San Cristobal de las Casas. Photo by Cedric Leclere

Best City to Write a Spy Novel

A port city in a former Soviet republic flush with petro-dollars and set in the Islamic world—Baku is a pulp writer’s dream. As depicted through the cacophony of chaotic traffic jams, the scramble of modern and ancient in the Azeri capital could provide a setting for a dozen spy novels.

Keep appearing at the same Chayhana on one of the old city’s winding streets, pour the rose water into your tea just so, and the old men across from you might begin to take you for CIA.

Photo by AudreyH

Sadly, the air in Baku is almost palpable. Oil drilling and heavy industry have contributed to Baku’s ranking as the most polluted city in the world. In a perverse way, the oil industry’s poor environmental practices may in turn contribute to new expat opportunities.

As the multinationals wake up to the environmental impact, they are starting to commit resources to cleanup projects and restoration. Increased funding for environmental consulting and cleanup should lead to new postings for experienced workers across a spectrum of related fields.

After work, and a fragrant saffron and coriander spiced meal with your new Azeri comrades, maybe there will be time left to start writing.

Best City Worth Taking Your Malaria Meds

If not an unmitigated success story, present day Kampala is a hospitable destination in a country that receives coverage for little else beyond humanitarian strifeand a threatened gorilla population.

Photo by Matthew Berry

After the dark years under the regime of Idi Amin, by the 1990’s the Ugandan government under Yoweri Museveni had briefly emerged as something of a success story. Uganda was the first African country to enact policies that achieved substantial reductions in its HIV rate. Museveni has since marred this legacy with his involvement in regional wars and by eschewing term limits while harassing democratic opposition.

Politics aside, Kampala is a beautiful and welcoming city. The seven hills of Kampala seem impossibly green given the density the capital. At 1200 meters above sea level, Kampala is spared the extremes of a tropical climate. Beaming smiles will greet you upon arrival even before the billboard just outside the airport invites you to “enjoy Africa’s friendliest country.” And unlike many other major African cities, Kampala’s streets are safe to walk at night.

The concentration of NGO’s in the city provides work opportunities for foreign nationals. For those in the school that believe foreign aid is a hindrance to development, work in microfinance might also be an option.

Best Place to Wait Out the End of Time

Photo by Ido Mor

Travelers looking to slow down will appreciate the speed bumps on the Pan-American Highway as it makes its approach to San Cristobal de las Casas. With each step off the pavement of Central America’s major artery, time begins to slow. There are the sounds of colonial church bells and the sights at the colorful craft markets on neatly cobbled streets.

If you speak any Spanish, friendly locals on porches and park benches are easily approached and give the feeling you are welcome to stay awhile.

And why not make a sojourn in Southern Mexico? With affordable rents and a low key, supportive expat community, San Cristobal is the perfect place to embark on an extended art project or other DIY endeavor.

Though at tropical latitude, San Cristobal is set on a highland plateau comfortably above the 2000-meter line. This location offers a temperate climate throughout the year; jackets are necessary in the evening. Befriend an indigenous local and listen by the fireplace about what the end of time may soon bring.

Best Urban Adventure

Photo by Adam Baker

A group of backpackers caught the eye of a bleary eyed businessman who dispensed this piece of wisdom from his barstool in Heathrow Airport: “Boys, if you want an adventure, go to Moscow.”

The streets alone provide adventure in Moscow. Cops might prove more a danger than help. Expect a shakedown for improper documents if you get stopped, even if your papers are in order. Brace for disapproving stares during a morning run to the corner store where you attempt to buy water to hydrate from last night’s outing. A Russian would have bought a beer.

Unfortunately, Russia’s booming oil and gas industry has spurred a price inflation that has made Moscow the
most expensive city in the world. Visa requirements are strict, and without a posh international job in hand, the city is out of reach for all but the jet set.

community connection

Looking for more inside information and expert recommendations on unique places around the world? Check out Matador’s destination pages.

Matador members believe they can change the world, and they’re out there doing it every day.

Sure, we publish the same sorts of articles you find in print publications, but these articles are just window-dressing. The editor in me cringes, but it’s true.

But no matter what we write, the most important part of Matador is the community. Whenever I need a little stoke, I browse Matador member profiles. I’m always awed by the sheer human optimism in this remarkable community.

Thank you so much for inspiring us.

Here are 10 incredible members of the Matador community. To meet the other 40 featured travelers, please follow the links at the bottom of this page.

Bex

I felt the most immersed in a foreign culture when:
being cooked a traditional meal of meat and vegetables in a clay oven in Bosnia by a group of locals who didn’t speak English. It was the best food I’ve ever tasted and made all the better not knowing fully what it was!

Bex’s full profile

Febutterfly

I’m fired up on:
environmental conservation, blogging, staying fit, being healthy, living life, being a mommy, photography and drinking a good glass of red wine from time to time.

