LLWorldTour

When traveling, the places we see may be amazing, but we quickly learn it’s more abut the people we meet. Encounters with locals and making new friends are the memories that last forever. Check out my article for Brave New Traveler on how to spice up your travels and really immerse yourself in your new, albeit temporary home.

One of the biggest reasons to travel is to expose yourself to a new culture, to see how things are done in another place and do your best to join ‘em. As a traveler, you should strive to embrace these differences, not fight them. Try to really immerse yourself, not in your guidebook, but in the place you are at the moment. Stop. Look. Listen. Think about all your senses. Smell those roses and just breathe it all in.

Here is a list of some general “DON’TS” to heed when on foreign soil.

DON’T Hail a Taxi

Stretch your travel budget by avoiding these gas-guzzling, wallet-draining rides as much as possible. Most cities ‘round the world have some amazing public transportation that is often very clearly marked and easy to understand if you just take a few minutes to become familiar with the system. It’s a great feeling of

One Million Dong!

accomplishment to navigate your way through the airport right to the city bus or metro train, join the locals aboard and soak up the view into town.

DON’T change cash at a cash exchange or bank

Nowadays the ATM card is the only way to go. Before you leave home, make sure your bank card will work in the country your visiting. If you can, get a duplicate spare card and stash it somewhere in your bag just in case you lose your main one. Banks and cash exchanges charge commissions and you will almost always get the best exchange rate by using your bank card.

Dubai Fries with that?

A billion served in Bangkok.

DON’T find the nearest McDonald’s

First of all, if you must, you can always eat at McDonald’s, KFC, or Starbucks at home. You are somewhere different—take it all in by indulging in the many tempting treats at your fingertips. From local food stands to gastropubs to sensory-overloading markets, trying local foods can be a cheap, fun, and a palette-expanding experience.

DON’T only go to Irish pubs or expat bars and spend the week getting drunk with other expats

It’s time to immerse yourself in not only the culture of the city, but the people. Meeting locals is one of the very best things about travel. One of the best places to do this is at the local watering hole where the beers are cheap and the people are almost always friendly. It’s a way of embracing our differences and realizing how alike we all are at the same time. Don’t miss this amazing opportunity to enrich your trip tenfold.

DON’T just stay and party at your hostel the entire week

Blonds have more fun??

Yes, hostels are great. We all know the amazing benefits and it can be comforting to be around other travelers and your fellow countrymen to vent, empathize and share general travel highs and lows. But don’t let this be all you do. Get out. You are traveling to discover new places and people.

DON’T blather on in English

We are extremely fortunate to speak English and even more fortunate that so many people in the world do as well. But don’t expect everyone to speak English or understand you. Please take the time to learn a few words in the mother tongue of the country you are visiting. Challenge yourself to try and speak the local dialect. Greeting someone with a smile in their language is so easy to do and goes a long way.

Stuck in Lonely Planetville.

DON’T keep your nose in a travel guide

There is no denying that your dog-eared, coffee-stained Lonely Planet Guide is an extremely helpful amalgamation of maps, tips, and sleep/eat suggestions. But don’t become too LP dependent. Pick up a local paper. Ask other travelers. Query your inn-keeper where he likes go. Then leave your guide book there and explore.

DON’T keep your eye in the viewfinder

It is the extremely rare traveler that does not have a camera in pocket. We tend to sightsee with one eye looking through a lens or nowadays into an LCD screen. It’s great fun to capture what you’ve seen and take home these precious memories. But take a moment and put the camera away. Focus on the here and now—breathe it all in—the sights, sounds, smells—of this moment.

DON’T expect things to be how they are at ‘home’

Whether you are in Tulsa or Timbuktu or Togo, remember that each place has its own way of doing things. Open yourself up to the idea that just because you grew up learning to do something one way does not mean it is the right or best way.

It all comes down to opening yourself up and exposing all of your senses to this amazing experience of travel. If you do, you will know it is much more than sightseeing and souvenir-shopping. The greatest gifts come from not what you see or buy, but whom you meet and the experiences you share with new friends from all over the world.

If you’ve been following along over the past two years on this blogotastic voyage, you may have noticed I’ve mentioned the City of Chicago…oh thirty times or so. Well, maybe not that many, but it’s been a whole lot. I obviously love my adopted home and am now officially not alone in my admiration. Chicago was recently voted numero uno in a survey taken by the residents of the world’s largest cities. That’s right Chicagoans are the most satisfied with their city overall, beating out London, New York, Paris, Sydney, Los Angeles, and Tokyo.

