My Travel Methodology

Date: Sunday, 21 April 2013

Time: 04:15 EST (10:15 SAST)

Place: Wide awake in bed, feeling the effects of jet-lag

Yes yes, just by the name I'm sure you can tell this is the blog coming from The Passionate (OCD) Planner ;) 

So as I sit here in bed at about 4 am dealing with the effects of jet lag, I was sorting out my plans for my 2 free days in DC. It was then that I realised that, even though I haven't put it on paper before, I have a pretty set travel methodology, a list of objectives so to speak, that I usually follow when visiting a city. I thought that it would be fun to share this. So here goes (in no particular order)...

1) The traditional tourist approach

So first is the obvious high-level, quick run-down of the city - learning about how/why/when things got to be the way that there are. This is often best done in the obvious, traditional touristy way - walking tours, bike tours or that famous red hop on/hop off bus.Yes, this typically takes you to all the hustle-bustle, crowded places, but I must admit, I like that. I love being where the action is (although not so much the queues that are a horrid consequence of this). So yes, pretty stock-standard but for me this still beats reading Fodor's or Lonely Planet and self-navigating through the hot-spots (probably because I have little to no sense of bearing and directions)

2) Off the beaten path

Having said all I did in no. 1, an absolute must for me once that is done, is to also go exploring off the beating path. I love walking around a city, with no agenda or planned route, and simply seeing what exists beyond the touristy hubs. It's often a great contrast from what you see from the traditional tours, and this is exactly why I like to to both - to be able to get a full appreciation of the different aspects of a city. 

3) The local hangout

I love finding a local hangout - especially the corner cafe types. Now most of my recent travels have been done solo. As recent as about 3 years ago, the social butterfly in me was absolutely mortified at the thought of sitting ALONE in a restaurant and having a meal by myself. During my first few solo trips, I would rather opt for grabbing a quick bite on the go, or taking some take-aways back to my hotel. Then on one trip, I saw this absolutely beautiful coffee shop that I simply had to try, so after a short internal battle with myself, I decided to just take the plunge and sit down alone. Yes, it was rather uncomfortable but by no means unbearable. So I started doing this more and more often. And now it's become an absolute must!!! No doubt, having company is great, but I realised that when you're with someone else, you're more focused in engaging with each other, as opposed to your environment. When sitting alone you can actually observe your surroundings, the people, the food, even the waiters etc. and it really does give you a different experience beyond just the norm. This is, coincidentally, how my hobby of people-watching also came about :) 

4) Make friends with a local

This is one of my favourites! There's is no better way to get an impression of a new city than through the eyes of a local. There are numerous ways to do this (point no. 3 above is definitely one of them) - speak to a shop keeper at a local store, make friends with a local tour guide (not the foreign ones who just learn the notes about the city off by heart), take a walk through the local park or sit next to a local at the bus stop and make conversation. However you do it, it's always so enriching for me to see how people of different cultures engage with strangers, how the locals see their own city and hey, sometimes the friendship can extend beyond just that conversation and there you go building a network of international friends :)

5) Travel on local transport

I love cities that have public transport - trains, trams, buses - I love trying them all. Also, it can definitely assist with the point above ;) From bracing the traffic in a tuk-tuk in India, to the perfectly timed trains in Germany, to rush hour on the tube in London, it's just such a fantastic way to do it the way the locals do it!

6) Visit the local supermarket

This is an absolute must for me. I can spend hours in the local supermarket and/or even the local health & beauty outlet (like those in the Clicks/Boots category). These kind of stores are often overlooked or just used to get some necessities that you may have forgotten. But if you really take some time and venture through the isles, it's incredible what you can find. Everything from the type of snacks that the locals eat, to the popular brands that they use, to the price ranges of similar products, etc - this teaches you more than just meets the eye. It gives you an insight into marketing strategies,  economic standing of the country, standard of living, it shows you how different cultures prioritise different things. I find it fascinating!

7) City by night

Going back to the traditional tours in point no. 1  - I also love doing the night-tours. Especially in historical cities sprawled with monuments, memorials, castles and bridges. A city really does transform at night and the way you experience it during the day and night can often be a completely different adventure altogether.

8) Getting onto the water

Having done most of my recent travels in Europe, a common feature in almost every major city is having a body of water run through it - be it the Thames in London, the Danube in Budapest, the Vistula in Poland or the endless canals in Amsterdam. Whenever there is a river flowing through a city, I absolutely must do a river cruise/boat ride of sorts. I simply love being on the water and it also makes for great viewing of the beautiful city sights that often line the banks of the river. Depending on the set-up of the city of course, but this often makes for a great night tour to view the illuminated city skyline.

9) Find a local market

Be it a food market, an antique market or even a flea market, this is usually fun! I must admit the farmer's market or any food markets are my favourites, as these are often the best place to sample the local delicacies. I think markets are pretty universal, as I think every city that I've visited has had one of sorts. It's a completely different experience than just popping into a shopping mall or restaurant. Everything from bargaining in India, to auctioning fish at the Hamburg Fish Market, to getting stuffed on tasters at the fresh food market in Versailles... The idea of markets go back centuries and centuries, and is still a thriving concept in this day and age - enough said! 

10) Visit for a reason that makes that city famous

As I mentioned at the beginning, I love the hustle-bustle and being where the action is. So for me, when  possible, I plan my trips around various famous festivals/events! Munich for Oktoberfest; Scotland for the Edinburgh Festival; Cologne for Karnival; Pamplona for St. Fermin; Amsterdam for Queen's Day - the list is long and exciting, and I've got ample to still tick off! But having said that, even if the trip isn't specially planned for a specific festival/event, it's worthwhile to check what's happening in that city during the time you've already booked for. I inadvertently managed to catch a popular International Open-air Film Festival and Food Fair in Vienna, and that ended up being the highlight of my trip. So ever since then, I've made an active effort to suss this out! 

And just because I thinks lists don't have to necessarily stop at point 10...

11) Sample the local delicacies

This is already built into points no. 3, 6 and 9, as each of them present an opportunity to do just this, but I thought it deserved a point on its own. When I tell people that I'm vegetarian, I'm often met with the response "Oh shame!". I still don't get that! Being vegetarian doesn't stop me, in the least bit, from being an absolute foodie and from finding the various local veggie delights that every new city has to offer. After all, some of the best delicacies are vegetarian - deep fried bananas smothered in Nutella,  Swiss cheese fondue, French toast with honeyed strawberries, fresh hand-made pasta in a creamy mushroom sauce... I could could go on, but now I'm getting terribly hungry!! 

But yes, over and above everything else, when visiting a new city my main rule is to go in with an open mind, no expectation and a readiness to explore!! 

So there you have it... Now let me get back to seeing how much of this I can squeeze into my next 2 days in DC :))