Everything You Need To Know About Shopping For Unique and Meaningful Travel Souvenirs

by Lindsay Shapka in , , ,

It is inevitable (unless you have A LOT of willpower) that you are going to bring back souvenirs from your travels. But, you have to be careful not to let yourself get swindled or carried away.

Here are a few tips on how to find unique trip mementos and locally made gifts that will remind you of adventure every time you see them, rather than gather dust in the back of your closet. 

Don't get lost in the novelty

When immersed in a market in Morocco, it is easy to think that buying a silver tea set with a beautifully etched tray is a fantastic idea. They are cheap, they are everywhere, and they are SO beautiful. BUT, consider this — do you drink tea? If you do drink tea, do you drink it out of tiny cups that will come with your Moroccan tea set, or do you like big, oversized mugs? Basically, will you use this tea set or have a spot in your home to display it, or will it sit in your cupboard? Ask these questions about every purchase you make. Are harem pants really something you will wear outside of Thailand? Do you really need a carving of a camel? 

Shop around

Markets or street stalls may seem random and like they have completely unique items, but you will soon notice that a lot of the items sold are mass produced. Wander through the market a few times to get an idea of where you can find the truly unique items before making a purchase.

Check that you are getting what you are paying for before you hand over your money

There are no returns at market stalls, and often the seller will disappear to grab a bag or change for you while still holding your items. Don't leave until you ensure that what is in your bag is what you want. I made the mistake of forgetting to do this, and ended up coming home with two left shoes from Marrakesh. 

Research prices

If you want to make sure you aren't getting swindled, do some research ahead of time to figure out the approximate prices for different items. Travel books are a great place to start, but blogs and Google searches can give you some general information as well. 

Buy items that you will actually use

I know this sounds like common sense, but it is SO easy to get wrapped up in the novelty of a place when you are actually there. Do you collect art? Buy a piece to add to your collection. Do you read? Purchase some books. Jewellery, scarves, fabrics, lanterns (if you will use them), home decor items, etc are also great options if you have the space and use for them. 

Try to buy from local artisans

For really authentic items, and to support local artists, look for stalls that are selling unique handcrafted items (usually the artist will be making them as he/she is selling them), or head out of the marketplace to local boutiques where you will find fewer mass produced items. Then, have a conversation with the artist you are supporting. This will connect your item to a memory, taking you back to that moment every time you see it once you are home. 

Haggle, barter and bargain like a pro

Click here for my post about bargaining like an expert to get the best deal that you possibly can — and have some fun in the process. 

Related Posts

Travel & Adventure Blog Feed
Tourist Scams to Watch For
Tips for visiting the Louvre
The best travel quotes from around the world.png

Why You Should Embrace The Travelling Part Of Travelling

by Lindsay Shapka in , ,

"Europe? I would go, but the flight is way too long." 

"Don't take the train! It will take you forever. You're better off flying or not going at all!"

"Oh, don't go to that city! It's 3 hours away! Go to the one that is only 30 minutes down the road."

Sound familiar?

If you find yourself still wanting to travel long distances despite comments like these, then you have a kindred spirit in me! I can't tell you the number of times that I hear lamentations from people claiming that they would travel more, but can't stand airports, delays, long drives etc.

But, to me, the travelling part of travelling is often when the magic happens.

Let me explain. 

Life is busy, really busy. I rarely give myself permission to sit still, but on a long flight, drive, or travel delay, I am forced to be in one place with nowhere to go, no deadlines, no frantic need to find something to do. My only job is anticipating the next adventure, flipping through a magazine, watching a movie, and sipping on an overpriced (or free if you are on an international flight!) beer.

It's time when I can let my mind wander to places that it has been kept from because of work. I can write about what I want to, and read what I want to.

Even better, once on your plane, bus, or train, everything is out of your hands. You don't have to navigate, drive, worry about getting there on time. If the flight is delayed, the airline has to deal with it. (Ya, delays suck, but really, they aren't the end of the world!). Your only job is to sit back, relax, and let someone else take care of you. How nice does that sound!?