Febutterfly’s full profile

Adam

I’m fired up on:
simple beauty, cultural revolution, pushing physical and mental boundaries, and catching new views. I work in environmental education, alpine research and conservation, and storytelling. I love to play outside: climbing, surfing, boating, biking, walking.

Adam’s full profile

Fyah-Wata

About me:
I work for the San Francisco Unified School District, teaching city kids K-5 about the environment. I enjoy the outdoors; whether it be meditating in it or rippin up the elements. A friend once told me I am like a wave of water dousing the flame of fire to create a balance within. Sometimes I am very active, stimulated with movement and interaction. Other times I just enjoy chillaxin, kicking back,enjoying the peace of my own solitude. I am constantly trying to maintain a healthy balance in my life, so I have just the right amount of fyah to keep me hot and enough water to keep me cool.

Read Fyah’s full profile

HawaiiBren

About me:
I’m a surfer girl, creative writing/English teacher who can’t seem to get enough out of life abroad. Despite my annual travels, my six-year old pug keeps me grounded.

Why I travel:
If you’ve been, you know; if you haven’t, then go!

Read HawaiiBren’s full profile

Beija-Flor

About Me:
I suppose I could say I’m generally rather tough (also with myself), temperamental and stubborn, yet at the same time softhearted and sentimental. I’m full of fire most of the time, but philosophical and with a good portion of my youth idealism still intact, although realistic towards the realities of life. I’m spiritual but not religious and optimistic with a positive outlook. Aspiring, open-minded and intuitive, always planning forward with plenty of imagination, honesty and where justice and morality rule the way, finished off with a cream topping of generosity…I’m obviously a Sagittarius if you’re still wondering.

Read Beija-Flor’s full profile

Emily Hansen

About me:
Jill of all trades, barking-seal English Instructor, mentally-diverse gangster.

Places I want to go to:
I want to die in my sleep, sixty years from now, on the Trans-Mongolian railway.

Read Emily Hansen’s full profile

Mike Szymanski

Travel style:
Rough it: Hitchhike, Sleep on the side of the road, Stay with new friends, Backpacker, Often Solo (not that you are ever really alone though), Camp, Easy Going, Spontaneous.

I want to make a difference by:
Harnessing economic power to create a more socially and economically just world.

Read Mike Szymanski’s full profile

Panling

Ideal place to watch the sunrise:
Above the clouds

Before I die I’d like to:
Die a thousand times, then go on living. Or live a thousand lives, then go on dying.

Let’s collaborate:
Meet in Cognito, and I’ll buy you a cerveza con leche. Or drop me a line and we’ll share an adventure if we’re in the same neck of the woods.

Read Panling’s full profile

Danielle

I’m fired up on:
Travel. vintage. Healthy living. novels. Good art. Good theatre. Good film. Good food. Good humor. Good friends. mystery. religion. mystery religions. magic. the sea. changing moods. changing minds. changing seasons. the carousel of time.

I want to make a difference by:
Touching peoples hearts and helping conserve our ailing mother Earth

Read Danielle’s full profile

To meet more Matador members, please follow the links below:

Travelers 1-10 at MatadorTrips.com
Travelers 11 - 20 at BraveNewTraveler.com
Travelers 31 - 40 at MatadorStudy.com
Travelers 41 - 50 at Matador.org

Community Connection

These are only 50 out of thousands of travelers in our community. Who else should get a mention? Big them up in the comments, and if you haven’t yet, link up with us.

Feature photo by nick.butcher. Photo above by Montrasio International.

Top expat destinations are a matter of taste. Some seek the bustle and anonymity of a metropolis; others prefer a quiet life near the beach or in the mountains. Here are a few top picks for a range of international lifestyles.

Best Small City: Ljubljana, Slovenia

The days have passed when tiny Slovenia was the best value in Central Europe.

Slovenes have now exchanged the Tolar for the mighty Euro. But for expats looking for work, that also means wages are paid in the world’s dominant currency.

According to Carys Owen, veteran ESL teacher and 10-year Ljubljana resident, 15 Euros is now the average cost for an hour-long English lesson. The polyglot Slovenes have a ravenous appetite for language acquisition, so a native English speaker can still make a decent living while enjoying Ljubljana’s high quality of life.

Sometimes referred to as little Prague, Ljubljana boasts a striking integration of traditional and modernist architecture.

Photo by Scott Ingram.

The old town winds around both banks of the Ljubljanica River, where sidewalk cafés are always crowded on a sunny day. The marketplace along the river has excellent local produce and artisan products.

The expat bars, loaded with EasyJet tourists on Friday and Saturday nights, provide quiet refuge during the week to meet up with the other teachers and contractors living and working in town.

If the city isn’t enough of a draw in its own right, its location at the foot of the Julian Alps and an hour and a half drive from the Adriatic Sea means you can go skiing in the morning and sailing in the afternoon.

