Why You Should Travel NOW
Mount Rainier, Washington photographed in Late July 2017
I noticed the pain in my stomach on a Friday in late March.
I was in the middle of a big corporate photo shoot in Austin. Initially, I assumed that I’d just overeaten at lunch as usual. The pain continued through the weekend. I already had a doctor’s appointment on Monday for a few travel vaccinations so I mentioned it to the doctor, which led to a series of tests. The results found something but further tests were needed to rule out cancer.
Those five days between the two tests were horrible. Our minds are our biggest enemy.
All I could think about was my British friend in Australia who went to the doctor with stomach pain. Less than seven months later, she was gone. Bowel cancer. She was only 30. Her death was a brutal reminder that life is short. It’s been two years, and I still can’t believe she’s gone.
Those five days of worrying before I got the final test results taught me a lot. I started to re-evaluate my life. What if I only had six months left? How would I spend my time?
I would finish teaching the semester, but immediately, quit my side jobs. Then, I’m move back to my parent’s farm. I would take my 15-year-old nephew on a trip to Europe—the trip I was saving for his graduation present. I would build furniture with my dad every day. (He builds 18th century furniture for a living.) And, I’d buy a pair of baby alpacas to raise on my parent’s farm.
Instantly, I was grateful for my travels—46 countries. I didn’t regret a single time I’d quit a job to travel. The only thing I regretted was all time I wasted working jobs I hated because I felt trapped by the good health insurance or the fear of being broke. I was disgusted by all the times fear lead me to inaction.
The results from my tests came in: I had a benign ovarian cyst, which are apparently common. Despite my paranoia, everything was okay with my physical health. It was my mindset that was irrevocably altered.
Here’s the biggest secret in life: The timing will never be perfect. Sometimes, you just have to go do the things you want even if it means quitting your job and selling everything that you own. Who cares if other people think you are crazy? It’s your life, not theirs.
Since I initially wrote this in April, I quit everything that wasn’t helping me move toward my career or travel goals. When my best friend in Tokyo jokingly asked me to climb Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania with her in September, I said yes and booked a flight. I’ve never regretted anytime I’ve invested time and money in experiences. No 80-year-old will every say, “Man, I wish I’d stayed home on the couch instead of going to explore the world.”
You don’t need permission to live your life or travel. If part of you still wants permission, then you have mine. That’s why I started this blog. Go now.
Today is my birthday. I’m not getting any younger. This minor health scare was a big wakeup call. I have already lined up some insane adventures for next year and big photo/travel projects that I’ll announce in a few months. Africa will be continent number six for me!
Life is short. Travel NOW!
Interview: New York Times’ Frugal Traveler
In this week’s Travel Tuesday Interview Series, I chat with The New York Times’ Frugal Traveler, Lucas Peterson! Peterson has been dishing budget travel advice since he took over the reigns of the column an year and half ago. He discusses his favorite food cities, his travel highlights and his travel budget philosophy.
Lucas Peterson is based in Los Angeles and took over the Frugal Traveler column in 2016. Photo courtesy of Lucas Peterson.
Name: Lucas Peterson
Hometown: Oak Park, Illinois
Current home: Los Angeles, California
Country count: At least 30
Website: nytimes.com/frugaltraveler
Twitter: Lucas Peterson, Frugal Traveler
Instagram: StaleTwizzlers
[This interview was conducted over the phone, transcribed and edited for length.]
1. How did you start traveling?
I was lucky enough to travel a lot when I was a kid. My parents frequently traveled for work. When I was kid, I got to tag along on a couple of trips [including Egypt and China], and I think that was the what inspired a love of travel when I was young
When I was 16, I was an exchange student. I lived in Netherlands for a year. Then, I lived in China when I was 19. I got a job at a hotel there and worked there for a year. I did The Peace Corps in Central America when I got out of college. I’ve sort of always liked it. It’s always been an interest. I have my parents to thank for that.
2. What does your average work day look like as the Frugal Traveler?
Man, it depends on the day. Imagine a little flow chart, then you go down a certain path where the first question is “Are you on the road?” Yes or no. If yes, then things are a little more busy. Obviously, I’m in a place with a limited amount of time on the ground, trying to go see things and have as many different experiences as I can. Then, very aggressively taking notes wherever I go. Those days are busy. I have very busy stretches of time when I’m on the road. Then, also, usually I’ll try to piggy back trips on top of the other.
I live in L.A. so if I go to Europe. I’m not going to go Europe for one story. I’m going to try to get a few different stories out of a trip. Usually, I’m going to a couple different countries. Then, if you combine that with having to be filing stories from the road, which I frequently am, then, it gets really busy. So, I will be out all day working and stuff. Taking notes on stuff, traveling around, then trying to have the notes in order and getting back to wherever I’m staying. If I’m staying at a hotel and then, [I’m] trying to write a story about a place I was at some months ago, which is tough. I get confused especially if [I am] in a totally different place. Those times can be pretty tough.
When I’m not traveling, sometimes I have days that are pretty free. But, I’m still filing stories when I’m at home. I’ll typically have a story I’m writing every week. When I’m writing a story, then there’s different rounds of edits. I do have other freelance writing obligations. I do a video show. I do a food show for a site called Eater. Every now and then, I’m shooting that show as well.
That’s the long answer. The short answer is It depends to the day.
Europe is a lot more accessabile to budget travelers according to Peterson. The highest cost is always the flight. Photo credit: Lucas Peterson
3. What is your average daily budget for traveling?
There is no budget. It’s funny. The reason why [some publications] don’t give a budget is they don’t want people spending up to that budget. They sort of trust me to keep costs low and under control. I’m pretty good at finding deals and stuff. It’s interesting, no set budget.
If you’re traveling on your own budget, would it be the same?
I don’t have super luxurious tastes so it’s never really been an issue. If I were on vacation for myself, I don’t know. It would depend on where I was going. If I book a flight, I feel like a $1,000 is some arbitrary magic number for going to a place roundtrip. If I could spend a little more, get a better route, a nonstop or if I could save a ton of money…make two stops and add 15 hours to my trip, would I do it? Maybe I would.
I don’t operate necessarily as far as dollar figures. There’s no real magic numbers in my head at least when I’m traveling.
4. Can you share your top two tips for traveling on a budget?
Everyone sort of has a different set of needs and desires when they travel for fun. One [thing] that I like to do for fun anyways is I go to Google Flights, and I plug in some dates. And, then, I just look at map of world, and I look at prices. I like to see where can I go. Where can I possibly go and how much would it cost? It’s a good way to get the lay of travel land. If you’re saying to yourself, “I have a week in September.” You put that into Google Flights, and you leave the destination blank, and you can see everywhere you can possibly go and how much it will cost you.
It’s a super good way of getting sense of what’s possible and what’s out there. It really depends on the season. It really depends on where you want to go.
If you want to go to Paris in June, you’re going to pay. There’s no real way around that. You are going to pay in a range of prices. You’re not going to find a deal, whereas, if you go in September you [could] go for extremely cheap. When I travel, I like to use the bargain sites. I like to do the bidding sites like Priceline and try to find deals. Hotels.com had a thing where you would buy a $50 gift card for $40. [I’m on top of] where you can save $10 or $20 here and there.
I like to eat cheaply. I like to eat on the street depending on where I am. If I’m in Peru, and there’s someone making delicious looking juice on the street, I will not hesitate to drink it. There’s certainly risks involved. But, I love to eat on the street. It makes the connection between you and the place. You get a real sense of what it’s like to live there. You are interacting with people. The other benefit is that it’s super-duper cheap.
