quote:

Originally posted by Stoo:
• Hillbillies are hillbillies no matter what country you are in

that is funny!
thanks for the postcard, stoo!

Small change is often hard to come by and sometimes priceless. Don't waste it.

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Small change is often hard to come by and sometimes priceless. Don't waste it.

Makes me flashback to Kenya. The land of no change.

HA! I think the small change is the best advice on here yet!

-always carry a flashlight, a knife, and duct-tape. ALWAYS.
-ask people who live there if you want to know something
-spend money to get in to places... don't spend it on places to stay
-be flexible - chances are good that it is not that serious
-follow your gut, even if it seems crazy!
-eat local. And,
-just eat it!
-keep a journal and take photos
-make friends with people - we all like having friends
-get over the white guilt
-hook into the traveler network for books and travel buddies
-people are SERIOUSLY nice. Like, no, really. People are nice.
-call home every so often
-learn to speak the language - starting with thank you!

As long as you are confident you can find your way back, take a wrong turn once in a while.

The open market is almost always worth walking through.

Coke ads are everywhere.

As a rule, cab drivers are crazy (and also funny.)

Sometimes you should explore on your own first and read the guidebook after to find out where you've been.

Haggle for the fun of it, but don't get carried away.

When the locals gather around a food stand, follow their lead.

If you don't mind walking, its easy to find a secluded beach.

The colectivo (jeep taxi) ride to Carate in Costa Rica is the best roller coaster ride on earth.

quote:

Originally posted by Bear:.
Some others are - Confidence and self reliance. Fully standing up for myself. I really don't like to hurt other people's feelings or insult others, so I usually bite my tongue. I think India tought me that one, it was either get ripped off or stick up for yourself. It's carried over into other aspects of life as well.

This is possibly the biggest change I found in myself from travel. At this point I am able to confront all sorts of situations I never would have before. I also find myself answering questions more honestly and starting conversations with strangers without that whole 'will they think Im wierd if I talk to them' thing.

Also I would say Ive learned that I really can rely on myself to read situations, people and be fairly sure on what to do next. That I will make mistakes but these usually lead to the most rewarding expierences and that the idea that no selfless generousity exists is utter and complete bullshit.

The more I see, The more I want to see...

The more I learn about myself and others the more I want to know...

Definitly the most important lesson I learned while I was travelling was that there's no point in sweating the little stuff. 90% of the time it's not going to get you anywhere and getting all upset and hysterical over something as inconsequential as a tour not departing right on the dot of time or your accomodation not being quite as you'd hoped will just turn you into a source of entertainment for the locals.

It took me a while to figure that one out, but once I did I was a much happier person!

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7. I’m overwhelmed at the response we get from children. Alex, a ten year old boy in Zabaikalsk, Russia, was asking me in English about our trip and where I was from. After I had answered his questions he gave me his pocket watch and asked me to take it with him on the tour and bring it to America with me. He said he would never be able to go to America but he could think about his watch and where it was. I’m carrying his watch very carefully.

this is so true - yet breaks my heart that a child would think that he might never get to america...who said that the west was so great anyways???

I think that's what i've learned the most from my travels - the world that I know is so different from the world that you know...and the world that the places i discover know..and that's the brilliance of it...just when i think i've got something figured out i learn that in fact there are at least 5 other ways to do something and each one is as good or better as the way that i thought was the only way....

i've learned to embrace the differences between my culture and the ones i live through - changing myself in accordance and in tune with what i am experiencing (not losing myself but rather shaping myself to accept what i am seeing and living!)...

What I've learned is that you can get through absolutely anything (getting lost, breaking down, getting sick, etc.), and probably look on it with fondness at some later time. Kind of like raising kids

Intuition is very important. Sometimes your life or death can depend on it.

Nic

I'm going to second the intuition one... though it's taken a few mistakes for me to learn that lesson.

If you're traveling around the world and you're spending excessive amounts of time running around trying to book things, change tickets, stressing over making schedules, etc. you're doing something wrong.

Tickets are not written in blood. They can be changed and ignored. If you already paid for a ticket, and you make some friends who offer you a ride, take the ride. The money is gone either way, at least with your new friends you'll get an adventure for the money.

Everyone in this world has something of value to offer to offer you. Whether it's the crazy guy on the street who harasses and threatens you, the little old lady who talks your ear off, or the hot guy/gal you pick up in a bar - you take something of them away with you. Strength, patience... pleasure I believe there is a Buddhist philosophy along the lines of "appreciate your enemies because they give you the opportunity to practice patience"... it doesn't have to be quite so deep/extreme but you can definitely learn something from anyone.

Label your pictures ASAP. I'm going back through years of pictures at the moment and I can't remember the names of the people or places in them... it's quite sad

Travel as much as you can. Cleaning the house and taking a nap and saving hordes of money can all wait. The best trips are those taken when you "should" be doing something else

To steal a line from Mark Twain.....

"The gentle reader will never, never know what a consumate ass he can become until he goes abroad." --from Innocents Abroad

wow what a great thread and some very thought provoking posts. Im gonna add a couple of mine

* learn to trust your instincts be it about a person, a place or even navigating yourself round somewhere

* money doesnt make the world go round - but a smile goes a long way

* hi is such a little word but it can be the beginning of a long lasting friendship.

* understand that there are some things you cant change - but a small contribution can go a long way - put something back into the world.

* there are good and bad people everywhere and remember the old saying ' never judge a book by its cover'

michelle

quote:

Originally posted by salmo99:
That Twain quote is BRILLIANT!

I'd like to see the source of that quote. I can't imagine that 19th century Twain would use a 21st century word like "vegetating"!

In response to some of the "I learned that not all Muslims are bad" posts, here's something I learned:

* Not all Buddhists are good!

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5. The chop stick diet – eat with chop sticks for one month and you will lose weight.

How I wish that were true...