Ant and Elise biking around Vietnam. Copyright PositiveWorldTravel.com

I always love a good story about how someone gets off the path and finds a unique way to get around a country to see it in a way most of us never will. Motorbiking in Vietnam is one of those great trips. I will never do it myself. I can’t manage a Vespa, much less a motorbike. But, when Ant and Elise from Positive World Travel asked me to review their book, I said yes. Plus, they were really fun to follow during their round the world trip, I couldn’t say no.

Motorbiking up and down Vietnam is gaining in popularity with many travelers. So Two Wheels and Rice Fields is timely. And, it helps that Ant and Elise did it themselves. As they correctly state, there isn’t much information out there on how to do it. So based on their experience and, as they say, their mistakes, they’ve written this book.

Two Wheels and Rice Fields Book

What you get

• Safety information
• What gear you need
• How to maintain your bike
• Top places to visit along the way
• Etiquette tips for the Vietnam
• Tips on accomodation, food, festivals, weather, visa, language, border crossings
• How to handle your driver’s license and other permits
• How to select your bike, and considerations for renting or buying, and then how to sell it once you’re done
• Checklists
• Additional resources list
• Guide to common phrases a traveler needs
• $1000 in coupons and discounts for tours and accomodations throughout the country

The book has lots of photos of Ant and Elise riding around the country, giving me confidence that they really have been there and done that. It’s the kind of in-depth guide that can only be written by people with first-hand experience.

The first part of the book is chock full of tips. I was impressed at how detailed they were and the amount of topics they covered. Then the book turns into a guide for traveling around Vietnam. They include lots of little towns that you might have missed otherwise. But, if you’re on a motorbike, they are all clearly accessible. I particularly liked the ¨Unforgettable Rides¨ section. It’s a handpick selection of some of Ant and Elise’s favorite rides. Some are perhaps expected like Hanoi to Halong Bay. But, there are several others that I wouldn’t have known about otherwise.

The authors: Ant and Elise. Copyright PositiveWorldTravel.com

Finally, knowing Ant and Elise, I can only assume that if you have questions after you buy the book, they will respond and help you out. They are very passionate about travel and very approachable.

If you are heading to Vietnam and want a different, independent experience, then you should definitely buy this book. It will save you a lot of time and hassle.

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Motorcycling in Vietnam: A Review of Two Wheels and Rice Fields is a post from: Career Break Secrets: Travel show, independent travel blog and advice for career breaks and around the world travel adventures

Hello Mr. Map. Copyright CareerBreakSecrets.com

OK, I have a confession. I love in-flight maps. Whether they are in the in-flight magazine or on the screen tracking your real-time location, I can’t stop staring at them. I don’t know how much time I’ve wasted (invested???) just looking at those things. But, I’m always captivated by them. Their allure puts me in discovery mode, as if I’m a modern day Captain Cook sitting in seat 24D ready to take on the world and see new places I could go one day. My fascination started long before my career break.

In college, I took a course called Map Of the Modern World. Any Georgetown student enrolled in the School of Foreign has to take this class. At least in the early 90s (not sure if it’s still run the same way), it was a pass-fail class with only one exam. All you had to know was where every country in the world was, a bit about key border disputes and some basic facts about geography. I loved this class. The hardest part for me was the Caribbean and all those tiny islands in the Micronesia region of the south Pacific. Ever since that class, I’ve had a fascination with maps, and flight maps always engage me.

While it happens to me on domestic flights, the real magic is on international flights. In June while flying between New York and Delhi, I flew over some new parts of the world for me: the Middle East and the Near East. Even flying over places like Iraq and Afghanistan gave me a certain thrill. Cities popped up on the screen that rarely, if ever, crossed my travel-hungry mind. I may never visit them, but I feel an odd connection with them at 35,000 feet.

My favorite is flying over Africa. I’ve flown both KLM and South African Airways over the continent from Europe to Johannesburg. Now that to me is really exciting. I will likely never get to the Democratic Republic of the Congo. And, I wonder what places like Addis Ababa, Kigali and Lilongwe would be like. Even looking through Sawubona, SAA’s in-flight magazine, I see all the places they cover on the African continent and I think, “I fly South African Airways. I like South African Airways. I like traveling to Africa. Maybe one day…”

Part of the allure is the romantic notion of travel that I still hold on to. Part of it is the explorer within me, looking for the next adventure, country or region to explore. Part of it could be boredom with the flight. Honestly, it’s more enjoyable than watching Two and a Half Men.