There’s no real secret. I mean there’s no one cool trick to get super cheap travel. It doesn’t happen. The more time you spend monitoring airfares, at some point, the law of diminishing returns comes in. You aren’t exactly going to get a killer deal on a flight to London because it’s hard. Your time is better spend thinking about what you are going to do on the ground.
The Frugal Traveler was a big fan of the food in Lima, Peru especially the ceviche! Photo credit: Lucas Peterson
5. Give us your picks for the three best food cities.
It’s hard to beat China. I’ve spent time in Hong Kong, Shanghai, Beijing. It goes without saying that you have to like Chinese food.Paris is amazing. Do you love pastures and dairy? Yes, then you’ll love Paris.
I spent some time recently in Southern Spain and Portugal, and the food there is top notch. It is also super-duper inexpensive. I also really just love the culture there. You have a little snack and cup of wine for a 1.50 Euro and then, you walk around for a few hours. Then, you have another snack with a glass of beer. And, it’s all pretty cheap. There’s this culture that every few hours you have a glass of wine and a little snack. I really loved eating there. Then, I was just in Lima, and they have incredible ceviche.
It’s hard to pick three. I’ll pick China, Southern Spain and Portugal, and Paris. And, Lima. I’ll pick four.
Europe is a lot more accessabile to budget travelers according to Peterson. The highest cost is always the flight. Photo credit: Lucas Peterson
6. Name a few of the best budget friendly destinations.
A lot of Europe is very accessible right now. A lot of it depends on getting down there. Once you are there, things are great. It’s just sort of an issue of finding that airfare. So, obviously, I did just got back from Peru, which I wholehearted recommend. It was super good. Just a rich country as far as geographically. You’ve got Lima on the coast, which is also sitting on the edge of desert. You’ve got Cusco in the mountains and if you go up to Iquitos, [you’ve got] the Amazon. It’s easy to pop around when you’re there. There are local air carriers. I never had any problems getting around. The ceviche is really good. I took like a surfing lesson, which was super fun. That’s one place that I love.
As far as cheap airfare, it seems like Iceland is the inverse from everything I’ve heard. I’ve never been, but from what I’ve heard, it’s extremely cheap to get there and once you’re there, it’s expensive.
7. Share one of your travel highlights.
In my life, I got spend about a month traveling in Syria and Jordan when I was in college [in 1999]. They were both beautiful. Jordan was beautiful. The desert scapes, going to Petra and spending the night in the desert in this tent was a fantastic experience.
Going to Syria. We went to Damascus and Aleppo. Those are the two most beautiful cities I’ve ever been, too. The people were kind, the cities were fantastic, and the food was great. It totally breaks my heart that we can’t go back, at least anytime soon. And, Aleppo is gone. That will always be a wonderful memory for me. We had a guide showing us around. I don’t know where he is. I don’t know if he’s alive. I hope he is. It’s just a wonderful country with just warm people. It’s just so tragic what’s happened. I’m very thankful for the time I got to spend there.
Peterson contributes his love of street food to his ability to travel frugally. Photo credit: Lucas Peterson
8. What is the biggest myth about budget travel?
The biggest myth is that it has to be uncomfortable. People have an image of “I’m going have a giant backpack. I’m going to be trekking and sleeping on planks or sleeping on the floor and being very uncomfortable. And, crammed in a room with seven backpackers.” For some, people that works. For me, that’s not always what I want. I don’t always want to have backpacking experience That’s useful in some ways.
I think can travel inexpensively and still have a comfortable experience. And, still not have to have a flight with 20-hour layover in Frankfort or whatever. At some point, cutting corners and trying to travel as cheaply as possible at some point comes around to bite you, in my opinion. You can always do it more cheaply.
For a lot of people, you have decide what your time is worth. Maybe you have a limited amount of time in the county. Yeah, you can do it more cheaply, but what’s the cost?
The myth about budget travel, number one, is that it has to be super uncomfortable and, nu mber two, that it’s a race to the bottom to see who can spend the least amount of money. At least for me, I find that when you do that, you frequently have to sacrifice a lot as far as the pleasurable amount of the experience and a lot of your time.
9. Name three things you always pack for a trip.
- Portable phone battery charger. I don’t know what I did before that. It’s saved my life so many times.
- Belt with a plastic buckle. It sounds stupid but going through security, I feel like every little inconvenience counts.
- Plug adapters
- LifeStraws water filter (depending where you are going)
10. What is your next adventure?
I don’t really know yet. I’m sort of in the process of figuring it out. I’m pretty sure it’s going to be sub-Saharan Africa. Possibly an African safari, South Africa. I would definitely love to spend some time in that region in Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Botswana and around there. It’s not totally planned.
To read more about Lucas Peterson’s adventures and tips, check out his Frugal Traveler column.
Things to do in Yellowstone National Park
A black bear stands up to greet a wagon near the Roosevelt Lodge in Yellowstone National Park. There were black bear sightings two days in a row near the lodge during our trip.
Despite being on my bucket list, I kept pushing back my plans to go to Yellowstone National Park. My goal was always to take two months and do an epic road trip through the major national parks in the Western U.S. The summer of 2019 was the plan. Then, National Geographic Student Expeditions offered me a position to run a Yellowstone Photo trip. Clearly, I said yes instantly. Here’s the best things to do in Yellowstone National Park and how to avoid the crowds in Yellowstone.
My favorite thing about Yellowstone were the bison. I miss people randomly yelling, “Bison, on the right!”
Overall, Yellowstone was stunning. I’ve never seen so much wildlife anywhere in the world. (Well, except for that time that herd of camels ran out in front of our van in India on the way to the Taj Mahal.) Despite being peak season, it was much easier to escape the crowds than I expected. I’ve put together a photo guide to Yellowstone that includes top sights ad when to go along with budget and photo tips. Enjoy! (For detailed maps of the park, stop by the visitors center to pick up free brochures or visit their Yellowstone National Park website or download the free app.)
Yellowstone’s Top Sites
How do you take the perfect gnome photo? Find an iconic spot like Old Faithful here and position Aflred in the foreground. Shoot at a small aperture so both the foreground and background are mostly in focus. I prefer overcast days so his cheeks aren’t too shiny.
Old Faithful
The most well-known site in the park is this cone shaped geyser that ranges from 90 to 184 feet high. It’s the most predictable one in the park. Follow @GeyserNPS on Twitter for latest prediction times. Predicted times will be posted all over the visitor’s center and hotels in the area. Spend an hour or two walking through the maze boardwalks that wind between various geysers and thermal pools in the area including Morning Glory Pool.
In the early afternoon, Grand Prismatic still had a bit of fog over the pool but great reflections of the clouds.
Grand Prismatic
This colorful hot spring is the largest in the U.S. and third largest in the world. It’s one of the most iconic sites in the park and located in the Midway Geyser Basin a few miles north of Old Faithful. FYI: The Fairy Falls hike that gives you a view above Grand Prismatic is closed for construction as of July.
Sapphire Pool at Biscuit Basin
Biscuit Basin
This collection of thermal features including geysers and thermal pools is part of the Upper Geyser Basin. Sapphire Pool, above, is the most photogenic and named for it’s clear blue water. The boardwalk loop is 2/3 of a mile.
Mammoth Hot Spring is near the northern entrance to the park near Gardiner, Montana.
Mammoth Hot Spring
Located right at the northern entrance to Yellowstone, the stair-step shape of this large hotspring is impressive. The boardwalks are extensive allowing you to view it from all sides, which is good for photography. If the light is bad in one direction, you can always walk to the other side to get a better angle.
The view of lower Yellowstone Falls from Artist Point
Yellowstone Falls
The lower falls is the largest waterfall in the park at 308-feet tall. It’s the probably the second most photographed site in the park after Old Faithful. The most iconic shot is from Artist Point that gives a great view of the canyon with the waterfall in the distance. (This spot will be PACKED with tourists.) Hike the steep Uncle Tom’s Trail to get a view from the base of the falls, which is significantly less crowded.
