As always, I like to give some good advice on things to see and do, and occasionally, some ways to do it. Here's some things I found this week around the world and before you even leave, that might help enhance your travels!
If you enjoy my ideas, try out my YouTube Channel, "Adventures for Anyone" to see what I've actually been up to in the meantime!
1. The Starfield Library, Center of Coex Mall, Seoul, South Korea. This is something that I have to see someday. This is a wonderful space in the middle of a mall where you can come and relax and enjoy your time. There are 70,000 books, 600 different periodicals and great Wi-Fi. It's two levels and the shelves are 13 meters high. There are books in many languages, and special events are held regularly. It's a free and open space in the center of the city in the center of the largest mall in the city.
You can check it out daily from 10:30 to 10. It's a great free activity which is always a welcomed thing when traveling.
https://www.starfield.co.kr/coexmall/starfieldLibrary/library.do
https://english.visitseoul.net/attractions/Starfield-Library/ENP026558
https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g294197-d12635586-Reviews-Starfield_Library-Seoul.html
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tNni518_PkU
https://www.koreatodo.com/starfield-library-suwon
2. Visit a Favela in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Don't do this on your own! This suggestion is to take a tour with a guide. It's the respectful way to visit this area. You are going to where people live.
Rio has long since been known for the enormous favelas that hug the steep sides of the hills in Rio. These neighborhoods have been reported as dangerous, run down, filthy and many other derogatory terms.
What we know now is that the people in the favelas are not what we've been led to expect. They have good areas and bad areas, just like in any other metropolitan residential area. They have their own lifestyle and visiting is akin to visiting a Chinatown or Little Italy. They have their own way and the reason to visit is to learn about their way. If you're expecting extreme poverty and violence; you're probably going to be disappointed.
Why book a guide? Well, because they know where they're going and they know the people. Always choose a local tour with a local guide just to have the best experience and learn the most. People in the favelas most likely won't speak anything but Portuguese and it makes sense to go with someone local.
If you happen to be in Rio de Janeiro, this is a great cultural experience.
https://www.getyourguide.com/rio-de-janeiro-l9/favela-tours-tc302/
https://www.tripadvisor.com/Search?q=favela+tour+rio+de+janeiro&geo=303506&ssrc=a&searchNearby=false&searchSessionId=001e75c84d20234c.ssid&offset=0
https://www.rioadventures.com/tour/favela-tour-rio-de-janeiro/
https://www.favelawalkingtour.com.br/private-favela-tour/
https://www.toursbylocals.com/tours/brazil/rio-de-janeiro
3. Transnistria/Pridnestrovian Moldovian Republic, Pridnestrovie. What on Earth is this place anyway?
Let me see if I can explain. In 1990, the Soviet Union started to fall apart. We all know that. Moldova decided to disconnect, rather than stay within the bounds of the Soviets. Part of their land is what is now claimed to be Transnistria or Pridnestrovie. The Moldovans weren't thrilled with this group wanting to remain tied to Russia and they went to war a couple of years after the initial split. Pridnestrovie was backed by Russia and it was a bloody little war.
What happened after that is Pridnestrovie decided to remain backed by Russia and stay disconnected from Moldova, even though legally it's in Moldova. So, they have remained one of the 10 unrecognized nations in the world. Even Russia doesn't officially acknowledge them as a country, and that's who backs them when they need it.
So, why visit this place? Because if you happen to be visiting Eastern Europe, it's a hoot. Just make sure you're very polite at the border and don't take a lot of pictures and whatever you do, don't film. Apparently they're a bit jittery about that. Other than that, unrecognized nations can be a lot of fun, so if you're in the area, discuss with a travel professional locally about visiting.
