On Wanderlust: 2012

Monday, July 30, 2012

I'm a First Global!

“America’s young adults are the ‘First Globals,’ a term coined by the pollster John Zogby. The group of people born from 1979 to 1990 travel; they embrace and feel connected to other cultures; they want to make a difference.”

This quote is from Ross H. Palfreyman, author of the book Two Years in God’s Mormon Army. He also shares these fun facts about 22- to 33-year-olds:

• Two-thirds have passports. By comparison, according to officials from the U.S. Travel Association, less than one-third of all Americans – 30 percent – have passports. Two of five Globals say they expect to live and work in a foreign capital at some time in their lives.

• 270,000 young people studied abroad in 2009-10. In 1989-90, only about 30,000 did so, according to the International Institute of Education. While Western European countries are still their top destinations, students are increasingly choosing more far-flung locales, especially China and other Asian nations.

• They want to “make the world a better place to live." A study of 10,000 adults by Campbell & Co. fundraising consultants found this group is more likely than any other generation to cite world improvement as the key reason for their philanthropy. (They also give just as much as other generations.)

• They want to make a global impact. The Campbell study found they are most likely of all age groups to respond positively to messages that focus on the global impact of an organization's work.

I thought that was pretty cool :) Thanks to Ginny Grimsley at News and Experts for the information!

Friday, April 27, 2012

Solo Traveler Tips for Women

With all the travel I do, I've never truly done it solo. To me, it's such a sensory experience that it needs to be shared and analyzed with friends and loved ones. But I do have girlfriends who have traveled abroad solo, and to them I tip my hats.

These tips about traveling solo for women by Rachel Khona came my way, and I thought they'd be good to share. For more information, you can contact kelly at blinkpr dot com or visit Rachel's website at rachelkhona.com.

Ever want to climb Macchu Pichu, lay out on a beach in Thailand, or just take a road trip, but can't find anyone to go with? Solo travel is the answer!

I know what you're thinking. You'll be lonely, bored, it's dangerous, and only tough granola types travel by themselves. Au contraire. I’m 5'1 and I can't leave the house without a full face of makeup. If I could travel solo, anyone can. I've never been lonely or bored. On the contrary, I've had countless adventures and made many friends over the years with whom I've stayed in touch. One of my friends even met her future husband on a solo trip! And traveling solo is no more dangerous than walking around by yourself in your neighborhood.

Traveling solo makes you more approchable, not only to members of the opposite sex but friendly locals and fellow travelers as well. You'll also learn to hone in on your intuition. Without the chatter of someone else's opinion, you learn to rely on your own instincts, a skill that will serve you well in real life too. By relying on your inner strength, you'll have newfound confidence. But traveling solo is an art. If you want to make friends and not spend the entire time talking to yourself, you'll need a game plan.

1. Choose your locale wisely
Certain places attract more solo like-minded travelers than others. For example, if you're jonesing to head over to Central America, stay away from Cancun which, as spring break central, is geared towards large groups. On the flip side, a remote jungle town may not afford you the chance to meet many people as there won't be that many other travelers. Don't make the mistake of thinking you'll befriend all the locals. Keep in mind that while you're on vacation, they're just going about their daily lives. While they might be happy to have you over for dinner or treat you to drinks, they probably won't want to accompany you out every night. Instead, choose something in-between like Montezuma in Costa Rica, Sayulita in Mexico.

2. Eat at the Bar
Sure, it’s a simple way to order another drink, but that's not why you should do it. Eating at the bar provides an easy way to meet other solo diners as well as befriend the bartender who can clue you into the local scene and hook you up with free drinks. If you're staying in town for awhile, try to become a regular. You'll get better service and find it easier to make new friends.

3. Buy a guide geared towards solo travelers
Not all guidebooks are made the same. While families may do well with Frommers or Rick Steves, you're not going to get the lowdown on where other travelers congregate or where the best bars are. Likewise, pick up a Wallpaper guide only when you're hitting a big city with a friend or significant other. Swanky bars with $20 drinks are not exactly solo travel friendly. Try Lonely Planet or Rough Guides, two of the most popular guides used by solo travelers.

4. Be friendly and inquisitive
Step outside your comfort zone and talk to anyone and everyone who looks friendly. You'll find that the majority of other travelers are happy to strike up a convo and maybe even invite you to do things together. When I first landed in Costa Rica, I realized my only options to town were an $80 two hour cab ride or a $2 five hour bus ride. When I spotted a lost-looking gangly tall gringo, I knew immediately he was likely going to the same town I was. So I quickly started chatting him up. We ended up sharing a cab ride into town, I saved myself $40 and made a new friend.

5. Select a traveler-friendly hotel
A chain hotel is not your friend. Neither is a five star hotel. I learned the hard way my first time in Prague when I selected places to stay based on price and how nice their linens were. I ended up staying in places totally void of other solo travelers and ended up crying myself to sleep at night. When looking for a hotel, look for words like "lively", "friendly", and yes, even "party". These are the places where you're more likely to make friends. In addition to consulting your guidebook, check out tripadvisor.com and filter the reviews by solo traveler.

6. Engage in group activities
Sure, you could rent a bike and explore the town on your own, but then who would you meet? No one. Instead, join a group bike tour, a snorkeling expedition, or beer crawl. Tours and group activities are one of the easiest ways to make new friends. After going on a bike tour of Munich, I befriended a fellow traveler who accompanied me to a local beer hall. We ended up making friends with an older local couple who told us stories of surviving WW II.

Monday, January 02, 2012

2011...the final tally.

So, it looks like 2011 closes up with 23 cities. Starts with Atlanta, ends with New York City. Three different countries represented. All in all, a GREAT year!

I am SUPER excited to see what 2012 brings! Of course, I already have some great trips planned. Of course, my goal is to be good about blogging them. We'll see how this pans out.

I think I'll definitely do the sidebar again though -- because it's fun! And while I don't think I'll top 23 in 2012, it'll still be fun to see how it does compare.

2012...so it begins.