The first-of-its-kind study measured how people actually feel about living in their city and took the views of 8,600 people living in 14 cities around the world. And it’s even more important now as fifty percent of the world’s population live in cities.

The survey was done by Veolia Environment, the world’s largest environmental services company. And coincidentally, Veolia recently announced that Chicago will be the home of their North American Headquarters. Smart move Veolia – considering you will have cool, happy employees working for ya. Chicago’s Mayor Daley said, “…Chicago can meet the needs of any company in the world from the largest to the smallest and Veolia’s decision further strengthens our reputation as a world-class city.” Amen to that brother. Oh, and go Cubs!

When we travel it’s nice to put English on the shelf for awhile and try to learn a new language…or at least the most important phrases – ‘please,’ ‘thank-you,’ and, of course, ‘cheers!’ Check out my article recently published on Matador Nights on “How to Say Cheers in 50 Languages.” Sante.

The ancient Egyptians did it. The ancient Chinese did it. And so did the Greeks. Evidence shows us that people around the world have been partaking in booze for thousands of years. Following suit, the act of ‘toasting’ and clinking glasses together, has been taking place for so long that it’s origins are quite blurry. There are many debated theories out there—the most popular being the noise of ‘clinking’ was to ward off evil spirits. Another tale touts that by crashing glasses together, the libations in each glass would slosh into the other’s cup, therefore proving neither was poisoned. Regardless, people all over the world continue to drink together and toast together. Most commonly the toast translates to ‘good health,’ something we all need after one too many.

When traveling the act of sharing a libation with a local brings people together all over the world. So it’s very important that you learn how to say “cheers” to your new found friends. Here is a cheat sheet for you to print out, laminate, tuck into your passport, or copy to your cell phone. Enjoy.

1. Afrikaans: Gesondheid! (Ge-sund-hate)
2. Albanian: Gëzuar! (Géschuar)
3. Arabic (Egyptian): في صحتكم!(Fee-sa-ha-tak)
4. Armenian: Կենացդ (gen-ots-nute)
5. Azerbaijan:i Afiyët oslun!(Afeeyet Ohs-lun)
6. Basque: On egin! (On egín)
7. Bosnian: Živjeli! (Zhee-vi-lee)

Candy is Dandy, But liquor is quicker.
[© 1936 by Ogden Nash, REFLECTIONS ON ICE-BREAKING]

8. Bulgarian: Наздраве! (NAZ-dra-vey)
9. Chinese (Cantonese): (Gom bui)
10. Chinese (Mandarin): 乾杯! [干杯!] (Gan BAY)
11. Czech: Na zdravi (NAZ-drah vi)
12. Croatian: Živjeli! (ZHEE-vi-lee)
13. Danish: Skål!(Skol)

Drink is the feast of reason and the flow of soul.
–Alexander Pope

14. Dutch Proost! (Prohst)
15. English Cheers! Bottoms up! Down the hatch! Here’s mud in your eye!
16. Esperanto Je via sano! Toston! (YEH VEE-ah SAH-no/Tóston)
17. Estonian Terviseks! (Ter-vi-seks)
18. Ethiopian (Amharic) Letenachin (L’-TAY-nah-chin)
19. Farsi (Ba-sal-a-ma-TEE)

Eat thy bread with joy,
and drink thy wine with a merry heart.
—Ecclesiastes 9:10

20. Finnish: Kippis! (KEEP-us)
21. French: Sante! (Sahn-tay)
22. Gaelic (Irish): Sláinte! (Slawn-che)
23. German: Prost! (Prohst)
24. Greek: στηνυγειάσας! (Stin Eyiassou/Stin Eye-ee-yass-ooh)
25. Hawaiian :Okole Maluna! (Å’kålè ma’luna)

Payday came and with it beer.
-Rudyard Kipling

26. Hebrew: לְחַיִּים!/L’Chaim! (Le Hy-em)
27. Hungarian: Egeszsegere! (Egg-esh Ay-ged-reh)
28. Italian : Salute! Cin cin! (Salu-tay/Chin Chin)
29. Japanese: /Kampai! (Kam-pie)
30. Korean: 위하여 (Gun-bae)
31. Latvian: Prieka! (Pree-eh-ka)
32. Lithuanian: i sveikata!(Ee sweh-kata)