Frankly, it’s just the same dreaming and exploring I do online often. It’s just a different context and a different set of search tools. The world always seems smaller, more accessible to me with these maps. Even when I flew a LAN flight between Auckland and Santiago, crossing the Antarctic, I thought, “Yeah, I’ll get there.”  Someday. Someday.

I think there are a few reasons why the flight maps entrance me during flight (beyond the fact that I’m part of a captive audience. Again, I could be watching Two and a Half Men).

First, you see all those possibilities. The world is at my fingertips and it seems so easy to say, let’s go there. There is also a certain wow factor in having it all laid out in front of you. It’s sort of an awesome feeling and in my mind I think, “I could start here, then make my way there.” As a member of several frequent flier programs, I start thinking ahead to cashing in the miles for that free trip. And, when the maps throw in the routes of their partner airlines, my wanderlust goes into overdrive. Intentional or not, those lines on the map between destinations are like bright shiny lights to a little kid. Ooooo, pretty! Then, there is the oddly colored “Future Service” line showing new possibilities. For example, on a recent United flight, I saw that there is new service coming between Houston and Auckland. As a frequent flier through Houston, I loved seeing that one. Finally, there are always a list of cities that I never knew existed or never really paid much attention to. But, in that moment, all of sudden I feel like I have to go there.

The likelihood that I will see all these places is remote. But, a guy can dream, can’t he?

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Addicted to Flight Maps is a post from: Career Break Secrets: Travel show, independent travel blog and advice for career breaks and around the world travel adventures

At a protest in Buenos Aires. Copyright CareerBreakSecrets.com

How to stay safe while traveling around the world on your career break is something we all think about. For some, it can cause paralytic fear, but for most dealing with safety issues is a matter of preparation, making smart decisions, becoming more comfortable with the world as you find it and learning as you go, from your own travel experiences and from other travelers. Smarter travel is possible in this case to help avoid getting into nasty situations.

In January at the Year Out Expo, I met fellow speaker Charlie McGrath. He runs Objective Travel Safety, an organization that helps train all types of people and organizations on how to be safe while abroad and how to respond in case there is a crisis. I had the chance recently to talk to Charlie about staying safe while traveling on a career break.

1. Do you have an overall philosophy about how travelers should approach safety to plan properly?

Researching their destinations is the key, the need to understand enough about the culture, environmental issues( earthquakes etc) crime rate etc so they can ‘aim off’ and so avoid trouble.

2. What’s the scariest safety situation you’ve been in or been called to help with?

I was hijacked at gunpoint in Iraq which wasn’t too good! But cooperated and therefore survived.

3. For people thinking about taking a career break to travel the world, what are the biggest safety or security issues that are most likely to face?

Crime and road traffic accidents are the big 2 with disease/illness some way behind.

4. What are the concerns that people typically have about traveling the world that are least likely to happen?

Getting blown up or kidnapped. Its inevitable that the threat of terrorism dominates the media but the reality is very different. India is a good example, remember the Nov 2009 Mumbai bombing- huge headlines, 180 odd people killed but on average 250 die on India roads every day!

5. What are the biggest safety mistakes that career breakers tend to make while traveling?

Difficult question! I suppose being too worried about safety and not exploring enough, in general terms the further off the beaten track you go often the safer you are,

6. Are there some steps you can take before you leave that are either preventative or can help you in case something does happen while you’re traveling?

Yes many. Acknowledge that crime and road traffic accidents will be greatest threat and prepare. Know where the crime areas are, travel with a mixture of money- casdh, cards, possibly travelers cheques and expected to be mugged at some stage. There only go out with what you need, some cash perhaps one card and leave rest behind in hotle safety deposit box or with host. If you get mugged you just hand over enough to satisfy aggressor (having a reserve in a shoe or bra is also handy. Wear a seat belt at every opportunity.

7. When I was traveling around, I noticed that as my confidence as a traveler grew, my fears of something bad happening dropped. Is that normal or had I lulled myself into a false sense of security?

No I would say this is normal and looking confidence is good (but not over confident). To avoid crime there are 3 key things; lower your profile (rings/watches off), Be aware( know where the dodgy parts of town are)  & look confident.

8. There are any number of products being sold out claiming to help you keep yourself and your things safe. To me many of them seem unnecessary and a waste of money. Are there any that you recommend that really are worth buying?

I agree. A couple of padlocks are useful to hotel/hostel lockers, a door guard/wedge can be handy to stop unwanted visitors in the night- amazing how many female report the hotel heating engineer needing to check their radiator at 2 am.

