The Best Travel Tips in the History of the Universe

Spring is here! (or about to be here at least….) that means it’s almost summer time and people are making plans for traveling. Definitely exciting! I’ve had a bit of travel experience, and I thought it’d be nice to share some travel tips with everyone. Whether you’ve never left the country, or you’ve racked up a gazillion frequent flier miles, reminders are always good. And most of these tips come from personal experience because nobody’s perfect. Many of these tips apply to people traveling/sightseeing outside of the US, but most of them will help anywhere.
When out in a foreign country, only keep on you what you need. I never carry you’re my whole wallet (there’s really no need for my library card and Target coupons in Jordan…). The only reason to carry your passport is if you’re in a place where being American might save your butt.

Always make at least one photocopy of your passport before you leave. Leave one at home, keep one with you, leave one in your bag… etc. Just don’t put them all in the same place.

Keep money/cards etc in different pockets- whether it's in your bag or in your pants pocket. That way if you get pick pocketed they won't be able to take everything.

Put some form of identification on/in your luggage. (Name, travel plans, contact info). And always check your bag when you get it off the luggage carousel. It's really embarassing grab someone else's bag and have them accuse you of stealing it... and it sucks even more to have someone else grab yours.

If you're lost or need directions for something, a good idea is to go to a hotel to ask. The people at the front desk almost always speak English and they know the area... It's their job.

When going in crowded areas watch your bags and pockets (duh, I know, but a good reminder nonetheless) Always keep a hand on your bag and keep it zipped /buckled/closed.

As far as bags go, I like cross-body ones that are as small as possible. Only carry what you need because it will eventually get heavy, annoying, etc. I’m in love with those little fold-up bags. You can get them everywhere (from Bed, Bath and Beyond to H&M). They are great for souvenirs and stuff that doesn’t fit in your regular bag.

For some reason people have this need to carry around everything they own in backpacks. For sightseeing, I think this is a negative. First of all, it seems to me that a backpack is an ideal way for someone to steal something.... You can't even see your bag! Also keep in mind that larger bags need to be searched when going into monuments and museums… Sometimes they don't even allow them in. If you neeed a backpack keep important stuff in the innermost pockets and try to carry it in front of you on trains/buses. (Maybe I’m just a backpack hater haha)

I read a good tip one time if you're paranoid about losing your camera like I am. I know, it's the pictures you care about more, not the camera. On each memory card make a label with your email address. That way if the card was just lost there is a chance they might be able to send you the pictures.... And hey, maybe the person who stole it will have a change of heart. Ha.

You should definitely check out the blog www.ifoundyourcamera.net if you ever lose your camera. People post pictures from memory cards/cameras they find. You never know when you’ll recognize someone. Imagine helping a friend find a lost memory card :)

In trains and when walking by yourself, especially at night, always stay alert. I know you want to look cool by popping your headphones in and tuning out the world, but it's not safe. You could be having a private Lauryn Hill jam session in your head and not realize someone’s following or it's your stop to get off. If you must have a personal sound track wherever you go at least keep one earbud out so you can kind of hear what’s going on around you.

Watch your money (even more than you normally would). Some of us aren’t used to carrying cash around that much and I have a bad habit of dropping it when I take something out of my pocket. Be careful and keep track of how much you have/spend so you know right away if something's missing.

If you're wearing a coat, the ONLY thing that should be in your outermost pocket is your gloves. (is that gramatically correct?)

If you hear an area is shady, don't take it lightly. Sure, some areas get a bad rep when they aren't really that bad, but usually it's not worth it to find out.... Especially when you don't speak the language, are alone, and/or are completely obvious as a foreigner.

I've found that my iPhone is an awesome tool when traveling, even if I don't have cell service in foreign countries.

