Building Your Physical Endurance

You know what travel requires a lot of? WALKING.

So, when you make the decision to book a trip, get your booty in gear and make sure you're physically ready for it!

Now before I continue, let me make a little bit of a disclaimer: this is NOT a weight loss post. This is a post on what you can do to build your endurance so that you can physically last on your trip. If you are trying to lose weight, or aren't much of an exerciser, please make sure to consult a doctor, kinesiologist, or dietitian about your options. 

Why is building endurance so important?

That's an excellent question! As you've read in some of my other posts, walking is very important as a method of self-defense, and there are forms of combat and martial arts that you should learn the basics of as a matter of safety. But when touring different areas, you could find yourself in smaller venues, such as museums, or vast estates spreading across dozens of acres, or even going through massive cities on foot. And you know what will detract from your trip and your experiences? Not being physically up to going over 5 miles per day.

Your endurance level is just as important as your footwear. When you can walk several miles per day at different altitudes and inclines, you will be able to make the most of your time wherever you go. If you tire out too easily, you'll have to rest longer to be ready to move again; or if you're traveling with other people and you slow the group down, they'll have to adapt to your level or endurance and wait as long as you have to before you feel up to getting back on your feet.

For the record, endurance isn't necessarily tied to your weight. I have traveled with people who were overweight that were able to knock out over 10 miles per day and able to keep up with that personal pace for the duration of the trip, and I've witnessed perfectly healthy and super skinny travelers who couldn't be on their feet for over 30 minutes without resting. The human body is an incredible thing!

With that said, I advise everyone who chooses to travel, whether domestically or internationally, to start a workout regimen ASAP for the reason of building endurance. And if this is a new routine for you, make sure that you take time to allow your body to rest and recover before trying more difficult routines. Your body will tell when you can work out and when you should take a day off, so listen to yourself.

What sort of workouts should I focus on?

The short answer is low impact workouts. A lot of people assume that in order to build endurance they need to start running, which is a fair expectation. I am here to debunk that theory for traveling purposes. Running is a fantastic means of building endurance, but it also falls under the category of high intensity impact training, or "HIIT" workouts. HIIT workouts are cardio-based and better for weight loss and fat burning. They can also be horrible for your knees and ankles if you're unaccustomed to these workouts.

As I mentioned in my travel hacks blog, having the wrong footwear is one of the first things that can ruin your trip when it causes severe foot pain. Another issue that can derail your joy of traveling is having bad knees. Having sore feet is one thing, but when your joints are bad too? You can hardly move! Doing HIIT on a regular basis is fine, but if you're training to build endurance before a trip, you're better off avoiding these HIIT workouts because they can cause damage that you can't afford to have before you leave.

When selecting which workouts you'd like to do to build your endurance, do your best to avoid the following workouts:

Running

Basic HIIT workouts

Cardio Kickboxing

Cardio Dance/Zumba

Cross Training

Military or combat styled workouts

All of the above workouts are amazing but can be extremely taxing on your joints. The first step you want to take in building endurance is avoiding any workouts that require jumping, bouncing, pivoting, high kicks, and squatting. If some of these are favorite types of workouts for you, feel free to pick them back up when you return from your trip. But to protect your joints, put them off for the time being.

Embrace the 80s workouts!

And now, here's a list of low-impact workouts that will help build endurance and be less extreme on your joints!

Walking

I focus on this subject a lot, don't I?

Well, that's because I learned this firsthand. When I made my decision to travel to Ireland the first time, I was at one of the worst physical shapes I'd ever been in. I was working office jobs and not taking time to work out. I knew right as I made that purchase that I needed to get my butt into gear so I could cover as much ground as possible.

The first thing I did was actually not go to the gym, but just start walking. I had hour long lunch breaks at my job, so I would eat my lunch for the first half and then spend the rest of my break walking the business park, which would cover a little over a mile by the time I'd finished. I couldn't always make it to the gym after work but knocking out a mile during my lunch break helped immensely. By the time I left for my trip, not only was I in better shape, but I was able to cover miles in a day that I hadn't been able to at home (well, so long as my poor, sore feet would allow).

So, believe me when I tell you that walking is seriously one of the best workouts out there. It's an exercise that tends to get overlooked because it's a basic function of everyday life, but it can make a world of difference if you take time out of your schedule to focus on walking as a primary means of exercising.

Optimizing Your Walks

What you can do to start taking your walks more seriously is by using a health app on your phone. Most phones these days come with generic health apps, and there are plenty you can download for free. Once you utilize whichever app you like best, you can set workout goals.

The first goal you should set for yourself with walking is how many steps you'd like to take per day. A good number to set your goal at as a beginner is at 6000 steps, which come out to roughly 3 miles. You can also set a goal for how much time you would like to spend being active or working out. A good amount of time to set is a simple hour. You don't necessarily need to do 1-hour workouts, but you want to have a combined total of 60 minutes of activity to start.

Once you feel comfortable making your goal of 6000 steps per day, increase your steps by about 500 every two or three weeks. The ultimate pace you want to reach is to make 10,000 steps, which equates to about 5 miles. At that point, keep your steps set at that goal, but keep it as your minimum instead of your maximum goal. 

Also take the time to find different areas to walk. Walking a treadmill is fine, but when you're out traveling, you're going to be going all over different terrains. It's best to walk outside, and to change up your routes every day so that your body doesn't acclimate to the same path every day. 

Elliptical Machines

Now, walking outside isn't always going to be a viable option due to weather, or, in the case of the West Coast, bad air quality due to the fires.

If the gym is the only option available for you, the treadmill is usually the best alternative so long as you keep changing the inclines and keep the pace no faster than a speed walk. The next best choice is using the elliptical machines.