9. Given the role that the internet plays in helping the traveler do research, stay in touch with friends and family, bank, etc., what tips do you have for people to help keep their personal information safe and secure while traveling?

If possible get money transfers done by a friend or relation at home rather than internet café. Travel money credit cards such as Caxton FX (separate from you bank accounts) are good.

10. Staying healthy and not getting sick on the road is a concern for all travelers. Is there a basic first aid kit you recommend for travelers? What types of medicines should travelers just buy on the road?

A simple travel pack is good but do take some antiseptic cream, oral rehydration salts if you get the runs. Ciprofloxacin is a good broad based antibiotic. Be very careful buying anti malaria tablets abroad, especially if they seem too cheap, too many counterfeit drugs around. ,

11. What is your take on the US, UK and other governmental safety warnings?

Are they really useful to travelers? I ask because in my opinion, they seem to cast countries in very black and white terms – safe or not safe – with no room for nuance. Or, am I just cynical? I do think they are a good starting point as many travelers will do very little research. Yes they may over stress risks but I find the Brit FCO always has some useful advise.

12. What are some of the things you personally do or pack to help you be better prepared while traveling?

I always take a head torch – vital, hand gel to keep hands clean/reduce disease threat & know what the local passionate sport so I can chat to taxi drivers & hotel staff.

12. Finally, what are your favorite places to travel that are a bit off the beaten track?

Romania, was N Pakistan but probably too dangerous now, Chile.

About Charlie:

Charlie McGrath

Charlie McGrath spent 15 years as an Army Officer. He spent five years on operations in Northern Ireland but also saw service in Central America, Southern Africa and during the First Gulf War. He was awarded the MBE for his work in South Africa during the country’s first democratic elections in 1994.  Prior to joining the army he spent a year traveling in South America and has traveled widely thereafter. His company, Objective Travel Safety, provides safety training to a range of clients including journalists and NGOs operating in hostile environments, business professionals and young students travelers embarking on their Gap Year. Objective also provided the training to Ewan McGregor & Charlie Boorman prior to their ‘Long Way Round’ and ‘Long Way Down’ motorbike adventure.  When possible he continues to travel whenever possible. During his time in the army led an expedition across the Sahara desert, spent his honey moon in Papua New Guinea. His second gap year was in India, Pakistan, Burma & Thailand and more recently has travelled in Malawi, Zambia, Romania, Laos, Thailand, the Lebanon and Israel.

How Safe Is It to Travel While on Your Career Break? is a post from: Career Break Secrets: Travel show, independent travel blog and advice for career breaks and around the world travel adventures

Where are the people? Copyright CareerBreakSecrets.com

Last week I flew between Bogota and Houston on my way to London on United flight 1008. It’s a flight I’ve been on many times shuttling between Colombia and the US. It’s an easy 4.5 hour flight, mostly free of turbulence, few frills and little drama.

About midway through the flight, I got up to go the bathroom from my seat in 12C. As I turned around, I was shocked at what I saw. The two emergency exit rows were virtually empty, save for 21A and 21F. Row 20, completely empty. Out of the 6 seats, 2 were occupied. Really? Some of the most coveted seats due to their expanded leg room, empty?

OK, calm down, maybe these people are just in the bathroom. 

When I came back, I gave the seats another look. Nope. Still empty.

No sign that anyone was seated here. Copyright CareerBreakSecrets.com

As I took my seat, the question that came to mind was, “Is this even safe for the rest of us?” Who would open these doors if there was an emergency? And, if we were to go down, pandemonium would surely set in, leaving our lives in the hands of our collective ability to not beat each other to the door or try to squeeze through the row behind it to get out.

If memory serves, the additional fee for those seats at the time of check-in was $89. Clearly no one, not even the business passengers on the plane, wanted to pay that fee.

I sat on these thoughts over the weekend. And, when the terrible cruise accident happened this weekend in Italy, I felt I had to write about this. I mean if it’s unsafe to have kids in the exit rows, surely it’s even more unsafe to have no one seated in them.

So, I have some questions.

1. How often does it happen that safety exit rows go unseated?
2. If no one selects to pay the exit row fee, do the airlines have rules in place to ask for volunteers to sit there?
3. Do regulating authorities like the FAA have rules in place to compel the airlines to solicit passengers for those seats?
4. What are the safety procedures in case of an accident if no one is seated in the emergency row seats? And, is that part of the standard training for flight crews?
5. Finally, is the desire of airlines to charge for any seat it deems “desirable” making us less safe?

These are questions I would certainly like to be answered.

Note: The photos in this post were taken by me on the flight with my iPhone.