Best Surf and Sand: Dahab, Egypt

Photo by nick.butcher.

Dahab’s days as the sleepy fishing village of backpacker lore may be numbered as the growth of resort tourism on the Red Sea shores continues. For expats looking to stay awhile, however, this is not all bad news.

The resorts have brought increased demand for experienced scuba instructors to work some of the most spectacular dive sites in the world. But Dahab is not a resort town.

Cheap accommodation is still plentiful along the turquoise waterfront, and the slow pace of Bedouin life pervades. If the pace gets too slow, the Sinai is well positioned for excursions to Mt. Sinai, the wonders of ancient Egypt, and the rose city of Petra in Jordan.

Best Hot New City: Shanghai, China

Where to experience the next great expat city?

Those with an eye to the future might consider Shanghai. With the inexorable rise of the Chinese economy, Shanghai is a good bet to become the financial capital of the 21st century.

Shanghai’s dynamism can be seen in the layering of the futuristic skyline, colonial facades, and the teeming, gritty street life. This energy is percolating down to Moganshan Road’s gallery and warehouse studio scene, regarded as the epicenter of contemporary Chinese art.

Photo by seto_supraenergy.

The only mainland Chinese city to crack the top 100 of the Mercer livable cities index, Shanghai already provides a good mixture of affordability, opportunity, nightlife, and culture.

Unlike Buenos Aires, work is not difficult to come by in Shanghai. ESL teachers are in demand, and entrepreneurial spirits can take advantage of Shanghai’s ranking as the best place to do business in China.

Perhaps in time, Shanghai’s tapestry of contrast will inspire the next great expat novel.

Best Adrenaline High: San Gil, Colombia

Photo by Maria Alejandra

Just a few years ago, travel through Colombia’s guerilla plagued countryside to remote San Gil would have been an adventure in its own right.

With the government now firmly in control of the surrounding region, adventure seekers can seek out more conventional forms of adrenaline highs.

Fortunately, San Gil has a little of everything: three whitewater rivers for rafting, kayaking, and canoeing, rappelling, caving, bungee jumping, paragliding, and horse back riding. When time comes to slow the pace, the verdant hills around San Gil offer weeks of excellent hiking.

What distinguishes San Gil from other adventure destinations is that when people find they want to stay awhile, they do. The region is not just a draw for thrill seekers. Immaculate colonial towns nearby provide refuge for writers and painters from around the world.

Photo by Yeraze

Best Big City: Buenos Aires, Argentina

Choosing a great expat metropolis is a matter of timing.

We’ve all heard about the glories of 1920s Paris and 1930s Berlin, in large part due to the nexus of expatriate artists and writers active in those flourishing scenes.

Buenos Aires, the reigning expat metropolis, is very much the right place at the right time.

Long one of the most sophisticated and charming cities of the world, hordes of Europeans and Americans are now capitalizing on the peso collapse that has made the Argentine capital a tremendous value.

Community Connection!

For a wealth of information about living overseas, check out one of Matador’s favorite websites, Transitions Abroad.

Feature photo by Spencer Klein. Photo above by jetalone.

Flying is often the best option to get where we want to go. It’s quick, it’s cheap, and—depending on the airport—it can be easy. But we might not be aware that it comes with a tremendous environmental price tag.

According to environmental scientist and alternative fuel specialist, Dr. Mike Anfinson, “As far as measuring our own carbon footprint goes, it [flying] is the single-most detrimental choice we can make as travelers.”

That’s something not all of us realize. When you’re on one continent in the morning and another continent by the afternoon, there’s not so much time to think of what all those sky miles mean. “It’s a modern luxury that is too often taken for granted,” adds Dr. Anfinson.

What does that spell for the common traveler?

The reality is that people are not going to stop flying, just as they are not going to stop driving. Our transportation habits are too deeply rooted in the network of human culture.

Fortunately, airline companies around the world are beginning to take notice, offering new ways to clean up the mess.

Photo by maveric2003.

Leading the charge is Costa Rica’s Nature Air. In 2004, Nature Air became the world’s first carbon neutral airline, at a time when other airlines were only beginning to consider their impact. And they did so with no added cost to customers.

It seemed like a fitting move in the country that virtually invented ecotourism.

In 2007 alone Costa Rica hosted 1.9 million visitors, fueling a $1.9-billion-a-year tourism industry—an industry based almost exclusively around the country’s treasured natural ecosystem.

Nature Air has chosen local “conservation and reforestation efforts [within the country] as their method of compensation,” looking to protect the very lure that brought their customers to Costa Rica in the first place.

By flying Nature Air, passengers are directly supporting reforestation and conservation within what many see as the country’s crown jewel, the Osa Peninsula. In addition, all company vehicles are run on 100% biodiesel.

