I see articles in travel magazines all the time on subjects like this.  They list the same 10 or 20 generic bullet points over… and over… and over.  Either they all just keep recycling the same original How to Save travel article, or I really just take for granted that people can get that info in any travel guide-book. Here are some tips that are a little more creative.  

A couple friends are traveling to Europe soon so I decided to shift gears from the Third World and write a few thoughts about traveling around the Motherland.  Links to some of the better “How to Save” articles I have come across are at the bottom to reference all the standard stuff.  Here are a few little gems above and beyond, to add to your repertoire when traveling on a shoestring.

1.  SAVING ON DINING

Restaurants and Cafés in Europe can be quite pricey.  It still surprises me every time I visit that a soft-drink costs more than a beer (keep that in mind). Try this gameplan when on a budget:  Picnic for breakfast and lunch, and ask a friendly local or two to recommend a good place for dinner.

** Pocketing the hard-plastic utensils your in-flight meal is served with is a smooth move.  They are lightweight and compact and make great McGruber gadgets for your little picnic we are planning.  

BREAKFAST AND LUNCH COVERED FOR $3.50-$5.00 (depending on what the $ is doing)

Go to the local grocery store in the morning and pick up:

Fresh loaf of bread — $0.50

Round of local Cheese — $1.50

Fresh Produce — $1.50

Baguettes are my favorite (French bread which is usually tough on the outside and real soft on the inside).   Usually comes about 1 1/2 feet long for about $0.50.  Treat yourself and try some good local cheese (not Kraft).  My favorite whenever I can find it is Camembert (a soft-ripened French cheese from Normandy region similar to Brie) 8 Oz round of cheese usually  $1 -$2.50.  Because they are not genetically altered, the local fruit and vegetables in most parts of Europe are noticeably more flavorful than what we are used to stateside.  The produce even has little bug holes sometimes and imperfections I eventually came to appreciate.  Grab an apple or some grapes or whatever is on sale $1-$1.50. 

Now you’ve got the makings of a little mini-picnic to break-out throughout the day for breakfast, lunch, and snacking.  If you eat at Cafés for both Breakfast and Lunch you will easily drop $15-20 each day.  This cuts that number down to no more than $5-6 and thats allowing for big price increase since last time I was there.

Find yourself a nice little park or city square to take in the beautiful sites while you picnic.  And don’t worry about that cheese in your backpack, man– its tougher than you think.  Wait till you get there… they leave everything sitting out for days in Europe and everywhere else.  As an American (we have the strictest food-safety regulations) I was shocked my first time at the common sites of raw meat and perishable foods sitting out in the little markets lining the streets.  Didn’t seem to concern any of the locals though.  And apparently not too many places in the world outside of the US refrigerate their egg-cartons either.  So no worries.

SOME OTHER TIPS TO SAVE ON MEALS 

• Remember to carry a refillable bottle of water in your pack.

• Local pubs (not tourist pubs) can offer great bar food and working class meals at a value for those on a budget.  mmm… check out the Beef Wellington at an authentic pub in the UK. Its amazing.  Ok and splurge on a couple pints of Stella Artois. (the good stuff and its cheap over there).

• While you are out exploring, ask some friendly looking locals to recommend a couple of their favorite spots that are not too expensive.  And write down a few of their favorite dishes.

• Remember to be familiar with the tipping customs of the country.  Consult your travel book + confirm it from a few locals (umm not your waiter).  Europe has much higher wage rates than US and tipping in most European nations is often not expected nor customary.

This is a lot more to cover than I thought.  I will have to do a second installment to this article with all the other stuff.  To be continued…  -CM

It was mid-morning and we were winding along some of the more remote trails in Kruger Reserve in search of the Big Five.  We stumbled upon this troop of monkeys making their way along a quiet dirt road. The babies rode on the backs of their mamas and well… monkeys do things a little different.

Location: Kruger Reserve, South Africa

Kruger National Park in South Africa is one of Africa’s top safari destinations.  Find a wealth of information by clicking the following link: Kruger Park Facts and Info

On a recent safari in Kruger Reserve in South Africa, we came upon a tribe of elephants and observed them for a couple hours in the wild.  The babies and the females rolled around and played in a big mud pit.  Meanwhile the Bull male had his hands full running off potential suitors who tried to get near the females.  

Kruger National Park in South Africa is one of Africa’s top safari destinations.  Find a wealth of information by clicking the following link: Kruger Park Facts and Info

This in turn leaves us behind the eight ball in other parts of the world where bargaining is not only standard practice, but is looked upon as a healthy form of mental sparring.  Bargain well in some parts of the world such as South East Asia and the vendor will not only give you a smile of approval, but may actually compliment your skills as they hand over the goods at your price.