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Are Airline Fees Making Us Less Safe is a post from: Career Break Secrets: Travel show, independent travel blog and advice for career breaks and around the world travel adventures

Me in the Galapagos Islands. Copyright CareerBreakSecrets.com

The thought of going to dinner or to a movie alone is being the pale for many people. So, suggesting that they go traveling alone is practically unimaginable. But, for people with intense wanderlust, they are no longer letting it stop them. While some people fear they may be lonely or lack the confidence to explore alone during their career break travel, long-term travelers develop several ways of traveling to thrive on the road.

Tips for Traveling Alone Without Feeling Lonely During Your Career Break

• Get to know other travelers at your hostel. Hostels are great for meeting people. For the most part, all you have to do is go camp out and before you know it, you’ll be talking to other guests.
• Use technology to stay connected with the folks back home. You’ve got great stories to tell from the road and people back home want to hear from you. So, whether you use Facebook, simple email, a blog or skype, you have lots of ways to stay in touch.
• Get an unlocked cell phone. If you plan to use a cell phone on your trip, you need to get an unlocked phone so you can use local SIM cards.
• Start in a country that speaks your language before moving on to a country with a foreign language. To minimize culture shock when career breakers first start traveling, I’ve known several people who decided to start in countries that speak their native tongue.
• Travel with a small group tour operator like Gap Adventures. Traveling in a small group gives you instant, like-minded travel companions. On my trip to India with Gap Adventures, there were only 12 of us. It was just the right size to meet people from many different places.

My B-Side Solo Travel Tips for Your Career Break Travel

I’m only going to leave you with one tip. And, yes, it is really this simple.

• The only question you need to know at the hostel: What do you recommend seeing around here? Travelers love to talk about their travels. And, everyone has an opinion about ¨the best thing to do.¨ So break the ice with that question and let the conversation flow.

Check out the other topics covered in the Gap Adventures Career Break Video Series

1. Introduction
2. Packing Tips for a Career Break
3. Money Tips for Your Career Break
4. Security 101 While Traveling
5. Discovering A Country Through Its Food
6. How to Get Around Like a Local While Traveling
7. Why Consider a Small Group Tour Operator on Your Career Break
8. Cooking Class in India: Learn Something New on Your Career Break
9. Solo Travel: How to Travel Alone Without Feeling Lonely
10. Getting to Know Our Tour Leader in India

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Disclosure: I am serving as the Gap Adventures media spokesman for career break travel. While this series is part of a broader campaign to raise awareness about career break travel, all opinions, tips and advice are mine.

Solo Travel Tips During Your Career Break is a post from: Career Break Secrets: Travel show, independent travel blog and advice for career breaks and around the world travel adventures

In India from my Gap Adventures tour. Copyright CareerBreakSecrets.com

Getting around when your traveling is a daily decision. It starts in your planning when you’re trying to figure out if your hostel is close enough to all the things you want to see. You arrive and you have to get to the hostel or hotel. While you’re there will you walk, take a bus, taxi, or a bike? ¨Going local¨ will be your best bet on your wallet. But sometimes making sense of the local transportation system isn’t easy. Here are a few tips to keep in mind.

Tips for Getting Around Safe, Cheap and Like a Local During Your Career Break Travel

• Find out what’s safe and reliable by asking the locals and fellow travelers. Each city has its own rhythm. Some cities like Buenos Aires, Wellington and London are great for exploring on foot. Others like Johannesburg require a reliance on taxis or rental cars to see. Your fellow travelers and staff at the hotel or hostel will help you find the best option available.
• If prices are negotiable or if you get into a taxi without a working meter, set the price up front. In many parts of the world, transportation prices are negotiable. So, make sure you do that negotiation before you take off, otherwise, you’ll likely have sticker shock.
• Always have a local map with you. It’s inevitable that if you’re out exploring on foot, you will let yourself wander a bit. Have a map so if you get too far off the beaten track, you can navigate yourself back to where you need to be.
• Don’t be afraid to get a little lost.  Once you’re out exploring, half the fun is exploring the nooks and unknown neighborhoods of a city. While you should always exercise caution, let yourself go with the flow. I like to say that I never know a city until I’ve gotten lost.
• When you’re traveling with a small group tour operator, like Gap Adventures, you don’t have to worry about the stress of the logistics. Sometimes it’s really nice to kick back and let someone else drive. When I was in India, we had the benefit of seeing the highlights and navigating the cities and towns under the experienced eye of our tour leader and free time to explore on our own.