Meeting fellow travellers also adds to the adventure. You never know who is going to sit beside you — trust me, I have met some incredibly interesting people on planes, buses, and at the airport bar! 

The travelling part of travelling is also a really great opportunity to see the world around you!

Flights give you an incredible bird's-eye view of the places that you leaving and are going to. I will never forget when I flew over the Atlantic on a clear night and saw the lights from boats underneath us for most of the flight. Incredible.

Long train rides take you through mountains, cities, and landscapes that most roads don't go near, while buses give you a chance to see cities and countryside that you would never see if you stayed in one place. 

I'm not going to tell you that a day filled with 9-hour flight, a 3-hour layover, a second 4-hour flight, and then a 2-hour bus ride isn't a long day. But instead of thinking of it as a means to an end or a hinderance to travel, try looking at it as part of the adventure, and maybe you might start to like the travelling part of travelling too! 

Related Posts

Travel & Adventure Blog Feed
Tourist Scams to Watch For
Tips for visiting the Louvre
The best travel quotes from around the world.png

Hostel, Riad, Tent, Or Hotel? Your Guide to The Different Places You Can Stay While Travelling

by Lindsay Shapka in , ,

Where do you stay when you're travelling? 

It's a question I am asked all the time, and one that doesn't always have a simple answer. Some want to know if I have a secret spot somewhere that they can try out. Some ask because they want a deal and are hoping that I know of one, and some have never really travelled before, and can't fathom not staying in a name-brand hotel, so are just curious. 

But, there is no one answer to that question, as where I stay changes every trip I take. It is based on how long I am travelling for, where I am going, how much money I have to spend, whether I am alone or with friends, and many, many more factors. 

For example, on a recent adventure, I stayed in a hostel, a hotel, a riad, a tent and a guest house — all over only 10 days!

I flew into London and knew that I wanted to stay in the city centre so I could easily walk, or take the tube, to the sights that I wanted to see. I also knew that because it was the middle of July and the most expensive time of year to travel in Europe, a hotel was not an option for me. I was travelling alone, and only spending one night in the city, so knew I would be fine with just crashing in a hostel.

I managed to get a bed in a four person female dorm (not usually my first choice) in the Piccadilly Backpackers (see image above) — located less than a block from the Piccadilly tube station and square of the same name — for 35 GBP (approx. 70 CAD). Not cheap when you look at the conversion, but still cheap for central London. The room was simple and clean. The communal showers had hot water, decent water pressure, and there was free wi-fi in the common area. It was safe, central and easy to find. The perfect crash pad. 

The next night, I needed a place to stay near Gatwick Airport, as I had a really early flight the following day. I ended up staying at the Ibis Hotel near the airport for 35GBP (approx. 70 CAD) — the same price as my centrally located hostel. What I got here, however, was a modern, clean hotel with all the amenities, my own room, TV, wi-fi, and room service. It's amazing the difference being 20 minutes out of the city will make! 

Since I started travelling when I was really young and on a shoestring budget, my first instinct is to always look for the cheapest place to sleep. But when I decided to spend a week in Morocco solo, I knew that throwing out a few extra dollars every night would get me a stunning room in a historic riad. (Plus, I am a Flashpacker now. I don't have to travel on a shoestring budget anymore!)

The view of the plunge pool from my first room at the Hotel du Tresor Riad

I found an incredible place to stay through my Lonely Planet guide (it comes in handy when booking from afar!), and made the Hotel du Tresor (highly recommended — message me if you want more info.) in Marrakesh my home base.

A traditional riad, the hotel was a series of whitewashed rooms draped in Moroccan carpets, pillows, lanterns, and art, that surrounded an internal courtyard with a plunge pool. The pool was what sold me on the place when I looked at it online because it was private, secluded and would be a must-have on +45 days. My room was 35 Euros (approx. 50 CAD) a night which included an impeccably decorated space with AC, a private bathroom, use of the pool, free breakfast, and an incredibly kind group of staffers who helped me navigate the country. 