Sunrise at the marina at Yellowstone Lake
Yellowstone Lake
At 7,732 feet, the lake is the highest elevation lake in North America. It’s stunning so be sure to take advantage of the many viewpoints to stop for photos. The marina is also great for photos.
The Lamar Valley was a highlight of my trip. We saw the most animals in this section of the park including pronghorns, bison and baby coyotes.
Lamar Valley
This area is known as the Serengeti of the North America due to the high concentration of animals. The Northern bison herd hangs out in this valley and stretches north to the city of Gardiner. A sunrise drive through this area is a must for any trip. I also recommend taking a Yellowstone Forever guided tour. Our guide, Josh, was a pro at spotting wildlife that no one else noticed and could answer almost any question about the park.
The largest concentration of elk we saw was in the Hayden Valley and along Yellowstone Lake.
Hayden Valley
This is another excellent spot for animal spotting. This area lies between the Yellowstone River and Yellowstone Lake. There’s also a high chance of spotting waterfowl as well. Again, sunrise is a great time for drive through the valley toward the lake. Since there’s plenty of pullouts, it’s easy to even take photos from the car and keep a safe distance from the animals.
How to beat the crowds at Yellowstone
Artist Point and other easy to access locations like Old Faithful will be packed with people. Luckily, it’s easy to exclude them from images but also sometimes interesting to include for context.
Summer is peak season so I was dreading the crowds. I imagined hoards of tour buses and traffic that made rush hour on the 405 in L.A look like an F1 race. I was pleasantly surprised. Yes, there were lines of cars getting into parking lots. The majority of people get fed up and parked all along the roads, which meant that I ALWAYS found rockstar parking in the lots even though I was driving a 15-passenger van! Patience pays off when parking at Yellowstone.
Almost all the major sites in the park were empty before 10 a.m. and after 6 p.m. Sunset was around 9:15 p.m. in July when I was visiting. (The average vacationer isn’t up early and eats dinner around 6 p.m.) I was up at 4:30 a.m. most mornings and shooting until sunset. Honestly, I was seriously shocked how empty the sites were at sunset especially!
Yellowstone Budget Tips
The bison herds in Yellowstone are the only contiguously present geneticly pure herd in the lower 48 states. (Fred, the bison above, lives in the Lamar Valley.)
- Take your own food. There is a lack of variety in food options in the park. The cafeteria restaurants have the exact same menu every day for both lunch and dinner. (The average meal cost without a drink was roughly $10 USD at the cafeterias.) The best restaurant was at the Obsidian Dining Room at the Old Faithful Snow Lodge. I recommend driving to the town of Gardiner at the northern entrance for meals if you run out of food or need some variety.
- Camp: The lodges are nice but expensive. There are 12 regular campgrounds with over 2,000 sites. Five campgrounds can be reserved in advance and the rest and first-come first-serve basis. There are also backcountry camping options. For more info on camping, visit https://www.nps.gov/yell/planyourvisit/campgrounds.htm
- Fee Free Dates: Take advantage of these fee free dates for national parks every year. Normally, the park entrance fee is $30 per car or $50 combo pass for Yellowstone and Grand Teton.
- Buy Gas Outside the Park: As expected, gas is more expensive and harder to find in the park. Fill up in Gardiner or any of the towns outside the park.
Yellowstone Wildlife Photo Tips
An elk wanders across a small side road by Yellowstone Lake at sunrise.
- The early bird gets the photo. We were in the car and on the road 30 minutes before sunrise almost every day. This is also great for scenic landscape shots as well as animals. The best spots for wildlife are the Lamar Valley and Hayden Valley as mentioned above.
- Be realistic with expectations. The odds of seeing a lynx are less than your odds of winning a toy from one of the arcade machines with the metal arm. You will see a ton of wildlife but aside from bison and elk, most will likely be too far away for your phone photos. We met people who waited seven hours to photograph bears.
- Take a 400mm lens. My 70-200mm lens wasn’t enough for tight animal shots or even including animals in landscapes. Thankfully, I was able to borrow a friend’s 400mm lens but even then, some animals like the baby coyotes we saw were too far away.
- Keep a safe distance. Don’t be a statistic. People get seriously injured every year getting too close to animals. We saw a guy trying to take cell phone photos of an elk and get within three feet of it! Stay at least 100 yards from bears and wolves, and 25 yards from other animals including bison and elk.
- Shoot from your car. I would pull my car over and shoot from the windows to keep a safe distance from the animals.
- Watch your composition. Be aware of your foreground and background with animals shots. Avoid distracting elements like people or cars.
- Get low. To help animals stand out from the background, get low.
- DO NOT BLOCK THE ROADS. If you see a bear and want to take photos, do not be rude and stop/park in the road. It’s not safe and causes horrible traffic problems. Pull over at the next turn off instead.
Best times for Photographing Yellowstone’s Top Sites
Our goal was to go back to Grand Prismatic at sunset to avoid the fog but a storm rolled. After it cleared, the fog was more intense, which still meant we got amazing photos.
Yellowstone Falls: Mid-morning (9- 10 a.m.) along the south rim of the grand canyon is best to catch light on the falls and possibly get a rainbow.
Obsidian Cliffs: Aim for mid to late afternoon to get the light glinting off the volcanic glass
Grand Prismatic & Thermal Features: For the most dramatic steam on any of our thermal features aim for a cool early morning light. For the best colors aim for a slightly breezy hot late afternoon, especially if you really want to catch the grandeur of the Grand Prismatic. (We went to Grand Prismatic in the early afternoon and the sun was harsh with a bit of fog lingering. We went back at sunset one night after a small storm. The fog was more intense like a horror movie scene but still provided excellent photos like the image above.)
To avoid people: Go before 10 a.m. and after 6 p.m. in the summer. Most tourists sleep in and have dinner around 6 p.m.
Best time to visit Yellowstone
Wildflowers in the Lamar Valley in Yellowstone
For wildlife: Late May to early June before the crowds get here. The bears and babies are everywhere and closer to roads that follow the lower routes through the park meaning less snow and more greens to eat.
For the best snow and high potential for wolves, late January to early February is best.
For flowers or fall colors, mid-June at low elevation and late July at the higher elevations for flowers. Late August for the best fall colors.
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COMING UP:
Interview with the New York Times’ Frugal Traveler
In my next post, I chat with Lucas Peterson, the New York Times’ Frugal Traveler writer. He discusses how he cuts travel costs, his favorite food cities and the biggest myth about budget travel.
Cuba 101: What You Need to Know
In this week’s Travel Tuesday Interview, I chat with Cuba expert Ramze Suliman. He’s been traveling to Cuba for the past seven years and is the author of two books about the country. (I met him in Havana on the first day of my Cuba trip!) He discusses the cost of traveling in Cuba, safety, how Americans can visit legally and the best restaurants in Havana.
A classic car in Old Havana, Cuba (All photos by Ramze Suliman)
Name: Ramze Suliman
Age: 42
Hometown: Las Vegas, NV
Country count: 50
Blog/Website: www.RamzeTravels.com
1. How did you start traveling?
I originally started working for a company that did poker cruises. That gave me a small taste of many countries and from there the [travel] addiction was born. I originally went to Cuba back in 2010 because I have always been a cigar lover. The minute I arrived, I was in love. I have since written two books about Havana (Havana for Americans and Top 100 Places to Eat in Havana) and started my own tour company there: www.TheCigarLover.com
2. How can Americans legally travel to Cuba?
Due to the economic embargo, Americans technically still can’t go for outright tourism. Obama opened it up quite a bit though. There are 12 sanctioned reasons that make it legal to go. Most people just choose either “Support of the Cuban people”, “People to People educational tours” or “professional research.” These are all very easy requirements to fill and there is currently no real oversight or hassle with Americans traveling for these reasons. The gate agent will ask you when you check in at the airport in the US. That is the end of it.