Now, my B-Side Money Tips for Your Career Break Travel

There is so much that we couldn’t fit in to the video. So, here are some additional tips for getting around.

• Take advantage of biking cities. Many European cities are ideal for renting a bike and getting around. New Zealand has incredible infrastructure for bikers. It gives you more freedom than walking around and you can explore a wider section of the city.
• Rent a car with other travelers from your hostel. Sometimes the best sites aren’t in the city center. See if you can rally a group of travelers to share the rental costs with you to get out of the city and go see them.
• Buy in bulk. If you’re going to be in one place for a while, you can save a few bucks by using the local mass transit and buying a week-long pass. Plus, just by having the pass, you’ll probably use it more and see more sites.
• Allow plenty of time to get to the airport. If you’re going to use public transport to get to the airport, be sure to allow plenty of time. Once in Paris, I took the metro to Charles de Gaulle airport. I thought I had allowed plenty of time, but I accidentally got on the local, not express, train. I barely made my flight!
• When possible, use the same driver. If you hit it off with your taxi or tuk-tuk driver, see if you can develop a relationship with them. If they know you are going to use them a lot, they are more likely to give you a cheaper, negotiated rate. And, they may open up enough to show you their favorite parts of the city.
• The Hop-On/Hop-Off Bus is your friend. No tourist shame here. While you can easily recreate the route for yourself, don’t be ashamed to get a one or two-day pass to explore the city. And, don’t let pretentious travelers dissuade you.

Check out the other topics covered in the Gap Adventures Career Break Video Series 

1. Introduction
2. Packing Tips for a Career Break
3. Money Essentials for Your Career Break
4. Security 101 While Traveling
5. Discovering a Country Through Its Food
6. How to Get Around Like a Local While Traveling
7. Why Consider a Small Group Tour Operator on Your Career Break
8. Cooking Class in India: Learn Something New on Your Career Break
9. Solo Travel: How to Travel Alone Without Feeling Lonely
10. Getting to Know Our Tour Leader in India

If you like this post, sign up for our newsletter or subscribe to our RSS feed to keep up with Career Break Secrets’ career break and travel advice.

Disclosure: I am serving as the Gap Adventures media spokesman for career break travel. While this series is part of a broader campaign to raise awareness about career break travel, all opinions, tips and advice are mine.

Tips For Getting Around Like a Local During Your Career Break is a post from: Career Break Secrets: Travel show, independent travel blog and advice for career breaks and around the world travel adventures

Every traveler needs to know what this is in Argentina or Chile. Do you? Copyright CareerBreakSecrets.com

It’s hard to believe, but I arrived in South America about 4.5 years ago to start my career break. One of the biggest things I wanted to accomplish was learn to speak Spanish fluently. While I still make plenty of mistakes, basically I consider myself fluent. Since 2007, I’ve had the benefit of rounding out my Spanish in most of Latin America and Spain. One of the things I’ve learned is that there is as much variety in Spanish from country to country as there is in English.

Truth be told, I don’t really speak Spanish or Español. It’s really something I call Jeff-pañol. I speak with a gringo accent (less than your typical gringo, but it’s still there). And, I mix in slang from a variety of countries (which sometimes gets me in trouble). I like to think of it as Pan-American Spanish. I’m sure most native speakers consider it something less enchanting.

Over time, I’ve learned a lot of lessons about becoming fluent in another language. It’s not only vocabulary and conjugation – that’s just the basic stuff. If you want to become really fluent, here are a few things you need to be able to contend with.

12 Lessons To Speak Spanish (Or Any Language) Fluently

1. Vocabulary: You need some basics to get around.  And, the more words you know, the clearer you can make yourself so you can be understood and so you can understand others.  Having written notes, especially for addresses, helps. And, it doesn’t hurt to know a few hand gestures just in case.

2. Conjugation: Spanish has a ton of verb tenses and trying to keep them all straight can give you a headache at first.  But, after lots of practice and messups, it starts to come naturally.

3. Enunciation: When speaking, it’s not enough to say the words.  You have to learn how the letters are spoken in Spanish versus English: consonants and vowels both.  Until this happens, you are speaking with your accent making it difficult for others to understand.  It’s funny to be in a room with new speakers from different countries.  Everyone may be speaking Spanish, but they are doing so in their German, English, American or New Zealand accent.

4. Context: As you master the vocab and the conjugation, the next battle is to grasp the context of what you are reading or hearing.  It still happens to me where I’ve understood perfectly the words someone speaks to me.  Yet, I still had no clue what they were talking about because I didn’t understand the process or the way things worked in that country. It’s kind of like the feeling of reading a legal or academic brief. It’s all English, but…Unless you know the context of the conversation, they are still just words.