• You can use it for the obvious -wifi, ebooks (Borders, of course) music, notes, games, etc.
• You can download apps about the place you're going- language/translation tools, maps (especially of subways and metros), tourist info and walking tours. You'd be surprised how many free apps you can find, especially for popular places
• There is a nifty app that helps you find out where you can find free wifi. It's called .Wi-Fi finder and you can download the wi-fi database so it's available offline.
• If there’s a website that you need or part of a map or something only available when you're online, take a screenshot of it..... (I recommend doing this for hotel/hostel homepages that way you always have contact info) Then you have it all the time in your pictures :)

Coins- get used to carrying them... Especially in Europe. You could be holding quite a bit of money with just a handful of Euros. Try to get rid of big bills asap wherever you can.... Many small businesses won't accept big bills. Some vending machines don’t even take bills. (Trust me- you don’t want to be in a situation where you need a train ticket to the airport and you’re stuck with a 10 Euro bill and a vending machine that only accepts coins. Sigh).

I never use currency exchange places to get foreign currency... And I avoid banks if possible. I like withdrawing money straight from ATMs. They usually have a better exchange rate and you don't have to compare anything. People have different preferences, but this is what I always do. Watch for fees though! And it's better to withdraw as much as you can/need. Don't take out a bunch of small amounts. And always try to find a sister bank with the one you have in the U.S (Bank of America is usually easy to figure out)

If you're in a place where you don't know the language, it's a good idea to carry a small phrasebook with you. When you're friend loses her wallet in Paris and you have no idea how to say/pronounce wallet in french (portefeuille btw), it's always nice to have something you can just point to. It may be primitive, but it gets the point across.

I always suggest learning a few phrases in the host language. At least "hello" and "thank you" and "I don't speak ______ "or "English please?". Curse words and slang will usually amuse locals as well.


Some things I always carry with me when being touristy:

• Water (most places don't gave ware fountains, and bottled water is usually expensive)
• A scarf/wrap/bandana. I use my hatta for everything- blanket, pillow, shawl, pillowcase, something to sit on, picnic blanket, towel, gag, etc
• Tissue (you never know when there's not going to be toilet paper or napkins)
• A notepad/paper and pen for writing things down
• Candy or something to eat (in case you get grumpy)
• A reading light. This is especially nifty when staying in hostels and your roommate turned off the lights early and you need to find stuff in your bag.
• Gum is also good to have when on airplanes and your ears start popping.
• A MAP!
• I know a guy who wrapped duct tape around his water bottle – awesome idea… you never know when you’ll need duct tape :)

Remember that no matter how much you try to prepare or how careful you are, bad things can still happen. Don't beat yourself up over it.... It could always be worse. Keep calm and have a positive attitude. Life goes on and things can be replaced and remembered. C’est la vie!

Any other tips to add to the list??

Happy Travels :)

The Best of Paris

Finally had a chance to edit/upload the pictures I took in Paris. Here's some of my faves :)

Click here if you want to see the rest of the pics

Gargoyles Galore

When you think of Gargyoles you might think of this:

Or this:

And even though those are pretty awesome, the awesomest of them all is are the real gargoyles of the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris:

My favorite Gargyole :)

The first time I saw Notre Dame, I was intrigued by the Gargoyles. They were so creepy and cool looking and I wanted to get a closer look. Unfortunately the first time I went to Paris, the tower of Notre Dame was closed.

I got my chance this time though! And climbing the tower of Notre Dame was definitely worth it. Let me tell you, there's a lot of crap to climb in Paris (Eiffel Tower, Arc de Triomphe, Sacre Coeur, Galleries Lafayette, Montparnasse Tower..). Each promise an awesome view of the city.... and some actually live up to that promise. But this tower was by far my favorite view of Paris. I guess it's because I really like the area surrounding the Cathedral. When I think of paris, this is the area that I imagine.

