Like most of my posts here on 2+2, my poohbah post was incredibly intelligent and exactly what I wanted to type as poohbah post...I'm such a donkey.
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Originally Posted by Radeh
OMG, it's a white Tony Jaa!!
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So technically, this is my 3501st post
Anyway, time flies, I joined 2+2 like 2 years ago...and probably spent more time surfing the forums and chatting with a lot of you guys than playing, lol. Given that fact, and the fact that unfortunately I don't have Skates' brain, I won't bother writing a poker strat post (at least for now).
A lot of us love traveling. Bryan's been all over Europe and snatched himself a French wife, Grow dodged bullets in Columbia, MJW escaped Australia for a few weeks to travel Europe and to get some last sleep before the baby arrived, Spamz just moved to the UK, and, and, and...
I figured it would be kinda cool to have a 2+2 HU forum travel thread.
The goals of this thread are:
- Destination tips: Going somewhere special? Found that perfect beach (or strip club) in Timbuktu? Best sightseeing? Tell us!!
- Travel tips: How do I best get from X to Z? Where can I find the cheapest flights?
- Couch surfing / Getting in touch: Got a mansion in Bel Air and enough room to host a fellow 2+2 HU'er? Looking for a place to stay? Or maybe you just wanna hook up with some fellow HU players while traveling around...
- Hotel tips: Found the perfect hotel in Paris? Tell us!
- Ask questions: Going to Abu Dhabi for the first time? Want some suggestions? Post here!
- Random travel stories: Might get overlooked in the LC thread because it's so active...won't get overlooked here.
- Guides: I might once in a while write basic destination guides, with embassy information, hotel tips, restaurant tips, and things to see.
Both my parents worked for a tour company and regularly took me out of school to travel all over the US. I've lived in Switzerland, NYC, LA, Hawaii, and now London. I also travelled all over Europe, Russia, the Middle East, and parts of Africa because of my last job. In addition, because my uni was so international, I have friends pretty much all over the world, so I can always ask them for specific tips if someone has a question I can't answer. If you have any questions, I'll do my best to answer them.
GENERAL TRAVEL TIPS
This is just to get the thread started, some general advice that has helped me getting around.
1) Language
If you visit a foreign country where English isn't the main language, learn a few basic sentences before you go. Just basic stuff like "hi", "thank you", "how are you". The point isn't to hold a long conversation, but rather to make a good impression. Trust me, if you need someone to help you out in a foreign country, they're always a lot more open if you greet them in their mother tongue.
I've seen German tourists trying to explain Bangladeshi cab drivers in Abu Dhabi where they want to go...in GERMAN!! Needless to say the cab driver promptly drove them all over the city and charged them 5 times as much as the fare would normally cost. Also, the people are a lot more helpful if you greet them in their mothertongue before asking for directions.
2) Taxi, Risksha, Ferrys
Most of us are from Europe/USA, so we're used to paying the price that's displayed. Our cabs have meters, our ferrys have clear pricing, and even the riksha drivers in China town normally don't screw us over.
Trust me when I say this, it does'nt work like that in most of the rest of the world
If they find out you are a clueless tourist, you WILL get screwed over. As an example, the first time I went to Russia, I paid about 4 times as much for my cab ride from the airport to the hotel than I should have.
So what can you do?
a) Call your hotel or friends at the destination, and find out how much rides cost BEFORE you get there. Hotels always have that info ready.
b) Set the price with the driver BEFORE he starts driving, and don't pay a cent more. If he suddenly wants more at the destination, tell him that you agreed with him on the price BEFORE leaving. I generally threaten them with the cops if they still act retarded.
Those 2 simple things will make sure you'll never get screwed over.
3) Personal documents/belongings
a) Cash & CC
First of all, unless you're in a country whithout ATM, you WON'T NEED to carry $2000 on you all the time. Money is so easily stolen, and once it's gone, it's gone. You can block a credit card within a minute, not money though! If you have a hotel safe, leave all the money you don't need while going out there. Even better, if it's a larger amount, hand it over at the reception and ask them to store it. ASK FOR A RECEIPT!!
I generally carry enough cash on me to get around, but not enough to seriously upset me if I get mugged.
NEVER leave your credit card out of sight in problem countries...and that includes Spain. My debit card was copied at a bar in Spain, and they emptied my whole account. Don't let that happen to you! If the waiter walks away with your card, join him...
b) Passport
Before your next trip, scan your passport! Print out a copy and take it with you on the trip, but DON'T keep it at the same location as your passport. Also, send a copy to your email address. Trust me, if you're stuck in Wladiwostok and your passport got stolen, you'll be happy to have a copy. It makes the embassy's work a lot easier, and gives you more credibility infront of the foreign cops. This has saved me twice so far!