5. Ear training: Regardless of how many classes you take, until your ears become accustomed to hearing the foreign language, you won’t make much progress.  Luckily, most Spanish speakers are very patient and will speak slowly and clearly with newbies.  This serves well until your ears can get used to a new language and a new accent.

6. Diversity of language: Spanish, like English, has many variations.  Spoken in dozens of countries, each one has their own twist on Spanish just as English differs slightly from the US, UK, Oz, New Zealand, etc. Sometimes the variances are subtle like differences in greeting someone.  Sometimes, the slang varies greatly and is very colloquial. Finally, the accents vary greatly from Spain to Argentina to Chile to Colombia. Even within Colombia, you can tell where someone is from by their accent.

7. Expression of ideas: Sometimes the problem in communicating isn’t knowing the words, but knowing how people express themselves.  Many times you can directly translate a sentence from one language to another without any problems.  Other times, it has no meaning the same way in the other language.  My best example is when I tried to translate to a friend “Enjoy yourself” in Spanish in the same way we use it in English, like when we wish someone well on a trip or a night out on the town.  Unfortunately, the literal translation (Disfrútate!) meant to tell him to go enjoy himself…by masturbating.  Whoops!

8. Groups, TV and movies: There are some situations in which understanding what’s going on is really tough. The first is conversing in groups.  When the banter gets going, it can be hard to follow the conversation. Add in people talking over each other, speaking quickly and using local slang – your head will explode trying to keep up. And, god help you if the conversation point lands in your lap.  Next are TV and movies.  Following a plot can be difficult especially when you don’t have the context.  I continue to try to understand the shows, news, movies, etc. But, it can be difficult. Funnily enough, watching cartoons is surprisingly  easier.

9. Humor: I admit I have a dry sense of humor that can go awry in English.  But, I used to be almost useless in Spanish. Luckily I’m getting better all the time.  Most of the time when I make a joking remark in Spanish, it comes across as me not understanding what’s going on and whoever I’m talking to feels the need to explain everything to me.  I then explain that it was a joke.  And, if you have to explain the joke, it’s not funny.

10. Real-life experience, Perseverance and Failing: Class time is great to get the basics, the theory and some practice.  But, until you’ve been out, having people not understand you, correct you or give up and start speaking English to you, you’ll never perfect your new language.  Over time, you start to get the hang of it. Completely messing up can painful.  But, it’s a necessary evil to perfect your abilities.  You’ve gotta keep on keepin’ on!

11. Names. Anytime I meet someone and they ask for my name to fill out a form, I know it’s going to be a long discussion. Jeff just isn’t close to any name Spanish speakers are used to. And, my last name, Jung (pronounced young), just sends them over the top. A few friends have their nicknames for me like Jeff-ito, Jefficito. But, for the vast majority, even spelling my name is a challenge. Of course, there are plenty of names I’ve encountered in Colombia alone that I’ve never heard before.

12. Patience. You gotta have patience. It comes, but it takes time to build those synapses in your brain. Luckily for you, most people I’ve met traveling will have an abundance of patience with you. As long as you’re trying, they’ll muddle through with you. I’ve noticed that there seems to be an inverse relationship between how common a language is on the global scene and the amount of patience the locals will be with you. English speakers, less patient. Turks, very patient.

Lost in Translation? 12 Things You Gotta Go Through to Learn Spanish (Or Any New Language) Fluently is a post from: Career Break Secrets: Travel show, independent travel blog and advice for career breaks and around the world travel adventures

Then again, maybe some photos are better blurry. Copyright CareerBreakSecrets.com

You’ve gotten to your destination. You’ve been waiting the whole trip to get there. And, all you want is that iconic photo of you in front of the monument, the landscape or with the animals. And, you’re not alone.

You start scanning the crowd. ¨Who should I ask to take my picture?¨ Finally, your eyes meet. There’s that look of recognition that says, ¨Hey, they need a photo too. They look nice and approachable.¨

¨Hi. Do you mind…¨, you ask as you extend your camera out with a big smile.

¨Sure. Can you take one for me too?¨

¨Of course! My pleasure.¨ You respond.

You snap a couple of pics. ¨Here, take a look.¨

You trade cameras. Snap. Snap. ¨Here. Take a look,¨ they respond.

You bring the image up on your tiny screen on the back of your camera. As if almost instinctively, or not wanting to impose any longer than you have to, or simply just not to be that guy, you respond, ¨Looks great. Thanks.¨

But that’s the problem, it’s not. You get back to the hotel later, or worse, home and you look at the picture on your computer. You shrink in horror. And this is what you see.

