distance to public transportation (unless you're somewhere with cheap ass taxis)
-food options available (close to restaurants, etc)
-cleanliness (duh)
-pool?
-how new is it (it can be a good thing, but it can also be SUPER awkward when you're the only guest)
In more expensive destinations like Hong Kong and Japan, it is going to be
really difficult to find a cheap, nice hotel. I actually ended up staying in a hostel in Hong Kong (I broke my own rule), but I was traveling alone and it was nicer than I thought. Plus, everything else was outrageous. In Japan, I went for budget and had to suck it up in terms of cleanliness and comfort. I have yet to brave a capsule hotel, but heard good things from people that like sleeping in places where they can't sit up all the way. Cheaper places, I like to go for something that is "pricier" and have a more enjoyable stay. I know people that say it's just a place to sleep, but I've always found that I personally need somewhere comfortable to rest when traveling.
I use Trip Advisor a lot and find it to be more truthful, usually, than the hotel's site or booking sites. Especially with Airbnb because that often depends on the person's personality and if they fit with the host (if there even is a host), and those are way more personal, so people are more hesitant to say something rude/truthful. Anyway, you should take the pictures on the sites with a grain of salt. They are like fast food pics..what they have the potential to look like, but only for the photo session. Also, try to ignore people with very singular reviews. Ok, so it sucked because there was a power outage. Unless everyone else over the past year had the same problem ,it is probably something that doesn't happen that often. Also look for key words in reviews like, "it wasn't that bad," or "we didn't mind," or "it's not for everyone, but." Not saying to avoid these places, but look at what "wasn't that bad" and decide if it makes or breaks it for you. I read a review that said something along the lines of
there is construction going on but it starts late, around 7 or 8, so it wasn't that bad. Ok, well in my world, 10 is early so this person and I are obviously not on the same page. When I write reviews, I try to use facts and not necessarily personal problems I had with places because what is tolerable varies with everyone. I recently stayed in a shared room that surprised me when it was coed. I was fine, but maybe that's not for everyone. The only time I've been super pissed about reviews was a hotel in Vietnam. All the reviews were pretty positive, but they must have all been written by dirty hippies on a super budget because it was the shittiest place I have ever been and I literally cried the first night there. It was only $7 a night, but in Vietnam you can get some good quality for that price! I had booked 4 nights and was ready to just chalk the $28 to a loss because I had to get out. I wandered the city, found a hotel with a vacancy, asked to see the room first, and then booked it. The shit hotel did thankfully give me some money back but either way, I was ready to splurge on a room for $25 either way. I did and it was a FANTASTIC decision. I have found recently that splurging on good hotels always seems to be a good decisions. Luckily in places like Vietnam and the Philippines, you can do that within reason. Thanks, Southeast Asia!
Oh, and if you are over the crazy party hostel scene, but still want to meet new friends while traveling, look for shared rooms in hotels. I've only ever seen them in Vietnam, but it was 4-6 beds in a giant hotel room. They are usually more quiet and comfortable, plus you get all the perks of a hotel! New linens and towels every day, free breakfast, and front desk help! Highly recommend.
Obviously the best way to find a hotel is through friend's recommendations, but that doesn't always happen. My favorite hotel ever was a resort on a private island in the Philippines a friend told me about. It was surprisingly cheap, and was so wonderful. Also, it is basically impossible to ever really know for sure how things are going to turn out. It's scary, choosing a hotel, but it's a necessity. Places DO get sold out and I have definitely showed up in a small town with no reservation and had to resort to a
minbak (Korean homestay), sleeping on the floor. It's a gamble, too, because if it sucks, you're stuck there unless they have a generous cancellation policy (they never do), but if you only booked one night to see how you like it, there is a chance they are sold out if you want to book more. Choose wisely, grasshopper. BUT! Try not to let it break your spirit. Hopefully the rest of your trip is going well and if it's totally horrible and disgusting, get the fuck out as fast as you can. Usually, if you're mad enough, they'll give you some sort of refund and you can find somewhere better.
Right then, those are my tips for flights and hotels! Not as helpful or as streamlined as I was envisioning this going, but I've only just begun. Certainly I'll get better..? I'll try, dear friends. Hang in there. Next post...PACKING!
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