The problem with some people is that
when they aren’t drunk they’re sober.
-William Butler Yeats

33. Luxembourgish: Prost!(Prohst)
34. Maltese: Evviva! (A-vee-va)
35. Mongolian: Эрүүл мэндийн төлөө! (Erüül mehdiin tölöö)
36. Norwegian: Skål! (Skoal)
37. Persianبه سلامت: ی!(beh salamati)
38. Polish: Na zdrowie! (Naz-droh-vee-ay)
39. Portuguese: Saúde! (Sow-ooh-jee)
40. Romanian: Noroc! (No-roak)

Work is the curse of the drinking class.
-Oscar Wilde

41. Russian: Будем здоровы! (Boo-dem Zdo-ro-vee-eh)
42. Serbian: Ziveli! (ZHEE-vi-lee)
43. Slovak: Na zdravie! (Naz-drah-vee-ay)
44. Spanish : ¡Salud!(Sah-lud)
45. Swedish: Skål! (Skol)

Here’s to you and here’s to me,
the best of friends we’ll ever be,
but if we ever disagree,
to hell with you and here’s to me.

46. Thai: ไชโย!(Chok-dee)
47. Turkish: Şerefe! (Sher-i-feh)
48. Vietnamese: Chúc sức khoẻ!/ Một hai ba, yo! (chook-sa-koi-ah/Maht, hi, bah, yo!)
49. Yiddish: געזונטערהייט! Zei Gazunt! (Zye GAH-zoont)
50. Zulu: Oogy wawa!(oogee-wawa)

Undoubtedly you will be making many toasts in your lifetime and hopefully in many different languages. So hoist a glass with some new friends and drink in the moment. Cheers!

Almost two years ago I added a link on my site (see on the right there…where it says “cool travel sites?”) for one of my favorite sites ever: WherethehellisMatt.com. This guy is my idol. In a nutshell, he travels around the world, dances badly, and records it. And that’s about it. He’s been doing it for several years now, has secured a sponsor and has quit his day job. If you haven’t seen his videos yet…you must check out his site right now. He’s just released the 2008 video where other locals and travelers join him for a dance off in each locale. But the first two videos are a must-see as well.
It’s so simple and yet always nearly brings tears to my eyes. It somehow makes the world seem smaller and in harmony if only just for a moment. Maybe if everyone danced more often, we would all see more smiles, more laughing, enjoy life more, and look forward to each new day. From big rich countries to the lesser developed struggling countries he visits, you can see joy in the faces of the young and the young at heart. No matter how hard life is for them, they can still have fun.

The video and message is simple: no politics, no attachments, no stress, no problems, just people having fun together doing the same thing (dancing badly) at the same time, all over our big beautiful world.
Take a look.

A new place, a new language, a new currency – when we travel there is a learning curve, but it can be fun and should all be taken in stride as part of the adventure. Check out my article: 10 Ways to Avoid Getting Lost in a New City,” recently published on Brave New Traveler.

You just landed in a new city in a foreign country after a 57½ hour flight from Des Moines. You’re tired. You’re hungry. You’re jet-lagged. You manage to eek through immigration and schlep your bags onto the metro heading downtown (or so you think so). You emerge from the bowels of the subway into the blinding sunlight and realize you have no idea where you are. Sound familiar? It happens to the best of us, the rest of us, and the most seasoned travelers. We all get disoriented sometimes. Personally I think there is no such thing as really ‘lost’–I like to think of it more as just not ‘found’. But, either way, what do you do?

1. Don’t panic. First of all, you are in a city, not an Amazonian jungle. There is food and shelter (and probably a McDonalds) on every corner.

2. Ask the locals (really the only tip you should need). Not only are people almost always willing to help, it gives you a great excuse to talk to folks if you are feeling lonely. If you are feeling a bit scared, perhaps ask women. This is a good way to practice your Spanish or Vietnamese anyway (always learn the most important words: ‘thank you,’ ‘hello’, ‘excuse me’). Don’t worry about a language barrier. If you are reading this article, you are fortunate enough to know a language that is spoken all over the world.

3. Look for big landmarks. In cities like Chicago, New York, and Paris there are some pretty tall, famous buildings usually visible no matter where you stand that can give you a bit of a directional boost. Even the roughest New Yorkers still sometimes emerge from the subway and need to find the Empire State Building so they can orientate themselves and continue on their way to Carnegie Deli.