Lord, I could watch this for hours

The elliptical machines are ideal due to their low impact nature. When prepping for your trip, you need to take precautions to ensure you don't injure your feet, ankles, or knees beforehand, and the elliptical is just the machine to best prevent those injuries so long as you are engaging it properly. Most of these machines are equipped with handlebars so that you can also work your upper body, though other machines focus on lower body only. Either of these options will work, though I would recommend the one with the handles.

The benefits of working out on the elliptical aside from its protective nature on your joints (again, as long as you're doing it right! Always make sure you know how to safely use whatever machine you engage!) is that you can speed up using this machine. You can build your pre-trip endurance by power walking, but if you are high-spirited and need to go faster, this is the machine for you. Using the handles when working out also helps with your breath control.

These machines also tend to have several different types of workouts programmed into their systems which will change the incline, the focus on your upper or lower body, your speed, reversing to working out backwards, or have a cardio option where you keep your heart rate up that the system will adapt to your level. There are also other options that just the basic elliptical machine; there are Octanes, which have even more options to utilize in your workout, and Arc Trainers, which will show you just how out of shape you are the first time you try it! 

Now that we've covered these gym machines, are there any others that are good to use? Yes, there are!

Stair Machines

A lot of gym regulars avoid these machines because they're tough, but they're also one of the best you can utilize before a trip. Why? Because you may be exploring buildings that have winding stairways! And here's a personal example:

The above pictures are taken at the Wallace Monument in Stirling, Scotland. This tower is just slightly taller than the Statue of Liberty, and has a staircase made up of 246 stairs to the top! You will notice that in the lower right picture, I'm looking a little haggard and not wearing my jacket. Believe me, even though I was in decent shape during this trip and had high endurance, walking those 246 stairs winding up that high was quite the workout!

Now, you may say, this is just one monument, and you made the choice to go to that venue. Not necessarily. In many other countries outside of the U.S., the main mode of transportation is walking. And this means that there are stairs everywhere! Some of them are in everyday areas, like this example:

To the left is the track for the Funiculaire de Montmarte, a small tram (not pictured) that bypasses this several tier stairway that leads to the Sacre Coeur in Paris. I went up those stairs, and I'm telling you, they are brutal. I was with a group during this excursion, and about 3/4s of us chose to take the stairs instead of taking the tram. All of us, no matter what physical shape we were in, were huffing and puffing at different levels by the time we reached the top. And the crazy thing? There were locals actually running up and down those stairs like it was nothing!

The point is, you never know if you're going to encounter crazy long stairways or inclines where you go. By exercising on the stair stepper, you can take the incentive to prepare yourself for rough treks such as these. One of the benefits to this particular machine is also that you can take this exercise at a slow speed and still kick your butt. Once you feel more comfortable at slow speeds, you can increase your speed as you see fit and help prepare your body for those stairways of varying lengths.

Or you can just pull a Rocky and hit up stairways where you can find them!

Hiking

With international travel tragically off the agenda for this year, I found a replacement so that I could explore California and Nevada more: hiking. And I'm telling you, I should have picked this hobby up when I made the commitment to international travel. What a wonder it's done for me!

Hello from 8300 ft. on the Nevada side of the Tahoe Rim Trail!

I took up this outdoor activity for the Trailblaze Challenge with the Make-A-Wish Foundation, and to prepare for the distance, a friend and I walked 10 miles non-stop, which took us exactly 3 hours, and left me sprawling on my living room floor for the rest of the night. Afterwards, I began hiking to train for the challenge at least once a week, and every week the hikes were longer and more rigorous. Before I knew it, I was hiking 10 miles and barely feeling tired!

Hiking is a near ideal exercise to prepare you for travel, provided you don't push yourself beyond your limits. If you choose to give this activity a try, here are a few factors to consider:

Hiking Apps

There are several highly rated hiking apps that you can download to help you find your ideal spots to explore. Most of these apps feature customizable searches so that you can find the trail that best suits your level and tastes. Want to hike the mountains? Or find a waterfall? Or wander loop trails that pass by several different lakes? Download an app for that!

The app that I use is AllTrails, and I will be using it for the section as a reference. There are other apps available that are just as good, so feel free to look for one that suits your preferences best.

Length

When you begin hiking, start yourself off easy, preferably after you begin walking for longer periods of time. Once you feel comfortable walking longer spans than normal, try to find hikes within your area that are no more than 3 miles in length. You may be able to walk far more than 3 miles at this point, but there is a big difference between walking roads and pathways versus hiking trails.

Beginning with a hike that's at least 3 miles is a good way to allow your body to experience more strenuous walks. After completing this hike, take a moment to evaluate your level of exhaustion and strain. If your body can handle this length, feel free to increase your next hike by another mile or two. If you were barely able to handle that 3-mile hike, find another 3-mile hike to try and see how well you adjust to that one.

Keep in mind that if hiking is too much for your body to handle that it's just fine to skip it and stick with a stair stepping machine or elliptical instead.

Difficulty Level

The AllTrails app categorizes its hike by three difficulty levels: easy, moderate, and hard. By this standard, you should always begin your first hike at the easy level. Depending on your current endurance level, focus on extending the length of your easy trails before upping the difficulty level.

It may take several weeks to reach a level of relative ease doing these low-difficulty hikes, but in preparation for your trip, it's best to make sure your body is ready to accept the challenge of rougher terrains. When you're ready to take on a moderate level hike, start yourself off which a shorter length trail so that you don't overdo your physical limit.

These moderate difficulty hikes should be enough for you to train on to build your endurance before your trip. Moderate difficulty hikes tend to feature a fair number of inclines and hills that will test your stamina but, if your body is up to the challenge, will make you stronger and more physically able to handle any city or country you'll be exploring by foot.