Silverjet, a British airline launched in 2007, came onto the scene claiming it was the first major carbon-neutral airline in the world. Silverjet reservations included a mandatory carbon-offset contribution in the ticket price. But luck ran out quickly; funding for the project fell through by May 2008.

The airline offered direct flights between New York and London before its collapse.

Photo by Cubbie_n_Vegas.

But other European carriers have taken note, including British Airways and Scandinavian Airlines System. Both have implemented voluntary carbon-offset programs so that the choice to offset the footprint of your flight is now a step in the reservation process.

In general, European carriers seem to be taking more initiative to clean up the skies than their U.S. counterparts.

In June 2007, Delta became the first U.S. carrier to offer a voluntary carbon-offset program. The program, GoZero, is hoping to capitalize on the growing market of environmentally-conscious consumers to aid a bottom line that only recently emerged from bankruptcy, in April 2007.

In addition, GoZero provides a useful carbon calculator that can measure the carbon footprint of various lifestyle choices, such as how much we drive, how many kilowatt hours we use per year, or how often we mow the lawn.

Photo by Andrei Dimofte.

So what does all this mean in terms of our own pocketbook? Probably not as much as you would think. According to Delta’s website, “On average a contribution of $5.50 would offset one person’s estimated carbon emissions associated with a 1,320-mile roundtrip flight.”

That means a roundtrip flight from coast to coast in the U.S., roughly 5,600 miles in all, would cost about $13 in addition to the ticket price. That’s not too much to ask.

How do we know where all the money goes? Well, every airline program compensates for its impact differently, but in Delta’s GoZero program, every $5.50 contributed translates to one tree planted in a protected park or national wildlife refuge—a nice answer that gives concrete results.

The Osa Peninsula, Costa Rica. By flying Nature Air, passengers are directly supporting reforestation and conservation of this area. Photo by Spencer Klein.

For those who prefer the do-it-yourself method, websites now allow you to calculate and compensate your personal carbon-footprint. Among them is the well-designed CarbonFootprint.com, which will have you treading lightly in no time.

For your own consideration of what angle to take, search “carbon footprint” on any search engine. The benefit of this method is that you have the choice to decide exactly where your money will go.

One way or the other, it’s a simple choice with a minimal cost—and it can go a long way in keeping airline travel a guiltless method of getting from point A to point B. As travelers and consumers, it’s time to face up to the bill and take real measures to lessen our personal impact.

Responsibility means making real changes by voting with our dollar. Why not begin with that next flight?

Community Connection:

Not all Matador members are convinced that carbon-offset credits are adequate means of reducing travelers’ environmental impact. For alternate opinions, check out “The Truth About Carbon Offsets” and “So what’s the deal with carbon offsets?“

Feature photo by Micah Sittig. Above photo by Leduardo.

Dallas Fort Worth (Terminal D)

Completed in 2005, DFW is capable of handling up to 37,000 passengers per day with the aid of Skylink- the world’s largest airport train. The first major American airport terminal to be built post 9/11, the terminal features the most advanced security features available with state of the art systems.

Photo by James Cridland.

London Heathrow (Terminal 5)

The world’s newest airport terminal cost £4.3 billion ($8.5 billion USD) and is going to revolutionize air travel with totally redesigned check in and departure procedures.

A state of the art baggage system works in partnership with computers at security, check in and departures, making sure your luggage only boards the plane if you do. So no more delays due to a late passenger’s bag being offloaded.

[Editor’s Note: In spite of the airport’s promise to revolutionize air travel, the opening of the new terminal was riddled with problems. Before passing through Terminal 5, you might want to check out some of the documented complaints.]

Denver International Airport

The white, peaked, fabric roof of the Jeppesen Terminal minimised the building’s impact on this stunning region with its backdrop of the snow-capped Rocky Mountains. With six de-icing pads- each capable of holding five planes - and with all de-icing fluids collected and recycled - the terminal operates in even the worst conditions.

Beijing Capital International (Terminal 3)

Built to meet the increased demand of the 2008 Olympics, passengers can expect to have their luggage just 4.5 minutes after the plane in unloaded, thanks to a $240 million luggage transfer system. With the dedicated Olympics Hall, passengers can expect a seamless journey.

Photo by Emrank.

Kansai International, Japan

Built on a man-made island in the middle of Osaka Bay, airport engineers had to deal with the high risk of earthquakes, typhoons, storm surges, sinking of the reclaimed land and the construction of a 3km long bridge to link the airport to the mainland.

The airport has sunk 8 meters already, so architects have placed adjustable columns under the terminal to compensate for the shifting land. Despite that sinking feeling, the airport has emerged unscathed from several severe earthquakes that have hit the region in recent years.

Singapore Changi

Stuck in the airport for a while? Why not take advantage of the free Singapore tour that will whisk you into the city to see the sights before your connection departs. Or you can relax in the spa, fitness area or pool, book into the in terminal hotel for a quick sleep or perhaps just wander around one of the nature trails.

