27 Golden Rules For Becoming a Master Traveler (Updated 2019)

Updated: 9/2/2019 | September 2nd, 2019

Every industry has its own “best practices” — proven rules and standards that guide the industry and the people in it. Travel is no different. There are many “rules to live by” that can help us navigate the unknown world with fewer mistakes.

I have my own golden travel rules.

Over the past ten years, I’ve learned a lot of tips and tricks that have helped me thrive when I travel. When I first set out in 2006, I made a lot of mistakes. (Ok, I still make some mistakes.)

And that’s not a bad thing. If you don’t make mistakes, you aren’t trying new things and pushing yourself out of your comfort zone.

Mistakes are going to happen.

But, over the years, I’ve developed a list of 27 golden rules for travel. These guidelines help me save money, make friends, stay safe, and fit into the local culture.

If you follow them, you’ll become a master traveler, able to travel the world with swashbuckling zeal and expert ninja-like knowledge… all without breaking the bank so you can keep cutting a path forward through the world for longer:

1. Be adventurous – You only live once. You’re going to get chances to do wild things you’ve never dreamed of doing when you travel. Don’t hold back. Count to three, say “screw it,” and take the leap. You didn’t come this far for nothing. Say yes when someone asks you to go rock climbing, salsa dancing, spelunking, or try the world’s hottest pepper despite not liking spicy food.

There’s no one around to judge you. No one cares what you do. No rumors will be spread. Push yourself to do something new and daring at least one.

2. Get a no-fee ATM card – Why give your money to the banks? Get an ATM card that doesn’t charge any fees and use that extra money for more traveling. Over the long term those $2-5 charges really add up. I use Charles Schwab as my bank, but you can also find many others that offer no-fee accounts — or use a one that is part of the Global ATM Alliance, and pay no fees within that network.

This article can show you how to avoid bank fees when you travel (and will give you a list of suggested cards too).

3. Get a rewards credit card – Why pay for travel when you can get it for free? Use a travel rewards credit card to earn points and miles that can be redeemed for free travel.

You’re already spending the money anyway so why not get rewarded for it?

Travel credit cards come with tons of perks and huge bonuses that can be redeemed for free flights right away. Plus, they get you the best exchange rate on your purchases.

Having one is an absolute must.

Want to know how I get hundreds of thousands of points per year and fly for free? Sign up for my free primer on the art of travel hacking and I’ll show you.

4. Always carry backups – Always carry a backup bank and credit card in case one is lost, stolen, or hacked. That way while you are fixing the issue, you still have access to your money. Instead of the problem crippling your trip, it merely is an annoyance. This has happened to me before and, I can ensure you, you’ll be thankful you followed this advice!

5. Only carry what you need – When you leave to go out for the day, only care the cash you need and one credit card. You don’t want to get robbed and lose everything. Leave the backups and extra locked back at your hostel!

6. Join a frequent flier program – Get rewarded for all of those flights you’ll be taking by joining a frequent flier program. That way you’ll earn miles, perks for flying, and free flights. Miles are like money — and you wouldn’t waste money, would you? No! So, sign up for a loyalty program, and collect points. Even if it takes you years to get a free flight, at least you are not being wasteful!

7. Travel alone at least once – Few things are as liberating as solo travel. As a solo traveler, you’re free to do whatever you want. When you travel solo, the world is your oyster. You’re free to do whatever you want, whenever you want. To me, it’s the purest sense of freedom there is.

But beyond that sense of freedom, solo travel actually teaches you a lot about yourself. Travel is an amazing personal development tool after all, and solo travel is one of the best ways to learn and grow and challenge yourself.

Without anyone around you, you have to solve the problems you face on the road. You have to figure out how to get from point A to B, deal with people who speak a different language, get comfortable eating alone, find things to do, and work out problems that arise. It’s you and your wits. That forces you to grow in ways you won’t in the comfort of your home or with a group.

While it won’t be for everyone, I still encourage everyone to try solo travel at least once. Even if you don’t love it, you’ll learn a ton about yourself in the process.

8. Learn basic phrases – Locals don’t expect you to be an expert in the local language, but learning a few basic phrases will go a long way to endearing you and making them go the extra mile for you. It will bring a smile to their face that you tried! “Hello,” “how are you?” and “thank you” go a long, long way no matter where you go.

9. Stay in hostels – Get to know other travelers and experience the communal spirit of traveling by staying in hostels a few times. They aren’t all the dirty party places you see in movies. Most hostels are very clean, offer breakfast, have comfy beds and Wi-Fi, organize events, and know the local area very well. They also aren’t just for young backpackers; you’ll find people of all ages (and even some families) staying there. Try them out. You may like it.

Here is a list of the best hostels in the world to get you started!

10. Use tourist boards – Local tourist offices are a wealth of knowledge. When you get to a new destination, visit the tourist office and ask the staff an insane number of questions about the place. They exist solely to help you get the most of your visit and it’s their job to know everything and everything about a place. Plus, they often have tons of discounts not found anywhere else.

Visiting one is often one of the first things I do in a new city.

11. Try new foods – Culture is often best experienced through food. Don’t be afraid to try new things. Get out of your comfort zone and experiment. You might actually like it (those fried caterpillars in Zambia were delicious!).

12. Be flexible with your plans – Travel is a series of happy accidents with way leading to way. Don’t skip going to that random city with the friends you just met because your itinerary says something different. You’ll regret it.

Go with the flow and be open to new things.

This will make your travels a lot more stress-free.

12. Pack light – Take it from a former over-packer: you never need half the stuff you take. Put everything you think you need in a pile and then remove half of it. The lighter you travel, the easier you travel.

Here’s our suggested packing lists:

14. Take extra money – Something always happens that you never planned for that will cost you extra money. I never thought I would fly last-minute to Fiji, need to replace my camera in Italy, or buy an extra iPhone cable in Australia. Always take extra money just in case. You may not need it, but you don’t want to be without a little extra when something bad happens.

When you start planning for your trip, set aside a $300-500 emergency slush fund in for accidents.

15. Get lost – Meander through a new city without a map. Get lost — because in the end, you aren’t really getting lost, you’re just discovering new experiences. So put down the map and wander. Eventually, you’ll find your way.

16. Call home – Your parents miss you. Don’t forget to call and say hello.

17. Get a phone — It will be easier to stay in touch with friends (and call home), meet up with other travelers, and contact hostels with a phone. SIM cards and prepaid phones are cheap, so there’s no excuse not to stay connected.

But don’t be glued to your phone. I see too many people hooked on their phone these days. But it is still a good idea to carry one for emergencies, especially when they are so accessible and affordable now.

18. Travel slow – This isn’t a race or a competition. I know you want to get a lot in with your limited time, but you see a lot more when you see a lot less. Travel slow and experience each place. Don’t race from train station to station; that will set you up for a stressful, unenjoyable time. With travel, less is more.

19. Live somewhere once – Stop at least once. Get to know a place. Learn the language. Make local friends. Explore. Become the local. Living in a foreign place gives you a different perspective on life and a real sense of what it’s like to be an outsider.

Plus, living a foreign place and surviving will help you gain a lot of confidence.

20. Avoid taxis – They just cost a lot. Don’t use them unless you don’t have any other option.

21. Bring a reusable water bottle – Not only are all those disposable plastic water bottles bad for the environment but the cost adds up over time. A water bottle here, a water bottle there, and you’ve spent $50 on water alone. Get a reusable bottle and drink the tap water in conjunction with a SteriPen or LifeStraw water purifier.

22. Buy travel insurance – You never know what could happen on the road — but something always does. I’ve had to deal with lost baggage, broken gear, delayed flights, and even some pretty serious injuries. Without travel insurance, I would have not only had to pay out of pocket for these expenses but I would have been left to navigate them alone.

Buy travel insurance so that if you’re injured or you break your camera, you’re covered. Plus, you’re friends and family will be able to relax knowing that, should something happen, you’re covered. It’s only a few dollars a day. It’s worth the peace of mind.

Here’s the link to our resource page with all our articles on the subject!

23. Bring basic first-aid – Cuts and scrapes happen, and you can get what you need most anywhere in the world, but it’s still good to carry bandages, antibacterial cream, and some hydrocortisone cream in your first aid kit just in case. Also, carry duct tape — you’ll never know when it’ll come in handy.

Here are some tips on how to pack a suggested first add kit.

24. Get off the beaten path – London, Paris, and the temples of Kyoto are all amazing for a reason, but get off the beaten path, go away from the crowds, and explore on your own. Find something new, stick out, meet the locals, and discover. The road less traveled is usually a good one.

25. Take photos of your friends – Years from now, you’ll want to look back at your younger self and see all the people who changed your life. Nostalgia can be a wonderful thing. Make sure you take photos of your friends. You’ll want them later.

26. Use the sharing economy – The rise of the sharing economy has made backpacking so much easier and cheaper. From ridesharing, house sharing, and meetup websites, there are so many ways you can get off the tourist trail and experience day-to-day life with locals! Here are some suggested websites:

• Couchsurfing (free shared accommodation with locals)
• Airbnb (paid accommodation with locals)
• BlaBlaCar (rideshare app)
• EatWith (share a meal with local cooks)
• Vayable (for finding local tours and activities)

And finally, the most important tip of them all….

27. Ignore all my tips and do whatever you want – It’s your trip. Go where you want, when you want, and for how long you want. Don’t worry about this or that. Make mistakes. Learn. Make more mistakes. Have fun and become a better traveler. At the end of the day, you won’t look back and think “if only I had more miles” but instead “damn, that was a lot of fun.”