As for hard levels, I would reserve those only for the trips you'll be taking that will include hiking or backpacking, such as a trip to the Andes or Alps. Increasing your endurance is most important, and the harder the hike, the greater the risk there is for injuries, and the last thing you need to do is hurt your feet, ankles, or knees. But, if you're the adventurous type like me and want to continue hiking even after your trip, wait until you return to start tackling these hard ones.

Traffic

Hiking is a rather popular hobby these days, and there are some trails that are going to have a lot of people. If you're preparing for a trip where you will be going with other people, you needn't worry about the traffic as much. It's when you're planning to travel solo that you should take pedestrian and hiker traffic more seriously.

AllTrails always includes on the hike descriptions the type of traffic you can expect in the same three levels as it does with difficulty: lightly, moderately, or heavily trafficked. In the event you're preparing to travel solo, allow your first few hikes to be done on heavily or moderately trafficked trails so that you feel more comfortable. But after your comfort level rises, you should start moving on to lightly trafficked trails.

Hiking alone is a wonderful way of preparing you for solo travel. It may be frightening on many understandable levels, but if you're going to be traveling anywhere by yourself, then you should allow yourself to experience being alone in an unfamiliar area so that you can develop self-reliance. It's also nice because hiking alone tends to only last a few hours, whereas taking a solo road trip tends to take much longer. 

Following lightly-trafficked trails will help to increase your individual strength, develop your ability to pay attention to your surroundings, allow you to listen to your gut instincts around local wildlife, and how to retrace your steps if you wind up losing your trail. 

Costs

Something I hadn't considered at the time of taking up hiking is that it can be a pricey little hobby to have. So, if you're strapped for cash before your trip but still want to try out hiking to build your endurance level, try to find local hikes first so that you don't have to pay so much for gas. Also consult both your hiking app and the internet on your hike to see if there's a fee for parking or a day permit required to venture into your area of choice.

Once these pre-hike costs are checked off, focus on the most important part of your hike: water. I did some research on the subject, and most of the sites I checked advised that you have at least 1 liter of water on you for every 2 hours you plan to hike, whereas the hikers I spent time with told me that they planned for 2 liters of water for every 5 miles they planned to hike. When I hike, depending on how warm it is, I will usually bring about 3 liters of water split between a hydration pack and a reusable water bottle, which at least one other bottle of Gatorade. 

If you don't have any reusable water bottles (as I covered their importance in a previous blog), consider the cost of investing in them, or if you want to go the route of a hydration pack, which could get a little expensive.

Then there are other costs to take into consideration. I have covered shoes and hiking low intensity trails would be a good way of helping to break in new shoes or boots before leaving. There there's the snacks, which you should not be without when you venture out into wilderness areas. And there's also gear. Do you have the right hiking clothing and equipment? Do you have bug spray?

While hiking is easily one of the best pre-trip exercises to take on before leaving, it could be costly. Make sure that if you are willing to try this one out that you do consider the financial cost.

Cooling Down with Stretching

I learned this little tidbit of information several weeks into my hiking excursions. Whenever you do a workout class, or do an online workout, a good instructor will spend several minutes helping to bring your heart rate down with a cooldown involving stretches. 

After you hike, no matter the length or difficulty, take time to stretch. And I don't just mean your legs, I mean your arms, back, and shoulders too. Hiking works more of your body than most people realize, and if you're unaccustomed to hiking, stretching your muscles afterwards will leave you feeling less stiff and tight, especially if you have a long drive back home. Stretching will also aid in your recovery time so that you can take on your next endurance building workout sooner. Just make sure to allow yourself a minimum of 24 hours without doing any major workouts to allow for your body to heal from its new excursion.

Line Dancing

Wait, didn't you say earlier that dance was a bad idea?

I did, but I specified with "cardio dance." Cardio dance is an enhanced form of dance meant for HIIT workouts, focusing on fat burning and body sculpting. Line dancing, on the other hand, is low impact form of dance that will not only acquaint you with dancing as a whole but will prepare you for cultural immersion as well.

I have participated in dances in Ireland, a ceilidh in Scotland, and have been to several cultural festivals here in the States, ranging from Peruvian to Jewish, and have observed from these that many cultures usually have at least one form of line dancing that is relatively simple and is often taught to foreigners and tourists. If you're unaccustomed to dancing, then start with line dancing, because if you want to ingratiate yourself into local customs, dancing is often the most accessible!

Now the American form line dancing is usually associated with more country western styles, but the overall format of this style is rather universal, which is in its name: dancing in a line. From what I've observed, many countries have at least one form of line dancing. In many areas featuring cultural immersion, they will teach these line dances to visitors, and are of often comprised of two lines of dancers facing each other. By taking time to study line dancing, you are giving yourself the minimal preparation to learn another country's dances.

Dancing is almost always a part of a country's culture, and you will probably be invited to partake at one tourist venue or another (not in clubs though). Building your endurance by taking line dancing lessons will help bring your body into a dance-ready state if you aren't someone who dances often. And believe me, you will work up a sweat when you dance! You will do this country's culture great honor if you can keep up with their form of line dance.

As mentioned in hiking, this is an activity that can cut into trip budget if you're low on cash. Never fear, for we have access to a wonderful little site called YouTube! You can find free line dancing videos there, and if you want to go the extra mile, you can also look up your country of choice's forms of dance and study from there! And employ the subtitles if the videos are in that country's native language!

A Healthier Conclusion

Having a higher endurance level, as said multiple times, is one of the best physical ways you can enjoy your trip. And once you develop healthier habits, they can become part of your regular routine and help make you a stronger person overall! The longer your body can endure, the more activities and feats you can conquer when you're out there in the world. Isn't it amazing at the many ways that travel can enhance your life?