3. When is the best time to go to Cuba?
Cuba shares very similar weather to Florida. The weather stays between 80-90 degrees Fahrenheit year-round, but it is more humid in the summer with more rain. December, January and February are peak months.
Ramze enjoying a cigar and Havana Club at one of Havana’s many amazing restaurants.
4. Where are your favorite spots to eat in Havana?
Havana has some great restaurants and food and a lot of mediocre ones. My top three are Starbien, La Terazza and La Guarida. That said, I live there so I have lots of very inexpensive street foods I love. [FYI: Starbien is my favorite!]
5. What are your three favorite cities in Cuba?
Havana for the energy, Viñales for the sheer beauty and Varadero to just chill on a beautiful beach.
6. What’s the average daily cost of traveling in Cuba? Can you share some budget tips?
Cuba has some wild swings in what things cost. You can literally get a shot of coffee for .4 cents and then have to pay $25 bottle of sunscreen. Being prepared and knowing what to bring and where to go is more important than most countries. There are no supermarkets or drug stores on every corner to just pop in if you forgot anything. You can definitely hit the three budget ranges most people associate with though
Backpacker Budget: $40/day
Average Budget: $100/day
Top Tier Budget: $200-$300 a day
Cuba Budget Tips:
- Internet is $2 per hour and cards can be bought at all major hotels and at the government office called Etecsa.
- Hotels currently are overbooked and severely overpriced. You can book at Casa particulars (private homes) for around $30 per night. This is the best option, and you will get a better feel for how Cubans actually live. Check Airbnb for listings. [I stayed at casa particulars, which is how I met Ramzee.]
- Learn to eat at the local peso kiosks and restaurants. If you see them full of Cubans, then you know they are cheap and good. The Cuban pesos is 24 to 1 with the CUC or Dollar. You can have a good meal for a buck.
- The tap water is potable. Carry a small filter and drink the tap. Bottle water isn’t always easy to find and is expensive.
- Fruits and vegetable markets are widespread in Cuba and are heavily subsidized by the government. So, is bread. You can easily buy both for pennies and make healthy easy meals. Take a jar of peanut butter with you.
Pinar del Rio, Cuba (Photo courtesy of Ramze Suliman)
7. Share one of your travel highlights in Cuba.
I have learned to speak Spanish in Cuba. I took salsa lessons, learned to scuba dive and got some tattoos all while traveling around Cuba. There really is something for everyone and it has definitely enriched my life. I am writing this from Spain currently and it is such a pleasure to be able to speak to the locals here in Spanish!
8. What is the biggest myth about Cuba?
Safety. People always ask if it is safe. I have visited 50 countries and it is the safest I have ever been to! [I agree with Ramze. I always felt safe.]
The Cuban people have always been warm and friendly. They love American tourists the most because we tip and also because we are the closest to their lifestyles. In seven years of being in Cuba off and on, I have never heard of or witnessed any violent crime. I have walked dark streets at night and nobody will even approached me.
Hotel Nacional in Havana is a must stop for their famous Cuban sandwich and fresh piña coladas. The historic hotel has a list of famous guests ranging from Frank Sinatra to John Wayne. (Photo courtesy of Ramze Suliman)
9. Name three things you always pack.
My electronics, my flip flops and my cigars
10. What is your next adventure?
I am officially moving to Havana full time in June. I am thrilled to finally call Cuba my official home. I have some repeat trips planned this year to Thailand and Colombia and some new ones to other parts of Southeast Asia
Want to know more about Cuba?
To connect with Ramze, check out his blog, Instagram and his two books on Cuba: Havana for Americans and Top 100 Places to Eat in Havana.
Looking for photo tips for Cuba? Check out my Photo Guide to Havana!
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The Art of the Road Trip
Thanks to a tip from a friend, I discovered Horseshoe Bend near Page, Arizona on my Southwest road trip last summer. I couldn’t believe this hidden view was a short walk from the road! I went back twice to shoot!
There’s something therapeutic about a long drive and a beautiful sunrise. The clutter in my head slowly dissolves with each passing mile. There is nothing more relaxing to me than a long road trip.
Road trips are the most nostalgic form of travel. Everyone has at least that ONE epic road trip memory that makes them smile or laugh hysterically. What was your favorite road trip?
Bell’s Beach, the infamous surf spot, located west of Melbourne was one of the highlights on my road trip along the Great Ocean Road in Southern Australia in 2009.
For me, it was the Great Ocean Road, a postcard worthy section of the coast of Southern Australia. (It’s the Australian version of the Pacific Coast Highway.) I was traveling with two guys from Buffalo, NY. We slept in our rental car by the beach every night, ate lots of peanut butter sandwiches, drink beer on the beach and snuck into RV parks to shower. It was literally the BEST.
I’ve driven across the U.S. roughly four times. I prefer driving to flying any day. Last summer was the summer of road trips for me. I drove out to New Mexico and Arizona to explore Chaco Canyon, White Sands National Monument and Antelope Canyon in May. In August, I drove the ring road around Iceland then flew back into Boston and hopped in a car to explore Cape Cod.
I am kicking off this summer with a long road trip from Austin to South Carolina to visit my family. It gives me an excuse to break up my trip to visit friends in Birmingham (my former home) and Atlanta. (Plus, it’s like a third of the price of flying. There’s also the fact that being stuck in my hometown without a car is a form of torture.)
Afterwards, I’m hoping on a plane to Vermont and NYC before taking the train to Washington DC. I’m also super excited to announce that I’ll be running photo trips for National Geographic Student Expeditions in Yellowstone this summer! Plus, there’s a few more exciting things in the works!
California Redwoods
What if you can’t find the time to drive cross-country? Well, then pack mini-road trips into bigger trips. When I visited my friend Miles in San Francisco, we rented a car, borrowed a tent and headed out to see the Redwoods. My best friend James lived in Boston for years. We always took trips to Vermont, Maine, Cape Cod or Rhode Island. I explore all the cool small towns in Texas like Marfa, Round Top and Boerne.
A few months ago, I flew into Miami, met up with three friends and spent four days road tripping through the Florida Keys and stopping at all the dive bars and places that my travel hero Jimmy Buffett sings about. (Blog post coming soon!)
I pass the time by binge listening to NPR, attempting to do my Spanish audio lessons and long phone conversations with old friends. (Don’t worry, those phone calls are all hands free!)
Let’s be honest—the best thing about road trips are singing horribly loud in the car. Admit it – you know it’s your guilty pleasure as well. Most of my road trips are solo so I can sing and car dance without judgement from anyone besides the occasional trucker or RV in the other lane.
Here’s my favorite road trip playlist:
- Wherever You May Roam by Metallica
- Keep the Car Running by Arcade Fire
- Sleep on the Floor by The Lumineers
- Next Year by Foo Fighters
- Heads Carolina by Jo Dee Messina
- Changes in Latitudes by Jimmy Buffett
- American Girl by Tom Petty
- Mr. Columbus by Grace Potter
- Breakdown by Jack Johnson
- Leaving Town by Dexter Freebish
Any traveler can relate to the lyrics of each of these songs.
Pack your bags, download some new tunes and hit the road! I challenge you to make the most of your summer!