What if you could cross off half your Friends/Family Souvenir List for under $30 in a single great performance at the night market in Swaziland?  What if you could return home with a one-of-a-kind art piece that you got for a fraction of what you were willing to pay?  Here is a crash course in bargaining to get you rolling back the prices in no time…

THE RULES

8. Do your research.

If you see other tourists wearing the African mask you are interested in buying, ask them what they paid and where. Look around a couple days before you plan to buy and get an idea of the fair price range. 

7.  Set a target price in your mind ahead of time.

Know the price that you are comfortable with and working towards before you begin.  If you meet it– great, and if you don’t then feel comfortable walking away.

"$7000? But I saw it down the street for $500..."

6. Try to buy in bulk.

Don’t buy one here and one there if you can help it.  If you plan to buy multiple items or a lot of one thing like T-shirts for instance, find a vendor that has the most of what you want. First get their best price for one.  Now say “Tell ya what…what if I buy 5?” and offer the vendor the price of three.

5.  Smile, Be courteous, and Enjoy Yourself!

You would give the deal to someone you like and stick it to the jerk.  Some tourists treat foreign vendors as if they are dealing with convicted con artists.  Creating a stuffy, bad vibe is not going to get you the best price or leave a good impression of your country.

4.  If a vendor accepts your offer… you must buy! 

Never make an offer to purchase and back out once accepted.  Major faux pas abroad as well as anywhere.

3.  Play a Good Game! 

Many foreigners approach bargaining for goods like a friendly game of tennis-someone comes out on top but both parties enjoyed themselves in the process.  With cunning, technique, and good sportsmanship you can best the vendor, and in some parts of the globe he or she will literally congratulate you after the sale is made.  Yes I have been congratulated.

2.  Never Telegraph Your Move.

If they can tell you’re going to buy it anyway, why would they lower their price?  A rooky mistake is to pick up a souvenir, walk around the store with it for five minutes, and then ask for a discount when you go to pay.  Try not to look like you walked in the store with the intention of spending bucks- you’re just casually passing the time.  Ask for the price as if it was an afterthought, shrug at the response with a carefree attitude, and keep moving.   

1.  Be willing to walk away! 

The vendor wishes to maximize his price, but not at the risk of losing a potential sale.  Go for the door and watch the price come crashing down.  Some vendors will actually follow you out onto the street spouting lower and lower numbers.  And if they don’t, you can make a last stand tomorrow.  

HOW TO PLAY…

You: Hi how are you?  (bonus points if spoken in their language) Whats your best price for this? 

Vendor: “$X”

You: [Grimace or chuckle then put it back as if no longer interested] 

Vendor: [probably offers a better price immediately at the sight of you putting it back.] 

You: [Take your time/scratch your head with disinterest then counter back with half of the current price.]

Vendor: [May try to bluff you now by restating his price but will probably lower price again]

You:  “C’mon…(restate your offer or just slightly higher depending)… this is a good price.”  [produce the money and motion to finalize sale]

Vendor: [should either agree to your price or come down again off his previous stated price] 

You:  [Depending on the situation... you can accept, restate your offer or slightly higher for another round of bargaining, or politely withdraw from the contest and walk away] 

Obviously each situation is different and with a little experience you will begin to feel when you have reached the best price your vendor is willing to offer and when you have more room to negotiate.  A very generic goal for night markets is somewhere between half and two-thirds of the initial price.

The Smoking Gun – Bring a local!  Make friends with a native or two, and offer to pick up their lunch tomorrow if they will come shopping with you.  Locals will know where to buy, what to watch out for, and will always get you the best price!

A final note… A fairly common scene in the markets abroad is a tourist haggling for a $3 T-shirt and then producing a wallet busting at the seams with big bills when going to pay.  It takes a little forethought, but consider humoring your vendor and having only the correct amount visible after whittling them down. 

–CM      

When you look back on your time in Thailand, great memories will abound but one thing you will certainly miss will be the glorious cuisine!  Rich in aromatic herbs and spices that create an explosion of mouthwatering flavors, it is no surprise that Thai cuisine is quickly taking out Chinese food in the battle for the premier Asian spot on our ethnic dining ticket.

Try These Dishes at Your Favorite Thai Bistro

Whether you are a seasoned fan of Thai cuisine or looking to branch out into a new favorite ethnic food… Try these personal recommendations that are sure to please:

Cashew Chicken – Sounds simple enough but its incredibly complex and delicious when it hits the palate.  It’s a Thai favorite and my favorite so give it a go.