At the very least, if you don't have the time or money to spare to try all of the above exercises, focus on the walking. Remember that the more miles you can conquer before your trip, the longer you'll last.

So, what's to come next month? Since some countries are starting to open their borders to tourists again, I've decided to focus on how you should handle your first day in a foreign country by yourself. In the meantime, please stay safe, and hopefully we'll be back out in the world soon!

Familiarizing Yourself with the Foreign Country You're About to Visit

You're ready to travel outside your home country by yourself! Exciting, ain't it?

Now as crazy and liberating a decision this is, it's also one that you shouldn't just jump into without knowing about the country or countries you're going to be visiting. If you're going on a guided tour, you'll be learning about the countries on the agenda so long as you're on the trip, but it's still beneficial to know a few things about these places. And if you're planning on going it alone, it's absolutely imperative that you know something about the culture of the countries you'll be visiting.

So, where do you start when delving into the information about your destination?

Today we're going to look into some different methods of familiarizing yourself with the countries you'll be visiting. Some of these items will seem obvious, while others could come off as unorthodox. Remember that everything that makes my list is what has worked for me, so if you are a traveler yourself or looking to become one, you may come up with different methods of preparation. But that's one of the beautiful things about traveling: it opens you up to new experiences so that you can grow as a person.

Before we begin, most of the examples I will be using will be from the UK and Ireland, mostly because I spent extended amounts of time there. So if it seems like I'm favoring them more, that's why!

And now, let's set a course of action and set off into a different world!

History

Yeah, we'll start with the obvious choice. If you're going to spend more than a few days in one country, it's usually best to know a little something about the place.

Exhibit A in what you DON'T want to come off as

It's up to you to decide how you want to research this country. There's the tried and true method of doing a basic search through your favorite search engine and checking historical sites, or even just Wikipedia. But for the best resources, try to find sites that are from the actual country itself. Especially if they're a non-English speaking country. Thankfully, most websites today have translation algorithms so that you can read from that particular site.

The reason behind this is that for the most relevant and up to date information, selecting American websites to look at the history of another country will be far less informative because, let's face it, they're a different country. There may be American historians out there who have spent time in the country they're an expert on that do provide relevant info, but generic history sites won't have what you need.

And keep in mind that doing just the bare minimum of research is usually just enough when you reach your destination, your tour guides and hosts will tell you the history and significance of your locations. Be ready to have an open mind to hear this country's history without allowing what you learned beforehand to taint your understanding. Travel isn't just about being in foreign locations, it's also about learning about a different culture, and that includes their story.

In that regard, travel is a wonderful way for you to learn how to become truly open-minded.

Religion

Some areas in the world may seem to be utter no-brainers when it comes to this topic, but in reality, you should always check on what the dominant religion is in your destination. It may surprise you. And not only that, every country has different levels of religious traditions.

In Israel, a country that whose primary religion is Judaism, there will be many churches and synagogues open for tourists to come visit. However, some of these religious sites will require their visitors to have their heads covered if they would like to enter the building. If you are a single woman going to visit this country, I would highly suggest keeping a scarf with you at all times if you aren't the type to wear hats when you're traveling.

A different example would be countries whose primary religion is Catholicism. Let's use two examples of these countries: Ireland and Italy. When I visited Catholic churches and cathedrals in Ireland, there were no head covering requirements, and clothing, so long as you were decently covered, wasn't that big of an issue. Then there's Italy, where, if you want to go into the Sistine Chapel or visit many of their churches, you must have your knees covered. There will even be signs outside of these tourist attractions that will tell you that they won't admit you if your knees are exposed. I missed out on one in Florence because I was wearing shorts!

There are many countries out there that practice the same religions but have different means of exercising those beliefs. Regardless of your religious beliefs or lack thereof, it's best to show respect to these people and what they believe. You probably will come across locals who will try to convert you, but it's fine to politely inform these people that you aren't interested. There's a difference between being respectful of a country's belief system and allowing yourself to be conformed.

Music

Believe it or not, many foreign countries will still have popular American music playing wherever you go. That being said, if you take the time to listen to the country's music, you'll find yourself not only familiarizing yourself with their sounds, but often their culture as well.

Before I went to Ireland and Scotland, I delved into the genre that is Celtic music and found some artists that I absolutely fell in love with. As I studied Irish music more, I found that much of their history is sung about, from their folk heroes, to their battles against the English, and the families that left their country. Yes, they have many songs about drinking as well, but their music conveys a deep love for their homeland, which is also felt when you visit the country for yourself.

As for the Scottish music, I wasn't as lucky in finding popular music from their country since the majority of the Celtic music I found was from Ireland. What I did find though was one band in particular that I liked: Runrig. Now I have an older car that still has a CD player, so I buy CDs when I go to other countries. While visiting Scotland, we were at the Isle of Skye, and I found a small music shop that sold nothing but Scottish music albums. I found two Runrig CDs that I wanted to buy and opted for their "Stamping Ground" album. When I presented it to the cashier, he expressed that he was impressed that I not only knew who one of the country's favorite bands were, but that I was buying their best album.

Another reason to look into a country's native music and groups is because many of them are laden with historical tidbits. You may have noticed how I constantly reference the band Gaelic Storm in my blog. This reason isn't just because they're one of my favorite bands (did you know they were the Irish band in 3rd class in the movie Titanic?), but also that many of the things I wanted to experience in Ireland I learned from their songs! I've already blogged about the bachelorette parties in Galway and I've made mention of the Matchmaking Festival in Lisdoonvarna, both of which I learned about by listening to their music! And there are a few other items on my Irish bucket list to check out that I was introduced to by their music. By researching a country's most popular native bands and music, you may learn fun facts about the country that you'll want to experience for yourself!