So get out there and have some fun!

You deserve it.

How to Travel the World on $50 a Day

My New York Times best-selling paperback guide to world travel will teach you how to master the art of travel save money, get off the beaten path, and have a more local, richer travel experiences. It will teach you everything you need to know about travel!

Click here to learn more about the book and how you can start reading it today!
 
 
 

Book Your Trip: Logistical Tips and Tricks

Book Your Flight
Find a cheap flight by using Skyscanner or Momondo. They are my two favorite search engines because they search websites and airlines around the globe so you always know no stone is left unturned.

Book Your Accommodation
You can book your hostel with Hostelworld as they have the largest inventory. If you want to stay somewhere other than a hostel, use Booking.com as they consistently return the cheapest rates for guesthouses and cheap hotels. I use them all the time.

Don’t Forget Travel Insurance
Travel insurance will protect you against illness, injury, theft, and cancellations. It’s comprehensive protection in case anything goes wrong. I never go on a trip without it as I’ve had to use it many times in the past. I’ve been using World Nomads for ten years. My favorite companies that offer the best service and value are:

• World Nomads (for everyone below 70)
• Insure My Trip (for those over 70)

Looking for the best companies to save money with?
Check out my resource page for the best companies to use when you travel! I list all the ones I use to save money when I travel – and that will save you time and money too!

How Much Should You Tip Room Service? (Video)

Ask most travelers what they leave for room service, and chances are you’ll be met with a blank stare. The fact is, most of us don’t know! Tipping is hard! And, uh, do you happen to do it?

“It’s the most awkward thing to tell someone what to tip because [expectations are] so different everywhere,” says Julie Danziger, managing partner of Embark Beyond Travel in New York City. “Especially for Americans who are used to tipping in one way, which other countries might take as an insult.”

Colin Anderson/Blend Images/Getty Images

Fortunately, there are some guidelines, say the travel experts we spoke with. Keep reading for their advice, which you can apply at home and abroad. And try not to stress — we’ve all gotten it wrong at some point. (Editor’s Note: Though these tips may be helpful, they’re not hard and fast rules, so do what makes you most comfortable and don’t be afraid to ask your host or travel advisor for guidance.)

At a Top-Tier Hotel

Booked a room at the Ritz? Then expect to pay a service charge and gratuity, says Danziger, who rarely sees such fees omitted from bills. If you’re unsure whether your hotel has them, just ask. And if you’re paying with a card, as many travelers are likely to do, find out if tip is included, says Betty Jo Currie, founder of Currie & Co. Travels Unlimited in Atlanta. If not, you may decide to leave a little cash. “I generally leave $5 or so,” she says, noting how little these workers are compensated.

Danziger finds applying the same mentality she uses when dining at American restaurants to be helpful. “As Americans, usually we’re trained to double the tax or pay 18 or 20 percent on top,” she says. Assuming the food came from the hotel, it should be fine to do the same for room service. (If it didn’t, you can pretend it did, Danziger says.)

For those staying abroad, where tipping customs may not be as clearcut, do your homework, says Lizzie Post, co-president of the Emily Post Institute in Burlington, Vermont. “Take the time to look up standards for the area,” she says. And remember, just because there’s a service charge and gratuity included doesn’t mean the person who brought up your food will receive it. “Ask whether the person is receiving tips from the actual bill.”

At Chic Boutiques and Beyond

Post stresses tipping is a personal decision, but warns against tipping based on the type of establishment you’re staying in. “You want to make sure workers feel valued for the work they’re doing,” she says. “If it’s not as high class, don’t decrease your tip because of that.”

However, some boutique hotels, at least in the States, don’t usually have restaurants, says Danziger. So you can tip as if they did have one. “It’s not expected, but people usually appreciate it,” she says.

Currie agrees. “Logically, one would think motels would provide less service and thus require less in terms of tips,” she says. But anytime service is provided, she thinks of the person she’s tipping — you know, the one ferrying her burger up to her room at one in the morning. “If the service is good, my amount wouldn’t change — and I urge others to think the same way.”  

My In-Depth Guide to Experiencing the Maldives

The Maldives conjure up images of pristine beaches, reef-ringed atolls, and luxurious bungalows on the water, where lucky guests can observe fish through glass floors and jump into the sea from their deck.

This island nation has always been on my “bucket list,” so when I decided to visit Sri Lanka and Dubai last month, the Maldives was a logical and obvious addition to my itinerary.

Especially, since there’s now a budget travel scene in the country.

In 2009, the Maldivian government allowed locals to open their own guesthouses and restaurants to tourists. Whereas before travelers were limited to the resort islands, now they can visit and stay on any local island they choose to. Suddenly, homestays, hotels, and guesthouses have started popping up everywhere!

It was a momentous shift in policy that finally allowed locals a piece of the economic tourist pie.

Though I wanted to experience everyday life, the aforementioned idyllic images rippled through my mind, and there was no way I could miss a chance at experiencing that. Splitting my nine-day visit into two parts, I decided to spend four days in a resort and five days on the “real” islands.

Life on the High End

With a Dubai friend in tow, I landed at the Cinnamon Hakuraa Huraa resort, 150 km south of the capital, Malé. Like all resorts, the hotel is on its own private island that boasts over water bungalows, their own restaurant, bar, spa, and operated tours. (And, like most resorts here, meals and drinks are included in the cost of the room.) Cinnamon is on the lower end of the price spectrum, costing $356 USD per night, which, while not super budget, is a lot cheaper than other resorts like the Park Hyatt ($940 USD per night), the Taj ($945 USD per night), Komandoo Maldive Island Resort ($650 USD per night), the W ($1,288 USD), the Four-Seasons ($1,600 USD), or the St. Regis ($2,000 USD a night). (Note: Those high prices are why so many people save up hotel points for their trips!)

As I was itching for an overdue vacation and work detox, my visit was just what the doctor ordered: a tropical island with limited Internet and a friend whose job it was to keep me from working.

I spent my days trying not to burn myself on the beach, reading books (I highly recommend A Year of Living Danishly by Helen Russell), and drinking wine, stuffing my face, retiring for more reading and maybe a movie. Life on the island was easy. In the resort bubble, you don’t have to worry about getting around, meals, or what to do.

It was a vacation.

The staff was super friendly, they knew how to make a good drink, and there was always food around. Meals were buffet style (unless you paid extra for the romantic crab restaurant or the lunchtime cooking class, which I did. See the awesome meal I cooked in the picture below).

Taking advantage of some of the hotel’s tours, we went dolphin watching (so many dolphins!), snorkeled each day, and visited a couple of the nearby islands.

Since resorts in the country are geared toward families or couples, there are few solo travelers or non-couples outside the dive resorts. (My friend and I were the only non-couple on the island.) I found there wasn’t a lot of guest interaction but since everywhere there is on vacation, I’m not surprised.

But, after four days, my friend and I were both a bit ready to move on. I can only take vacation life for a few days before I get bored. The high life was what I thought it would be — relaxing opulence — but I was itching to see the real Maldives, life on the local islands, and talk to a few people!

Life the Way It Should Be

After returning to Malé and seeing my friend off at the airport, I hopped into a speedboat and headed to Maafushi, ground zero for the Maldives’ burgeoning independent travel industry, to start my island-hopping adventure.

It was a horrible place and I hope to never return.

Maafushi, once a sleepy little island, is now the victim of uncontrolled development. There are hotels going up left and right, boats making frequent trips to Malé to pick up tour groups, and one small, increasingly crowded, overbuilt beach. The few restaurants on the island cater mostly to tourists, and outside the area cleaned up for visitors, it’s one trash-covered dump. You can see the writing on the wall — this place is the next Ko Phi Phi. As a guesthouse owner on another island said, “Soon there will be no more locals there. They will simply rent out their land and move to Malé.”

But Maafushi is good for a few things: diving, snorkeling, and acting as a launching pad to prettier, quieter islands like Gulhi and Fulidhoo.

After a couple of days, I escaped to Mahibadhoo. Kristin, our amazing solo female travel writer, stayed there a few years ago, and so I was eager to visit and check out the Amazing Noovilu, praised as “possibly the best guesthouse in the Maldives.” (It was really nice. A little expensive for my taste but the service, food, and activities offered by the staff was resort quality. Incredible attention to detail and I recommend staying there.)

Unlike Maafushi, I liked Mahibadhoo.

It was clean (local women volunteer to clean the island once a week), and the buildings were more colorful, featuring a rainbow of pastel-colored structures. There was more life here (I watched local soccer games each night), and, overall, the vibe was just nicer! The island, despite having speedboat access to Malé, has escaped (for now) the mass development of Maafushi. Though it doesn’t have a “bikini beach” (as the beaches for foreigners are called), there is good snorkeling right off shore (which is what I did), and it’s a launching pad for day trips to deserted atolls, sandbars, and quieter islands like Dhanbidhoo, Kalhaidhoo, and Isdhoo.

Though the islands the locals inhabit are adding guesthouses, they frequently aren’t set up for tourists. Ferry service is infrequent to all but a couple of the islands, and most don’t have many restaurants, or even beaches to lay on. There are a couple reasons for this.

First, bikini beaches exist for tourists. The Maldives is a Muslim country and, while there are public beaches, you need to be covered up for them. Most of the local islands don’t have white sandy beaches, so many built special ones just for the tourists that are hidden from view and visitors can be more scantily dressed (hence the bikini name).