If you have the energy, check out the 24 hour shopping, free Internet, and free movie theatre, or perhaps just grab a sunlounger for a nap before your flight.

Photo by Zionorbi.

Incheon International, Seoul

The only airport in Asia to have ILS Cat-IIIb– an instrumental-landing device that allows airline operation when visibility is as low as 50 meters–as well as a host of other incomprehensible software and hardware, Incheon suffers few diversions or cancellations due to extreme weather conditions and is regarded as one of the safest in the world.

East Midlands Airport, England

Named most eco friendly airport in the world, East Midlands has focused its technology on decreasing its carbon footprint. The airport is working towards carbon neutrality by 2012 and has installed ground-heating pumps, wind catchers, water recycling facilities.

Airport planners also hope to include wind turbines to fill up to 10% of its energy needs.

Madrid Barajas International (Terminal 4)

Photo by Philip C..

The world’s largest airport in terms of terminal area– 1 million square meters (11 million sq feet) — its new terminal was designed with a range of environmentally friendly techniques that allow natural light, and the associated heat, to reduce energy needs.

The 1km long wing shaped building is an open plan, allowing light and travellers to move freely from check in to departure.

Hong Kong International

In a city where space is at a premium, an entire mountain was flattened to create the 13km sq island on which this airport stands- increasing the size of the city by 1%.

With an integrated transport centre, the airport is linked not only to central Hong Kong but also to mainland China. The airport is also notable for its partly automated customs and immigration system on site (rather than at the border), to allow smooth passage onto the mainland.

Click here for more information and here for everything you could possibly want (and not want) to know.

Feature and above photo by shapeshift.

The days of sharing vacation memories though boring slide shows are long past. Turning hours of camcorder footage into something more watchable than a dull slide show, however, is another matter. The key to a great travel film is music.

Here are a handful of ways to get the music you’ll need for a killer soundtrack:

Copyrighted Music

Does it seem like the easiest way to score your movie might be to drag a few choice tracks from iTunes or a CD into your video editing software? Well, hold on a second there, Michael Bay — do you have permission to use those copyrighted tunes?

Without diving too deep into the nebulous waters of international copyright law, it’s best to assume that you can’t get the rights to recorded music unless you are willing to pay handsomely for it.

There are, however, two possible exceptions. The first is private home use, which means you’re just making the movie for your own entertainment and aren’t going to show it to anyone except maybe your grandma and cousins. In the United States, home use is considered fair use of copyrighted material, and most other countries have similar provisions.

Photo by Square Eye.

You Tube

The second possibility is YouTube, which has negotiated deals with the world’s “Big Four” record labels, Warner, BMI, Universal, and Sony BMG, to allow its users the right to use those companies’ songs in their videos. Since the Big Four have swallowed up most smaller record labels, this includes 71% of the music sold each year.

However, the record labels only hold the licenses for specific recordings of songs, and the National Music Publishers Association, which represents songwriters and composers, is involved in a class-action suit against YouTube for copyright infringement. So you’re cleared to use major label recordings, but without permission to use the songs themselves, it’s still copyright infringement. See how quickly this gets convoluted?

But even if copyrighted music was totally good to go on YouTube, there are plenty of other places you might want to show your travel movie. If you ever plan on entering it in a film festival, showing it at a conference, getting it on television or even just distributing copies on DVD, you’ll need to clear your music licenses.

Covers Of Copyrighted Songs

If you’ve ever bought a budget CD titled something like “Best Classic Rock Songs!” only to be disappointed that they weren’t the original, famous recordings, it’s because it’s cheaper to license a song than a specific recording.

The same goes for a filmmaker who records her own acoustic version of “On The Road Again” to play under video of hitchhiking across Alabama — she only has to get permission from the record company and the songwriter.

If she wanted to use Willie Nelson’s version of the song (or Bob Dylan’s), she would need permission from the recording artist as well, which is usually far beyond the budget of a backpacking filmmaker.

Photo by Rabble.

Make Your Own Music

Of course, the filmmaker who performs and records her own cover of a famous song is only one step away from being totally free of copyright concerns by writing the songs herself. It fits in with the Do-It-Yourself culture of backpacking, but big Hollywood filmmakers like Clint Eastwood and Robert Rodriguez score their own films, too.

Windows users can download the free program Acid Xpress, and Mac users can turn to Apple’s Garage Band to help create original music for a movie score.

You don’t need much musical know-how to work either of these programs, which are based around creating songs out of sequences of short sound files called loops. Each comes with a library of ready-to-use, royalty-free loops, and plenty of others can be found online.

Stringing loops together is easy as using drag-and-drop video editing software like iMovie or Acid Xpress, so filmmakers should feel right at home, and adding your own vocal or instrumental track is also a piece of cake.