When you show that you know and appreciate the music of the country you're visiting, you tend to develop a certain level of respect from the locals. From personal experience, I would say that it demonstrates that you aren't just visiting this country just as a tourist, but that you want to learn and understand their country and culture.

Never underestimate the power of music!

Comedy

Comedy is actually one of the best ways to familiarize yourself with the country of your choice. Comedians are often times the best sources for finding out about political stances in their homeland, crazy history stories, odd quirks about their culture, and how they are treated when they tour different countries. What else is interesting is how they often express their viewpoints on other countries, which sometimes reflects the country's views as well.

Take for my first example, a comedian I found from Scotland: Danny Bhoy. This Scottish/Indian entertainer does a wonderful job of pointing out the idiosyncrasies of Scottish culture and comes up with the craziest ways to explain the actions of the Scots.

Let's look at another comedian. This time, we're looking further south and going with a British comic named Russell Howard. Russell doesn't think that British accents are particularly sexy and does this brief bit on why British accents from all over his country are the least sexy thing you can come across. While reading a passage from Fifty Shades of Gray.

If you aren't familiar with this horrendous book, please be forewarned that this piece of trash that somehow passes for literature is not for children. But the line Russell adds at 1.30 makes the whole thing worth it!

Keeping on the British train, if you can find comedy panel shows that take on current events, you can educate yourself on what subjects are important at present. An English show that does just that is Mock the Week, which also features a Whose Line is it Anyway? styled game of "Things we'd like to see" and "Unlikely things..." that are quite a laugh! Here's a clip of one such game tackling the subject of trains, one of the most common means of transportation throughout the UK and Europe.

With comics like these, you can experience for yourself the unique ways that daily life or social commentaries are handled with humor in different countries. You will also come across phrases and terms you aren't familiar with that you can take note of and look up afterwards so that you can understand the vernacular and not look like an ignorant tourist.

Language

Notice that what I'm saying here is language, and not accent. Take it from a trained actress and improv performer whose strengths are in character voices and hopes to break into voice acting someday: do not try faking the local accent! You will only appear to be mocking these local peoples, and they will not appreciate that! Seriously, here's an example of how you'll look, even if you are trained like me:

Just catch the first 15 seconds of this clip, and watch for Iain de Caestecker's reaction. Seriously, how has that actor not gotten an Emmy nomination yet?

Learning common phrases, on the other hand, are often appreciated by the locals. If you already know the language, way to go! But if you're like me and it's difficult to understand languages that uses a different syntax from English, just pick a few lines to show that you're trying to embrace the culture.

Funnily enough, I have a personal example to use for this. I read travel articles whenever I can, and I often came across the tidbit that many French people don't like Americans. While going through France, my group's tour guide suggested that they appreciate it when Americans try to speak French so long as they keep it simple. So everywhere I went, whenever I interacted with the French, I would smile and say bonjour, which would either be accepted as it was, or reciprocated with a smile.

Thankfully, there are also translator apps out there that you can download to your phone to assist you when going through foreign countries. Just make sure that if you do choose one of those apps that you have the appropriate cell phone plan!

And this is an exceptionally important point too: if the country you're visiting is an English speaking country, they're going to have different lingo than Americans!

I would highly advise that before you visit a foreign country that speaks English to look into what words are considered to be profanity there. You'd be surprised to find what basic words you may use in everyday life that may be considered rude where you're at. In my group travels through Europe, I've traveled with many Australians, and I've learn from them that using the term "stuffed" is equivalent to an F-bomb (which is also why I like inserting that word when I'm allowed to improv while performing!). 

Then there's non-verbal language to look into as well. Many people across the US like to flash the two-finger peace sign in their pictures, and often in other countries. Now here's what a peace sign looks like:

And here's what the British equivalent of the middle finger looks like:

The classiest "f-you!" you'll ever come across

I've noticed this little error across many of my friends' social media pages. Even I've been guilty of this one a time or two. If you're going to flash a peace sign, already remember that your thumb points outward. You do it with the back of your hand exposed in England, and you're going to offend someone.

Just because a culture uses the same language as you doesn't mean that the culture is going to be the same too. Do your homework and find out what words and gestures are taboo where you're going so you can avoid pissing off the wrong people. If you want to be a solo traveler, one of the best things you can do is get in good with the locals. Taking the time to educate yourself on what may be inappropriate in another country also shows a huge amount of respect for those people.

Currency

This is another big one, especially when it comes to Europe. Most European countries are associated with the EU these days, and by default, those countries use the euro as their main form of currency. Right?

Not all countries in the EU use the euro. In fact, there are 8 countries total in the EU that still use their own form of currency. And sometimes that comes in super handy when it comes to the exchange rate! And then there are European countries that aren't even part of the EU. Make sure you know which ones you travel to in case you need to exchange for another form of currency.

I made the mistake of not double checking this when I went to Switzerland. Of course, I was aware that they are a neutral country, but for some reason, it didn't occur to me that they might not use the euro. Sure enough, when I got there, I learned that they used Swiss francs, which I had none of! Thankfully, I was able to procure some, but it was rather embarrassing that I didn't check first.

As for the UK, all the countries involved using the pound, or GPB, but Scotland made a point of using their own version of the pound. Their bills, instead of featuring pictures of the Queen, have pictures of their folk heroes and kings, such as Robert the Bruce. As of this year, they have added pictures of famous Scottish women to some of their bills. This cash can be used exclusively in Scotland but isn't always accepted outside of the country, so keep that in mind if you're traveling from Scotland into any other part of the UK. For a fun example, have a listen to Michael McIntyre!

