When do expats become locals?
A stranger stopped me in the supermarket yesterday and asked me “Are you a local?” I am English and currently living in Australia in a town where it is generally believed that you must stay at least ten years before you are considered a local. Having been here just under a year I wasn’t confident that ‘yes’ was the correct response. Remembering that I was in the supermarket that I visit weekly to restock the fridge though, I hazarded a ‘yes’. “Oh great,” he said “Can you tell me where they hide the bacon?” Of course I could, so to that extent at least, I am a local here. But…
French trains
French trains are some of the fastest and most comfortable you will ever travel in. Some routes use double-decker trains and they certainly put British trains to shame. In many countries once you have bought a ticket you can sit back and relax, but in France they have a sneaky extra step that the traveller needs to complete. Buy a ticket French stations are full of ticket machines, so as long as you recognise the words, you can buy your ticket without generating a huge queue and embarrassing yourself at the ticket office. Validate your ticket Once you have bought your ticket (billet) you need to validate it at one…
Cheap winter sun
The UK is not usually blessed with wonderful weather during winter and it is easy to get a bit blue with all the grey weather. Luckily for those based in the UK London is something of a hub for flights to all sorts of destinations. Here are some options for inexpensive winter escapes. Morocco There is plenty of sunshine on offer in Morocco and if you keep out of the Atlas mountains it is pretty reliably warmer than the UK in winter. In Morocco you can experience arab culture, stay in a riad, get lost exploring the souk and binge on the sweetest fresh orange juice imaginable. Marrakech makes a…
How to bargain
There are some countries in the world where bargaining over the price of an item is the norm. If you are not used to this do not worry about it and do not feel uncomfortable about it; it is all part of the local shopping experience. Here are a few tips to help you. Understanding pricing Shopkeepers and market-stall holders will tell you the price they would like you to pay. This is not normally what they expect to get for the item, but a slightly higher price, as they are expecting to bargain. With this same thinking in mind your initial price needs to be lower than you are…
Gifts that travellers will thank you for
Travellers are difficult to buy presents for. Long-term travellers and short-term expats tend to seek to keep the amount of personal stuff to a minimum. So, what are the best gifts for travellers? The best travel gifts Data storage for photographers Taking photos goes hand in hand with travelling. Nothing is more frustrating though than a camera declaring its memory card is full. Find out what sort of memory card your traveller’s camera takes and get them a shiny new high capacity one. It doesn’t sound exciting but storing all those photos is important, as well as other documents, files and data generally. Flash drives are handy and portable hard…
Consumerism and Travellers
Are you a shopaholic? Go on admit it. You just can’t resist all those lovely shiny things, right? Well, if you are not, you will perhaps be more aware that consumerism is rife in today’s world. It lurks everywhere, around every corner, ready to ambush you and to part you and your cash. Travelling takes you out of your routine however and I think strengthens your resistance to the pressure of consumerism. Pressure Most people are constantly exposed to consumerism in all its glory, especially in the Western world. Advertising is consumerism’s weapon of choice and we are all exposed to it while commuting, shopping, reading the paper, watching TV…
Do You Believe in Traveller Karma?
Karma follows the principle that how you live your life determines the kind of life you will have. So, does how you travel determine the kind of travel you will experience? I like to think there are more well-intentioned people in the world than, well, the others. I believe that by sharing kindnesses, especially whilst on the road, we can help each other and hopefully encourage others to be kind too. There are always times when things go wrong of course and, as a traveller, when they do you can very quickly find yourself in a difficult situation. As a traveller you can be more vulnerable than on your own…
Frisky Barbados Turtles and How to Swim with them
Turtles are tricky creatures. When they only come ashore to lay their eggs and then as quickly as they appeared, disappear, how can you spend some time with these marvellous animals? The reefs off Barbados have a thriving turtle population. The turtles are widely considered locals and it is not uncommon to notice one creeping up the beach at night whilst you’re downing a rum in a nearby beach bar. No, you’re not imagining them. The sudden arrival of the turtle-monitoring squad (complete with clipboards) confirms their presence and also prevents the turtles developing any alcohol-related troubles. Where to find turtles It is not unlikely that you will meet a…
Yachts and visas
Yachts can go pretty much anywhere, but there are certain places in the world that are especially popular with yachts. These are the visas required most by international yacht crew. B1/B2 visa This visa is required by all non-US citizens who will be entering the USA for work reasons. It does not entitle the bearer to work in the USA. Yachts with non-US flags are able to employ non-US citizens whilst in US waters, as long as the crew have this visa. The C1-D visa is only granted to cruise ship crew. It does not apply to yacht crew. Schengen visa This visa is required by certain nationalities to enter…
Guide to Expat Living in Turkey
What is it like living in Turkey? I get asked this all the time. I am not entirely sure what people imagine life in Turkey to be like but I have been asked all sorts of questions including, and I’m not joking, ‘do they have electricity in Turkey?’ Turkey is an enormous country with vastly differing standards of living, sadly, depending upon the location. Generally speaking life in large towns and cities is pretty comfortable. The more rural you go the more basic, or few and far between, the amenities become, like most places really. My Turkish home was Fethiye, a decent sized town accommodating what was basically a farming…