There’s no reason you need to score your travel film with the music you listened to on your trip — instead, why not use the music you created while you were there?

Photo by Leo Prieto.

Some tips to consider:

- If there’s a specific song you really want to use, consider putting it into your video editor first and cutting the video to fit the rhythm of the song rather than trying to shoehorn the song in after the film is edited.

- You know you’ve immersed yourself in a culture when you’ve found the local music scene … or at least chatted up some street musicians. Ask them if you can record some of their music to really get an authentic soundtrack. Just be sure to tell them how you’ll use it.

- Why not make a music video about your time overseas? Check out these examples from Korea and Germany

.

community connection

There are dozens of talented filmmakers from amateurs to professionals in the Matador community.

Interested in learning more about how to become a Backpack Filmmaker? Check out this article.

Feature photo by Tim Patterson. Photo above by Ben.

Here are ten risks travelers can’t afford not to take:

Pick a destination on a whim.

There are no uninteresting destinations, only incurious travelers. Sure, New Jersey might not be as enthralling as Baja, but there’s nothing wrong about exploring a place that will never be a hot new destination.

For every Cancun and Las Vegas there are 10,000 places that might not be famous, but are fascinating and enjoyable. For some unique ideas, check out 5 Places To Visit Now For Authentic Experiences.

Trust in your ability to earn money on the road.

Wondering if you have enough money in the bank to travel? Relax.

With a little effort, faith and know-how, world travel can be cheap, easy and fun. If you cut up your credit cards and hit the road with no money and no debts, you’re already financially better off than a lot of Americans.

For practical strategies on how to sustain your travels, check out the articles How To Travel For Free and 25 Ways To Earn Money When You’re Broke On The Road.

Photo by Dane.

Decline anti-malaria medication.

I travel a lot in Southeast Asia, where most travelers take drugs every day to protect themselves from malaria.

Now, I’m no doctor (and nobody at Matador assumes any responsibility if you catch malaria), but let me say this: hundreds of millions of people live in Southeast Asia. The vast majority of them never contract malaria. The only people taking anti-malaria drugs every morning are cautious travelers from rich countries.

Most anti-malaria drugs are expensive and their side effects are potentially nasty. Unless you’re going to travel rough in a part of the world where a deadly strain of malaria is common, like rural areas of West Africa, I don’t think you need to bother with anti-malaria meds.

Trust in the kindness of strangers.

Almost all people I encounter in my travels are good-hearted, hospitable and sincere. I find it tragic when travelers let paranoia get in the way of authentic experience and profound connection with the locals.

Ironically, the travelers who shrink away from strangers the most tend to stay in tourist zones, which is where the highest proportion of scam artists, petty thieves and dodgy characters prey on naïve foreigners.

Get out of the tourist zone, stay in tune with your instincts and trust people who seem sincere.

Photo by Dane.

Challenge your preconceptions.

“Travel is more than the seeing of sights; it is a change that goes on, deep and permanent, in the ideas of living.” - Miriam Beard

The biggest and potentially most rewarding travel risk you can take is to use the new experience as a lens to reexamine your basic beliefs and assumptions. Travel is an opportunity to gain perspective, not only about the world at large, but also about your life back home.

Ask yourself questions. Reevaluate your lifestyle in light of new experience. Be honest with yourself, and stay open to the possibility that your travels will change you in profound ways.

Try new food.

In this day and age it’s possible to travel around the world and order familiar food from English menus the whole time. Heck, you could travel around the world and eat only at American fast food chains.

Pico Iyer, one of the great contemporary travel writers, is a timid eater who likes to eat at McDonalds when he travels. Mr. Iyer gets a free pass. The rest of us get a great deal of pleasure out of good food, and should never pass up local delicacies while traveling.

Eating local is a good way to keep travel expenses low. Moreover, popular regional dishes usually feature fresh ingredients and are prepared by a cook who knows how to make the food taste great.

Sure, you might get a diarrhea from gobbling up street food, but a few runny poops are a small price to pay for the experience of sampling a global cornucopia of flavors.

Photo by Ross.

Communicate without a common language.

Many travelers are too shy and hesitant to launch into conversation without a common language. In truth, communication is more a matter of smiles than words, and locals will be thrilled by the friendliness of foreigners who attempt to say hello.

Better yet, make the effort to learn a bit of the local language. Check out 7 Steps To Learn A Foreign Language On The Road.

Brush your teeth with the tap water.

Photo by Ben.

Again, I’m no doctor. But if you’re going to stay in one place for a while, your body will have to get used to the local bacteria at some point.

Drinking bottled or treated water is important, but a little tap water when you brush your teeth won’t kill you. In fact, it probably contains a tiny dose of bacteria that will help your insides adjust to their germy new friends.

Maybe my theory about teeth-brushing is preposterous. But I use the tap water wherever I go.