It's also important to keep an eye on the exchange rate because you never know if that particular country will have a sudden drop in value so that you can obtain more of their money for less of yours. And made the trade before you leave for the country by using a bank or currency exchange locations. You can also take American cash with you to the country of your choice where it may have more value. Just don't do the exchange at the airport!

And now you know!

There are plenty of ways to prepare yourself for another country and culture, not the least of which is speaking to friends who have been there or maybe have emigrated from that country. You can also check out movies and TV shows that were produced by film and TV makers in that region or shows that take place in that country that the same country highly values, among other things.

The show Outlander has had a massive affect on the Scots, and...and...

I'm sorry, where was I going with this?

The point is that by going to a country to learn rather than to just tour is what will make your experience more rewarding overall. And one of the best things you can do before you go is to do your research. Learn about these people and their customs. Indulge in their popular culture and folklore to find what aspects you like best. Listen to their languages and teach yourself a few phrases. Have questions about the country that you would like to have answered when you go there.

Above all, be ready to allow yourself to be immersed in a place that's not your home. When you do, you find that your entire mindset can change! That's definitely a trait we need to see more of in the world today.

I hope this helps! This post was a little late in coming, so my next post will be inspired why the reason I didn't have as much time to write this month. I'll be posting about how to get into physical shape before your trip. If you want to make it far on your solo traveling, you must have the stamina and endurance to cover as much ground as possible!

Thank you for reading, and here's hoping we can travel again soon!

Crazy, Silly, and It Could Only Happen to Me: Travel Tales!

First of all, I'd like to thank you for actively reading my blog and keeping up with my posts. I've told you lovely readers enough about what to do for solo travels, so how about some stories from my travels?

Listen well, friends! Every traveler is different and will have amazing experiences based on their preferences. Some travel to party, some to delve into history, and others to submerge themselves in a different culture. I tend to be more of the latter, so my best experiences tend to be the ones where I feel absorbed in the place I'm visiting. But don't worry, there are plenty of short stories I can share about my adventures that will hopefully inspire you to give solo or at least travel in general a chance!

Enjoy my stories, and hopefully soon more will come!

My new napping spot - England

I had my first ever travel experience when I was 11, which was a 2-day stay in England followed by another 11 days in Israel. Being only a kid at the time, I didn't handle the jet lag well at all. I spent a good part of my day in London nodding off everywhere, despite us visiting wonderful tourist landmarks including Buckingham Palace, the Tower of London, and the British Museum.

It was at the British Museum that I got to touch the Rosetta Stone before it was encased in glass and view the original manuscripts for Jane Austen's work and the sheet music of several Beatles songs. Then I leaned up against a display case and promptly passed out for a minute or two.

When my dad woke me up, he told me that I'd fallen asleep on the Magna Carta. 

The last two times I've been to London I've tried to revisit my napping spot but have failed since it was relocated to the British Library. This means I'll have to go back and try again!

There are souvenirs, and then there are Souvenirs - Israel

Continuing from the previous story, we arrived in Israel and started our journey from Tel Aviv and went northeast. Early into our trip we stopped at Beit She'an and visited the amphitheater. Being a kid who loved Indiana Jones, I wanted to take home a souvenir that could possibly be put into a museum. So, I found a large chunk of marble that looked like it was a piece of an old Roman column and took it home with me.

Once we got back to the hotel, I stashed that piece of column safely in my suitcase where I made sure it wouldn't break. I kept it safe until the trip ended and we went to the airport. This being Israel and their having major security detail even in the late 90s, we had to open our luggage for inspection before our suitcases were stowed away.

Sure enough, the security guard happened to spot the piece of column and took a good look at it. And what did he do? He just said to cute little 11-year-old me, "that's a good piece." And continued with his job. I essentially was given the ok to take a piece of history out of a country.

I still got it!

Thanks, Israeli security guard!

Crashing a bachelorette party - Ireland

Though I briefly mentioned this one in my first post, I figured now would be a good time to go into the details of what happened. I found out after seeing one of my favorite bands, Gaelic Storm, in concert, that Saturday nights in Galway, Ireland, are notorious for their bachelorette, or "hen," parties.

My second trip to Ireland had our group staying in Killarney on a Saturday night, one night too early for us to be in Galway, which we would be stopping by the next day. However, I learned this night that these hen parties weren't exclusive to Galway because I counted 6 in the city that night! The hotel we stayed at was directly in the city center and was set up right along a pedestrian street. This night, a stage was set up so that a local band could play . There was one hen party going on inside the hotel restaurant that seemed rather low-key and formal (although one attendee brought along a blowup doll), but there was a rambunctious one happening in the pedestrian street.

After enjoying a cider, I split from my group and decided to join in on the bachelorette party. They were dancing and cheering, but most importantly, they were already drunk and didn't notice for a while that someone else had joined them!

I decided to reveal myself soon enough and asked the bride-to-be for a selfie, which she was more than happy to call her girls in for. I took the shot, congratulated her, and then moved on to see if I could crash any other parties. Unfortunately, the other parties going through the city were more formal and I would've stuck out like a sore thumb, but I was beyond satisfied that I had successfully crashed one for a few minutes.

It was the next time I visited Ireland that I would spend a Saturday night in Galway. I ran into several bachelorette parties, but it was too early in the night for them to be rambunctious enough for me to join in. Guess I'll have to go back and try again!

Here's one of the parties I tried to crash in Galway, but they weren't drunk yet

This could only happen to me - Northern Ireland

In case you were unaware, I'm quite a geek, and always have been. On my third trip to Ireland, the first half was done with a Contiki tour. Halfway through the tour, we crossed the border from the Republic of Ireland into Northern Ireland and stopped in the city of Derry and had some time to explore. I went in search of the latest High Kings CD and after succeeding, went to a nearby mall to look around.