Tom Yam – There is an explosion of flavors in this unique hot and tangy soup.  Lime juice, lemongrass, and cilantro gives the soup its zest while chili peppers make you feel the burn.  If you are really brave ask them to make it “Thai Spicy”… they still wont make it as hot for you as they like to eat it in Thailand.  Additionally, this soup is often made with seafood (sometimes a little fishy), so try it first with chicken and branch out after you fall in love with it.

Yam Wun-Sen – Another tangy and spicy dish that works wonders for the taste buds.  It is usually on the menu under Salads, ingredients can vary but usually minced meat, coriander, lime, chillies, and some veggies mixed into unique and delicious Thai glass noodles.

Pad Thai – If you have somehow overlooked this dish or keep passing it up for the delicious Thai curries, its time to pay your respects to the staple of Thai Cuisine.  Be sure to flavor it with crushed peanuts and a dash of red pepper.

If you don’t recognize these selections on your local Thai menu, just ask because they might be translated into something different.

Culture Differences at the Dinner Table

Thais find putting a fork in the mouth as strange as Americans would find putting a knife in the mouth.  Thais commonly dine with a fork and a spoon (not chopsticks) – the fork is used for pushing food onto the spoon.

In America we are often taught as children to strive to “clean our plate.”  This represents that we’re not wasteful and that our host prepared an excellent meal.  In Thailand however, “cleaning your plate” is a statement that your host was not generous, and did not provide you with enough food.  –CM

My buddy Shea pulls off a highly respectable, Inverted Monkey Dive

Canopy Adventures

Ko Samui, Thailand

On an expedition in Africa in March of 2005, I caught up with some colleagues and a scientist from Cape Town University who were en route to Seal Island to study sharks in the wild…

Sunrise brought anticipation of the day’s main event: observing Great Whites up-close and personal during feeding time. We found Jenkins, our liaison, at the dock in good time and set out on a small skiff for Seal Island- infamous filming location of the Discovery Channel documentaries “Air Jaws” and “Shark Week.” 

We eventually tie up beside the Barracuda and scramble on board of the much larger ship as the rolling swell crashes the two boats together over and over.  The Capt. makes way for Shark Alley.   We watch from the top deck as the crew breaks up fish guts in a bucket of seawater to make the chum.  The air is thick with the smell of fish guts and seal shit.  Scottie, our resident naturalist, is explaining to Kevin and Stephanie that “like fishing, some days you get lucky with sharks and some days you don’t.”  A few minutes go by, maybe half an hour more…

“Shark!!!”  Suddenly pandemonium sets in.  The five of us are racing to get our dive suits over our bodies.  The crew has snapped into action with the chum and the cameras, and some of the others are climbing overboard into the cages.

The water is very cold in South Africa and this requires some extra insulation.  This is a thick wetsuit (5mil) that I’m fighting hard to get into even with all the adrenaline flowing… booties on… I take a moment to look overboard… Jaws is circling the boat… now pulling up the hoodie… atleast we will look more like seals.

I get suited up just in time to see Jaws making another pass.  This thing is massive!  He is so close I could jump on his back and ride him to the bottom of the ocean.  The thought occurs for an instant and I picture my epitaph, “Shark Rider Never Recovered.”  The idea quickly fades.  

Some of the team is already in the cages.  I hang back with Stephanie and John, our Aquatics Specialist.  Capt. grabs a big chunk of fish meat and ties a thick rope around it.  He gives it a good toss off the side—about five meters.  The shark makes a wide circle and then goes in hard for the meat.  Capt. yells “down, down, down!” and everyone inhales a deep breath and dives down to the bottom of the cage as Capt. pulls the meat towards the cage. 

The meat is instantly vaporized from the end of the rope and Kevin surfaces with eyes like saucers—damn that’s a fierce predator.  “Chase!  This is unreal!” he yells up to me grinning ear to ear.  “You gotta see this!”  Another chunk of meat is roped and thrown out and “Down, down, down!”  I can’t wait to get into those cages.  The shark makes several more passes that I capture on film, as I await my appointment. 

Finally I’m in, Stephanie and John are on either side of me.  The first thing I notice is the frigid water!  I fight the pull of the weight belt and cling to the top of the cage, wrestling to stay above the rolling ice bath.  A couple of minutes go by and suddenly it occurs to me that I’ve been using the cage opening as a footrest.  A @#$%ing scary thought!  I pull my toes into the safety of the metal cage just in time to hear “Down, down, down!”  I draw in a huge breath of air and dive down to the bottom.  I look out of the metal bars and spy a Jaws 12 feet away from me.  He is moving like a torpedo, closing in on the meat which is being pulled in my direction.  For a split second, I’m gazing into a black hole framed in jagged razorblades… then a quick, violent tearing of flesh and I lose my target in a sea of bubbles.  It happened in a flash, 5 ft. in front of my eyes and then wham!  Out of the bubbles the momentum of the attack sent the shark crashing into the cage infront of Stephanie!  I see her gasp under water and shoot to the surface.  I go up to see Stephanie ghostly white, with the widest eyes I’ve ever seen and in a panic.  “It came right in front of me!  I thought I was going to die!”  Incredible!  This went on for about an hour, the sharks delivering bone-chilling thrills with each hit.  I actually witnessed a shark clash teeth on metal in an effort to taste me or Scotty in passing, as we made our best efforts to imitate seal noises underwater.  –CM

