Out and About STYLE Magazine

5. SAY HELLO TO STRANGERS. I know your parents taught you
otherwise. But I am going to tell you that this is one time you
don’t have to listen to them. When my travel buddy got sick, I
had to go out on my own. A simple hello was all it took for me to
meet some very cool people. Along the way, my friend and I met
other travellers at restaurants, bus stations and at our hotels. We
exchanged experiences, advice and laughs. Some of these people
are now friends which means I have places to crash and people to
hang with in the future.
6. PUT THE PLAN IN YOUR BACK POCKET. Random experiences are
what have made my travels memorable. Getting in a cab and
driving 150km each way to see a waterfall in Oman, getting
on the back of a motorbike with a stranger, saying yes to dinner
with someone I met while walking in Istanbul. All unplanned and
unscheduled. Loads of fun and good memories. Man, do I have
some great stories to tell!
7. USE YOUR BRAIN AND TRUST YOUR GUTS. I love adventure
and will pretty much say yes to any opportunity/invitation for
adventure. When you travel, especially as a lady, you will get
many invitations to do things, i.e, spending the night with someone
(turned that one down). I’ve said yes to many things, but I’ve also
said no quite a few times because I didn’t get good vibes or things
just didn’t seem kosher. Use your brain and take the necessary
precautions to be safe. Trust your instincts — any slight feeling that
you shouldn’t do something must not be ignored.
8. GET OUT OF THAT BOX. Demolish those four self-erected corners
and get out there. Be willing to do things you would never normally
do. Eat something that you would never usually try. I ate silk worms
and crickets in Chiang Mai. Not as bad as one would think. The
point is, don’t limit yourself to things you’re comfortable or familiar
with. Travelling will present many opportunities to try new things.
Go for it! You may be pleasantly surprised.
9. BE YOURSELF. Authenticity is your best accessory. Those who will
like you, will and those who don’t, well, they can piss off. Lol.
Honestly, when you travel no one really cares what you wear or
how awesome your matching luggage is. I know I don’t. I care
about meeting people who come across as being genuine and
real. Those are the people I want to spend all day at the beach
with and drink Chang beer while sharing our crazy travel stories.
10. SMILE. You’re travelling for heaven’s sake. You’re a pretty lucky
cookie. Plus, people are drawn to smiling people and they will tell
you how beautiful you are. You’ll make friends and be invited to
share an elephant ride. It’s especially useful at hotels. The staff will
be glad to do anything to keep you smiling. Trust me, this really
works.
OKAY. THOSE ARE MY PEARLS OF TRAVEL WISDOM.
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