Secondly, “eating out” isn’t a thing in the Maldives. Locals mostly cook for themselves. There are cafes but few restaurants. You usually eat at the guesthouses, who cook up meals (included in the price) for guests. However, you can get a lot of good food this way as many guesthouses cook up curried fish, rice, and other local delicacies. The fare is simple but very tasty.

And, while the communities are still trying to figure out how to deal with tourism, I was sad to leave and wish I had more time to explore the nooks and crannies of the atolls. Everyone here was friendly and curious and it would have been nice to get to dig deeper into local life and culture.

Travel Tips for the Maldives

While the Maldives don’t have to break your budget, it’s important to know a few things before you go – or you’ll make some costly mistakes:

Ferries require planning (and don’t always come) – The Maldives’ atolls are served by a series of ferries from Malé. They run on opposite days (to Maafushi on Monday, back to Malé on Tuesday) and rarely on Friday (it being the Muslim sabbath). You can jump from Malé to an atoll’s capital island then to smaller, nearby islands in the chain. The ferry is only $2-5 USD depending on distance.

But they don’t always show up. I was meant to take one that never arrived. They only travel once a day (in the morning — don’t oversleep), so if one doesn’t come, you’ll have to fork over money for a speedboat ($25 USD, or $160 USD to rent an entire one) or wait for the next day’s departure.

When you are visiting the Maldives, research the ferries beforehand so you know when and where you can go next. Island hopping is very difficult without planning. I messed up by not looking at the ferry system before I arrived; as a result, I missed a few islands I wanted to visit. I wrongly assumed there would be frequent ferries between the islands — I was sorely mistaken.

Inter island ferry schedules can be looked up here.

Speedboats are your friend – From Malé, you can take speedboats to a few of the nearby capital islands of surrounding atolls. They cost $25-30 USD but also leave infrequently, usually once a day (Maafushi is the only island I found with multiple speedboat departures).

There is no alcohol – As the Maldives is a Muslim country, you can’t get alcohol anywhere in the country, except on the resort islands which have a special exemption. (Though there is a special barge for drinking off Maafushi, at the time of my visit, it was being repaired for the foreseeable future.)

Flying is not cheap – Flying is incredibly expensive here. Flights from Malé to surrounding atolls can cost up to $350 USD each way. Skip this.

Take lots of USD – Though the Maldives has its own currency, US dollars are widely accepted, and you often get a better price if you pay in USD. This varies from one restaurant or shop to another, so I carried both currencies with me and paid in whatever currency had a lower price. (Though you’re talking the difference of 50 cents, every penny counts!)

Moreover, Maldivian ATMs charge 100 MVR ($6.50 USD) per withdrawal. Taking cash or making one large withdrawal eliminates or reduces those fees (and so does having a bank that reimburses those fees).

And don’t worry – the Maldives is very safe. No one is going to steal all that cash. I never once felt uneasy about having lots of money on me.

Is it good for solo travelers?
Yes, if you just want to read, relax, and focus on you.

While you’ll see a lot of travelers in Malé heading to dive boats or bouncing from island to island, it’s all friends, couples, and families. Despite the cheap cost of travel, the Maldives is still not on the solo traveler radar.

Is the Maldives cheap?

Yes, the Maldives is surprisingly cheap (except airfare). Though they import a lot of goods, if you stick to local ferries, guesthouses, and local food (fish, rice, curry), you can get by for $50-70 USD a day ($60-70 USD per day if you are solo, closer to $50 USD if you are splitting the cost of a room). Since there’s no alcohol on the islands, you don’t have to worry about drinking away your budget. Here are some typical costs:

• Single room in a local guesthouse: $40 USD per night
• Public ferry: $2-5 USD per ride
• Airport ferry to Malé: $1.50 USD
• Speedboats: $25-30 USD per ride
• Tea at local cafés: $0.33 USD
• Snorkel trips: $20-30 USD
• Diving for whale sharks: $100 USD
• Meals: $7-10 USD each
• Buffet dinners: $10- 15 USD each
• Sandwich on Male: $4-5 USD
• Bottle of water: $0.40-0.80 USD

In my four days, my biggest expense was the $120 USD I paid to rent a speedboat back to Malé when my ferry didn’t show up. I found the islands to be quite the bargain!

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We think of the Maldives as a budget busting, high end place but they don’t have to be. The country is cheaper than some of the popular destinations in the Caribbean or even Southeast Asia! One day I hope return and spend more time island-hopping. There’s more I want to see and do here. I highly recommend visiting the Maldives before the islands become too overdeveloped, the beaches get swallowed up by the sea (climate change and coral bleaching were both hot topics with the locals I spoke with), or the world catches on to how budget friendly the country really is.

Note: Cinnamon Hakuraa covered the cost of the room at the resort (which included food and beverages). The rest of my trip, including my flight, was paid for entirely by me.

A Visitor's Guide to Attending La Tomatina in Spain (2018 UPDATE)

Updated: 8/14/2018 | August 14th, 2018

Everybody loves a good festival. They are a chance to let loose, have fun, and indulge in something crazy.

And the only thing more crazy than a giant festival?

A giant food fight.

And there’s nothing better than La Tomatina in Bunol, Spain for that!

What originated as an impromptu local food fight among friends in 1945 grew to become its own cultural event — and the world’s largest food fight. Since 1945, La Tomatina has became a yearly occurrence in Bunol, Spain (aside from a few years in the 1950’s when it was banned under Franco). It takes places every year on the last Wednesday of August, and upwards of 30,000 tourists some to take part in this massive food fight.

Starting early in the morning, people wearing clothes never to be worn again crowd trains heading from Valencia to Bunol. They get there and join the masses heading to the city center, stopping on the way for some food and (a lot of) drinks. Eventually, everyone reaches the city center and simply stops. There’s nowhere else to go. The crowd is simply too thick.

During the run-up to the 11 am kick-off, many participants compete in a pole climb, where they scramble up a greased pole to win a ham. Once the ham is captured, the party official “starts” (though I didn’t see anyone get the ham so you can be sure that the party is starting at 11 am no matter what).

Nothing I write will give justice to this ridiculous festival, which is why I brought my camera along when I attended! While I was fighting away, my friends at Travelyourself took my camera so I could bring you this:

The fight lasts for one hour after which the city is ankle-deep in a river of tomato juice. The fire department will come out shortly thereafter and hose down the city (which when combined with the citric acid in the tomatoes actually does a nice job of cleaning the place!). Partygoers tend to head down to the river to clean up and wash off (or you can get hosed down by one of the locals and their kids who love spraying everyone). The party continues the rest of in many of the plazas around the city. There’s music, dancing, copious amounts of sangria, and lots of good food. This goes until sunset when most crowds head back to Valencia.

It is one of the best times I’ve ever had. In the crush of the crowds, you’re just throwing tomatoes left and right at anything and everything – barely looking where you’re going. I watched people climb statues and doorways for better angles only to turn themselves into easy targets for those nearby. Afterwards, our friends jovially skipped to down and spent the rest of the day on a high partying and chatting with everyone.

Some Tips for Attending La Tomatina

Planning to attend this epic food fight? Here are a few tips to help you make the most out of your trip:

• Wear clothing you’re ok with throwing out. Chances are it’s not going to recover (including your shoes!) Many clothes get torn, stained beyond repair, and just end up smelling for days after. Don’t bring anything nice.
• If you’re a woman, be on the lookout and wear a sports bra as many guys get grabby and often times try to snap bras off.
• Don’t bring any valuables like your wallet or passport as you might lose them. Plus, petty crime is rife here. It’s easy to get into people’s pockets. Wear a money belt or a ziplocked poach around your next.
• Only bring your camera or phone if is waterproof. Even then, make sure it has a protective case!
• Wear goggles. You don’t want to get tomato juice in your eyes.
• If you’re traveling with friends, agree on a place to meet afterward. There’s a good chance you might lose them in the crowd.
• Arrive early as there’s limited space!
• Don’t wear flip flops or sandals. The ground gets slippery fast, so you want good shoes to keep you upright. The right crowds also mean people will step on your feet all the time!
• Stay hydrated. It’s going to be super hot in August, and there will be people everywhere. Drink up before the fight so you can fling tomatoes without getting dehydrated.
• Watch for shirt rippers. There is a tendency for people (who may have had a bit too much to drink beforehand) to try and rip the shirt off your back. It’s against the rules of the festival, but people will still try to do it so be aware!

****

La Tomatina was certainly the most interesting festival I’ve been to. It’s quite dirty (obviously) and if you don’t like a mess or crowds, chances are you won’t like this! But I had an amazing, energetic time, and my time there connected me with some of the most important people in my life. There’s something that bonds people throwing vegetables with each other. So for those looking to spend a few hours throwing food, dancing in the streets, and drinking sangria, visit La Tomatina!

How to Get to La Tomatina

Bunol is located around 40km outside of Valencia. To get there from Valencia, you have 3 options:

• Drive – It’s about a 40-minute trip by car. If you don’t want to rent a car yourself, try using Blablacar (a ride-sharing app)
• Bus – The bus #265a, #265b, and #2 go from Valencia. The ride takes between 60-75 minutes. Round-trips tickets will cost just under 8 EUR.
• Train – Take the C3 from Valencia. Tickets will cost around 4 EUR each way and it takes slighlty over an hour.

As of 2013, foreigners wishing to take part have to pay 10 EUR for a ticket. If you want to attend La Tomatina you can purchase your official tickets here!

Book Your Trip to Valencia: Logistical Tips and Tricks

Book Your Flight
Find a cheap flight to Valencia by using Skyscanner or Momondo. They are my two favorite search engines. Start with Momondo.