Pursue a travel romance.

Ah, the travel romance…there’s nothing quite like getting swept off your feet in a foreign country. Although it’s important to respect local customs regarding gender roles, dating and intimacy, there’s always the possibility of romance with a fellow traveler.

WorldHum recently ran a great feature on travel romance: 7 Reasons to Have A Foreign Fling.

For advice on where to go to get it on, check out Hostel Sex: A Practical Guide For Backpackers.

Ignore your e-mail for weeks.

You won’t miss it.

Community Connection

For more blogs from the author and other members of the Matador Community, check out our blogs here.

Feature photo by Kai Hendry. Photo above by betta design.

While I was on safari in game reserves all over Kenya, I was informed by my tour operator that my visa for India (which she had kindly offered to procure for me in Nairobi ) was ready, and I was all set to catch my cheap flight from the UAE to southern India.

Two rude surprises greeted me in the capital after my return however. One was a bill for $60.00 in taxi fares for repeated trips to the embassy’s consular section (which for some reason took 11 days to issue a $75.00 visa that should have been granted in 28 hours).

The second was far worse: an ominous rubber-stamped notice appearing at the bottom of the pasted-in visa:

Possession of a valid yellow fever certificate is necessary for entry into India on this visa.

With no time to do anything about this obstacle before my flight took off from Nairobi, I did the only thing possible under the circumstances: I panicked.

Then I convinced myself I could talk my way into India without getting the certificate. I decided I would try and get the certificate during my morning layover to change planes in Dubai.

English is widely spoken among the Indian medical personnel that staff most of the UAE’s hospitals, and luckily I was able to obtain my proof of vaccination with plenty of time to spare to catch my $160 flight from Sharjah to Kochi.

But since the shot costs $50, I ended up being penalized a total of about $125 for getting my visa in Nairobi instead of the U.S. The lessons learned from my brush with near-disaster are what follows:

Photo by Jeffrey Beall.

1. Plan way ahead!

It is important to know the visa requirements of all the countries you intend to visit on your trip outside your country. American citizens will be happy to know your tax dollars are at least paying for a good resource where you can find this out (and rightly so, since it is your U.S. passport, issued by your government, that determines what visas you will need).

This page will also let you know about any travel advisories (warnings about unrest where you are traveling, etc.) and immunization requirements.

2. Be ready to pay up front.

Americans have been quite spoiled, since there are agreements with so many countries that require either no visa at all, or allow you obtain one on arrival at your destination (such as the airport in Nairobi, Kenya, for example).

Still, quite a few want their visa money up front: India, which charges a basic fee of $73 for U.S. passport holders, is a prime example. (This is for a six-month visa; longer ones, or multiple entry ones, cost more.)

3. Study every detail of the visa requirements.

Photo by wallyg.

Your passport may need to have at least six months’ validity remaining before it expires; or you may be required to have two completely blank facing visa pages in your passport.

Case in point: I once saw a couple denied boarding on a SAA flight to South Africa because the check-in clerk noticed their two empty pages were not facing each other; it made no difference that the South African visa only took up one page!

Some countries, notably Brazil, have started to retaliate against U.S. citizens to protest what they consider unfair treatment of their own citizens.

Brazil officially insists that there is no fee for a tourist visa for U.S. citizens, but their website also says: “American citizens must pay US$130.00 processing fee per visa in reciprocity for an identical fee charged to Brazilian citizens applying for a U.S. visa.”

4. Get your visas lined up before you go.

Obtaining visas in the U.S. is usually more straightforward than in other countries. They are more likely, for example, to have reliable office hours. (When I was in Kenya, the Indian consulate in Nairobi suddenly simply stopped processing visas for a couple of days; during Semana Santa in Latin America visa sections may close for a whole week.)

Even in the U.S., getting a visa can take a while. In a big city like Los Angeles, for example, India requires that your passport be mailed to their office in San Francisco; you have to wait for it via return mail. That is the reason I never got mine in the U.S.; I did not want to be without my passport for that long.

If you are in a big hurry, there are travel document services that can get you visas on an expedited basis – usually for a hefty fee. And as I found out in Nairobi, even a “free” service can end up being expensive, if the expenses add up. So the advice bears repeating: get your visa in a first world country, and do it yourself.

Photo by TangoPango.

5. Make sure your medical travel documents are in order.

With smallpox now eradicated, cholera off the International Health Regulations list for some time, and most other immunizations a matter of personal choice, really the only one that matters is yellow fever. But it can be a big hassle.

As I discovered, it makes no difference whether you have been in a geographical area with yellow fever or not: Kenya – as is most of sub-Saharan Africa, and some of South America – is on a list of nations designated by India and many other countries as requiring proof of yellow fever inoculation in order to be permitted entry.