I know it's pretty gloomy, but I kind of like it that way

If you're ever visitng Paris, I say this is definitely a must-climb. The stairs aren't too bad (unless you're highly clausterphobic or really out of shape), and it's only 5 euro if you're under 26 (bring your ID!) For people over 26 I think it's only 8 euro. Not only do you get the awesome view and to see the gargoyles up close, you can also see the Cathedral bell. That was a pleasant surprise for me, since I didn't know that was included on the tour. This was one of my favorite parts of the trip.

And if you're wondering what the purpose of gargoyles are, they are actually drain pipes so that rain water doesn't fall down the cathedral walls messing up the mortar. Some say they also protect the church from evil spirits. Either way, I think they're awesome.

Paris!

Oui Oui, it's true, I'm in Paris! I can't even believe it myself. The city is beautiful, of course, even though it's a little cloudy and freezing. I've been hanging out with my friend Heidi for the past couple of days and we've been having fun exploring the city. It seems like everywhere you turn there is something else to see. I wish we had more buildings and architecture like this in the states. And she's taught me how to navigate the metro, so I'm pretty unstoppable.... Except for French. It's hard and I don't speak ANY! no exaggeration there.... Well I lied, I can say 2 phrases "I don't speak French" and "ferme la Bouche" which means shut your mouth. Unfortunately I haven't had the pleasure of using that...I've literally been getting around using Arabic and Spanish when English wasn't an option.

Yesterday we toured around the Sacre Couer - one of my favorite areas of Paris. It's right by my hostel which is nice. We also saw the Moulin Rouge... Not too exciting during the day. Notre Dame was beautiful of course, and I'm excited to visit tomorrow to see the gargoyles up close :). We also got some delicious croissants and ate them near the river. So French.

Today (after waking up disastrously late due to many factors including jetlag, noisy roommates and an alarm with the wrong time on it) we headed over to the mosque in Paris for Jummah. It was beautiful and I realized that this was the first time I've actually prayed in a mosque in Europe. Some things are universal like talking during the khutbah and cramming people in like sardines. But I did feel very welcome there. The khutbah was in Arabic whith some French thrown in which was nice. It's so comforting to know that I can go to Mosques all over the world and I can still pray with them :) subhanallah. After we left we went around the montparnosse (sp?) cemetery. Always a good reminder of our precious time here on earth. It was beautiful and extravagant . We ended the night at the Eiffel tower watching the lights sparkle... So nice.

And now it's not too late , but I'm back at the hostel chilling in the lobby. Why am I not out exploring? It's freezing and it gets dark here so early so it kinda sucks. But Alhamdulillah tomorrow is another day to explore and eat more carbs and go shopping. Too bad i'm kinda shy, but i'm trying to make friends here... Or at least talk to someone. Maybe if i get off my ipod and interact with people that would help. Au revoir!

I'm on a plaaaaaane

I love airplane rides. 

No matter how many times I travel by plane, it always excites me. For some reason the  thought of siting in one seat for hours upon end surrounded by unknown people and being left up to my own devices for entertainment makes me happy. I love having my own little light that shines only on me, I believe the personal demand movie viewing is the coolest thing ever, and airplane food makes me downright giddy. 

It might be the fact that I'm going somewhere new and exciting... But I really don't think that's what it is. Maybe it's because I've lived with the idea engrained in me that I should enjoy every minute - the journey is half the fun blah blah. Maybe it's just because I'm easily amused and find pleasure in small things.... Like airplane socks and getting to pick whatever I want to drink.  

It's very possible that riding in planes brings back memories of when I used to as a kid - having surprise goodies in our bags that we weren't allowed to play with until we took off, or making tents with the blankets so we could sleep all cozily.

All I know is that I'm currently charging my phone with this nifty USB port and I just finished watching an awesome movie (The Social Network, in case you were wondering)... And they just lowered the lights so we can sleep. And there was really good carrot cake for dessert (i'm a sucker for cream cheese frosting). 

I'm on my way to Paris but what's exciting me the most is chilling on this plane right now.

18 hour plane ride to Australia? Bring it on.