4. Pack a compass or go old school and seek out the sun. No matter where you are in the world, the sun still sets in the west (I’m making the assumption you aren’t lost at the North or South Pole).

5. Check out the tourist information office. One of the first things you should do is drop by this helpful place, if for no other reason than to get a good map. These goldmines of free maps and advice are typically located in airports, train, and bus stations.

6. If you are staying at a hotel that was recommended by your guidebook, there is often a city map in the book with the hotels marked on it. While you are biding your time on the 10 hour train, bus, or airplane ride to your next destination, see where your lodging is on the map in relation to where you are coming into town and make a plan on how you will get from point A to point B.

7. When you first check into your hostel or hotel, always take a business card (so you have the address and phone number with you at all times—to show taxi drivers, etc.) and also find the hotel on your map and mark it.

8. Retrace your steps—remember landmarks you passed.

9. Find a local pub or bar. Sit down. Take a load off. Have a drink. Repeat. You will start to feel better, I promise. And of course, you can then ask the bartender or friendly local next to you for some help.

10. Stay lost. You’re in a city for god sake. How lost can you really be?

One of the best things about travel is the unexpected and being ‘lost’ is not necessarily a bad thing. In fact, in most cases, it turns out to be a fun adventure …like you are a contestant on the Amazing Race, but of course there’s no prize money at the end. Figuring out a new city, its infrastructure, its transportation options, and its layout can sometimes be frustrating, but also quite rewarding once you master it. I always feel like entering a new country presents a new fun challenge and if you can find your way in a place like Hanoi…well, you will probably feel like you can do just about anything.

Most of you know, I have spent a good part of the last two years traveling the world. The one worry in the back of my head during my travels was what if something were to happen to my 94-year-old grandmother while I was thousands of miles away on the other side of the globe. She and I made a pact before I left that she would ‘wait’ for me until I returned. We were both quite logical direct gals and I guess, weren’t exactly afraid to discuss the inevitable. But, true to her word as always, she waited for me to return. Since I have quit working full-time I have been able to do some things that would obviously not have been possible with a full time job. One of these things was being able to live with my grandma for two months in her apartment in New York City,

Unfortunately, during the last few weeks I was there she started to feel bad. The very day I flew back to Chicago she checked herself into a hospital. About a month later, I called her the day before I was to fly to Belize. She had literally just walked in the door of her apartment and was so happy to be home after several weeks in the hospital. A week later, while I was still out of the country without phone or internet access, she died.

Esta Saltzman Lubin 1914-2008

I flew home early and my family came together in Manhattan for her memorial service. She would have been so happy we were all together. She lived a long and amazing life. She was a very strong and independent woman who never complained - not once. She was feisty and sharp, but also extremely generous and selfless. All I can say is how lucky I was to have her in my life this long and how lucky I was to return from my travels when I did to spend those two months with her. Miss you G-ma.

• Obituary in Jewish Forward
• Obituary in New York Times
• Obituary New York Times #2
• Miliken Archive Interview
• Ladies of Yiddish Theatre & Film
• Internet Broadway Database
• Internet Movie Database - IMDB

My tour with Island Expeditions was underway and from hereon out we would be showerless, incommunicado with the outside world, and totally on island time. Our group piled into a motor boat and we zoomed our way to the tiny island of Tobacco Caye (pronounced key). This was the first of many ‘paradises’ to come.

Tobacco Caye is a relaxed, tiny coral and sand island right off the Belize Barrier Reef – the second largest reef in the world. Some say it is the Belize of a decade ago, before big luxury resorts and modern amenities like electricity and running water and satellite television invaded the larger resort islands like Ambergis Caye. Tobacco Caye is the perfect getaway. It has soft, sandy beaches shaded by coconut palms, warm water, world-class snorkeling, and diving right off the beach. And at the very most, you’ll be sharing the island with 100 people.

We bedded down at the cheapest, yet most idyllic place to stay on the island, the Tobacco Caye Paradise - thatched-roofed wooden white bungalows on stilts sit right on the water each with a ‘back porch’ complete with a swinging hammock just beckoning weary travelers to get in and rock their cares away to the sounds of the crashing waves. A separate dining cabana was just steps away where, through the screen door, the friendly resident chef prepared us a fresh and tasty dinner of shrimp, beans and rice with a tall frosty glass of not-so-nice sugar-laden ‘orange drink’ to wash it all down with.

