All posts filed under: Miscellaneous

From Getting Robbed In Bratislava, Slovakia, To Saying No To Making Generalizations: My Experience, As It Continues…

Published by Dev

Before you read the story, I request you to please read it till the end. Please do not leave it in between finding a negative tone against Slovaks, or the Eastern Europe at large… because that was never the intention, and just cannot be!  While planning my 2-month backpacking trip across 8 countries in Europe, and before I arrived in Bratislava, the capital town of the east-European country of Slovakia, a few people warned me about having my wits about the place. “You be careful walking along those streets; eastern Europe can be surprising,” they claimed. But I never cared much for their unsolicited advice. I mean for a person who had spent most of his life learning the art of self-defense, inside the crazy boundaries of a city like New Delhi, eastern Europe should be no problem, right? “I’ve seen worse,” I would carefully assure myself. To sometimes even brag about it a little, and sound more experienced, I would utter an experience or two from my solo backpacking trip in Southeast Asia, and Cambodia …

6 Biggest Travel Mistakes To Avoid

Published by Dev

Travel writers always give travel tips that talk about what to do when you travel. They are all must-see and must-do lists out there on internet. Go there, eat this and try that. But what about things to avoid, what about those tiny inevitable mistakes that sometimes create a momentary disappointment, and sometimes, big time blunders. From avoiding money exchange at airports, to avoiding traveller’s cheques, there are so many insignificant decisions that lead to nothing but wasted time and money. But the good thing is, with a little planning ahead, it’s easy enough to avoid these common mistakes, and enjoy your vacation better. I’ve made all these mistakes, but it is by doing them wrong in the past, I’ve learned how to make them right today. Hence, from my experiences, I’m sharing some of the common travel mistakes you should avoid to become a savvier traveller: Never Eat Near A Major Tourist Site The food near any major tourist site (I’m not talking about local night-markets or weekend markets, but other places of interest for a …

Want To Become A Frugal Backpacker? Learn To Sleep And Shit Anywhere!

Published by Dev

It’s not the appearance or the idea of lugging a 70L travel backpack, but your habits that make you a real, frugal backpacker! Frugal backpacking is more than just slinging a backpack over your shoulder, wearing the same shirt for a week, and doing laundry in sinks. It’s a way of living, of compromising with the worst imaginable situations, and yet, not complaining about them. I remember during my early days of travelling, how a few habits or the little insecurities of my mind made backpacking so difficult for me. Though I could easily travel in rickety buses and eat at someplace totally disgusting, I was still not a right fit. Every time I left home (or even before leaving) to have that grand adventure, I made sure that I find a roof at night and a shit-hole in the morning. And these habits always only curbed me from living my perpetual backpacking dream. It moreover curbed me from stepping out of the fray and travelling off the beaten path, because if you’re going to …

6 Reasons To Visit Genting Highlands While You Are In Malaysia

Published by Dev

Malaysia is one of those countries that can never disappoint a tourist. From Highlands that are a breath of clean, cool air; to mesmerizing islands; to new-age modern cities – Malaysia has something for everyone. But among all, if you’re looking for something that fits best to your few days of family holiday, just outside of Kuala Lumpur, look no further than the Genting Highlands. For those who don’t already know, Genting Highlands is approximately an hour drive from Kuala Lumpur and is nestled on a mountain peak! So expect really cooling weather. What else you can expect from Genting is a crazy theme park, a strawberry fun farm, mesmerizing cable car rides, some memorable shopping experiences… well, the list is long. But if I were to suggest the top experiences you should head to Genting Highlands for, as soon as you’re done with the bustling city of Kuala Lumpur, they would be these: A Ride In The Cable Car Though you can reach Genting Highland via your own car, the best way to get …

Travel Confession: I Hate Flying

Published by Dev

Before you make generalizations let me get this straight, I am not scared of flying.  I am not afraid that the aeroplane I’m flying with will fly into a mountain because of pilot error. Or that a Korean Navy ship decided that the Boeing flying above their head is an enemy aircraft and knocked it off by mistake. No, I don’t find flying a scary thing, and I feel perfectly normal even during the worst of all turbulence in the history of aircrafts. Moreover, I know flying is, by far, the safest mode of transportation available today. Yet every time I have to fly it scares the living shit out of me! Flying Only Seems More Dangerous Until I Actually Board The Flight The idea of missing a flight, arriving at the wrong airport, or worse, forgetting the passport, scares me to death. Because missing a flight, for no matter what reason, means losing a big chunk of your travel budget. During one of my recent trips to Southeast Asia, something similar happened, and the …

Top Signs That You Are A Backpacker At Heart

Published by Dev

Backpacking is more than just lugging a 70L rucksack on your back. It is a way of travelling, of feeling comforted even during the most uneasy conditions. And if you ever wondered whether or not you qualify as a savvy backpacker, now is the time to find out. If you do most of the things mentioned below, chances are you’re a true backpacker at heart: You always write down your parents’ address when asked for your permanent address. The occupation column on application forms leaves you confused. You have friends pretty much in every corner of the world. You love the idea of slow travel and getting lost in a new city. You sniff-check your clothes to find out whether they’re wearable or not. You can wear the same shirt for a week, and jeans for two weeks. A pleasant outdoor weather is more important to you than anything else. You do your laundry in the sink. There’s always a pouch of detergent in your bag. And a tissue roll. If surprisingly you find a …

Is Studying Abroad As Good An Experience As Travelling?

Published by Dev

“So how many years have you travelled for so far?” “Almost two. I quit my job to travel, in February 2015, and that’s where I’ve been ever since.” “And you said you lived in Scotland for a couple of years while studying, right? That makes it four years man, and not two.” I clearly remember how a small conversation with a fellow traveller made my day, during one of the evenings at Agonda, in South Goa. I suddenly felt proud, and moreover realised that I’d always underrated my travel stint. It really has been 4 years since I’ve been exploring the world. Though of course, I won’t consider myself a traveller for the time I lived in Scotland, but it wouldn’t be wrong, even if I did! When I’d initially moved to Scotland, to complete my master’s degree, there was nobody I knew there. Sure my sister stayed in England, some 700 kilometres in the South. But technically speaking, I was on my own, and in a land that I barely knew. And since it was my first life …