These are the original, untouched photos left on my camera.

The Leaning Tower is supposed to be in Pisa, not Paris. Copyright CareerBreakSecrets.com

Great timing guys: Eyes closed and mouth wide open. Copyright CareerBreakSecrets.com

Angle shot? Really? Copyright CareerBreakSecrets.com

Dude! i'm not even in position yet. Copyright CareerBreakSecrets.com

Hmmm. Copyright CareerBreakSecrets.com

So, can we get the Christ's head in the shot? Copyright CareerBreakSecrets.com

Is it really so difficult to get the head AND the hands in the shot? Copyright CareerBreakSecrets.com

Nice tent! Well, I guess this is as good as it's gonna get. Hey look, Christ the Redeemer in Rio! Copyright CareerBreakSecrets.com

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Crappy Travel Photos: Who Do You Trust With Your Camera? is a post from: Career Break Secrets: Travel show, independent travel blog and advice for career breaks and around the world travel adventures

Screen shot of Airbnb's site

This year I had two trips to New York, one in June and the other in October.  Both times were for events in Manhattan. Looking around for budget accommodation was a challenge to say the least. I really didn’t want to waste time commuting over bridges and through tunnels.  Even cheaper hotel chains were ridiculously expensive.  I have points on several hotel programs, but really didn’t want to use them for work trips.  For my June trip, I sucked it up and stayed in an average hotel.  By the end, I was even more infuriated that I had overpayed for service that under-delivered. By October, I finally found a smarter and cheaper option, AirBnB.com.  I had such a good experience with AirBnB that I will definitely be using them again…around the world.

Service Overview

AirBnb.com is a site that offers you a place in someone’s home. The accommodation can range from a simple air mattress to your own room to an entire apartment or house. I even saw one option in Colombia for someone’s island!  The system acts as a broker and payment system between you the owner.  I have been a big fan of getting out of the hotel and renting apartments for a long time. I’ve done in Buenos Aires, Santiago, Madrid, Paris and Bogota.  So, immediately I was keen on the concept.  Here’s how it works.

1. Select.  Enter your destination, dates and the number of guests. If you leave the dates off, the directory comes up
2. Sort and Filter.  Next, you can sort the results by ¨Recommended¨, ¨Distance¨ or ¨Price¨.  At this point, you can also filter the results by the type of room you want, price range and amenities offered. The list of amenities included the most important one for me: Internet Access!
3. Play.  Now it’s time to play around and look at the options.  You can see the individual listings that include photos, complete descriptions, reviews from previous renters, and the house rules (which all include the owner’s cancellation and refund policy). Don’t ignore the house rules!  I love the integration with Google Maps because you can see exactly where you will be located in the city.
4. Select and Book.  Once you find a place that you like or want to know more about, you are guided to book the location.
5. Response.  The owner will receive your request and respond to you.  In New York, my first option was not available as the owner had an unscheduled trip.  I was disappointed. But what I liked was that the owner got back to me right away, and was very friendly. So, even though I didn’t get my first choice, I was not upset with the service. So, I went through the process again and finally found another great place.
6. Confirmation and Pre-Payment.  Once the owner approves your request, you will receive a confirmation email with the owner’s contact details so you can coordinate the check-in.  You will also be charged for the stay.  That money stays in escrow with AirBnB until you check in.
7. Check-In.  Once you arrive to your city, you’ll meet up with the owner, get the keys and relax in your new place. At this point of the game, your money is transferred to the owner’s account.  You will probably work out the check out details with the owner at this point.
8. Check-Out and Review.  The day has come for you to leave to head off to your next destination, or home.  AirBnB will send you a form to review your stay and the host. AND, the owner will receive a form to review as a guest.  This information is made available to other owners. It’s a great check to weed out unruly guests and bad hosts to keep everyone honest. So, you better be a good guest and leave the place like you found it!  Oh, and each side gets to see what the other wrote.

Pros and Cons of the Service

My Top 3 Pros Are

• Simple, easy-to-use service to find the right balance between the creature comforts you want and the budget you have
• Great detail on the listings like photos, services included and maps
• Double-sided review process that keeps everyone honest

My Cons Are

Honestly, I’m sure there’s something. No service is perfect. And, maybe after a few more stays, I´m sure I can come up with something.  The wildcard is definitely the owner from whom you rent. I would highly encourage you to check our AirBnB for your next trip.