Also, be aware that the Ukranian/Russian War isn't far away, but if you're already brave enough to be in the area, enjoy.
https://origins.osu.edu/read/transnistria-history-behind-russian-backed-region
https://againstthecompass.com/en/travel-transnistria/
https://www.youngpioneertours.com/transnistria-tours-and-holidays/
https://moldova.travel/en/transnistrian-region/
https://www.soviettours.com/transnistria-travel
4. Budget Shopping for a Flight. This is the advice part of this week's fast five, or at least one part of the advice section. Flying is the largest part of the budget for a trip on average. There's a lot to navigate when finding the right flight for your trip. There are a ton of credit cards that say they can help you with points. There are a crazy amount of sites that claim they get the best deals for you. Most airlines advertise all kinds of special deals all the time. Some airlines are even called budget. It's all a bit confusing.
How do you decide what the best deal for your trip is?
There are a lot of things you can do. You can learn to travel hack, which is a great way to travel but mostly if you travel all the time. Those of us who take random vacations may not benefit from having 22 credit cards and utilizing points. Let's be honest, if you spend random money just to earn points, you're overspending in one part of your life to save money in another. Not cool.
Does travel hacking work for the average tourist? Yes. In my experience, it's fun to get a points card with a great opening offer and use it for my normal purchases to earn the introductory points which normally easily cover a couple of economy flights to some really cool places. Should you get a bunch of them? I wouldn't. Only get the number of credit cards that you'll actually use. Don't go on a spending spree. I pay my bills to earn points, and all other things that I would buy anyway. I earn my points buying groceries, paying the doctor, making a car payment. It's just using the card to your advantage. Other than that, I never recommend going out of your way to use a credit card to earn points.
Another way lots of people think they're saving money is by booking on a travel site like Expedia. Don't think I'm bashing Expedia; I use them all the time. It's just best to know how to use them. Always compare your travel packages. See what site offers the best prices when you're booking. Expedia is one that I use often, so I can tell you some great tips. Have flexible travel dates. This helps with the price of flights dramatically on most sites. Book packages. With sites like Travelocity, Expedia, Booking and so many more; this can help a lot. Try to book packages where you don't need a car. Not renting a car saves a lot of money. Book in shoulder seasons and off seasons. Not only is it cheaper, but normally there are less crowds at your destination. Be thorough. By this I mean do your research on your location and all there is to do and all the different ways to get around. Sometimes it's better to rent a VRBO than a hotel room. It depends on where you're going. But, using a travel site can help save money on everything as well as a lot of money on flights if done correctly.
If you intend to fly a lot to certain parts of the globe, you might be better off joining a loyalty program with a specific airline and earning deals that way. I know some people who always travel with Delta, who has a tremendous loyalty program. They always fly Delta and earn great perks while booking directly with the airline. Also, it's always a good idea to check the airline that you're looking at's website. They may have the best deal.
Booking with your favorite credit card like Chase, American Express, or Capital One can also provide great deals. When you have one of those high points cards, you tend to be able to find great deals right on those shopping sites. It's something you should always check out if you have a travel credit card.
And finally, there are the budget airlines. They can be great if you truly don't mind flying budget. They probably won't have great Wi-Fi or great entertainment. They will have only economy seating. They won't have great food and drink. They are budget. If you check a bag or have a carry on, you will pay extra. All of these things apply with budget airlines.
Does that mean it's a bad experience? No. I've flown several budget airlines and most of the time I don't mind. The planes still fly safely, so what's the problem? It's not like they don't have bathrooms or anything. Breeze is my favorite, simply because it's clean and the staff are always really nice. But it depends on what experience you're hoping for when you fly as to whether or not a budget airline is for you.
I always say check everything when booking a trip. I compare all kinds of things before I choose a package, flight or accommodation. It's the best way to shop and plan a trip. Sometimes it even helps me choose the location for my vacation. And, by all means, book it early for the best prices. Last minute can be cheap, but probably will cost a lot more on a regular basis.