The view from my bed in the Bedouin tent.

After a few nights in the riad, I spent one night in a Bedouin tent in the desert.

Something to note: The desert does NOT cool off at night in the heat of summer.

It was like sleeping in a sauna. There was no breeze, no AC, and the walls, floors and ceiling of the tent were draped in thick carpets making it pretty stifling. There were four of us that slept on small mattresses on the ground. The shared facilities were a three minute walk from camp and as basic as it gets (aka, a hole in the ground and a bucket with some water in it).

The night was part of a mini-tour I was on, and included dinner and breakfast. The meals and sleeping part of the tour probably works out to being about 40 CAD.

My room at the Hotel La Petite Suede in Agadir, Morocco

After the desert, I spent two nights in a guesthouse in a beach town called Agadir. The place I stayed was called the Hotel La Petite Suede and cost me 110 Dh a night (approx. 14 CAD). This got me a large, safe room with my own bathroom, and a simple breakfast of baguettes, jam and coffee in the morning. There was no AC, but there was a large window, and it was only a five minute walk to the beach.

(NOTE: I was in Morocco in the offseason and the prices I paid could be doubled, or even tripled in the high season.)  

Here are a few things to consider when you are trying to figure out where to stay:

  • Proximity. Do you want to be able to walk to all the tourist sights? Public transportation, or renting a car is not always cheap, and sometimes paying a few extra dollars to stay in the centre of a city will save you money in the long run.

  • Do you want to meet people? Then DON'T stay in a hotel. You need a hostel, or a guest house with a common area.

  • How long are you really going to spend in your room? What's the point of dropping a bunch of cash on a room you are only going to sleep in? If you aren't planning on spending much time at your hotel, then maybe you should be looking for a more standard, cheaper option.

  • What do you really need to feel safe/comfortable? Is having a TV, AC, free WiFi, or even a bathroom to yourself must haves, or are they things that you can do without? The price of rooms is often cut in half if you are willing to go with a fan instead of AC.

Related Posts

Travel & Adventure Blog Feed
Tourist Scams to Watch For
Tips for visiting the Louvre
The best travel quotes from around the world.png

3 Islands You NEVER Want To Visit

by Lindsay Shapka in , , ,

White sand, palm trees, gentle breezes and sparkling blue water — who wouldn't want to spend time on a tropical island?! After the long, cold winter I just lived through, I would take a hot island escape in a second.

It turns out however, that not every island in this world is a so-called "paradise" destination.  Here are three islands that I guarantee you won't want to go anywhere near.

A small patch of trees is the only vegetation on Clipperton Island (source)

A small patch of trees is the only vegetation on Clipperton Island (source)

1. Clipperton Island

This tiny, ring-shaped atoll sits about 1,000 km off the southwest coast of Mexico. It is covered is hard, pointy coral and is battered on all sides by the Pacific Ocean and steady winds. A few palm trees are its only vegetation, there is no fresh water, the island reeks of ammonia, the lagoon around it is devoid of fish (but FULL OF SHARKS) and contains some deep basins including "the bottomless hole"  that has acidic water at its base. 

If this isn't enough to convince you to stay away, the terrible history of the island will.

Having changed hands frequently (it has belonged to the French, US and Mexico), in the early 1900s, Mexico established a colony there, delivering supplies by boat regularly. That is until the Mexican Revolution broke out and the deliveries stopped. Slowly, the inhabitants started dying until all that remained was one man and a handful of women and children. The man decided he was "king" of the island and started raping and murdering the women until they turned on him and he was killed. The last four survivors were rescued soon after, and no one (other then the odd castaway) has occupied the island since. 