And as I wandered just to see what a mall in Northern Ireland looked like, I came across some Irish cosplayers dressed up as Storm Troopers. I swear, this could only happen to me: looking around a foreign country and finding other nerds without even trying. They insisted I handle the light saber too!

Join the Dark Side, we have Irishmen!

I guess you could say, the Force is strong with me. Speaking of which...

Call of the nerds - England

...I mentioned once before that I got lost in London on my first full day there. I decided to stop for some coffee at a Caffe Nero at one point so I could access the Wi-Fi to find out where I was. I wound up near two young men discussing Star Wars at the table next to me.

Once again, I was readily accepted into foreign nerd culture and spent a decent amount of time discussing the original trilogy and the prequels with these two lads. I also asked if they could direct me toward the Globe Theater, but all they could offer was to follow the Thames. It was so cool to connect with geeks on a global level!

Meet Alex and Tom!

Going anime at the Leaning Tower of Pisa - Italy

The Leaning Tower of Pisa is one of the few places in the world where just about every single tourist regardless of what country they come from has the same mindset:

"Hey look, I'm holding up this tower!"

Fun, but everyone who comes to this landmark more or less does the same thing. If you're clever enough, you can come up with other ways to utilize the tower's gravity defying structure to be totally unique. Now I don't know how unique this would make me, but I decided I wanted to do something other than holding the tower up like everyone else.

So, I did this:

Hadouken added after the shot was taken

I'm not really much for anime, but for some reason the idea of doing a hadouken just seemed like fun. So I did it! Maybe one of these days I'll have someone Photoshop an actual energy blast in there, but until then, I channeled my inner Street Fighter and gave it the best pose I could!

The TSA and I both failed - California, Washington

I booked my first ever solo flight to Seattle when I was 28 and was super nervous about it. Having not flown in 13 years also added to that apprehension. To ensure that I wouldn't have any trouble with my carry-on luggage or TSA, I made sure to remove anything from my bags that could be confiscated as a prohibited item.

So paranoid was I that of course missed something!

However, as I went through TSA and airport security, I had no issues at all. My bags went through the scanners without being subject to a search, nothing was on my person, and the agents were all very polite. I boarded my flight, landed safely in Seattle, and was picked up by my uncle, whom I was there to visit along with my aunt.

As he was driving me to his place, I decided to remove my keys from my bag and put them in my duffel since I wouldn't be needing them. As I took them out, I suddenly yelped. My uncle asked what was wrong, and I showed him my keys.

I had left my pepper spray on my key ring, which was prohibited in carry-on luggage! Somehow, I had forgotten to remove the most dangerous of my purse items and the TSA didn't catch it!

Needless to say, the spray stayed behind in Seattle.

Ever partied in a bomb shelter? - Switzerland

I sadly didn't get to spend as much time in Switzerland as I'd have wished to, but what a country! Our group stayed at a chalet located on a campground in Lauterbrunnen, which just so happened to have a bomb shelter on its lowest level.

Since there's been no need for bomb shelters for a while, this bomb shelter was converted into a bar!

Ever seen so many people wearing beanies?

The bar had limited options on their drink menu, but there was plenty of room to dance and party, and a Nintendo 64 emulator hooked up! Obviously, the partying took precedence, so our group, along with other groups staying at the same chalet, enjoyed a "Swissco Disco," in which we all showed up wearing Switzerland beanies.

I'm telling you, partying in a converted bomb shelter really does feel more badass than it should. We all had a great time down there.

Oh yeah, and being the geek I am, I slaughtered both a bartender and another guy in our group at N64 Mario Kart. Earned a free drink for one of those victories!

I've become my mother! - Ireland

My sister and I finally made it the Cliffs of Moher in our trip to Ireland. We began our exploration of this majestic site at Hag's Head and made our way north toward the visitor's center. Right as we reach the cliffs, I notice that there are three main paths: one against the fenced pasture blocking off the property hugging the cliffs, another a safe distance away from the cliff edge, and one right up against the edge.

Immediately, my sister goes straight for the path right up against the edge. Being the big sister that I am, my first instinct was to yell, "don't walk too close to the edge!" Then I paused and thought to myself, "hey wait, mom's not here!" I followed after her instead with, "wait for me!"

We kept to the cliff edge for the majority of our hike.

My next adventure at the Cliffs of Moher - Ireland

Having completed the Hag's Head Trail at the Cliffs on my previous trip, it was my intention to finish the trail going north. However, our group was only allowed 2 hours to explore since it was October and a bit dismal outside. I wasted no time in running up to O'Brien Castle and then taking the trail north, but sadly not making it far due to the lack of time allotted.

So why did this story make this post? Well, here's why:

They had fenced off the trail, and I hopped the fence.

In my defense, that fence really wasn't much of a barrier, and others (as you can see) had hopped it as well. But everyone else in my group was either appalled or impressed that I went on despite the landslides!

The next time I went I still may not have made to the end of the trail, but I did make it further north since it was August and we had more time to explore.

Falling is no joke!

Reenacting a scene from our favorite movie! - New York 

I took a trip to New York to attend a Newsies rally, organized by a fan of the original movie (not the Broadway show, which is amazing, but there's a HUGE difference between the two fanbases). Our rally was to meet in front of the NYC City Hall, from where we would cross the Brooklyn Bridge to see other historical sites from the movie.

One of the iconic scenes from Newsies is when Jack and Boots lean over the side of the Brooklyn Bridge and scream off the side of it for kicks and giggles as the camera pans away for a wide shot of the bridge circa 1899. So, what do a group of fans who have been involved with this base for over 20 years do?

You guessed it! Reenact that very scene!