These sites often blow Orbitz, Travelocity, Etc. out of the water for cheap flights and deals.  Try these next time you search for airfare online.

www.Travelzoo.com

They scour the internet daily to post all the best travel specials in one place.  I’ve seen insane deals on here like airfare + 5 nights in Fiji for $599, but it’s completely hit or miss.  Begin your search here because you never know what they might be posting and you may hit jackpot.  Or plan your next vacation around a random super cheap ticket…

www.BT-store.com

An incredible site for great international flight deals.  I’ve booked numerous super-cheap flights off of here and they are currently offering LAX to BKK flight for $719, and flights to Europe for under $300.

www.Cheapoair.com

Great deals on International and Domestic Flights.

www.Trekkerstravel.com

Wholesale International Flights and they run specials quite often.

www.Statravel.com

Low fares for everyone, but especially students.  I recently booked a flight from Sydney, Australia to Los Angeles with a free stop over in Taiwan for under $650.

www.Bookingbuddy.com

Searches Sidestep.com, Orbitz.com, Travelocity.com, etc. all at once.

www.Bestfares.com

Recommended to me on my last trip but I haven’t had a chance to try them out yet.

Check out these sites for multi-stop or “Around the World” ticket deals:

www.Airbrokers.com

www.Airtreks.com

Does North Carolina (or wherever) to Brazil for $601 roundtrip sound pretty good? I sure thought it did considering Orbitz lowest fare was $1179.  Through years of trial and error at trying to get airborne on the cheap, I’ve stumbled upon a technique that generally beats the major airfare websites by at least a couple hundred dollars on international flights.  Here’s how to blast off for less!  

Rethink Your Routes: Connect the Gate Cities

A gate city is one that serves as a major transportation hub for a country or region. 

For your purposes locate one that has a high volume of flights to-and-from your destination.  Examples would be Los Angeles or San Francisco if going to Bangkok, or New York or Boston to London, or Miami to Central America.  These routes between gate cities are going to consistently offer the cheapest flights to your destination and great specials because they have several flights going back-and-forth daily with seats to fill!

Break up your search into two objectives:

1.  Find the cheapest flight from a domestic gate city to destination gate city

2.  Find the cheapest flight from here to domestic gate city

This has the potential for some great savings!

Example – Wilmington, NC (surrounding area) to Bangkok, Thailand          

The cheapest flight search from Wilmington, NC to Bangkok, Thailand on Orbitz.com pulls up a flight that costs $1600 and connects thru Atlanta, GA and Seoul, Korea.   

One of the awesome websites I’m going to tell you about is currently publishing Los Angeles (LAX) to Bangkok (BKK) for $719!  

Objective 1 is complete, so now if I can find a cheap flight from here to LAX I’m going to save money.  I see low fares from nearby Myrtle Beach, SC to LAX on Spirit all the time ranging from $150 to $300.  If I can locate one of these fares, I have the potential to save $600+, or over 40% off the original ticket search price!!!  Even if I only find an average priced ticket to LAX I saved $200-300! 

For some reason, the big airfare websites don’t always send you through the gate cities.  And even when they do it is still possible to break up your flight into segments and find two lower priced tickets that beats their fare.  

Just be careful!  I have saved hundreds this way on many flights abroad but a little mistake can be major.  Because you are booking flights separately and usually on different carriers, they are not inclined to work with you if you miss your second flight because your first flight was delayed.  So leave at least a couple hours of layover time between flights (plenty more if you checked luggage or worry a lot).  And try to avoid connecting through cities that have higher risk of snow delays if traveling during the winter months.  

High Season vs. Low Season

Many destinations have a high season and a low season for tourist travel and this can dramatically affect airfare.  If possible, try to visit your destination during the shoulder season- the period between the high and low.  This is when all the stars align… less crowds, the weather is still ideal, and airfare and lodging prices are down.

Common Tips to Remember  

- Do your research and check multiple sites

- Book as far in advance as possible

- Try to be flexible with your dates

- Be ready to act – if you see a low low fare grab it because it may have gone up by the  next time you search