https://www.nerdwallet.com/article/travel/a-beginners-guide-to-budget-travel
https://www.investopedia.com/how-to-travel-on-a-budget-8655623
https://thattravelista.com/how-to-travel-cheaper/
https://www.rd.com/article/traveling-on-a-budget/
https://www.expedia.com/Vacation-Packages?locale=en_US&siteid=1&semcid=US.UB.GOOGLE.GT-c-EN.PACKAGE&semdtl=a121731750307.b1169546521522.g1aud-2051518675148:kwd-95896393.e1c.m1Cj0KCQjwt8zABhDKARIsAHXuD7YfF2Vs3GYxjoy-25nEkAz5GYl26yDGuWyu-sVBZxxtx1XCoNGwuF8aAut0EALw_wcB.r1.c1.j19003419.k1.d1716288333218.h1e.i1.l1.n1.o1.p1.q1.s1.t1.x1.f1.u1.v1.w1&gad_source=1&gbraid=0AAAAACTxZ9b_CGIeFdxIqmrw7g4X4OhDY&gclid=Cj0KCQjwt8zABhDKARIsAHXuD7YfF2Vs3GYxjoy-25nEkAz5GYl26yDGuWyu-sVBZxxtx1XCoNGwuF8aAut0EALw_wcB
5. Currency Exchange, ATM's, and Using Your Cards Abroad. This is good advice part 2 for the week. What to do about money in a foreign country? Excellent question. This has changed dramatically over the last couple of decades. When I first traveled, you had to go to a bank or a sanctioned currency exchange. Very few businesses took foreign credit cards. No one outside of the United States had ever heard of a debit card. My, how things have changed.
I always check the currency situation before I go on the plane. Can't stress this enough. Know what you're dealing with and how to pay for things before you leave home. Have a plan.
In the modern era, you may not even need currency. Most of us have Mastercard and Visa, which will generally get you most of the way around the world. Most of us have chip cards which you can just tap and go in a lot of countries. I went to Iceland last winter and even tapped at the laundromat. In Portugal, you can tap at the city market and even on the metro. A lot of the time, it's really easy.
But there are times when you need a little cash. There is the occasional cash only restaurant and things like that. Most of the time, you can just use your debit card to withdraw cash from a local ATM. Always be careful that there isn't anything criminal about it, but if it's located at a bank or airport, it's probably all right. Be aware that your bank has to work with that network, so check that out before you go. If you work with a large network like TD Bank, USB, Bank of America and so on; most ATM's will work for you. If you need to use a credit card to get cash, keep in mind, you could pay some high fees. Always check that before you leave home.
The only thing you will run into is the service fee. This is normally determined by your bank. This is one more thing to check on before you leave. Be aware of fees. This also applies to credit cards. It's always best to have a credit card that doesn't issue foreign transaction fees, but all of them will issue fees for cash advance at an ATM. Otherwise, you could be paying a lot more. Another thing that I always do is choose local currency for my charges. If you do have fees, it will charge less that way in most cases. You can also use a locator to verify that the machine you use is authentic and not a fraud in progress.
At any rate, the biggest thing is to know what to expect with your monies before you leave your house. There's nothing worse than having a big surprise with fees while on vacation.
https://www.ricksteves.com/travel-tips/money/cash-machine-atm-tips
https://wise.com/gb/blog/atms-abroad-avoid-bad-exchange-rate
https://www.visa.com/locator/atm
https://thepointsguy.com/credit-cards/save-on-overseas-atm-withdrawals/
https://www.getours.com/expert-travel-advice/money-travel-tips/atms-in-foreign-countries
I hope that some of this information helps you in planning your next trip. Remember to do your homework. Make sure you have some idea what to expect when you get to your destination. Check around to figure out which is the best rate, because every company will claim that theirs is. Flights and currency are 2 of the biggest issues while traveling and you should sort out as much as you can before you go so it doesn't interfere with your good time while traveling.
So, if you want a unique experience, you want something truly cool to see and do for free, you want to be daring and go to a country that doesn't necessarily exist , take a walk on the real side in a favela or just need some advice on booking that amazing trip; you can always check in here. I try to show some cool stuff on my YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/@ninakindred9466 even though I'm obviously still learning, and I will always try to put some ideas and advice here each week.
Always push your limits a bit. Always stay curious. Always be open to new experiences and enjoy!
