If I had written this article right after I came back from China (the first time), I would have given it a glowing, spotless review. After all, it was one of my first travel experiences that wasn’t long term (like Korea). Sometimes, it is good to let a little time pass by to have some perspective. How can you say a place is the best if you haven’t been anywhere else to compare?
Lijiang has a history dating back almost a thousand years. It is a prime example of the diversity of China as a country. When most people think of China, they think of a homogeneous place, with the exception being Tibet. While Tibet is an example, China is home to hundreds of ethnic minorities, including the Nakhi people of Lijiang. The Nakhi still live in Lijiang and the surrounding areas, and some still practice silk embroidering which they have been doing since the times of the Silk Road. In those times, Lijiang was one of the last stops of the road where traders could get some of the finest silk in China. Much like Xi’an, China, Lijiang is very unique and quite different from Chinese mega cities like Beijing. One special feature is that cars are not allowed inside the Old Town at all.
I have read many travel blogs and tips recently, and while I find them useful, I am surprised most of the following were not mentioned. While saving money is key for travelers, safety may not be on all priority lists, but maybe it should be. Consider that the safer you are, the more fun you will have and you might even contract the travel bug. While everyone is thinking about having a good time in their travels, the fact of the matter is, the world can be a dangerous place, but it doesn’t have to be. People are, overall, inherently peaceful, pretty much everywhere in the world, but it doesn’t hurt to take a few extra precautions to keep you safe from that troublesome minority. Nothing puts you in more danger than looking like you don’t belong, so here are some tips to help you fit in.
#5 Have Pictures of your Maps
There are few things that make you stand out more than looking at a huge map with a quizzical look on your face when you arrive in a new country. Like the coyote after the roadrunner, you will quickly find people behind you, offering to help. While in some countries, these may be honest attempts at helping you out, it could also be a trick to scam you. I am not trying to tell you to be xenophobic and reject contact, but it is a fact that when you are disoriented, you make mistakes. Wandering Earl from wanderingearl.com goes further by suggesting that you take a break immediately after arriving in a new country.
One easy tip is to look up the general area of where you will be arriving on google maps and take a few screen shots. I have also tried doing this with my camera (especially a small point shoot). As you are looking at your phone, you will seem like you are just texting someone, while in fact, you are looking at a map. While I do like physical maps to look at in my hotel room, try not to stand out by whipping it out in public if avoidable.
#4 Divide Your Cash into Different Locations
Maybe it’s a bad habit of mine, but I don’t like to rely on withdrawing money abroad. With one notable exception, I have always brought all the cash I needed on a trip. Besides, something could go wrong like my card not working or I could get mugged right after withdrawing. For this (and other money saving reasons), I always carry cash. However, you also don’t want to carry a bunch of cash in your wallet. Try dividing what you do have into separate locations. I like to put a third in my wallet, a third in a secret pocket in my backpack (which I leave in a hotel / hostel if possible), and a third in my socks (yes the ones I am wearing, don’t judge me!) Theft or hustling does happen, and it is best that you lose some of your money than all of it.
Furthermore, having little money in your wallet makes the art of haggling much easier. It is difficult to tell a salesman that you don’t have much money left in an attempt to have them lower the price when your wallet is bursting with cash. In many countries, haggling is a way of life and a friendly exchange where neither the salesman nor the local is usually offended. While stretching the truth and exaggeration is expected, outright lying to someone’s face can be offensive. Usually, I even divide the money in my wallet, keeping big bills hidden so that no one thinks I am loaded when it is time to pay.
I think it is safe to say that my lifestyle of living abroad over the last few years has changed me as a person. While traveling wasn’t something I thought much about when I started college, now, it is something that is constantly on my mind. I am always looking forward to the next destination, the next adventure. It is strange how people change, but it is also interesting how they stay the same.
One of my oldest hobbies has been taking pictures of animals and plants. Now that I travel more, I sometimes mix my love of nature with my new-found love of travel. My post and evaluation on the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Sian Ka’an is a good example on how the two hobbies have mixed and that same site’s high score can attest to how biased I am to a place with fantastic flora and fauna.
