Flightster

Fifty Countries, Lessons Learned

• by Alan Perlman
• on August 16th, 2010
• 5 Comments

Greetings from Windhoek, the capital of Namibia. I’m happy to report that Namibia is the fiftieth country I’ve been fortunate enough to visit in my travels. It’s a fine place to celebrate such a wonderful milestone. The food is fantastic, the beer is swell, and in a few hours I’m off to the oldest desert in the world to try my hand at sandboarding. We’ll see how that goes.

Over the last couple of years, I’ve learned a lot about travel. How to pack, how to get from point A to point B efficiently and cost-effectively, how to meet people and all that jazz. Since all you Flightsters are all about travel, all about trekking off to far and distant lands, I rounded up some of my favorite travel strategies.

Money

Travelers checks are so 1990. In the fall of 2006, I studied abroad in Kathmandu, and at the request of my parents brought a wad of them with me. They were such a pain to cash, since not every vendor would accept them, and the ones that did charged a special traveler check commission.

Cash is king. Small bills are preferred, as are new bills (issued later than 2001) in places like Africa and the Middle East. If you’re not keen on traveling around with a stack of cash, then consider opening up a debit account and using a debit card. Companies like Schwab and ING offer debit cards and will reimburse all ATM fees.

Do your research though, as not all places have ATM access. I remember driving around Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, strapped for cash, looking for the one set of ATMs in the entire city. When I found them, they weren’t working. Fortunately, the hotel (which wouldn’t accept my credit card) agreed to a Western Union transfer the following morning.

If you plan on using a credit card while traveling, make sure to call your credit card company and let them know your plans. One time in Albania, Bank of America had frozen my Visa and I couldn’t pay for my hotel. I had to call them long-distance and explain that the charges were not fraudulent. The long-distance charges were high enough to ensure I’d never make the same mistake again.

Packing

While some people defend their large, bulky suitcases (I’m looking at you, Ashley!), I tend to pack light. When I forget or run out of items like toothpaste, socks or batteries, I’m forced to find an appropriate shop, to step outside of my comfort zone and make a purchase in a foreign city. There’s nothing like hunting for socks in old Damascus or looking for a camera in Addis Ababa’s Merkato Market, the largest open-air market in Africa. Nine times out of ten, if you need something on the road, you’ll be able to find it.

Case in point, I forgot to pack malaria medicine for this current trip. In Botswana, I went to a pharmacy and picked it up, over-the-counter, for a fifth of the cost compared to what I’d find in the U.S.

Regarding clothing, I always bring plastic wrapping (from the dry cleaner) to help prevent wrinkles. I wear non-iron shirts and invest in high-quality rugged clothes, the kind you’d find at an outdoor store like EMS or REI. Dry-resistant pants are wonderful, as are wool socks. I don’t fold. I roll.

Soft, neutral colors will help you avoid looking like a typical tourist. On my first big international trip to Russia, I packed my favorite fleece jacket, the Mountain Hardwear Monkey Man. It’s bright, blue and fuzzy. I can’t tell you how many looks I got. Not that I didn’t mind the attention, but sometimes it’s nice to blend in.

Logistics

Let’s be honest. Most of you know how to pack and handle your money. Logistics are the toughest. You can do as much research as you want beforehand, but on the ground, the savvier you are, the better off you’ll be.

When I land at an airport, I go immediately to the information desk and ask about transportation into the city. Are there buses? How much should a taxi cost? Is there an official taxi company associated with the airport? Are local taxis safe? I’m quite annoying when I travel, actually. I ask hundreds of questions. To everyone. All the time.

I also make it a point to find a supermarket and stock up on small snacks. When moving around, city to city or country to country, sometimes it’s hard to find food, especially when you’re flying out at three in the morning! I’m hypoglycemic and can’t stand being hungry on a flight or in a hotel after hours.

Finally, and you’ve probably heard this before, but stay flexible and patient. Those are the two most important qualities of an international traveler, something I’ve certainly had to work on. Flights are bound to be delayed, hotels bound to be booked, taxi drivers bound to rip you off. It’s the nature of travel, but it’s also what keeps it exciting, exhilarating, challenging, fruitful and memorable.

What are your favorite travel tips?

Alan Perlman

Alan Perlman travels the world as an international cost-of-living surveyor. When he's not hunting for the price of female undergarments in places like Syria, Rwanda and Turkmenistan, he's hanging out in Boston, MA, staying active, meeting people and brainstorming business models. You can read more about Alan and his plans to conquer life at his blog, The 9 to 5 Alternative.