Also, write down the address and the phone number of your embassy and take it with you. Suuuuper helpful in "difficult" locations...
c) Bling
This is a simple one. If you are going to a destination like Senegal, please realize that there are poor people. They lack food, water, and often struggle to bring through their offspring. I met my Senegalese driver's family, and was shocked when his wife told me they lost a child last year because they couldn't afford a doctor.
Put yourself in their shoes! If I was him, and a rich tourist came walking by wearing a gold Rolex, Prada shoes, and a diamond ring...I would kick his ass and help my family, and I'd assume most of you would do the same.
So don't tempt them!! Don't make yourself a target. If you're in a poor country, adapt. Dress down, don't wear your newest clothes, leave your $15k watch at home, don't wear one of those ridiculous kangaroo bags (they're so easy to steal from behind), and don't show off your shiney new Nikon D3x if it costs more than the closest 100ppl around you make in a year...together.
2 years ago I spent Ramadan 45km from Mekkah...that's as close as you can get as a non-Muslim, and I was probably the only white dude there. Some ppl told me to stay in my hotel room because of that, but I don't listen to ppl generally. During Ramadan, everything's closed during the day, you can't really get any food at all. But at night, things come to live, and you can go to shopping centers at 3:30am and it's packed. Anyway, I spent 2hrs strawling around in jeans, a tshirt, and flip flops. No one bugged me, no mugging, and ppl were super friendly when I greeted them in my arguably crappy Arabic. It broke the ice even though I am from a completely different culture (I'm blond too), and my whole experience there was a lot better.
4) General Attitude
Keep in mind, that if you're in a foreign country, you are a GUEST. If a foreigner comes to your country, you'd expect him to treat you with respect too. So always try to treat people like you'd like to be treated yourself...especially if you're at an exotic location. Things can get hairy pretty quickly otherwise.
Always ask people if you can take a picture of them unless you can do it in a way so they don't notice. They're not a Disneyland employee wearing a Micky Mouse costume!! Always be polite, and never refuse an invitation...even if it's sometimes hard. The second time I went to Russia, my client got me so drunk, I passed out on the way to the hotel. It wasn't my fault, they FORCED me to drink. Over here passing out like that would be considered pretty bad (lol), but since they were just as drunk, they actually ended up liking me more after I passed out than before. Russia's weird...but the fact remains, if someone invites you, be a good sport and play along.
A good quote from the movie The Beach:
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Trust me, it's paradise. This is where the hungry come to feed. For mine is a generation that circles the globe and searches for something we haven't tried before. So never refuse an invitation, never resist the unfamiliar, never fail to be polite and never outstay the welcome. Just keep your mind open and suck in the experience. And if it hurts, you know what? It's probably worth it.
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USEFUL LINKS
Sidestep: Searches all the hotel/flight/car rental companies at the same time. No more having to compare dozens of websites to find the cheapest flight.
Travelocity: Imo the best place for hotel reviews. Keep in mind that some reviews are biased. If someone gives 5 stars for a 2 star hotel in Kenya, and says it's the "best hotel experience he ever had", be suspicious.
Bad Airlines: Basically, unless you're a fan of Russian roulette, stay the hell away from those airlines. I once flew on an short-haul flight in Russia, and there was a CHICKEN on board.
Wikimapia: Basically the same thing as Google maps, but it integrates Wiki entries, and people can leave comments and tips. Alternatively, you could use Google earth. Either way, I suggest you get a real map of your destination as soon as you get there...visit the tourism office.
WHO Health Information: Not sure if you require that yellow feaver shot? This interactive map tells you exactly which vaccinations you'll need. I HIGHLY recommend frequent travelers to get vaccinated against Tetanus, Rabies, and Hepatitis. If you get a follow-up shot within 6mo, you're all good for 20yrs+! Also, always take some charcoal pills with you...they work wonders if you're suffering from the wrath of Montezuma
1000 places: ...to see before you die. Inspirational.
Lonely Planet: Decent travel guides, and good community. Definitely worth checking out.
Where the hell is Matt?: INSPIRATIONAL!! If you're interested in the backstory, and why people believed the whole thing was a hoax...
watch this. It perfectly highlights the stupidity of some ppl on the Internet, lol.
Currency converter: Always up to date...check if that foreign exchange office screws you over. There's a convenient iPhone version too.
I'll add more links in time if the mods are able to edit this post. I hope this thread will safe ppl some $$$ traveling, or allow them to make their trips more enjoyable...no matter where they're going...unless it's Detroit in which case no thread will save you.
Why post this here and not in the travel forum? Simple, I trust information I get from you guys more than info from random 2+2ers, and I'm gonna actively answer questions in here, and I'd be worried it would be too much work doing it for everyone on 2+2
GENERAL GUIDELINES: Always make a heading for the destination you're talking about, and make it RED AND BOLD. It'll make it a lot easier to scan the posts once the thread grows. If the mods allow it, I'll add hyper links to this post...so after a while we'll have a nice table of contents.
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