Book Your Accommodation
My favorite hostel in Valencia is Red Nest. To book another hostel in Valencia, use Hostelworld. If you want to stay elsewhere, use Booking.com as they consistently return the cheapest rates. (Here’s the proof.)

Don’t Forget Travel Insurance
Travel insurance will protect you against illness, injury, theft, and cancellations. I never ever go on a trip without it. I’ve been using World Nomads for ten years. You should too.

Need Some Gear?
Check out our resource page for the best companies to use!

Want More Information on Valencia?
Be sure to visit our robust destination guide on Valencia for even more planning tips!

 

Backpacking Through Europe? Get My Guide!

Nomadic Matt’s Backpacking Europe
My detailed, 200+ page guidebook is made for budget travelers like you! It cuts out the fluff found in other guidebooks and gets straight to the practical information you need to travel and save money while backpacking around Europe. You’ll find suggested itineraries, budgets, ways to save money, on and off the beaten path things to see and do, non-touristy restaurants, markets, and bars, and much more!!

Get the Europe Guide

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Amsterdam | Iceland | Paris | Stockholm

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How Travel Taught Me How to Not Give a F*ck

I vaguely knew about Mark Manson. He was a friend of friends, a fellow blogger, and someone I knew who wrote well researched (and always a little controversial) posts. When he and his wife moved to NYC, we finally met in person (I actually met his wife first). We became friends – we’re both nerds, entrepreneurs, writers, poker players, and lovers of whiskey. I blurbed his book, The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck. It’s a phenomenal book about focusing on what matters. Chelsea Handler and Chris Hemsworth (aka THOR) are huge fans. Mark is a phenomenal writer and, and in a long overdue post, he finally wrote something for the site. In this post, Mark talks about how travel made him the person is today – and laid the foundation for the book.

I have vomited in six different countries. That may not be the most savory statistic for a travel article, but when you’re huddled over a drainage ditch, spewing up what for all you know could have been sautéed rat meat, these moments have a way of staying in your mind.

I remember getting a flat tire in the Indian countryside and the locals being flabbergasted as I changed it myself. I remember staying up until 4AM in a hostel arguing with a drunk English kid who thought 9/11 was a hoax. I remember an old Ukrainian man got me drunk on the best vodka of my life and claimed he was stationed in a Soviet U-Boat off the coast of Mississippi in the 1970s (which is probably untrue, but who knows).

I remember climbing the Great Wall of China hungover, getting ripped off on a boat trip in Bali (spoiler alert: there was no boat), sneaking my way into a five-star resort on the Dead Sea, and the night I met my wife in a Brazilian night club.

Since selling my possessions in the fall of 2009, I remember a lot of things. I set out with a small suitcase to travel around the world. I had a small internet business, a blog, and a dream.

My year (maybe two) long trip turned into seven years (and sixty countries).

With most things in life, you know exactly what benefits you’re going to get from them. If I go to the gym, I know I’m going to get stronger and/or lose weight. If I hire a tutor, I know I’m going to learn more about a specific subject. If I start a new Netflix series, I know I’m not going to sleep for the next three days until I finish it.

But travel is different.

Travel, unlike anything else in life, has the beautiful ability to give you benefits you didn’t expect. It doesn’t just teach you what you don’t know, it also teaches you what you don’t know you don’t know.

I gained a lot of amazing experiences from my travels — experiences I expected and looked for. I saw incredible sites. I learned about world history and foreign cultures. I often had more fun than I knew was possible.

But the most important effects of my years of travel are actually the benefits that I didn’t even know I would get and the memories I didn’t know I would have.

For example, I don’t know the moment I became comfortable being alone. But it happened somewhere in Europe, probably in either Germany or Holland.

When I was younger, I would consistently feel as though something was wrong with me if I was by myself for too long — “Do people not like me? Do I not have any friends?” I felt a constant need to surround myself with girlfriends and friends, to always be at parties, and always be in touch. If for some reason I weren’t included in other people’s plans, it was a personal judgment on me and my character.

But, by the time I returned to Boston in 2010, that feeling somehow stopped. I don’t know where or when. All I know is I flew home from Portugal after 8 months abroad, sat at home, and felt fine.

I don’t remember where I was when I developed a sense of patience (probably somewhere in Latin America). I used to be the guy who would get angry if a bus was late (which often happens in Latin America), or I missed my turn on the highway and had to loop back around. Sh*t like that used to drive me insane.

Then one day, it just didn’t. It ceased to be a big deal. The bus will eventually come and I’ll still get to where I need to go. It became clear that my emotional energy was limited and I was better off saving that energy for moments that mattered.

I don’t recall exactly when I learned how to express my feelings either.

Ask any of my girlfriends pre-travels and they’ll tell you: I was a closed book. An enigma wrapped in bubble-wrap and held together by duct tape (but with an extremely handsome face).

My problem was that I was afraid to offend people, step on toes, or create an uncomfortable situation.

But now? Most people comment that I’m so blunt and open that it can be jarring. Sometimes my wife jokes that I’m too honest.

I don’t recall when I became more accepting of people of different walks of life or when I started appreciating my parents or when I learned how to communicate with someone despite neither of us speaking the same language.

But all of these happened….somewhere in the world, in some country, with somebody. I don’t have any photos of these moments. I just know they are there.

Somewhere along the way I became a better me.

Last year, I wrote a book called The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck: A Counterintuitive Approach to Living a Good Life. The premise of the book is essentially that we all have a limited number of f*cks to give in our lives, therefore we should be conscious of what we’re choosing to give a f*ck about.

Looking back, I think that it was my experience traveling that subtly, without me realizing it, taught me to not give a f*ck. It taught me to not give a fu*k about being alone, the bus being late, other people’s plans, or creating an uncomfortable situation or two.

Memories are made from what we give a f*ck about.

I have all the usual photos from my travels. Me on the beaches. Me at Carnaval. Me with my buddy Brad surfing in Bali. Machu Picchu.

I gave a f*ck about those.

The photos are great. The memories are great.

But like anything in life, their importance fades the further removed you get from them. Just like those moments in high school that you think are going to define your life forever cease to matter a few years into adulthood, those glorious peaks of travel experience seem to matter less the more time passes. What seemed life-changing and world-shaking at the time now simply elicits a smile, some nostalgia and maybe an excited, “Oh yeah! Wow, I was so skinny back then!”

Travel, although a great thing, is just another thing. It’s not you. It’s something you do. It’s something you experience. It’s something you savor and brag about to your friends down the street.

But it’s not you.

Yet these other, memoryless qualities — the outgrown personal confidence, the comfort with myself and my failings, the greater appreciation for family and friends, the ability to rely upon myself — these are the real gifts that travel gives you.

And, despite the fact that they produce no photos or stories for cocktail parties, they are the things stay with you forever.

They are your real lasting memories….because these things are you.

And they will always be you.

Mark Manson is a blogger, entrepreneur, and author of the New York Times Bestseller The Subtle Art of Not Giving a Fuck: A Counterintuitive Approach to Living a Good Life. His book is one of the best books I read in 2016 and I can’t recommend it enough. It’s well written, funny, self-deprecating, and even works in a panda bear! You can read more of his work at MarkManson.net.

What I Do When I Don't Travel: 20 More Facts About Me

Posted: 8/23/18 | August 23rd, 2018

Years ago, I wrote a post about things I like to do beyond just travel. While I drop hints here and there about the “non-Nomadic Matt” me, today I thought I’d share some interesting facts about me that are not travel related. (Especially since a lot of you responded to my last email about being in a creative slump with “Well, tell us more about you!”)

So grab some popcorn and learn a little more about who I am and what I do when I’m not on the road:

Speaking of which, I love popcorn. Seriously. It has zero nutritional value and an infinite amount of taste! I can’t get enough of it. Always salted, no butter though.

I love movies. I probably watch two or three a week, either in the theater or at home on Netflix.

When I’m on a plane, I only watch bad movies — the cheesy Hollywood movies I’d never spend money to see. They’re terrible, but they are the kind of mindless entertainment I want while I’m relaxing over an ocean. It’s my way to turn my brain off for a bit.

When I’m not traveling abroad, I split my time between Austin, where I’m a resident, and NYC, where I go when it gets too hot in Texas or I need some really good sushi.

I consume an unhealthy amount of news, especially as it pertains to politics. Not just US politics — I follow the political situation in a lot of countries. While it impresses locals that I can name their prime minister and discuss recent changes in farm bills, it’s not healthy reading so much news. I’ve had to delete news apps from my phone so I would stop thinking the sky was always falling.

An Old Fashioned is the way to my heart. It is hands down my favorite drink.

My favorite liquor? Scotch, specifically peaty Scotch from Islay. (Feel free to send any bottles to 222 Broadway, Floor 19, New York, NY 10038. I won’t mind! My favorite brand is Ardbeg.)

I am terrible at sports. I can’t play any, and I barely know how they work. Don’t ask me about players either. I couldn’t name one. (Though I do enjoy a good soccer match!)

I love to swing dance, though I don’t do it as often as I’d like. I learned how when I threw a Gatsby-themed birthday party for myself a few years ago and have been hooked ever since.

I love Taylor Swift. Her cheesy songs are awesome, her show production is out of this world, and I think she’s a marketing genius. (And your “Really? Come on, Matt!” will do nothing to change that. I see ya over there!)