While I travel, I take many pictures of sites I see, or sometimes, people I meet. While these are the pictures you have seen on this site so far, I have been secretly hoarding many great shots of plants and animals because frankly, I didn’t know where they could fit. While I am a self proclaimed nature lover, I must admit that my knowledge of plants and animals is below average, and sometimes even the most basic names elude me (mostly plants).
I will post a new plant or animal picture once a week. Sometimes, it will just be to share, and sometimes, it will be because I need some help in identifying the species. I have seen some success in other sites, and am quite impressed at readers’ knowledge, especially when it comes to scientific names. I know this post was a bit long winded, but most will be short with a single picture and a short description. I hope you enjoy:
This is part of the 2013 OUTDATED LIST! For the most up to date TOP 50 things to do in Seoul, go here.
#20 Cheonggyecheon / Cheonggye Stream / 청계천*
Uh oh! There is an asterisk already on the first entry. When I first made this list, the Cheonggye Stream didn’t even crack my top 30. It is a nice little stream that runs along the top half of Seoul, but nothing extraordinary. So what made me change my mind? I remembered how the stream transforms during the lotus and lantern festivals. Twice a year (once in May, once in November), the Cheonggye Stream is decorated with huge lanterns in celebration of those festivals. There is also a parade of lanterns near the stream that passes in front of Jonggak Station (#16), but this way, you can see them at your own pace. If you visit Seoul during one of these festivals, make sure to pass by this stream at night time, and of course, don’t miss the parade!
#19 Seoul Fortress Wall (starting at Hyehwamun / Hyehwa Gate / 혜화문)Read more →
This my is my second list of 5 awesome bucket list worthy destinations I would love to visit which you probably didn’t consider. If you missed the first list, click here. There are so many places in the world, so I thought, why not make another list. I have spent a lot of my free time over the last few years researching new places, and reading about awesome places to visit. While the usual suspects, such as the Terracotta Army, Grand Canyon, and Venice often come up, other more obscure places catch my eye from time to time. Here are five more places which are amazing, but you probably didn’t consider:
#5 Sichuan, China
That is one huge Buddha.
This comes it at number five because, well, I’ve already visited Sichuan. However, when I visited, I was on my way to see the Mauseoleum of the First Qin Emperor (the Terracotta Army) in Xi’an, so I missed two of the three most interesting things in this Chinese province: The Leshan Giant Buddha, and the Giant Panda Sanctuaries. In case you didn’t figure it out yet, the third greatest wonder in Sichuan, is Sichuan food!
The Leshan Giant Buddha is a carving of the Buddha on the side of a mountain, or maybe more accurately said, on the entire side of a mountain! At 71 meters (about 220 feet Americans) tall, it is the largest pre-modern statue in existence. It took over 90 years to carve from 713 CE – 803 CE (not continuously of course, even then, funds were low an progress was slow).
The Giant Panda Sanctuaries are a set of structures that hold at least 30% of all giant pandas left in the world. They also hold some rarer panda species. When I visited, Sichuan had recently been struck with one of the most devastating earthquakes in its history, so the pandas were being moved for their safety and I didn’t get a chance to see them.
These two sites (and the food) definitely make Sichuan, bucket list worthy!
#4 Mongolia
During the Naadam Festival
When people think about Mongolia, almost immediately, images of Genghis Khan, the leader who established the Mongolian Empire, one of the largest empires in history, come to mind. What some people don’t realize however, is how scarcely populated Mongolia was then, and still is now. Mongolia and its people have a long history of nomadic lifestyles. Some Mongolians still live the traditional way, with about a third being nomadic or semi-nomadic, which is why it makes my bucket list. In addition, they have a cool festival called Naadam, where Mongolians compete in horse racing, archery, and wrestling. The wrestling is particularly of interest to me because it is said that they compete in an enormous 1024 person bracket, with no weight classes. Can you imagine a tiny guy wrestling an enormous giant? I don’t want to imagine, I want to see it!
