Travel Tips

Everest Base Camp Hiking

1/16/2012 1:36:56 PM A few things to understand about trekking in the Himalayas, especially in re: everest base camp trekking: While it is true that if you trek from Lukla to Base Camp, you will have ascended and descended more than the 8848 meters that Everest is, this is not cumulative. You will be hiking […]

Which countries apply the EU rail passenger rights domestically?

2/17/2016 12:26:53 PM It’s true that EU “laws” are not automatically valid, instead, specific countries need to implement them in their local laws. I will focus on the lateness part here (not luggage and/or injuries). Some common rules not always listed include: a) No refund if some other train with less delay (than eg. 1h) […]

Where to get hundred dollar bills in London (same day)

10/22/2015 3:25:10 PM I didn’t have any success at the big-name places like high street banks or the post office, but the first small, one-desk generic no name exchange bureau I went next to Victoria station had no problem giving me exclusively $100s (and gave a reasonable rate). So I’d suggest simply going to an […]

What was this ruined building in Tbilisi, Georgia that is Greek property?

What was this ruined building in Tbilisi, Georgia that is Greek property?

1/12/2013 12:45:14 PM During the Soviet period, some scientific research center was established in this building (don’t remember the profile of them, any more). In the late 1990s the building was granted by Georgia to the Greek state as a residence for the Greek ambassador in Tbilisi. The building still is uninhabited and looks “as […]

Was refused flight registration as a US resident/non-US citizen

8/25/2016 12:10:26 PM Your green card qualifies you for an exemption from the requirement to hold an airport transit visa. Those visas, however, are for itineraries that do not require passing through Schengen area passport controls. Your itinerary included an internal Schengen flight, so you did have to pass through passport control, so you needed […]

What on earth has yet to be explored?

What on earth has yet to be explored?

5/29/2015 1:04:28 AM Sơn Đoòng Cave was only discovered in 1991 and has the largest known cavern in the world. It has only been open to tourists since 2013 and only small numbers at that. When you consider that this cave was unknown until so recently, it’s safe to say there are many more caves […]

Is it wise to stay with locals in Estonia, Lithuania and/or Latvia?

10/20/2015 12:23:55 PM Airbnb and Couchsurfing are two services often used to find accommodation hosted by locals. Airbnb accommodation is paid and varies from mansions to hay bales. By specifying “Shared room” or “Private room” in your search, you can often find rooms, mattresses, etc. in apartments or houses occupied by locals. The degree of […]

Alternative hotel locations for Bern?

Alternative hotel locations for Bern?

11/1/2016 3:31:55 AM The answer is no. There is no such trick for Bern because Bern is not right next to the French border like Geneva is. There is a reason for economic differential you described in the Geneva case: it is the unnatural political boundary which separates expensive Geneva from the relatively inexpensive French […]

What are the wild camping regulations in Iceland?

10/18/2017 5:02:04 PM The regulations have changed in November 2015, in response to the rapid increase in tourism. Essentially, if you’re hiking in the Central Highlands with a tent on your back, you’re OK. When you’re driving the ring-road with a campervan, you’re not. You cannot wild camp in a tent trailer, tent camper, caravan, […]

Are there ways to call "international" toll-free phone numbers?

12/18/2014 2:27:10 AM Nobody has posted anything here in a while, but I just learned something that might be useful to others. It is very cheap and easy to phone a US toll free number from a cellphone in Indonesia. Dial 01-017-1-***-???-???? The *** is 800, 866, or whatever the toll free code is. It […]

What can I do to make sure I don't get sick eating fish in Japan (as a 11-year vegan)?

10/13/2015 9:52:16 AM You could acclimatize yourself to raw fish now. I am not a big fan of fish and I do not find it hard to avoid fish products when I’m in Japan (although I suppose I could be consuming them unwittingly). In most large, commercial places the Japanese are quite accepting of foreigners’ […]

Is there an ATM at the Si Phan Don/Stung Treng border?

Is there an ATM at the Si Phan Don/Stung Treng border?

8/19/2016 4:14:47 PM I’ll post as an answer but this is more of an update to @hippietrail answer. I actually crossed the border today (Laos -> Cambodia). The tenporary shack is still there, still in use. No sign of an atm directly at the border (on either side of it). In Stung Treng (Cambodian side, […]

Greyhound: can I ensure I get a seat on the bus I want to use?

8/11/2014 6:40:28 PM According to the latest policy i got (ottawa – toronto and back): It doesn’t matter when you arrive anymore. It all depends on this number you have on the ticket. That number will determine your position in the lineup. So no point if you show up 1 hour head, if your ticket […]

what is the official procedure if you answer "yes" to any of the US visa (DS 160) "are you a terrorist/slaver/bodysnatcher" questions?

12/26/2021 4:50:34 PM What does actually happen if someone were hypothetically to state here that he’s participated in genocide or stolen body parts? If a visa applicant answers yes to any of these questions, the applicant is found to be inadmissible to the United States, the application is denied, and no visa is issued. The […]

Can one fly domestically in the US with only a work permit as ID?

6/17/2017 1:49:52 PM I have that same permit also. Obama made it possible for us who came at a young age illegally to be able to stay in this country legally to work and get a driver’s lisence . Only thing is, it expires every two years and have to get it renwed for $475 […]

When renting a car, how to get the exact chosen model and not the similar?

10/7/2015 4:35:24 PM Make sure that the contract you sign either has a tick box for this exact car, and also put that in the comments box. If booking by telephone, make sure that the operator understands that you want that make and model, and will accept no substitutes. I don’t know about the OP, […]

Use same US ESTA for different purposes?

8/15/2016 9:05:27 PM Short version: No, you don’t need a new ESTA. Longer version: Since you have an ESTA, you are presumably the citizen of a Visa Waiver Program country. This means you are allowed to enter the US “for a purpose of transit, tourism, or a short term business visit“, which includes both your […]

Where can I find and book plane tickets on date not on destination?

Where can I find and book plane tickets on date not on destination?

9/3/2017 4:27:57 AM I would like to recommend https://kiwi.com it has a nice filter by radius feature. screenshot example is for flight search from 100 km radius of Tokyo to 150 km radius around Osaka excluding Nagoya region: How can I determine which airlines are relatively safe? 5/6/2015 6:15:20 AM Kayak Explore does just this: […]

Visiting Yosemite in December – Will car rentals provide me with snow chains?

10/18/2015 2:37:42 PM Rental Companies Say No to Snow Chains Sampling information from 3 car rental companies currently serving SFO would point to the harsh reality that car rentals generally don’t include snow-chains in their list of additional options. What you get instead are snow/winter tyres, depending on rental season, availability and a bunch of […]

How can I determine which airlines are relatively safe?

10/4/2015 6:08:32 AM If the airline is in the IOSA registry then you can be sure it’s safe. If the airline is allowed to fly in EU/USA/Canada/Australia/New Zealand then it’s safe. Beyond these two, it’s practically anyone’s guess. Perhaps the airline is perfectly safe but the IATA Operational Safety Audit is awfully expensive and they […]

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