When I write, I listen to one song on repeat over and over again. Doing so helps me focus better. The song helps me tune out the world, and then, when I’m bored with the song, I tune it out and focus on what is in front of me: my writing. I’m way more productive this way! (This post was written to Sia’s Alive!)

I don’t have any plants because they all die. I could say it’s because I travel so much but when I was a college graduate, I bought a ton of bonsai trees and even those died. So no green thumb for me!

I know all the best sushi and cocktails spots in NYC. I even run a speakeasy bar crawl for my friends who come to town. I spend a lot of time reading and learning about the ’20s and the history of cocktails.

I want to learn how to shoot a gun. Not because I’m some gun nut – I strongly dislike them, want really strict gun control, and am a regular donor to Everytown for Gun Safety – but because I am one of those crazy “preppers.” I think the world is pretty much f*cked, and I’d like to know how to shoot a gun to (a) protect myself in case civilization ends and (b) hunt (another thing I want to learn how to do) for food when that happens or (c) the zombies come. Having a Plan B never hurt anyone, right?

To that end, I’d also like to learn how to shoot a bow and arrow. I think that would be really fun – and useful.

I try to spend an hour a day reading (though, lately, I haven’t been doing that as much as I would like since I’ve been busy meeting a book deadline). I’m a big fan of biographies and travel, history, and business books. I think reading and educating yourself is one of the most important things you can do in your life, and I cannot understand people who don’t read books. How do you learn about the world? How do you improve yourself? How do you relax? I just don’t get it. Education doesn’t stop at school!

I’m a morning person. I tend to wake up around 7 am and do my best work before lunchtime. On a good day, I’ll get up at 6 am.

I don’t drink coffee. I do drink a lot of tea, my favorite being anything in the green tea family, though I have a special love for jasmine and sencha. I would really love to take a tea class and learn more about it.

This fall I plan to sign up for French classes again and really try to learn the language. To me, French is one of the most beautiful languages in the world, and I’m really sad I don’t remember anything from my previous time learning it!

When I was a kid, I was the state champion for Magic: The Gathering. My friends and I played it a lot. I also had a Star Trek-themed bar mitzvah. So, basically, full nerd!

***So there you have it! Some more interesting facts about me. Well, things I think are interesting at least. Tell me something about you: Who are the people who read this website? What do you do in your free time? What are your hopes and dreams? Leave a comment and share!

How to Travel the World on $50 a Day

So there you have it! Some more interesting facts about me. Well, things I think are interesting at least. Tell me something about you: Who are the people who read this website? What do you do in your free time? What are your hopes and dreams? Leave a comment and share!

My New York Times best-selling paperback guide to world travel will teach you how to master the art of travel save money, get off the beaten path, and have a more local, richer travel experiences.

Click here to learn more about the book, how it can help you, and you can start reading it today!

Cruise Culture: Thoughts on the Nature of Mass Tourism

Posted: 07/19/2012 | July 19th, 2012

Last month, I took my first cruise as an adult (previous cruises had been with my parents) and found it to be a very culturally eye-opening experience.

I broke completely out of my norm of independent travel and stepped curiously into mass consumer travel. Instead of hostels, figuring out local buses, and street food stalls, it was a lush stateroom, endless buffets, and planned events. Instead of young and independent travelers, it was families celebrating anniversaries, birthdays, and quinceañeras.

And while you may not learn about your destinations on a cruise (more on that in a bit), you learn a lot about people. I discovered that there’s a distinct cruise culture, a culture that makes for incredibly interesting people-watching. Since for a lot of people a cruise is their only form of travel, it was interesting to hear about travel and the world from those who see it through a highly sterilized and commercialized experience.

After all, a cruise is a resort-meets–Disney World on the sea.

Things That Amazed Me

First, there was formal night, a night where you dress up for a “nice dinner.” It was like going to adult prom. Everyone was dressed to the nines — I even saw people in tuxes. Families were taking portraits (including the classic “back-to-back mother/daughter shot”), and teenage girls celebrating their quinceañeras ran around in prom dresses and tiaras. I remember overhearing one guy say that formal night on a cruise is the only time of the year he dresses up. But what really interested me was that for so many people, this seemed like a big event despite the overrated cheese factor. I can’t really figure out why people loved it so much. It’s just a formal night on a cruise. You get lobster instead of steak, and it’s not like those pictures they take are free.

I felt that people made a big deal of the night because you were supposed to make a big deal of it.

Secondly, I was amazed that cruises were such family events. My cruise buddy Jason, a more experienced cruiser than I, told me that there are actually only a few boats for singles or young people. Most ships tend to be populated by families or older adults. Thinking about all my cruise experiences, I can see that. What I really found interesting was the nature of families here: tons and tons of large, extended families. Our stateroom was surrounded by a family that took up seven rooms. At dinner, one family took up three large tables. Everywhere I looked, I saw large families. Cruises, it seems, are where families go to travel. I guess it’s the new family reunion.

Because cruises for that many people cost a lot of money, it made me wonder: Do people know they could head to Paris for far less? Do they even care? Or do they cruise because it’s an easy, organized way to get everyone in one spot?

For most of the people I spoke with, a cruise was just a simpler and easier way to organize a large family gathering than a massive trip to Paris.

And in talking to people, what I really learned was that travel and vacation were synonymous words for them. This was their vacation, but in their mind, this was also traveling. Forget the fact they never left “the resort” — to most people on a cruise, this was travel.

And I think that’s unfortunate. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with a vacation, but to think that heading to a mass consumer destination is the same thing as travel is not a good thing. Just like heading to Vang Vieng and saying “I’ve been to Laos” isn’t really true, so is heading to a cruise port or an all-inclusive resort. It sterilizes the destination and hides the local culture. You aren’t really experiencing Mexico when you’re in Señor Frogs, but it was amazing to me how many people expressed the idea that “Mexico is awesome!” while there.

I think there’s a distinct difference between travel and a vacation. The first is about experiencing the world, the latter about relaxing.

The Dark Side of Cruise Culture

On the one hand, I think cruise culture is interesting because it’s always about having fun, keeping a drink in your hand, eating, and meeting new people. It’s a very happy and lively atmosphere. And that’s good.

But there is the dark side to cruise culture: it’s insular. For a lot of people, a cruise is their only chance to get out and see the world. It might be their only chance to experience other cultures, especially since most Americans don’t travel a lot. And what I didn’t like about the cruise was that it was so inwardly focused, with everything designed around never looking outside the ship. I disliked how there was no emphasis on learning about the destinations we were going to.

In Haiti, when I started asking my Haitian tour guide in Labadee (Royal Caribbean’s private resort, where a double-walled, barbed-wire fence keeps people out and us in) about life beyond the wall, he became visibly uncomfortable about discussing it, as if it was taboo to discuss “things that happen over there.”

Now, we don’t need to have a discussion on Haitian, Mexican, or Jamaican politics (the three ports of call on my cruise), but I don’t see why cruises couldn’t at least offer some basic information about their ports of call. There was nothing in our daily itinerary planner about our destinations. (Jason confirmed that this happened on many other ships too.)

In a way, I felt like the ports of call were completely irrelevant. If there’s no effort to inform travelers about their destinations, why not just park the boat somewhere close to a beach and stay there? Why make a show of it?

We Americans don’t travel much. Our news programs don’t seem to report on a lot beyond what Miley Cyrus is doing. I know this is going to seem offensive, and I don’t mean it to be, but cruises have a definite “Middle America” feel to them. (I use that term because “Middle America” is often considered synonymous with bland, cookie-cutter consumerism.) Cruises are a highly commercialized and sanitized experience; they gloss over the reality of each destination to create a bubbly, you-don’t-need-to-think-about-it picture. That’s something I really hate about American culture. It’s often very insular, and this seemed to perpetuate that attitude.

I met people who had never traveled beyond a cruise. Folks who went on cruises two or three times per year. And while there’s nothing wrong with enjoying a cruise, what I learned on the ship is that cruises cater to a superficial, turn-off-your-mind form of travel. (Writing this post made me realize that I saw the exact same thing on my old Carnival cruises, so I’m not trying to single out Royal Caribbean.)

I’m happy people are leaving their houses. That’s a step in the right direction. I’d rather have someone on a cruise than at home. But while we all need a vacation, cruise companies could at least provide some fundamental knowledge about the ports of call they stop at. Shit, print out the Wikipedia page for heaven’s sake. Anything is better than nothing.

Instead, I felt that many of the folks on cruise ships knew little about the world outside the US, and cruises were more than happy to oblige them and support that attitude. Note: Not all cruises are like this. There are many wildlife and nature cruises that have naturalists and lectures on them.

A lot of people write off cruises because of the sanitized, Disney feel to them, and I definitely picked up on the carefree vibe. I’ll definitely go on a cruise again because I enjoyed tuning out. For once, I enjoyed not traveling. (And in that vein, all-inclusive resorts are probably in my future, too.) There’s nothing wrong with wanting to sit by the pool with a drink in your hand. That’s all I wanted.

But for that family whose only experience out of the country is this one cruise? There should at least be the option to learn more about the local culture so that family can walk away with some knowledge of the local area beyond that it has zip-line tours, some ruins, and cheap drinks.

Then again, maybe I’m assuming that people care and want to learn more about their ports of call rather than drown their brains in frozen piña coladas.

They might not, which might be why cruise ships don’t provide anything beyond mindless entertainment.

But that thought depresses me too much.

I’d rather think there’s still hope.

Book Your Trip: Logistical Tips and Tricks

Book Your Flight
Find a cheap flight by using Skyscanner or Momondo. They are my two favorite search engines. Start with Momondo.