Obviously, it didn't have the same effect as the film did, but it was still insanely cool to do this at the site. Even better, one of the girls in the group had director Kenny Ortega's phone number and sent him this video, which he absolutely loved! Too bad I shot the video and wasn't in it, but oh well! I love my fellow Newsies fans.

Always there for my mates! - Scotland

I loved Scotland, but unfortunately my experience was dampened due to being allergic to something out there and spending much of my time sneezing. Now this being a Contiki tour, I was assigned a roommate, and she and I got along pretty well!

During our first day in Edinburgh, my roomie kept asking me to remind her what room number we were in at our hotel. She and I split off for different activities in the city since it was during the Fringe Festival, and I had to call it a night early because all the sneezing was wearing me out in addition to some slight jet lag. As I was getting ready for bed, I became concerned that my roomie wouldn't remember which room we were in.

A normal person probably would've shot them an IM or text message, but all the sneezing was making my brain fuzzy. So instead, I did this:

Sure enough, that worked! When we had breakfast the next morning, she thanked me very emphatically for what I did, and the story spread a bit through our group because it was such an unorthodox thing to do. 

A few months later, Contiki's Facebook page posted about the best stories involving traveler's roommates, and this got posted:

I may be a solo traveler, but experiences like this are priceless.

I could never play an instrument...until now - Ireland

We went to Taylor's Three Rock Pub for their cabaret night of dinner and entertainment, with comedy, music and dance acts. In this particular group, I was the only young woman below forty that wasn't traveling with anyone else (the other girl was in her late teens and traveling with her grandparents). At one point, some of the dancers went into the audience to bring people onstage for an impromptu performance.

Guess who got invited onstage by a sexy dancer?

Could you say no to a dancer that adorable????

That adorable lad invited me to join them onstage, and everyone in my group excitedly urged me to go, which I would've done without the urging since I'm an actress and was thrilled at the idea of becoming an international performer. He took me by the hand and led me to one side of the stage where another audience member selected by one of the girl dancers was brought up as well. I was handed a tambourine, and he was handed a bodhrán, as seen being played in the picture above by the musician next to the dancer. 

This is my proof I was onstage. Others in my group took pics and video but I forgot to remind them to send them to me. Am I a moron or what?

Having a little experience with the tambourine, I was able to keep up with the music fairly well, while the other guest (seen leaving the stage in that picture up there) was having a hard time figuring out how to use the bodhrán. After the one song, the instruments were switched at I got to play the bodhrán. And guess what? I PLAYED THE FRICKIN' THING.

The song they had selected to play was the popular Irish song, "Whiskey in the Jar," which I was very well acquainted with. So, I knew the music and the beat and somehow was able to play along! All this time I'd thought I had no musical ability, but while I was up there, I was able to play an instrument I'd never laid hands on before. I was so amazed at what I was doing and excited to be performing in a foreign country that I just had a ball up here.

When the song was over, I got a standing ovation from some of the other patrons, and even the entertainers were impressed and told me so after the show! I left the stage in one of my most triumphant moments in my life, and was told by one of the other guys in my group that while I was up onstage, I "brought everyone up there with [me]."

To this day, I don't know how I did it. Nor can I play the bodhrán anymore!

A wish came true - France

I thought I'd save the best story for last.

My group had reached Paris on the final day of the Tour de France, which disrupted our plans a little bit but not so much that it was an issue. The next day was the last full day our group was together as well as our only full day in Paris. I was feeling a little melancholy after traveling with this great group of people and decided that I didn't want to explore the most romantic city in the world by myself.

Luckily, one of the other young men in our group invited me to join him at the Louvre.

Unfortunately, the Louvre was undergoing renovations and only allowing a certain number of guests in per day, so by the time we arrived they had already reached their limit. He and I decided to tour the grounds instead and explored the shopping center beneath the museum and the gardens outside, which were also a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

We poked fun at the statues along the paths and rode a few rides at the carnival just outside the grounds before we went to check out the fountains and gardens. My handsome escort suggested we toss coins into one of the fountains so we both took out coins to toss in at the same time. However, I tried flicking my coin in with my thumb, so his coin went in but mine flipped backward over my shoulder, which he thought was a hoot.

As he picked up my coin for me and handed it back, he teased me with, "ha ha, now your wish isn't going to come true." Not being one to be told something can't be done, I thought to myself, "wanna bet?" He then proceeded to show me how to properly flick the coin into the fountain with my index finger, so I made my wish, did as he instructed, and the coin went into the fountain.

Here's the fountain

It was after we'd had an extremely full day that we found ourselves outside of the O'Sullivan's By the Mill Bar that is settled right next door to the Moulin Rouge. My wish came true when that same young man kissed me right then and there.

He never knew that the wish I'd made when I tossed my coin was that he'd kiss me.

And those are my stories!

Of course, there are plenty more, but these are easily the best I've had. I hope to have new adventures soon so that I can do another list, but with the world the way it is right now, it may be a while. I will still take every opportunity to get out there and compile more stories, especially since I experienced the revelation that most of my best stories were ones of traveling with other people and not by myself.

Just because there really aren't many stories of my traveling alone doesn't mean that it's not a wonderful experience, but sometimes the best adventures come with the people you travel with. And when by yourself, I've found that sometimes words just can't express the feelings you had when you explore a foreign country.

So, what's coming next? Well, I think it would be best to put out a blog about what you need to do to prepare for the country you're about to visit. With the world slowly reopening again, foreign travel prices are super low and now is the time to start looking into where you want to go! And yes, I already know where I want to go and when, depending on the Covid situation.

Thank you for enjoying my stories, and may you have just as many to share when you get out into the world!

All photos were taken by me or with my personal devices. 

Gifs courtesy of Giphy