I spent much of last weekend viewing travel vlogs on YouTube from random countries that I have little to no interest in visiting. Since the tourism commercials show only the highlights and the most positive light, I prefer to view individual videos in which actual travelers film the scenery and comment on their experiences. If you would like to view these videos, all you have to do is go on YouTube and search for any country or city then “travel vlog.” Kara and Nate is my favorite such YouTube channel. Particularly fascinating to me were a couple of cases in which people chose to spend just 2 or 3 days in certain countries for in their words “no particular reason.” That’s right. With very little planning, they just booked a flight on the spur of the moment to the capitol city despite knowing very little about the country and almost no idea what to expect. With no knowledge of the local language, they simply pointed to a random item on a menu in a restaurant and hoped for the best. Most of these trips ended up being very positive experiences. Go figure.
Safety/My Worst Experiences:
My wallet was stolen at beach in Jacksonville and I had a close call with a probable robber/mugger in New Orleans. Both took place in my mid-20s and I have a lot more street smarts and common sense nowadays. Neither would have happened in my 30s. Basic common sense goes a long way in staying safe no matter where you are. Don’t walk alone at night in a part of town that appears to be a bad area. Make a copy of your ID and passport. Take 2 credit/debit cards and keep one locked up in your room. Don’t carry more cash than you can afford to lose on your person and perhaps carry it in your front pockets. I saw a number of female vloggers who regularly travel solo including Adventurous Kate. This has done much to ease my fears of travelling alone even to countries in which the culture shock would be significant such as the day trip to Morocco from Spain. Fortunately, there is an organization called Marathon Tours and Travel, which reserves a block of rooms for runners in many races on my bucket list including Jerusalem and Cape Town. There is also a planned group itinerary, which can be extended at the end. Solo travelers can be matched with roommates to save money on lodging. Travel companions have their pros and cons. I’d definitely want the company especially in a restaurant or bar but I could miss out on key attractions if my travel partner does not want to go or takes too long to get ready.
Reasons for Bucket List Countries/Others That I Would NEVER Visit:
What I look for is both stunning natural beauty as well as vibrant cities. History, ancestral ties and lack of a significant language barrier are plusses as well. I took Spanish in high school and 2 semesters of French in college so I could re-learn some with a little study. Most young Europeans have some knowledge of English especially in large cities but even feeble attempts to speak the native language are much appreciated by locals. I was surprised by the beauty of central Asian countries such as Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan but because almost nobody speaks English and many roads are in poor condition, it is unlikely that I will visit that part of the world. Perhaps most importantly, the country must be at peace for quite some time. ABSOLUTELY NO WAY would I visit any war torn country but the fact that terrible things took place in the fairly recent past does not disqualify a country from a potential visit. My current city of Birmingham, Alabama still has a bad reputation because of terrible things done to black people in the 1950s-60s. While I certainly do not downplay it, it is unfair to judge current residents who were not even alive at the time. Vietnam and Bosnia-Herzegovina have made great strides since the end of their wars while others in the Middle East have gone backwards in the last 50 years. Also, the country must not be desperately poor and/or ruled by a repressive authoritarian regime. Good roads and infrastructure are a must if I am to drive. Kenya/Tanzania could be a little dicey in that regard but as long as I stick to tourist areas, I should be okay.
Lodging:
I’m normally frugal when I’m just passing through a rural, suburban area or a small city. My usual targets are establishments such as Motel 6 or Super 8. If I am racing, then if possible, I will want to stay within a mile of the start/finish line so I can simply get up and walk without having to worry about parking. I will also make an exception and splurge if I am staying in a major city that I do not know well. In that case, I will pay a little more to stay in the heart of town so I won’t have to fight the traffic or move my car to and from different parking garages. I’ve never stayed in a hostel before but I would be open to it in the future. I would have misgivings about sharing a room with a total stranger but I would not mind shared bathroom facilities especially if it would save a significant amount of money.
Transportation:
On most of my US and Canadian road trips, a rental car is a necessity. Exceptions to the rule would be NYC and DC, where use of the subway is a necessity and you would be well advised to avoid driving in those cities. Dropping off a car at a different location than the pickup will usually cost you a lot more money and it is usually not allowed to return the car in a different country. That means a trip from Santiago, Chile to Buenos Aires, Argentina is definitely a bus/train trip. Most of my destinations should not require a rental car especially if there is a good subway or bus system and/or I am planning to stick to one area. Exceptions would include beach hopping in Iberia and Australia as well as tours of Iceland, the Mediterranean/Alpine loop and possibly South Africa. I’d be a little apprehensive about driving abroad and will research safety issues but if I stick mostly to highways, I should be okay. When possible however, I would opt for Uber or public transportation.
Regrets:
Most often, my only regret is that I did not have more time to see everything that I wanted. For this reason, return trips to Los Angeles and Chicago are on my bucket list as well as NYC. I initially wanted to check off Newfoundland when coming back from Europe but I missed out on Cape Breton on my first trip to Nova Scotia so I'm going back then I will take a ferry.
Essential American Road Trips:
Gulf Coast- Apalachicola to New Orleans via US-90
South Atlantic- Savannah to Charleston via US-17
Smoky Mountains-Straddle the Tennessee/North Carolina border with stops in Knoxville and Gatlinburg. Check out nearby cities of Asheville, Chattanooga and possibly Nashville and the Blue Ridge Pkwy.
Great Lakes- Door County Wisconsin to the UP of Michigan
Rocky Mountains- Tour Denver and see Pikes Peak and the Rocky Mountain National Park
Teton/Yellowstone- There is an airport in Jackson Hole but it may be cheaper and more scenic to fly into Salt Lake City instead. I flew to Helena because I was going north to Canada.
So-Cal-Pacific Coast Hwy with stops in San Diego and LA.
Pacific Northwest- Portland, Mt. Hood, Oregon Coast, Mt. Ranier and Seattle
New England- NYC to New Haven via Train then drive along the coast to Boston and Cape Cod.
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