Don’t Forget Travel Insurance
Travel insurance will protect you against illness, injury, theft, and cancellations. I never ever go on a trip without it. I’ve been using World Nomads for ten years. You should too.

Need Some Gear?
Check out our resource page for the best companies to use!

And Then, I Didn’t Move to Stockholm…

Posted: 08/13/2012 | August 13th, 2012

Remember how I’ve been talking about moving to Sweden since the beginning of the year? Remember when I moved to Stockholm last month? Even though it was only going to be for a few months, I was very excited to relocate to Sweden. I mean, it’s beautiful, it’s clean, the people are nice (and beautiful), the quality of life is great, and did I mention the people here are beautiful? Plus, I was looking forward to learning Swedish, having my own kitchen, and joining a gym.

Well, as you can probably guess from the title of this blog post, I’m not moving to Stockholm anymore.

What happened?

I became the latest victim of Sweden’s crappy housing system. In Sweden, they don’t build apartments to meet demand, so there are always more people who want a place than places exist. This is especially true in Stockholm since most people want to live here. For Swedes, if you want to rent a place, you have to get on a list. There’s also a minimum number of points you need, which determines your place on the list. Or the type of place you can get.

I’m not really sure.

It’s all very confusing. I have no idea how Swedes “get” points. I just know that miracles are usually involved. One of my friends had her sister rent an apartment for her because her sister had “points.” One of the girls who works at my hostel just put herself and her fiancé on this list. They’ll be first in line to get the next available place 15 years from now. It’s so bad, people will put their newborns on the list so they can have an apartment by the time they become adults.

Why is it this way? No idea. Even the Swedes complain about it, and they seem to be at a loss to explain the system to me. “It’s just the way it is,” they say. The right-leaning, more market-based party doesn’t want to change the laws any time soon either. Add the fact that Stockholm doesn’t build new places to meet demand, and you have a recipe for a city with no housing. Sure, this keeps the city old and historic, but it’s a pain the ass. I don’t understand why they don’t throw up some high-rises on the outskirts of town where people might not notice so much.

This housing crunch leads to a huge secondary market, where the owner rents their place out to others at a much higher price. Sometimes the renter then turns around and rents it to someone else for even more money!

So that’s the first problem I’m facing.

The second is that I’m only here until November, and most apartments want a longer commitment than that. (Or they only want a month, and I have no desire to be on the constant hunt for a new apartment every month.) Third, I’m not Swedish, and I think that hurts too, though I can’t prove it.

Over the last month, I’ve found a few places, but they were either too short-term or too expensive, or the owners fell through.

One of the reasons I wanted to move to Stockholm is because I want to settle down, have some roots, build a routine, go to the gym, and do all that other “normal” stuff people do. But after a month here, I find myself in stasis. I’m not moving forward, and without a firm place to live, I don’t want to put money into a gym or Swedish classes.

And with time wasting away, I decided that it’s better to just move on. It’s disappointing, but I can’t sit around forever. Some of my Swedish friends spend months looking for an apartment before they find one. I don’t have that luxury. While it would have been nice to be here, I take comfort in the fact that I tried. I didn’t take the easy road and stay in New York. I took a chance. When you break out of your comfort zone, that’s always a success — no matter what the outcome.

I have no regrets.

On September 2, I’m flying to Portugal for a few weeks before going to Spain. I have two conferences in September: one in Portugal, another in Spain. After that, I’ll head to southern France and then Copenhagen. I have a flight booked to the United States on October 10. I haven’t decided if I’ll be on it or if I’ll change the dates, but for now, I’m going to do a little traveling.

I’m looking forward to putting down some roots, but it looks like that’s just going to have to wait a bit longer. On the flip side, it looks like I’m heading home sooner than expected.

And I’m really OK with that.

Get the In-Depth Budget Guide to Stockholm!

For more in-depth coverage of Stockholm, my 80 page guidebook is perfect for budget travelers like you! It cuts out the fluff found in other guides and gets straight to the practical information you need to travel and save money in one of the most beautiful cities in the world. You’ll find suggested itineraries, budgets, ways to save money, on and off the beaten path things to see and do, non-touristy restaurants, markets, and bars, and much more!! Click here to learn more and get started.

Book Your Trip to Sweden: Logistical Tips and Tricks

Book Your Flight
Find a cheap flight to Sweden by using Skyscanner or Momondo. They are my two favorite search engines. Start with Momondo.

Book Your Accommodation
My favorite places to stay in Stockholm are City Backpackers and Skanstulls Hostel. To book another hostel in Sweden, use Hostelworld. If you want to stay elsewhere, use Booking.com as they consistently return the cheapest rates. (Here’s the proof.)

Don’t Forget Travel Insurance
Travel insurance will protect you against illness, injury, theft, and cancellations. I never ever go on a trip without it. I’ve been using World Nomads for ten years. You should too.

Need Some Gear?
Check out our resource page for the best companies to use!

Want More Information on Sweden?
Be sure to visit our robust destination guide on Sweden for even more planning tips!

How Oneika Gets Teaching Jobs Around the World

Posted: 03/10/2014 | March 10th, 2014

I’ve featured a lot of readers on this website: solo travelers, couples, young and old travelers, Brits, Canadians, and Americans. But there are still a lot of viewpoints I haven’t covered. So today’s reader interview brings some more diversity and perspective to our series. Today we talk to Oneika, a thirty-something, single black traveler from Canada who teaches in Hong Kong. A lot of e-mails ask me about racial prejudice on the road, and since it’s a perspective I can’t answer, let’s talk to Onieka about that and teaching!

Nomadic Matt: Tell everyone about yourself. 
Oneika: I am a serial expat, blogger, and travel junkie who has traveled to 68 countries around the world! I hail from Toronto, Canada, though my parents were born in sunny Jamaica. This means that even though I’m used to cold weather, I hate it — the tropics run through my veins! I’m 31 years old and have been living abroad for over eight years now. While I’m a traveler at heart, I’m a teacher by trade and currently teach middle-school English at a private school in Hong Kong.

What inspired your move to Hong Kong and love of travel?
My move to Hong Kong was inspired by a burning desire to work and travel in the Far East — Asian culture has always seemed so exotic to me, and the idea of living on the other side of the world appealed to me. However, my first experience with intercontinental travel began during my third year of university, where I did a year-long study abroad program in France. After I realized that I could make money teaching, I spent a second year in France doing that and then moved on to do the same thing in Mexico. Wanting more of a culture shock and remembering my initial desire to head to the Far East, I decided to look for teaching jobs in Asia.

What did you do to save up for all your travel?
As a university student, I worked odd jobs at a call center and a bank to fund my travels during school breaks. They were mostly low-paying jobs, but through diligence and penny pinching I was able to save $4,000–$7,000 USD from working part-time throughout the school year and nearly full-time from May to August. My only regret is that I worked entirely in and around my hometown of Toronto and then used my money to take short trips internationally — somehow I never realized that I could make money whilst living abroad until I got into teaching! At any rate, now that I’ve finished school, have moved abroad, and have been teaching full time for seven years, I try to put aside a set amount of money every month for my travel expenses. I try to cut out unnecessary spending (difficult, because I love to shop!) and prioritize travel instead.

How do you stick to a budget when you travel?
I usually plan a trip with a set budget in mind. When I was planning my recent trip to Tokyo, I did a bit of research to get a feel for how much things like transportation, food, and accommodation would cost. I used this information to decide how much money I would need to spend on the whole trip. I attempt to set a daily budget and try to use only cash or debit when paying for things — I avoid using my credit card at all times.

I try to walk or use the cheapest forms of public transportation once at a destination. Also, I’m at the point where I’ll pick and choose which tourist attractions provide the best value: I realize I don’t need to see everything, and am not interested in spending money on a random museum/shrine/temple just because it’s listed in my guidebook! If money is an issue, I always advise people to only pay to see the things they truly care about.

You’re an English teacher. How did you get into that job?
After getting my bachelor’s degree, I taught ESL in the South of France for a year, through a English teaching assistant program offered by the French embassy. During my time in France, I met a French girl who was teaching at a boarding school just outside of London. It was then that I learned about the existence of international schools, which are schools that cater to the expat children of families who have relocated abroad for whatever reason. The language of instruction in most of these schools is English, and many of them follow a Canadian, American, or British curriculum.

When I discovered that to teach in these types of schools I would need to get a Canadian or American teaching license, I returned home and got certified to teach elementary and secondary school English and French. It was the best decision ever! I secured an international teaching job in Mexico and never looked back. I’ve since taught in international schools in London and Hong Kong. In between I went back to Canada and taught French in a high school, but the draw of international travel made me move back abroad after a year.

Matt’s note: If you’d like to teach English abroad, here’s a great resource for you.

Do you find it easy to get work?
I have found it pretty easy to get work in my field; there are an abundance of recruiting agencies that are geared to help both international school and ESL teachers find work abroad. For ESL teachers, organizations like Teach Away and online job boards like Dave’s ESL Cafe are great places to start looking for jobs. I got my ESL teaching assistant job in France through CIEP. For certified teachers looking to teach in top international schools, recruiters like Search Associates and ISS are an excellent resource.

Many readers ask me about racial prejudice around the world. Have you ever faced any racial prejudice on the road?
Honestly? I have been super lucky in that in all of my travels I have had very few incidents where I have been discriminated against due to the color of my skin. Don’t get me wrong: in places where black people are a rarity, people stare. This has happened to me often in Asia. In South Korea and China, people have reached out to touch my skin and hair without asking. In Thailand, India, and the Philippines, people have stopped me to ask if they could take my picture.