One of the few photos of the inhabitants of North Sentinel Island (source)

One of the few photos of the inhabitants of North Sentinel Island (source)

2. North Sentinel Island

Part of the 572 islands in the Bay of Bengal between Myanmar and Indonesia, this island was formally a part of the Republic of India. That is until it was declared "closed" in order to preserve the distinct culture of the people living there. 

For thousands of years, this island has been home to a small tribe called the Sentinels who have violently resisted contact by outsiders. Completely untouched, the inhabitants kill anyone who tries to get near the island, driving off all outsiders with spears and arrows. 

There are estimated to be anywhere between 50-400 of them living on the island that is roughly the size of Manhattan, but because the island is so heavily forested, their buildings are not visible, and no one can get near them, there is really no way to know. (Even Google Earth can't penetrate the tree cover to give us a better look at the individuals living here). 

The last documented contact with these mysterious people was in 2006 when Sentinelese archers killed two fisherman who were within range of the island. The archers later drove off, with arrows, the helicopter that was sent to retrieve the bodies. 

Snake Island from above — nobody's crazy enough to get any closer! (source)

Snake Island from above — nobody's crazy enough to get any closer! (source)

3. Ilha de Queimada Grande (Snake Island)

If you are headed to Brazil, I suggest staying as far away as possible from this untouched paradise. Even the Brazilian Navy has forbid anyone from stepping foot on this island because it is so dangerous!

Why?

Because there are between one and five snakes per square metre living on the island.

And, I'm not talking harmless garter snakes. The palms and sandy beaches of this paradise are populated by a unique species of pit viper called the golden lancehead containing a fast-acting poison that literally melts human flesh. 

Snakes win this one. 

Related Posts

Travel & Adventure Blog Feed
Tourist Scams to Watch For
Tips for visiting the Louvre
The best travel quotes from around the world.png

Ocean Safety 101: How to Stay Safe in The Water

by Lindsay Shapka in ,

I realized after taking my 20-something-year-old friend to swim in the ocean for the first time —  and she screamed, jumped and came running at me the moment she saw a miniature crab — that not everyone understands that the ocean is more than just a really big pool.

Not only is it full of living creatures, but the water itself is mysterious, unpredictable and can be really dangerous if you aren't smart when you are out in it. 

Here are a few ocean safety tips to keep you safe when hitting the beach (other then the obvious like wearing sunscreen and staying hydrated, of course).

Watch out for sleeper waves

These waves are the ones that crash further up on the beach than normal and can knock over small children, or people who don't have steady footing, and pull you out to sea. Be careful when walking near the water line along the beach.

When swimming be careful of rip currents

Rip currents are swift rivers of backwash that surge through the surf (the choppy, foamy or discoloured water near the shore). If you are caught in one, DO NOT swim against it. Swim parallel to the beach until you are free of the current, and then head for shore. 

Stay away from rocks, driftwood and piers

Like icebergs, it is hard to tell how big the rock is underneath the water until you have scraped your hands and knees on it. Unexpected currents and large waves can push you into these obstacles as well, causing a lot of damage.

Watch out for reefs

Reefs are pretty easy to spot, they are usually a dark shadow in otherwise clear or blue water. You can also spot them by the waves that usually break over them. Not only can you risk damaging the fragile ecosystem if you step, kick, or otherwise knock into a reef, but a scrape can cause a nasty infection. 

Stay alert for fish and other critters

Jellyfish are usually easy to spot, as are small crabs that are more afraid of you then you are of them. Shuffle your feet when entering the water if you are somewhere that has stingrays present, and never go in the water with open wounds — no need to tempt the sharks! 

When in doubt, ask a lifeguard

The lifeguards are aware of currents, tides, and any type of critters that might be present on the beach. If there are not lifeguards on the beach that you are headed to, do a bit of research ahead of time or, if nothing else, make a conscious decision to be alert and aware of your surroundings.

Related Posts

Travel & Adventure Blog Feed
Tourist Scams to Watch For
Tips for visiting the Louvre
The best travel quotes from around the world.png