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COMING UP:
White Sands National Monument, New Mexico
Cuba, Epic Road Trips & Interviews with NYTimes Frugal Traveler
I’ve got some exciting posts coming up this summer including an interview with the New York Times Frugal Traveler Lucas Peterson, my top eight road trip destinations and an interview with a Cuba expert! Sign up for the email list to have the posts delivered directly to your email inbox!
6 Free Things to Do in NYC
Sunset at Brooklyn Bridge Park
My very first flight was to New York City. It was a school trip during my junior year of college at the University of South Carolina. It was a mad rush to visit all the highlights – Times Square, Broadway show, Central Park, the museums, etc. My second trip was a 24-hour quasi-layover. I’d flown back from Delhi and was headed to London. (Crazy, I know.) All I did was eat a lot and go for a run in Central Park. Every trip since then has been to visit friends, meet with editors and explore new parts of the city and check off icons that I missed on my previous visits. (I’ll be back again in early June!)
Whether it’s your first or 40th trip to the city, make sure you check these six free sights off your list. (Plus, they are all great photo opps!)
I totally got up at sunrise to photograph Alfred the Gnome on the Brooklyn Bridge.
1. Walk the Brooklyn Bridge
One of the most famous icons of the New York City skyline is the double Gothic arches and crisscrossed cables of the Brooklyn bridge. Built in 1883, the bridge was the first road to connect Manhattan and Brooklyn. Be sure to walk, bike or run across the 1.1-mile pedestrian path. I recommend walking from Brooklyn toward Manhattan to get the best view of the skyline like in the photo above with Alfred the gnome!
How to get to the Brooklyn Bridge:
From Brooklyn: The promenade begins at Tillary and Adams street. Several subway stations get you close to the entrance. If you’re on the A or C train, exit at High Street Station. The entrance is a quarter of a mile north from this station. There are signs marking the entrance but consider using Google maps to help.
From Manhattan: The entrance is just across from the Brooklyn Bridge/City Hall station for lines 4, 5 and 6.
The Staten Island Ferry offers one of the best (and FREE) views of Manhattan.
2. Staten Island Ferry
The free 25-minute ferry is a great way to see both the Statue of Liberty and get one of the best views of the Manhattan skyline. Departures are usually every 30 minutes. Avoid rush hour times, when ferries are packed. (I discovered the ferry on my quest to shoot the most iconic NYC gnome photo but preferred my Brooklyn Bridge shot above.)
How to get to the Staten Island Ferry: From Manhattan, the nearest subway line is the J/Z line to Broad Street or the 1 to South Ferry and 4/5 to Bowling Green.
The High Line offers great views of the city and great spots to relax.
3. High Line
One of my favorite things in NYC is the High Line, the former above-ground train tracks that were transformed into a 1.45-mile public park and garden. The tracks were used to transport goods from 1934 to 1980. Afterwards, nature took over for almost three decades before the City of New York took ownership and transformed it into an urban masterpiece that incorporates many of the original tracks.
PRO TIP: The Highline offers a plethora of FREE activities including multiple themed tours throughout the week, Saturday yoga classes and stargazing on Tuesday nights. (Check out their calendar.) It’s open daily from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.
How to Get to the Highline: There are eleven different access points that stretch from 34th and 12th Avenue to Washington and Gansevoort Street. Check the official website for a great map.
The Chelsea Market is my favorite lunch/dinner spot!
4. Chelsea Market
The Chelsea Market is a fun food court/shopping mall/office building combo located close the High Line. While entrance to the building is free, the food’s not. It’s a great lunch or dinner spot. Los Tacos No. 1 is amazing and Creamline is a farm to tray burger spot. It’s very budget friendly for New York standards. The best part is that’s it’s air conditioned and a great escape on those steamy summer days.
How to Get Here to Chelsea Market: Take the A, C, E or L train to 13th Street. Walk one block west and one block north. The address is 75 9th Ave, New York, NY 1001.
One World Trade Center borders the 9/11 Memorial.
5. 9/11 Memorial
Everyone must take a walk through the 9/11 Memorial, which is both a powerful and beautiful tribute. The centerpiece is two enormous reflecting pools and waterfalls located at the base of each of the original towers. The pools are lined with the names of those who died on September 11, 2001 and on February 26, 1993. The surrounding plaza is lined with swamp white oak trees adjacent to One World Trade Center building, which is the tallest building in the Western hemisphere. Memorial is open 7:30 a.m. to 9 p.m.
How to get to the 9/11 Memorial: The A, C, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, J, Z and R trains all run within walking distance of the memorial.
I paused my run for a quick snap of Bethesda Fountain in Central Park.
6. Exercise in Central Park
On every NYC visit, I always go for a run in Central Park with just my phone, a little bit of cash and my subway card. It’s a great way to explore the park and relax. Pretend you are a local and go for a run/walk/bike ride through the park. The trick is to leave all your bags and cameras in your hotel/hostel so you’re not distracted and can focus on just enjoying the park like a local who’s just out for their morning workout. I always start on the east side of the park near East 59th Street and run along the eastern side to Bethesda Terrace then head to Belvedere Castle before running around the reservoir. When I get tired, I just exit the park and head to the nearest subway stop!
For more about NYC, check out my Travel Tuesday Interview with native New Yorker Jennifer O’Brien, founder of TheTravelWomen.com!
Interview with a NYC Expert
In this week’s Travel Tuesday Interview, I chat with NYC native Jennifer O’Brien, who runs the TheTravelWomen.com, a community of women travelers! I met Jennifer when she was working at Budget Travel magazine a few years ago, and she’s my go-to NYC expert! She shares her favorite restaurants, budget tips and favorite secret spots in the city!
Name: Jennifer O’Brien
Age: 26
Hometown: New York City
Countries: 23
Website: TheTravelWomen.com
Instagram: @JennifersCamera & @TheTravelWomen
1. How did you start traveling?
My first time on an airplane was when I was only one-year-old, and my parents brought me to San Diego. A few family trips later, I studied abroad in Parma, Italy for a semester, which allowed me to visit ten more countries. The travel bug bit me hard, and I found every opportunity and holiday to take vacations and travel more. I founded The Travel Women, which is a community for women by women to empower women to get out of their comfort zone and travel more! I am excited to share that I am now dedicating myself full time to my passion of traveling with The Travel Women!
2. Why do you like living in NYC?
NYC is huge and small at the same time. I love how it constantly surprises me, just when I think I figure out a neighborhood or the best pizza, I move and discover a new side of NYC! I have now lived in five different neighborhoods and love Williamsburg the most!
3. What are your three favorite places to eat in the city?
It is so hard to only pick three favorite spots, but here are my current favorites in Williamsburg:
- Mesa Coyoacan: This one-of-a-kind Mexican spot is my favorite Mexican food outside of Mexico—YES, it is THAT good. From the flavorful chicken in the tortilla soup to the fried grasshoppers that come with a shot of mezcal, which surprisingly taste a lot like salted sunflower seeds.
- Carmine’s Pizza: I cannot get enough of Carmine’s pizza right now. It’s one of the best places that offers pizza by the slice and even gluten free pizza! The ricotta and Kalamata olives slice is my current obsession.
- Loosie Rouge: This is a little interior design heaven with grass on the door, hammocks and colorful walls made for Instagram. The food is also pretty amazing, too! They have salmon or bacon with their eggs benedicts that come on waffles, which is the best combo of salty and sweet! The “Matcha Patcha” drink is amazing featuring matcha tea, shochu, elderflower, lime and spring flora.
4. Share some tips for traveling on a budget in NYC.
- Getting a CityPASS can help you see multiple attractions for less. For example, you can save more with the pass for six attractions ($122 USD), but their C3 pass for three attractions could be perfect for people only in NYC for a few days.