Mostly, I don’t mind the attention — I think it’s hilarious, and these sorts of interactions have always been positive since the people involved were very complimentary. I understand that their interest is often fueled by an innocent curiosity; the reality is that many locals in these countries, for whatever reason, are unaccustomed to seeing black people “in real life.” This makes a huge difference in terms of how I view these sorts of interactions.

The only time I really suffered racial discrimination was when I went to Ireland on a short trip in 2009. I was in Dublin when a group of men followed me and yelled out some inappropriate racial epithets. Despite that, I wouldn’t dare let that incident color (pun intended) my opinion of all of Ireland — it’s a beautiful country and I hope to return at some point. I have since met a number of lovely Irish people on my travels, so am convinced that what happened to me in Dublin was an isolated incident.

You travel solo. What safety tips would you give to other solo female travelers?
My #1 tip: Be prepared and stay aware of your surroundings. Don’t leave yourself open to danger. A well-planned itinerary, in my opinion, keeps you purposeful and out of harm’s way. It’s when you wander aimlessly without a plan that you become a target. Another tip of mine, which is perhaps controversial: Don’t dress provocatively. Yes, I know, us ladies should be able to dress any way we want, but when I travel, especially in Islamic countries where local women are expected to cover up, I do the same. It allows me to stay as “under the radar” as much as possible — I want to avoid getting negative attention at all costs. If that means I have to leave my short shorts at home, so be it. “Doing as the Romans do” also demonstrates a respect of the local culture you are sampling.

What advice do you have for other people who are scared about traveling the world or think it’s dangerous to travel as a female?
Don’t believe the hype! The media perpetuates the idea that international travel is dangerous, but the truth is that there’s often a greater chance of tragedy befalling you in your own proverbial backyard than abroad. Research your destination before going and inform yourself of the potential dangers so you have zero chance of becoming a victim. Another thing to do would be to connect with fellow travelers online for their perspectives on a particular place. Travel blogs are also a great resource for getting current information from someone “on the ground” — don’t hesitate to contact your favorite bloggers for insider info.

What advice do you have for others who want to do what you do?
Get a teaching credential! Whether you teach ESL or an elementary or secondary school subject in an international school, teaching is a marketable, exportable skill that is highly sought after abroad. School breaks and holidays are abundant, which allows you to travel on your downtime (case in point: I get 13 paid weeks of vacation a year). Teaching also allows you to have a base, which might be a better option for those who would like to travel but don’t necessarily like the idea of backpacking or being on the move all the time. Getting a diploma to teach ESL and/or a state teaching credential is relatively time and cost effective. Do it!

What is one thing you know now that you wish you knew when you started traveling?
I wish I realized that I didn’t need to see everything, that travel is not a race. I wasted a lot of time, energy, and money trying to hit up every tourist attraction in a given city, bouncing from country to country in an effort to pack it all in. Now, I prefer to travel “slower,” picking and choosing the things that catch my fancy. Also, I wish I had taken more advantage of opportunities like the Rotary Exchange program to study abroad while in high school.

For more travel stories and tips from Oneika, check out her blog at Oneika the Traveller.

Become the Next Success Story

One of my favorite parts about this job is hearing people’s travel stories. They inspire me, but more importantly, they also inspire you. I travel a certain way, but there are many ways to fund your trips and travel the world. I hope these stories show you that there is more than one way to travel and that it is within your grasp to reach your travel goals. Here are more examples of people who found work overseas to fund their trips:

We all come from different places, but we all have one thing in common: We all want to travel more.

Make today the day you take one step closer to traveling — whether it is buying a guidebook, booking a hostel, creating an itinerary, or going all the way and buying a plane ticket.

Remember, tomorrow may never come, so don’t wait.

Reader Story: How Angela Travels the World as an Au Pair

One of the biggest challenges for people is saving up for a world trip. It can be daunting trying to save thousands of dollars for your next big trip. Yet I always say “If you can’t save, go work.” The world has an abundance of jobs that travelers can get. Millions of travelers fund their trips by working their way around the world. Today, I want to profile one of our community members who does just that. Angela works as an au pair. This funds her round the world travel dreams, let’s her stay in a place longer, and get to know a culture better. Today we share her story and tips for being an au pair.

Nomadic Matt: Hi Angela! Thanks for doing this. Tell us about yourself!
Angéla:I’m Angéla and I’m 28 years old. I was born near Lyon, France, and am the eldest of four sisters. After graduating from school when I was 21, I started working as an au pair in Germany. I wanted to get out of France and work with children, so this was the perfect job! Seven years later, I’m still an au pair, currently in Japan! I love what I do because I get to travel and work with children, the two things I love the most.

Were you always interested in travel? How did you get started?
Funny enough, out of all my big family (I have three other siblings and lots of cousins), I’m the only one who likes to travel a lot! Nobody around me ever went abroad for more than a few days, and especially not very far away. So I didn’t know much about traveling, except from watching movies and pop culture.

I didn’t begin traveling until I was 21. I guess it was because I never did it that I wanted to do it. I’d always dreamed of traveling the world and seeing the places I saw in the movies

How did you decide to become an au pair?
It happened seven years ago when I was looking for a job in France and after finding nothing interesting, I decided to have a look at the au pair thing. It sounded interesting — working in another country and living with a family. By being an au pair, I would be able to have a job, accommodation, food, lots of free time, and some extra spending cash. It was perfect. I could enjoy traveling without needing a lot of money because I could use the money that I would earn during my stay. It lets me travel without huge savings.

In 2010, I found my first host family in Germany and stayed one year with them. I loved the fact I could work in another country and use the free time to explore a new place. Plus, I get to work with children all the time, which is my field of work, so now I have accumulated years of experience. I was hooked after that first year, and decided to do it again instead going back to France to find another job.

Where have you worked as an au pair?
I’ve been to Germany, England, Canada, New Zealand, Australia, and Sweden, and I’m currently in Japan. I stay from eight months to one year in each country. All of them have been great experiences. I’ve been lucky enough to stay with very good people, and everybody I met while traveling has been super nice.

My favorite place has been New Zealand. It’s simply breathtaking! The landscapes are unbelievable. I can’t recommend it enough. Canada is probably my next favorite. It is a relatively safe country to live in, the people are nice, and I love the cold winters. I got to try ice fishing and totally loved it!

How does someone become an au pair? Is it easy? Hard?
I personally think it is easy. Your main job is to take care of children, so you must be OK working with them, but other than that, the tasks are often easy enough and you have lots of free time. You work on average between 25 and 30 hours per week. All your weekends are free, as are the evenings as soon as one parent gets home. You may be asked to babysit from time to time, though.

Everything is included when you live with the family, so you don’t have many expenses. The only thing I paid for myself was my plane ticket (although you can be lucky enough to have a family that pays it for you). I never felt like this was a so-called “job” — more like helping out a family and being a part of it.

To become an au pair, you can either use au pair agencies or one of the websites like Au Pair, Au Pair World, International Exchange, and Go Au Pair. With an agency, you pay them and they do the paperwork, show you different family profiles, and put you in contact with them. All along your stay, they are in touch with you in case of any problem. It’s like any other job placement service.

On the internet, there are a lot of websites for au pairs. This is more DIY. You create a profile, search for families (they can search for au pairs too), and if one catches your interest, you start by sending a message, and from then, if both parties get along, you get in touch via phone, mails, Skype. There’s no third party involved. It’s between you and the family (so no one is there if something goes wrong). I’ve only ever used these websites, as it’s free for au pairs to join, and I’ve always been lucky in my searches for families.

What qualifications does someone need to be an au pair?
While it’s not necessary, it’s good to have experience with kids, because the families might feel more confident in hiring you, but other than that, you don’t really need much. Every family is different. Some will want you to have experience and will ask for references; others don’t ask for anything.

What’s the biggest challenge?
I will say it’s learning how to live with total strangers. You’re in a brand new country, with people you don’t know, and you’re going to spend six months to a year with them. It takes some days for everybody to get used to each other and to know how the family works. You need to learn to accept their way of living. Sometimes it can be really different from what you’re used to, and it takes some time to just be a part of it.

Also the fact it is not your own place is a bit of a challenge. You may live there for a long time, but at the end of the day, it’s still not your place. I find it always a bit hard to pretend it is. For me, it is my host’s home. You can’t have guests like you would in your own home. You hear the kids playing, running everywhere all the time, even on your days off. Sometimes the parents may leave the house a mess and you have to tidy it up, because you can’t stay a day in such a mess any longer!

Personally, I’m really easygoing and used to living in any kind of place with different people. I never felt that was a “challenge” — from my first experience all was smooth during my stays. Maybe I find it easy to get along with people, and don’t mind their way of living.

Is it hard as a Westerner to get a job outside of “the West”? I always thought Western au pairs only worked in other Western countries.
It is true [that Western au pairs are] mostly in Western countries. In Japan, it is not common at all, especially because here the moms are often stay-at-home moms, so they don’t need another person to do the job. Also, it is in their culture to not accept a total stranger taking care of their own kids.

The few families I could find in Asia have always been expat families. Often one parent got a few years’ contract with a company and moved abroad, thus they know what the au pair thing is. In Nagoya, where I am now, I know at least three au pairs, but I don’t think we’re much more than that. So if you want to be an au pair, you’ll find that most of the jobs are in Western countries.

