Tag Archive | traveling

You’re Still A Tourist

You’re Not a Local Unless You Are

How long does it take to really get to know a place?  How long before you can confidentially say you’ve “been there”?  Does a layover in an airport count as having visited a place?  Does it take an overnight stay?   A week?  A month?

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African taxis: friend or foe?

South Africa doesn’t need roller coasters for thrills.  It doesn’t need video games or ping ball machines.  It has taxis.  For just over three rand (about 40 cents) you get not only transportation but also an…experience.

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How to Sniff Out the Crazy

Whether you’re at home or overseas it’s important that you take your vitamins, put on sunscreen and, of course, Beware of the Crazies (or BOTC, as a tribute to my last post, TIA).    Perhaps you’ve managed to surround yourself with semi-normals and are unaware of, or have simply forgotten the workings of the Crazies.  Fortunately for you, I encounter Crazies both in travels and in my hometown, and am well versed in their antics.

The most important thing to remember about Crazies is that they make terrible travel companions.  Sure, they might seem tons-of-fun at first and get you to “push your limits” by riding zebras bareback or getting a traditional (read: painful) Thai tattoo.  But once the initial adrenaline (and tequila) wears off you’ll be left with one over hyped ball of nuts.

What might be "fun" on day 1 becomes "crazy" by day 5

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