- Research museums that offer “recommended” rates so you can pay what you want especially if you’re going to a lot of museums.
- Take a ride on the Staten Island Ferry for some of the best views of Manhattan.
5. What are some great off-the-beaten path places to visit in the city?
One of my favorite parks is Elizabeth Street Garden, a small little European style garden full of statues. Another lesser known spot is the Queens Museum, where you can see the 1985 Panorama, a miniature metropolis of New York City. Queens Museum is in Flushing Meadows Corona Park, which also includes two remnants of the World’s Fair including a giant globe.
6. What is the biggest myth about NYC?
The biggest myth is definitely that all New Yorkers are rude. Yes, some of them can be but I’ve also met some wonderful and friendly people.
7. Share one of your favorite adventures in the city.
One day I was walking past Gramercy Park, the only private park left in NYC, and I saw a group of people my age with a key and started a conversation with them. They mentioned it wasn’t their key and asked if I wanted to come in, and I naturally said yes. I was so excited to explore this private green oasis during the golden hour on a day [when] I had my camera on me. The funniest part of the adventure though was just after sunset I realized that I was one of the last people in the park and that apparently you needed a key to exit the park. I almost got locked in and was so happy I realized just in time to casually follow a local out with their key!
8. What advice would you have for aspiring travelers? Any tips for overcoming fear?
Do what you love and it won’t seem as scary! If you’ve always been dreaming about a certain place or experience, go do it and the obstacles you thought would stand in your way won’t really be obstacles at all! If you’re afraid of traveling solo, start small by traveling in your own backyard to a local museum or park by yourself and overcome your fears slowly to realize that it’s not that bad. It can be more fun to travel solo!
9. Name three things you always pack for a trip.
The first thing I pack is definitely my camera gear including charger, extra batteries and extra memory cards. Second, it always helps to have tweezers around for everything from keeping your eyebrows nice to getting rid of a splinter. The third thing I love to have are snacks. Depending on where you’re going or how long the transportation takes, having a few different flavored granola bars goes a long way!
10. What is your next adventure?
I am currently packing for a trip to Panama with another blogger, where we will cover all the best spots from the Panama Canal through to Starfish Beach.
For more about Jennifer, follow her on Instagram, Twitter and at TheTravelWomen.com!
4 Tips for Surviving Tough Travel Days…and GIANT Australian Spiders
I felt like I was driving into the opening scene of a horror movie on my way to Chaco Canyon. The scary drive and storm were worth it though. For more details about my trip, checkout my Chaco Canyon post!
There’s bad days on the road just like there are at home.
The good days are glorious – riding camels on beaches in India, watching the sunrise over the towers at Torres del Paine in Patagonia and photographing the Dalai Lama’s teachings in McLeod Ganj. These are the days that people envy. The ones that cause people to stalk my Instagram and say, “I’m living vicariously through your life.”
What people don’t want are the bad days I endured to get to those glorious moments like the 18-hour bus ride in Burma sitting across the aisle from a kid puking in a bag for the ENTIRE trip.
For me, bouts of food poisoning always arrive at the most opportune moments like the middle of the 10-mile hike or on a bumpy flight. There’s nothing more fun than waking up in a swanky hostel in Cancun covered in bed bug bites. (There is NOTHING that itches more.) It was just as much fun as standing beside my car on the side of I-40 in the middle of Missouri after my engine blew.
McLeod Ganj, the home to the Dalai Llama, is one of my favorite cities in India and also the place I’m most accident/illness prone.
And, my personal favorite – the time my foot slipped between the grates of a sewer drain in India when I was walking down the street. Thankfully, it was only knee deep so I didn’t break my leg. This nice Tibetan boy was kind enough to retrieve my flip-flop from the toxic black muck. My leg was so bruised I couldn’t sit Indian-style with my legs crossed for weeks.
Oh, and let’s not forget my hilarious battle with the GIANT Australian spider.
I found myself living in a Western Union commercial when my purse was stolen in Thailand. I lost all of my bank/credit cards except my American Express, which was worthless. (Despite their slogan, those bastards are NOT everywhere you want them to be!) There I was in Cambodia a few days later calling my parent’s at 5 a.m. to transfer me money. (FYI: You can’t transfer yourself money. Trust me, I tried.)
Sadly, life can’t always be filled with sunshine and tacos, but there are always more good days than bad. After 14 years of relentless travel, I wouldn’t change a thing—even the food poisoning. Besides, nothing worthwhile will ever be easy.
If fear of the bad days or any of my stories scare you, learn from my mistakes. Here’s four ways to survive the tough travel days:
I didn’t let my stolen purse ruin my first trip to Southern Thailand. (Koh Pha Ngan, Thailand)
1. Humor
The food poisoning hit me at the top of the mountain in India. I hiked back five miles getting sick every 15 minutes. The next day I was so weak I could barely walk to breakfast. Then, I had to take a two-hour car ride through winding roads to the village where I was working for the next week. My room was so hot at night that I took multiple cold showers every hour or two just to cool off. (Keep in mind, I was still massively dehydrated from the food poisoning so the heat didn’t help.) It was cooler outside than in my room, but if I opened my door, I knew the tiny scorpions would wander in the same way they strolled into my friend’s room down the hall. As I lay there sweating, I couldn’t help but think “This will make a damn good Facebook status update!”
I love a good story. After all, I have two degrees in journalism. Everything I do in life is for a story. Most of the time, bad mishaps make the best stories later. All of this is pretty hilarious to me now as I type this from my air-conditioned room in Austin.
The main thing that gets me through the rough times is the realization that the moment will pass and not come again. And, the story. There is humor in everything. Plus, people LOVE to hear about that bad things that happen do you. Don’t you agree?
2. Be calm
My purse was stolen twice. One in Thailand and again in Spain where they also snagged my iPhone. (Both were my fault. More on that later.) After the initial moments of shock and realizing that my purse was REALLY gone, I whisked through a gamut of emotions that lasted five minutes. I quickly realized that overreacting/crying was not going to change the situation. Being calm and focusing on dealing with the situation was the best way to move forward. This is coming from a girl who often finds it nerve-wracking to decide what to order on a brunch menu. When the stakes are high, I’m calm. When they aren’t, I’m a mess.
Crying won’t make your wallet reappear. Take a deep breath. Access the situation and put all your energy toward the solution.
I spent the morning at La Sagrada Familia in Barcelona the day and later that day my iPhone was stolen from the beach.
3. Learn from your mistakes (and mine)
Both stolen purses were identical situations. I was on a beach and not paying attention. (Again, I admit both were totally my fault.) All of my bank cards were in my wallet (except that useless American Express) in Thailand.
Since the beaches in Spain have high-theft rates, I made sure to lock up all my valuables in my hostel locker (based on my experience in Thailand) every night except one. I was rushing to meet some friends and didn’t want to go back to lock up my phone and wallet, which were promptly stolen.
Luckily, I had learned from my previous Thailand incident so at least I had my bank cards and cash hidden in multiple places with my luggage back at the hostel. I still lost my iPhone but luckily, didn’t have to call my parent’s at 5 a.m. to send me money this time. Small victories.
Since that incident in Spain, I travel with a purse with a long strap, which I wear across my body even when sitting down so it’s not as easy to grab. Now, I ALWAYS lock up my phone and wallet when I am in a high-theft area. When I went to dinner at night in Peru, I would only carry enough cash for my meal in my pocket. Everything else was locked up.
In Buenos Aires, I was able to fumble a pick-pocket’s attempt to steal my wallet/phone from my purse based on my previous experiences above.
All of these are hilarious stories in hindsight. (You’ll have to wait for my autobiography to get the ENTIRE story.) The biggest takeaway is to learn from your mistakes to make sure the situation doesn’t happen again. Also, trust your instincts. When something feels strange, get out of the situation immediately.