Tell me about life as an au pair. What’s the pay like? How often do you work?
The pay depends mainly on the family and the country you’re in. But my salary was usually 300-400 euros per month. It seems to be the average for an au pair working 25–30 hours a week.

The work mostly consists of bringing the kids to school and picking them up, helping with homework, cooking and having dinner, bathing them, and getting them ready for bed. Some families may ask you to do house cleaning in addition (in which case you’re paid more for that).

When the kids are at school, you’re totally free. Most au pairs will take language classes, or do sports or other activities. I usually take some of this time to cook dinner and clean the house (if needed). Mostly I try to hang out with friends or visit some places nearby. When in a country where au pairs are popular, it is really easy to meet up with them, as we all have the same free time. It’s an easy job if you are good with kids, sensitive, and practical. And especially if you get along well with the family, there’s no problem at all!

What’s your one tip for people looking to become an au pair?
If it is your first experience as an au pair and you don’t know how you feel being away from home, my advice would be to start in a country that is near your own. That way if you’re homesick, it will be much easier to go back. And if you like the experience, you know you’ll be ready to start again farther away! I started in Germany, knowing that if anything happened I was just few hours away from home.

Other than that, nothing specific, except I can only recommend it! It is a really good experience living abroad and a way to get out of your comfort zone, as you’re going to live for a few months somewhere totally new!

What’s been the biggest lesson so far?
Never think traveling is not possible for you. I had no exposure to it while I was growing up and would never have imagined myself a traveler, as I was very shy and introverted. I think, besides shocking my family, I shocked myself when I went away. But when you go away, you realize how easy travel is and how many opportunities there are out there to make travel a reality.

I think that traveling is a good opportunity to discover new parts of yourself. It changed the way I am now. I feel more confident and more open to talking to strangers. It’s made me a better me!

You’ve be traveling for 7 years now. What’s your number one tip for new travelers?
Be friendly to people and be respectful of the country you are in. Respect is important, and people will accept you more if you are openly happy and curious to be visiting their places. Don’t judge. Learn to listen.

When I was in Australia, I was told numerous times that French people there were acting really poorly, being mean to animals and disrespectful of people and the environment. I can’t understand this type of behavior, and it made me ashamed and sad to learn that. It is so important to show respect and be kind to those in the country you are visiting. You’re a guest in their home.

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Angela got a job working as an au pair in order to fulfill her desire to travel the world. When you have limited funds, find a job like Angela and use your skills or passions to earn money and keep you on the road.

Angela got a job working as an au pair in order to fulfill her desire to travel the world. When you have limited funds, find a job like Angela and use your skills or passions to earn money and keep you on the road.

Hopefully, this post will inspire you to think outside the box a bit and figure out ways to use your passion and skills to get out there, escape the cubicle, and see more of this world.

Become the Next Success Story

One of my favorite parts about this job is hearing people’s travel stories. They inspire me, but more importantly, they also inspire you. I travel a certain way but there are many ways to fund your trips and travel the world. I hope these stories show you that there is more than one way to travel and that it is within your grasp to reach your travel goals. Here are more examples of people who found work overseas to fund their trips:

Flying at 35,000 Feet with Heather Poole

I first met Heather Poole at a travel blog conference. We got along very well and I had been reading her blog for awhile. She writes about life as a flight attendant. Recently, she published a book, Cruising Attitude: Tales of Crashpads, Crew Drama, and Crazy Passengers at 35,000 Feet, about life as a flight attendant. I, ironically, picked it up at an airport and read it on a plane. She found time at 35,000 feet to talk about her job and book.

Nomadic Matt: You’re a flight attendant. What’s that like?
Heather Poole: Even though the job has changed a lot over the years, it can still be a lot of fun. But patience is a must, more so than ever before. Flight attendants are the face of the airline, and passengers have a tendency to take things out on us, even if what happened is not our fault. Besides being friendly and outgoing, we also have to be able to adapt to change easily. This is why we always have backup plans A, B, and C, because there’s always something bound to go wrong in the airline industry: mechanicals, delays, cancellations. They happen. Even on Christmas Eve. If there are kids at home, this can be one of the most difficult aspects of the job. Flight attendants also are very independent. It’s not uncommon to meet a coworker for the first time on a trip and then not see them again for a few months, maybe even years. The best part about the job is when we step off the airplane; we always leave the stress of the flight behind. Every flight is a new flight, which means every day is a new adventure.

How often do flight attendants work? Do they fly a lot of the same routes over and over again?
Our schedules average around 85 hours a month. But don’t let the number fool you. That’s flying time only. Most flight attendants work way more than that. Time on the ground doesn’t count toward our pay and therefore isn’t included in our monthly schedules. This is why we want to spend as much time as possible in the air, not hopping from city to city with lots of time between flights on the ground. Airline seniority determines the kind of trip a flight attendant can hold. This explains why most international long-haul flights are staffed with senior crews. Once we have enough seniority to hold a good trip, it’s the only trip we’re going to work until we’re senior enough to hold an even better one. Schedules are set up with a day or two off between each trip, but many of us will “trip trade” with other flight attendants to work a few trips in a row in order to maximize our time off on the ground.

Any hint on the airline you work for?
One of the big ones.

What did your coworkers think of you writing this book?
I don’t know that most of them even know I’ve written a book. And if they do know, they probably just assume I’m still writing it. I’ve been talking about writing this book for years.

Did your airline know, and were there any restrictions placed on you?
I didn’t ask for their permission to write the book, and I certainly didn’t call anyone up at headquarters to make an announcement about it either. Flight attendants learn to lay low very early on in their careers. But I’ve been blogging about flying for a long time. I’m fairly certain they know who I am. Just keep in mind my book is not an airline exposé. It’s about what it’s like to be a flight attendant. It doesn’t really matter who we work for; the job is pretty much the same wherever you go. Plus half of the book takes place on the ground, because it’s not just a job, it’s a lifestyle. That’s what I set out to write about. Plus, there are so many misconceptions about flight attendants I decided to set the record straight.

What is one really juicy story you left out?
One story that got deleted was about a celebrity who claimed to have magical powers after a passenger fell unconscious. To this day, we still don’t know if it was his magical powers or the husband who kept nudging his wife in the arm in an effort to make her come to and see the celebrity he was excitedly talking about that made her gain consciousness again.

With so many changes to the airline industry over the years, would you recommend that someone become a flight attendant?
It’s a great job for someone who hates the idea of working a 9-to-5 job. But it’s not easy in the beginning. Our living conditions are pretty extreme. This is why so many flight attendants either last a lifetime or just a few weeks.

Has the job gotten worse over the last few years because of all the problems in the airline industry?
Of course it’s gotten worse, just like lots of other jobs in America. Most people don’t know that flight attendants start out making $14,000-18,000 the first year. With cutbacks, they’ll be making less! So not only do we make less, we’re working much longer hours followed by shorter layovers. Think 8-10 hours at an airport hotel on domestic routes. Mix in a delay, and there’s barely enough time to eat, sleep, AND shower. That said, I’m still flying and I don’t feel like quitting — yet. Once I can no longer manipulate my schedule the way I want/need to is the day I might have to say buh-bye. I dread that day.

In the book, you talk about how New York City is your “base,” but I know you don’t live in NYC. How can a flight attendant be based somewhere they don’t live?
Instead of driving to work, we take a plane to work. It’s called commuting, and it’s getting harder and harder to do these days. I once saw two flight attendants come to blows over the one and only jump seat on the last flight out. Between trips we stay at a “crash pad.” Instead of paying for a room, we pay for a bed. Sometimes we’ll even share the bed (not at the same time!). Commuters mean business. We’re in and out as quickly as possible. The name of the game is to get as many flying hours in as we can in a short amount of time, so we can fly back home and enjoy a stretch of days off before we have to do it again.

Are a lot of people getting into the profession these days?
In 2010 Delta announced an opening for 1,000 flight attendants. Over 100,000 people applied. These days it’s much harder to find work with an airline now that being a flight attendant is considered a career, not just a job. Turnover isn’t as high as it once was, and competition has gotten fierce.

In your book, you talk a lot about the difficulty in dating as a flight attendant. As someone on the move a lot, I can relate to that. Do lots of flight attendants have problems dating? Do they all end up with pilots?
It’s hard enough dealing with an unusual job without finding a partner who can deal with it. This is why so many relationships end up crashing and burning after someone in the relationship becomes a flight attendant. Because it’s either quit or break up. Then of course once you find someone, it takes twice as long to realize that person might not be right for you due to the fact that we’re not on the ground as often as regular people. And then there are those who want to date flight attendants just because it’s easier to juggle multiple partners when one of them isn’t home half the time. As for pilots, we tend to either love them or hate them, maybe a little too much! To be fair I’m pretty sure the same thing can be said for the way they feel about us.

If you could tell people three things on how to behave on a flight, what would they be?
Be nice. Be nice. Be nice. We’re all in the same boat — er, plane — together. Wait until we’re safe and sound on the ground if you must freak out.

Any tips for getting an upgrade from coach?
Do people still think there’s a chance of that happening? Don’t get me wrong, miracles do happen, but not often. Flights are full, and frequent fliers know exactly where their name is on the list these days.

What’s the secret to at least getting an extra meal or free drink?
Very rarely do we have extra meals on board. In first and business class we’re usually catered right on the money. In coach we barely have enough to serve half a plane full of passengers who are willing to purchase food. As for free drinks, flight attendants have been known to comp drinks to passengers who help out by doing nice things like switching seats so a family can sit together.

You can find out more about Heather Poole on Twitter. You can click here and get her book from Amazon.