In fact, even if the proviso is not stamped in your passport, you can be denied entry: had I had an Indian visa issued in the U.S., for example, and flown into India directly from Kenya, I still could have been denied entry.

Moreover, the taboo list can extend back a few months. You know that question on customs and immigration forms innocently asking which countries you have visited on your current trip? If you naively put down Kenya or Uganda or anther suspect country, you could conceivably find yourself in a sudden heap of trouble.

My advice? If you have Africa or South America on your travel radar (even though Asia has similar climate zones, it seems to be immune), get a yellow fever shot from a duly authorized immunization center when it is convenient for you. The good news is that the official World Health Organization International Certificate of Vaccinations is valid for 10 years.

So even though the seemingly high price of $50 for one measly shot seems to be standard the world over, the amortization rate (only $5 a year) is favorable. And they throw in the yellow (coincidence?) “medical passport” for free!

Stall stands tell stories: what grows, what people eat, how they dress, talk and spend their money. Budget travelers need not shy away from the bustle simply because they’re not planning to buy. In fact, going penniless to the bazaar usually proves more interesting than wandering with a wad of cash. Not sure what to do besides shop? Consider one of the following agendas:

Get the Goods on Your Goods

Go ahead, eyeball the abalone necklace you can’t live without. Yet instead of asking its price, discover who made it, where and how the abalone was harvested, how it was cut and carried to the market. Does it have a singular origin or will you see this same piece of jewelry throughout your travels? What should you look for in a good piece of abalone?

Query as much as you can, and do so from several vendors; answers might vary, which makes finding the truth more challenging. Later, when you are ready to purchase your necklace, you’ll be armed with information and guaranteed to grab a fair deal.

Practice Bartering

Attempt two kinds of bartering during your penniless walk: first, “get off my back” bargaining, where you try to rid yourself of unwanted hawkers. Low ball your first offer and when the vendor counters, toss out a figure lower than the first. For example, go from five shillings to three, then down to two. The salesperson won’t know what to do with you, and is likely to become frustrated and give up.

Second, practice “I gotta have this” bartering. Choose an item you have no interest in: say a Peewee Herman coaster set. Because you’re sussing out prices for something you’d never buy, your emotions won’t play a role; you could haggle all day long and not care.

See how low the vendor will go, but be careful not to agree on a price; otherwise, the expectation is that you’ll buy the item. Use the final price as an indicator of fair market value for other items. As a general rule of thumb, let the salesman declare the first price; work down from there.

Meet the Locals

Gossip, recipes and village news sell faster in the market than on the street. Take advantage of shoptalk and chat it up with a friendly looking salesperson. Inquire about his or her family, home, and work life. Ask for their favorite place to eat or how to make a local dish (don’t be surprised if they show you how to make it right then and there).

Have a well-dressed vendor explain traditional dress; ask about good hotels and must-see alleyways. If time is on your side, find a particularly welcoming local and visit him or her several days in a row. You’ll brighten their day and broaden your cultural experience.

Learn the Language

Purchase a local lexicon without spending a Lincoln: bring along a notebook, a pen and your best ear. At one stall, or many, inquire about common words and phrases in the local dialect. Start with ‘please’ and ‘thank you.’ Add ‘My name is’ and ‘How much?’ Write down the turns of phrase and practice them with your new local tutor. Both of you are bound to share a good laugh.

If they are interested, reciprocate by teaching the vendor a few of your own words they might use in their business. Enhance your vocabulary as you wander through the market: learn the word for “daisy” and “water” at the flower stand; “eggs” and “meat” from the butcher.

Set Out on a Scavenger Hunt

If traveling with others, devise a list of items you may find at the market. If traveling solo, ask people back home to email suggestions. Bring along a digital camera and capture the items on your list, one by one (be certain to ask for permission before taking a photo). Deem one person responsible for organizing the judging and a prize, be it a handmade certificate, a beer at dinner, or a group high-five.

Award points based on creativity, time spent, and quality of photos. To spice it up even more, dole out bonuses for including locals or a Where’s Waldo type of character in each picture.

Trade Trinkets

Ready to ditch your Levi’s because they take up too much space? Bring ‘em to the market. Establish their value beforehand, and what you’d like to acquire in their place. Surely, the abalone necklace will take up far less room, and since you already know the worth of the necklace, you’ll know if the trade will be fair.

Keep the item to be traded out of sight as you begin to barter and whittle the vendor down as much as you can. After acting disappointed at his lowest price, feign an epiphany, whip out your 501’s and negotiate a trade. This trick works wonders at street-side book and clothing stands. Remember though, not everyone is interested in your faded denim, so don’t throw a tantrum if your swap doesn’t suss out.

Finally, if headed out to the shops with friends, designate a central meeting place, as someone is bound to get lost. And as you walk away from the dizzying, colorful madness that is the market, count your memories—not your goods or your pennies—to validate an afternoon well spent.