My foot fell through the grates of a sewer drain on this street in McLeod Ganj, India. (Yes, that’s a stray cow wandering the street.)
4. Be Prepared
It’s always good to plan for the worst if only to reduce your fears. Buy travel insurance and take small precautions that will save you a lot of headache in the long run. Here are few things I do to be prepared:
- Do Your Research. Research potential health or safety concerns in your destination so you can take the proper precautions. Check travel alerts on Travel.State.gov and recent editions of travel guides for current concerns. Ask receptionists and locals for safety advice about places you want to visit.
- Road-side Assistance. There was no way for me to predict that my car engine would blow on I-40 especially since I’d just had the oil changed the day before. But, I had AAA so they towed my car for free to the dealership, which took part of the headache away. (Many credit cards offer similar services.)
- Talk to Your Doctor. For Delhi Belly (food poisoning), my doctor prescribed antibiotics for me to carry on trips since I always seemed to get sick in the middle of nowhere. I also travel with rehydration salts to help with hydration. I always buy medical travel insurance with no deductible so it covers any medical issues and emergency evacuation.
- Back-up Bank Account. I opened a second back-up checking account and always keep that debit card in a different spot than my main card. If one card was stolen, I can easily transfer my money to the other account. (Both accounts are Charles Schwab and have no fees or minimum balance requirements. For more on travel banking, read my Travel Banking 101 post.)
- Don’t Get Hangry. Pack snacks to avoid hanger (anger caused by hunger). I ALWAYS have a snack with me that ranges from bananas to peanuts to a homemade steak sandwich, which come in handy when things are running smooth or when I’m stuck in a bus station in the middle of nowhere.
- For more ways to stay safe on the road, check out my Travel Safety 101 post.
How to Win a Battle with a Giant Australian Spider
At first glance, Sydney, Australia is a beautiful city but it has it’s share of dark secrets like GIANT SPIDERS!
It was midnight on a Wednesday.
In typical horror movie fashion, I was home alone. I was renting a room in a three-bedroom house in the western part of Sydney, Australia. On this particular night, my roommate was working late.
As I was turning off the light before crawling into bed, I noticed a dark spot on the ceiling directly above my bed. I flipped the lights back on to investigate. The dark spot was a MASSIVE spider. By MASSIVE, I mean it’s head was the size of my thumb and its’ body span was the size of my ENTIRE hand!! It was like a tarantula with longer legs. I stood there flipping the lights on and off repeatedly in hopes it was a mirage. But, it was very, very real!
Take a moment to Google “Huntsman spider.”
Now, that you’ve stopped screaming and picked your phone up off the floor, let’s continue with the story.
First of all, spiders should NOT be that big. I have never been afraid of spiders. When they reach a certain size that rivals width of my shoe…well, things change.
There was ABSOLUTELY no question that the giant spider had to die for several reasons:
1) Australian spiders are known to be very poisonous and deadly.
2) There was no way I was sleeping in the same room as him.
3) He doesn’t pay rent. Damn, freeloader!
My reaction to the spider was the same as the entry way to Luna Park in North Sydney.
Problem # 1: My room has 12-foot high ceilings.
First, I moved my bed and anything he could hide under out of the way or into the hall. (Did I mention he was directly above my pillow? AHHH!) To prepare for the battle, I put on the thickest shoes I owned, tucked my pajama pants into my socks and put on a long sleeve shirt to cover my skin in case he fell on me.
Instinctively, I ran to grab the broom, a shovel and the vacuum. (The shovel seemed like a good tool to use to decapitate him.)
Then, as any self-respecting 26-year-old would do, I called my parents to discuss my strategy. (It was the middle of the day in South Carolina so they were clearly awake.) Parents are supposed to know how to deal with these things. After clarifying the massive size of the spider to my dad repeatedly, he helped me concoct a plan. His exact words: “Go ahead and vacuum him. Then, call me back.”
Problem # 2: The vacuum doesn’t have a long hose attachment.
Again, the ceiling is 12-feet tall. My Macgyver instinct kicked it. To maximize my distance from said spider, I taped the broom handle to the vacuum hose with the roll of mailing tape. Hitting him with a broom or even the shovel would be messy (i.e. spider blood on the white paint, holes in the wall, etc.) The vacuum was my only hope. I just prayed it was strong enough.
Problem # 3: The vacuum hose is too short to reach the ceiling.
I put the vacuum on one chair and stood on another chair in order execute my plan. Both chairs are as far away from the spider as possible. I round up every bit of courage in my body and poke him with the end of the vacuum using my DIY broom-hose attachment. He scurries to the right. I scream and almost fall off the chair. Then, I intercept him. He puts up a fight, but he is no match for the power of the vacuum! (There was a moment where I was seriously concerned he was too big to vacuum.)
I step down from the chair and put the vacuum on the floor. My heart is pounding. The vacuum is still running at this point because I’m scared that when I turn it off he will try to run out of the hose. Or what if he multiplied like those Gremlin things from that ‘80’s movie? I busted out my Jackie Chan ninja skills to quickly tape a plastic bag over the end of the hose as soon as I hit the off switch. The bag looks a bit thin so I quickly grab a thicker bag and tape it over the hose with lightening speed.
Then, I lock the vacuum in the closet in the spare room and proceed to check my entire room for the spider’s friends and relatives.
Anna – 1
Giant Spider – 0
Now, I’m terrified to go to sleep. What if he comes back for revenge? I feel like spiders are crawling all over me. There is a vent near where the spider was on the ceiling. I rip off the back of a magazine and tape it over the vent so none of his freeloading friends can come visit.
I text my roommate to explain that there is a giant spider living in the vacuum in the spare room. Then, I call my dad back to let him know that I’m alive.
Since it’s clear, I won’t ever be sleeping again. I sat down to type this email.
This, my friends, is how you defeat a giant Australian spider.
(Update: The vacuum stayed tapped up in the spare room until I moved out a few months later. Initially, I thought the spider was a deadly funnel web but later found out the spider was a Huntsman, which is not poisonous. Ironically, after spending the next five summers in Asia, I became very Buddhist and started catching small spiders and taking them outside instead of killing them.)
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COMING UP:
4 Ways to Survive Tough Travel Days
There are bad days on the road just like there are at home. The good days are glorious. And, the bad days are, well, tough. I’ll share some of my hilarious travel mishaps and offer tips to help you deal with the less than glorious days.
Interview with Texas Monthly’s Travel Writer Jordan Breal
In this week’s Travel Tuesday Interview, I chat with Texas Monthly’s senior editor Jordan Breal, the ultimate Texas travel expert! As the magazine’s travel writer, it is literally her job to explore the great state of Texas! The Fort Worth native shares her list of must-visit destinations, best scenic drives, and most importantly, the best places for barbecue to help you plan your own Texas adventure!
Texas Monthly’s resident travel writer, Jordan Breal, playing tourist in her hometown of Fort Worth, Texas. (Photo courtesy of Jordan Breal)
Name: Jordan Breal
Age: 35
Hometown: Fort Worth, Texas
Website/Social Media: texasmonthly.com/travel / Instagram: @jordanbreal / Twitter: @jordanbreal
1. How did you start traveling?
When I first joined Texas Monthly as an editorial assistant, in 2005, I wasn’t yet sure what type of writing I wanted to do, but I had a clear vision of spending my days driving along the highways and byways and back roads across my home state. A few months into the job, I helped launch a new travel page called “Street Smarts,” and by the time I was a few years into the job, I realized I was spending more and more time on travel stories—and more and more time on the road. I was dubbed “the Wanderer” by a former editor, and my column of the same name launched in September 2012. I’ve pretty much been a full-time roamer ever since. These days, I’m spending about a quarter to a third of each month out reporting, and I put somewhere around 13,000 or so miles on the odometer each year. Of course, in my original vision all those years ago, I was doing all of this driving in a vintage Shelby Cobra, but I have yet to be handed the keys to one at any rental car company.