After two lazy days drinking Belikin, the local brew, eating deliciously fresh seafood ceviche, I took the 45-minute water taxi ride to Belize City where the rest of my adventures were about to begin.

My friend, Renee, had convinced me to join her on a week long kayaking/camping/snorkeling trip in Belize and it was, simply, an offer I couldn’t refuse.

Island Expeditions is a Canada-based tour company, which has been leading different Belize adventure tours for 20 years. Our tour was called Mayan Caves and Coral Islands. We were a group of eight, all gals from all over the US and Canada plus one lucky (or unlucky considering he played for the ‘other’ team) guy and our two tour guides: Canadian Dave and hometown Belizean boy, Domasco. Our first night we stayed at some rustically cute cabins at Belize’s fairly new “Tropical Education Center.” We were lucky to go on a night tour of the Belize Zoo, a wonderful facility that only takes in injured or rescued animals and prides itself on never removing any healthy animals from their natural habitats. The well maintained zoo was definitely worth the visit as we were greeted by it’s happy boa constrictor, “Balboa,” a purring leopard and a few wild and crazy guys—the Howler Monkeys.

The adventures really began the next day as we toured Actun Tunichil Muknal, a recently discovered, eight-mile deep cave (about 13 kilometers) full of not only wonderfully preserved Mayan pottery, but actual dead people…well, their bones that is.

The cave, which just opened for tours in 1998, consisted of pitch-black winding passages leading to several large chambers making the headlamps we all wore very handy. To enter we had to swim until we reached a rock ledge inside the cave and about half of the time we were submerged in water. The several-hour Indiana Jones-like tour was, in a word, a thrill. We literally had to climb up and down sharp and slippery walls, shimmy through narrow dark passages and careen down natural rock waterslides on our way through the dark tunnels.

For a good portion part of the tour we had to remove our shoes and just padded around the muddy cave floor in our socks so as to not damage the floor more – either with the soles of our shoes or the oils of our skin. Over 1400 artifacts - pottery, tools, and ceremonial items dating from 1 to 1000 AD - including over 200 vessels, have been cataloged within the cave. The most common artifact - about 400 ceramic jars traditionally used to hold water - has lead to the hypothesis that this cave was most used for ceremonies that pertained to water, rituals to the Rain God. Some not-so-common artifacts were the human remains. So far, skeletons and bones from fourteen folks have been found; 7 adults & 7 children, all under the age of 5. It’s been determined that these poor souls were not being buried here, but instead were sacrificial victims. They were all likely sacrificed in the hopes of appeasing the gods and bringing rain. Hang on a sec…time for me to do a quick rain jig.

Even though we were with a guide, I had to think that there was no way the public would be allowed in a cave like this in the US. And coincidentally, only a handful of guides in all of Belize are trained and permitted by the Belize Department of Archeology to give proper tours of this special site. To this day, the cave has not been looted and nearly all of the cultural artifacts have remained in place as they were originally found in 1989. Right now the maximum tourists per group is eight, but we were told they will soon reduce it to just six people allowed with each guide. It’s nice to see that the Belize government is putting the preservation of such an amazing place over the priority to squeeze dollars from every wet tourist they can fit into it.

What? Yes, I just returned from Belize. I know what you are thinking—‘yeah, Lisa, you really needed another vacation’ (better get a mop because the sarcasm is dripping). What can I say? Traveling is in my new career.

Belize is one of those places that some backpackers skip–mostly because it’s quite expensive compared to the rest of Central America. But compared to the Caribbean islands, it’s one of the cheapest destinations around. Home to the hammock, unbelievably blue Caribbean waters and the second biggest barrier reef in the world (after Australia) - Belize is just too good to miss. Previously a British Colony (remember British Honduras?), this tiny nation (roughly the size of Massachusetts or Belgium) was granted independence in 1981. I’ve got to be honest, I wasn’t even sure where Belize was (besides somewhere in Central America) before this trip. Now I know it’s the tiny nation jammed in between Mexico and Guatemala. But apparently Madonna knows because she sang about it in her 1987 hit La Isla Bonita: ‘last night I dreamt of San Pedro …´ (one of Belize’s Caribbean islands’ main cities). This being perhaps the most played song in Belize after various Bob Marley tunes.