Post-Script

I got a large studio in New York with wifi and full kitchen for $80/night in October. Compare that with a crappy hotel in which I paid $250/night in June.  Not only was it cheaper, I was way more comfortable, my internet worked and I could cook for myself and not rely on takeout!

Let me know if you have any questions about the service or have something to add from your experience.

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A Review of AirBnB, A Great Budget Alternative is a post from: Career Break Secrets: Travel show, independent travel blog and advice for career breaks and around the world travel adventures

Aug 27: Mexicana Suspends and Cancels All Flights, Scramble for Refund Begins

Aug 30: Mexicana Refund Process Fails Passenger. What To Do Now

A few weeks ago, I booked myself on a Mexicana flight from Bogota to San Antonio, Texas so I can attend the Meet Plan Go event in Austin…which I´m hosting.  Not long after, Mexicana announced that it´s filing for bankruptcy.  They also announced that even though they’ve suspended sales of new tickets, those of us with purchased tickets can rest assured that our tickets will be honored.

I woke up today with the news that Mexicana has suspended several of its international flights due to cash flow issues.  I looked at the site announcing these changes to its flight schedule and I saw that both Bogota and San Antonio are affected. As of August 9,  according to Mexicana, the flights to these cities are being suspended.

I understood this to mean no more flights exist on Mexicana to Bogota and San Antonio until further notice.  However, apparently that´s not what it means to Mexicana.

Customer Service, Please Hold

I reached out to a couple of my travel blogger brethren to see what they had heard.  And, nothing they sent me gave me any ¨warm and fuzzies¨ that I would be taking Mexicana to San Antonio in September.

Screen shot of Mexicana's Twitter account. Copyright CareerBreakSecrets.com

I next went to Twitter to see what the company was tweeting out.  Life @MexicanaAir is all clear blue skies it seems. It´s all under control.

• On August 6: 10:37AM they tweeted ¨Mexicana Airlines continues operations as scheduled in the interest of protecting passengers whom already have tickets & flight itineraries.
  • Looking good so far. But, then there´s this tweet
• On August 9 in the morning: We reaffirm our commitment to our customers and thank you for your preference. http://bit.ly/CMAinforms That bitly link takes you to the page announcing their suspended flights.
  • I am not feeling the love and am not comforted.
• I thought that the link to purchase a ticket on mexicana.com on the Suspension announcement page was a particularly naive and hopeful sentiment by the airline.

Screen shot of Mexicana's Suspension of Flights announcement. Copyright CareerBreakSecrets.com

Next, I go online to find out how to contact Mexicana directly to get some answers.  The only contact numbers are for Mexico and North America.  Mexicana flies all over Latin America. What are we in Bogota to do?  I find a chat function and click to engage.  The form asks for a detailed question about my issue…but only accepts 120 characters.  Hmmm.  I enter my details and proceed to wait, and wait and wait.

Screen shot of Mexicana's chat function. Copyright CareerBreakSecrets.com

So, I find the toll-free US number and make a call via skype.  I got a customer service rep on the phone who was quite friendly and he confirmed my ticket and said that I would have a place on Mexicana in September.  I asked him what it meant to say ¨Suspended flight¨ to Mexicana and mentioned that use of wording confused me. He assured me that announcement had no relevance to my ability to board my flights in September.  I finally dropped it realizing that he didn’t have the answer I needed.

So, I now wait to see if I really will be boarding my flight in September.

Lost in Translation

I speak fluent Spanish. And, even so, I still have occasions in which slight differences in word usage change the meaning of what someone is trying to say. Let’s just say that I recognize the signs very well when one means one thing but says another.  This is not one of those instances. The verb to suspend means the same thing in Spanish as it does in English.  I understand that Mexicana has a lot going on trying to deal with its bankruptcy. But, whoever manages its customer communications should be fired.

It is inexcusable to communicate with words like ¨Suspension of Flights¨ when that may not be what Mexicana means.  But, who knows, maybe it is what they mean and they are not telling the customer service representatives so as to avoid a full-scale customer revolt and PR nightmare.

Mexicana is not being up front with its customers in communicating what the real situation is with its flights.  Either flights are being suspended or they are not. Either they have the cash to continue operations as scheduled or they do not.  Either people´s purchased tickets will be honored or they will not.  We will begin to know the situation shortly.  And, Mexicana’s poor customer communications will only serve to make the situation worse for its passengers.

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Mexicana’s Bankruptcy Lost in Translation is a post from: Career Break Secrets: Travel show, independent travel blog and advice for career breaks and around the world travel adventures