2. What does your average work day look like as the resident travel writer for Texas Monthly?
The great thing about being a travel writer is that there is no average work day. When I’m out reporting, each day is a marathon of trying to do, see, and eat as much as possible in a particular town or city, and of course, I’m conducting interviews and trying to find even more places to go and things to do along the way. Then, in the evenings, I catch up on emails and make sure my other projects are humming along. They’re long days, for sure.
When I’m in the office (or the home office, as is often the case), I’m hunkered down writing my column or one of my travel posts for texasmonthly.com. Or I’m editing one of our multi-part travel features. Or I’m brainstorming what to write about next, planning social media posts, saving all the places I still want to check out to my Pocket list, and sketching out itineraries in one of my many Google Maps (like this epic burger road trip). Although I sometimes fantasize about what it would be like to have a 9-to-5 job, I like the unpredictableness of my schedule, and I’m afraid I’d go stir-crazy if I had to be in the same place every day. I’ve been ruined for normal employment.
HEIM Barbecue in Fort Worth is one of Jordan’s top barbecue picks in the state. Try their BBQ Snob sandwich with chopped brisket, bacon burnt ends, sausage on a jalapeño cheddar bun, which I photographed last fall for a freelance story.
3. Give us your picks for the best barbecue in Texas.
Readers across the world (yes, the world!) wait eagerly to see which joints make our vaunted Top 50 BBQ list; it’s published every four years now and is determined by our full-time barbecue editor, Daniel Vaughn (aka @bbqsnob), our esteemed food editor, Patricia Sharpe, and the team of professional eaters they deploy to every corner of the state.
Our next list drops at the end of May, and I can’t wait to see if there have been any big shake-ups or if anyone has unseated our reigning champ, Franklin Barbecue, in Austin (yep, it’s the one that has the really long line). In the meantime, I’ll be getting my fill of brisket and pork ribs and sausage at:
- Snow’s in Lexington (its pit master, Tootsie Tomanetz, is my role model)
- Heim Barbecue in my hometown of Fort Worth
- Cooper’s Pit Bar-B-Que in Llano
Ocho in Hotel Havana in San Antonio is one of Jordan’s top places to eat in Texas. (Photo courtesy of Jordan Breal)
4. Where are your three favorite places to eat in Texas?
I’m going to hedge a teensy bit here and declare my three favorite places to eat in Texas right now because otherwise I’d spend a month trying to winnow it down:
- Julio’s, in Austin, because it’s where my friends and I go to catch up over gooey enchiladas and killer Mexican martinis.
- Ocho, at the Hotel Havana, in San Antonio, because it feels like you’re in a bejeweled greenhouse just above the River Walk and because I always want to order everything on the breakfast menu.
- Ode Brewing Co., in El Paso, because I just had an amazing meal there (fried cauliflower, black-bean burger, and fries with their coffee porter) after a long day of hiking through the Franklin Mountains.
5. What are some great off-the-beaten path destinations in Texas?
It just so happens that for my latest cover story, “Hidden Texas,” I spilled the beans on dozens of my favorite shops, restaurants, boutique hotels, etc, that are in the state’s tiniest towns. There’s Ritual, a French-inspired luncheonette with a yoga studio and meditation labyrinth, in East Texas; Rancho Loma Vineyards, the latest spot-on venture in tiny Coleman, near the smack-dab middle of the state; Front Street Books, my favorite indie bookstore way out west in Alpine; and the Inn at Chachalaca Bend, a lush, half-hidden B&B thronged with birds in the Rio Grande Valley. Since Texas is the second-largest state, in both area and population, I don’t anticipate running out of far-flung destinations to visit any time soon.
Jordan scouted out the historic downtown of the tiny town of Saint Jo in North Texas, which has a population of just over a 1,000, for a possible story. (Photo courtesy of Jordan Breal)
6. What are some of the best scenic drives in the state?
- If you want to feel like you’re on the edge of the world: Point your high-clearance vehicle toward the River Road that roughly parallels the Rio Grande on the state’s western edge out in Big Bend. For a slightly less adventurous (read: safer) trek, follow this loop, which starts and ends in Alpine, and also gets you right up next to the mighty Rio Grande.
- If you want to channel the spirit of both the Comanche and Coronado: Drive south from flat Amarillo until the land splits open dramatically at Palo Duro Canyon State Park (home of the second largest canyon in the U.S. after that other canyon).
- If you want to see carpets of colorful wildflowers: The Hill Country’s a high-density area for the indigo bluebonnets, red Indian paintbrushes, purple winecups, and hundreds of other species of wildflowers that pop up each spring; start in Vanderpool, head west to Leakey, then south to Concan, and east to Utopia.
7. What are three places in the state that every Texan must visit in their lifetime?
- The Alamo, because it’s the “cradle of Texas liberty”…but also, its four (lovelier, if less famous) sister missions.
- Big Bend, because it’s wild and vast and home to one of the least-visited (but absolutely gorgeous) national parks…but also, lush, slightly spooky Caddo Lake on the clear other side of the state, whose beauty is just as mysterious.
- Padre Island National Seashore, because it’s the longest undeveloped barrier island in the world and offers superb seashelling…but also, San José Island (a.k.a. St. Jo), a privately owned island across from Port Aransas that’s accessible by ferry and feels as isolated as the privately owned island of your dreams.
Jordan visited the geographic center of Texas, which is located on private land near the town of Brady. (Photo courtesy of Jordan Breal)
8. Share one of your travel highlights.
Yes, I spend most of my time encouraging people to travel to places within Texas, but I do manage to get beyond state lines from time to time too. Of course, I always get a kick out of running into fellow Texans abroad, which always seems to happen, whether I’m in a five-star hotel in Milan or biking the length of Caye Caulker. I swear we all gravitate toward the same places or else we really are just everywhere. One of the best trips I’ve ever been on was the eight-day cross-country drive I took with two friends last fall. We started in Austin, ended in San Francisco, and hiked our way through so many mind-boggling landscapes along the way, including White Sands National Monument, the Petrified Forest, Zion National Park, the Grand Canyon, and Death Valley. It reignited my life dream of strapping a tent to the roof of my car and becoming a full-time overlander.
9. Name three things you always pack for a trip.
- A pair of cheap hotel slippers, which I buy in bulk from an online wholesaler.
- My Bondi cell phone holder, so I can safely navigate hands-free.
- A packet of Dr. Singha’s Mustard Bath and Skyn Iceland eye gels, in case I get a minute to decompress.
- I’ve also been known to travel with my boot jack. 🙂
10. What is your next adventure?
Next week, I’m heading to Round Top to do a little junking and treasure hunting at the antiques shows that take over nearly every building and field along a twenty-mile stretch each spring and fall. I’ve also got a weeklong (non-work!) trip to Port Aransas on the horizon; we’ve got a beachfront rental house that sleeps 18 and no plans to do anything more strenuous than laze by the water during the day and fry up some seafood in the evenings. That said, I’m sure I’ll start to get a little cabin fever and sneak away to see what interesting things I can find—and then eventually write about. A wanderer’s work never ends!
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COMING UP:
How to Survive Tough Travel Days
There are bad days on the road just like there are at home. The good days are glorious. And, the bad days are, well, tough. I’ll share some of my hilarious travel mishaps including my battle with giant Australian spider and offer tips to help you deal with the less than glorious days.