My American Airlines plane careened down the airstrip in Belize City, I walked down the metal stairs and onto the tarmac into the warm, Caribbean air, and went through immigration and customs in all of about 5 minutes. I had a connecting flight in about an hour to one of dozens of Belize’s off shore islands or Cayes (keys). I approached the counter for Maya Island Air where a relaxed chocolate skinned, beautiful Belizean girl greeted me with a grin.

“Where ya headed today?” she asked with a charming Caribbean accent.

“I’m going to Caye Caulker or Caulker Caye,” I forgot which way it went.

I started to fish my passport (love that thing) out of my backpack when she said, “Lisa Lubin?”

Confused by how she knew my name, I enquired while literally looking down at my chest to see if I was wearing a ‘Hello, My name is…’ tag that I’d forgotten about. She slyly replied, ‘magic’ and continued to grin. Laughing, I asked again.

“You are the only one getting off there, love.”

Okay, you know you are in a small place when they greet you at the airport counter by name.

There were twelve other passengers, but I was the only one getting off at Caye Caulker.

“Ya know,” I said, “when I check-in at Chicago O’Hare, odds are they are not going to greet me by name.”

(Cut to interior of tiny 12-seat propeller plan)

“Ma’am, there are no seats left so you have to sit upfront with the pilot.” One of the friendly ground crew said to me as I saw my bag being stowed underneath. He escorted me around to the front passenger seat right next to the pilot. How cool—I was riding shot gun.

When he told me this, one of the other male passengers offered to go in my place, assuming I was a timid ‘flower-of-a-gal’ who would be afraid to sit upfront or something.

“No way!” I exclaimed, as I held up the whole flight while I scrambled to dig for my camera in my carry-on which I’d have to leave in the back (there is no “under the seat in front of you” when you are in the cockpit with only the windshield and nose of the plane in front of you).

In my life, I’d ridden in small planes, a helicopter, a blimp, and once, the backseat of a Cessna, but I can’t recall ever having the chance to ride shotgun. Like a toy plane, we skitted down the runway and took off as if we were as light as a feather. It was a beautiful, 15-minute ride over turquoise blue waters and other islands and before we knew it we were gliding down to the tiny airstrip of Caye Caulker flanked by what looked like a clapboard shack which turned out to be the ‘airport.’

I caught a ride in a ‘golf-cart’ taxi to town with another American expat, who just so happened to own one of the most popular bars on the island: the Lazy Lizard. I thanked him and pledged to catch up with him later.

Caye Caulker is a beautiful, relaxing, palm tree bit of paradise. It is a bit more of a sleepy, laid-back destination compared to the larger, more touristy Ambergis Caye to the north. It’s only about 5 miles long and a few blocks wide. There are now a good amount of hotels lining the main streets. I bedded down in Trends Beachfront Hotel, a pastel colored wood, shingled building trimmed with front decks and hammocks. There is no shortage of good, local eateries serving up tasty seafood and also a good amount of Mexican specialties. Some of my favorite spots were for breakfast. Glenda’s restaurant is a humble, tiny place with a screened-in porch at the back of the island. Here you order off the chalkboard menu as you enter and start your sunny day with a great cup of coffee, sweet fresh-squeezed OJ, eggs with onions and tomato and most likely Belize’s best homemade cinnamon roll all for five bucks.

I enjoyed a few lazy days in the sun on Caye Caulker. As promised, I ventured down to the Lazy Lizard to say ‘hello’ to my new friend from my flight over. His bar was right on what they call the ‘split’ on the edge of the island where it once was attached the island just a few yards to the north but is now ‘split’ in two. The tiny beach here is sprinkled with picnic benches and tanned bodies lying in the sun. I made some new Canadian friends, quenched my thirst, and again, felt at home in the world.

I haven’t slept in my own bed in nearly two years. In fact I don’t even have ‘my own’ bed anymore. It was one of the things I gave away before I left. The good part about this is I’ve become a very low maintenance sleeper and can sleep basically anywhere, anytime, and with anyone. Ok, I’m joking about the last one, but you know it’s best to write in ‘threes.’

During my travels around the world, I’ve slept in all kinds of places and in all kinds of beds. From hostel bunks to homestays to cabins to boats to tents to trains to airport chairs. And, no, I never once was bitten in bed…at least not by a bug.