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Saturday, January 30, 2021

Visiting The Norwegian Fjords at Home

In the middle of two very busy work weeks and prepping for our first road trip - our first trip period - since the pandemic started, we found time to have a quick Destination Date. This time we visited Norway. I was able to find a great Norwegian food truck, and I pretty much worked from there.


You may remember last year at this time we threw what we hoped would be the first of many destination potlucks. We had people come with Scandinavian dishes and we learned about Scandinavia as a group of countries and tried a bunch of new foods. I do hope to get back to these when we can do it safely again.

I was especially interested in trying some specifically Norwegian foods, because they rely a lot on fish, lefse, and cabbage. The chilly weather just makes me think of Norway, too. We had this tablecloth I bought last year for our potluck, and then I found these gorgeous plates on sale at Crate & Barrel that I hope to use again in the future, because they are lovely. 

Here we are in the "snow" all bundled up. I can't wait to see these views in person, no matter the weather. The colorful buildings and the water and the mountains. It's all amazing. 

This little Dala horse is a traditional souvenir for tourists. Originally, from Sweden's province of Dalarna, this handicraft was brought to America for the 1939 World's Fair in New York City. This is a little version of the larger ones you can purchase. They also come as ornaments and wooden children's toys. You can even find them in different colors, though red or white are most popular. 


Candle carousels are another interesting item from Norway. They come in many different sizes and can be very simple or involved, but they all work the same. A candle (or several) is lit and the heat from it powers the tiny fan at the top, spinning dangling charms in most cases. I had always wanted one of these and planned to purchase one for this, but then I received a Harry Potter-themed on in my Litjoy Crate last quarter. That seemed pretty convenient, so you get little spinning Hedwigs.

I don't have any tulips, but I did have this spring daffodil pot, and I thought that would complete our tablescape, and it looked especially great in front of this lighthouse in Norway. Okay, okay. That's enough of that. Let's look at and talk about food! 

Norwegian food may be something you either love or hate. It might be an acquired taste for some, but I found that I liked it quite a bit. On the big plate you have salmon salad, Norwegian meatballs lefse (pork and beef balls, cramelized goat cheese gravy with sweet and sour cabbage, wrapped in lefse), pickled herring, and Scandinavian rye bread. Above: Pølse (Swedish pork and potato sausage, with Jarlsberg cheese, lingonberries, mustard, surkal sweet cabbage, and tangy slaw). Bowl: Veggie salad (roasted mushroom and hazelnut patties with blue cheese, parsley sauce, on mixed lettuces).


The smoked salmon salad came with a very dill-y sauce that I loved. The veggie salad came with a pesto dressing that also was really good...and much milder. It all worked very well together. I learned that Scandinavian rye bread is delicious, and also very expensive to make probably. Our one slice was $3. Had I known it only came with one, I would have splurged on two. It is usually served with cheeses or pickled herring. If you've never had pickled herring, I highly recommend it, unless you hate fish. It tastes like the ocean, and tangy from the pickling. I'll be eating it again, for sure. 

The Pølse sausage was a highlight for me. I don't normally eat sausage, but I will make an exception for regional foods. It had the look of being deep fried, though it was only because it was covered in melted cheese. This had a very pleasant mix of flavors that I greatly enjoyed. It didn't feel overly filling. In fact, all of our food felt really light, despite having a lot of breading and cheese. I think it's all very hearty, but not heavy, like similar German foods. 

While we ate, we watched some things on the Norwegian fjords and foods we should try in Norway (several of which we were eating). Lefse, what looks like a crepe or a tortilla, but is actually a thin, potato flatbread, is a big staple, and you can eat it with sweet or savory fillings, or just with butter. It's very versatile. It also doesn't contribute too much flavor to things, so it works as a great wrap for whatever. 


Speaking of sweet lefse, I chose a very regional dessert: lefse filled with lingonberries and cream cheese. the cream cheese cut through the tartness of the lingonberries and only made the whole thing a bit sweet, instead of overwhelmingly sweet.


If we travel back to Norway this way, we'll make sure to learn more about Oslo, perhaps make our own meal, and play some traditional games.I bought a set of ringed cake molds in order to make a traditional kransekake cake that is used as a celebration cake. It's served for New Year's Eve, Norwegian National Day, and weddings. 
 

If you want to throw your own Norway staycation, perhaps to celebrate Norwegian National Day, here are some things you can use to do it: 
I hope you find time to have a wonderful staycation during this time. We're seeing some hope for travel near the end of the year, so this is a perfect time to use your staycation to take notes and plan a trip to your chosen destination. I'm finding that these staycations are keeping me sane and helping me through this time when we don't really go anywhere besides the grocery store.

Where are you hoping to travel when it's safe to do so?


Disclaimer: This post includes affiliate links, and I may be compensated should you choose to make any purchases through them. This allows me to keep this blog running for you. Thanks in advance!

Wednesday, January 27, 2021

My Pandemic Coping Musts

We've just passed one year of the first case of Coronavirus in America (I know it's probably not the actual first, but it was the first official documented case here), and it has made me look back at this year and reflect on the things that made me happy, made my life easier, and generally got me through the bad things and feelings. I wanted to share in case you are still struggling for some sense of normalcy in all this. 


I'm an introvert, so being at home isn't a big deal to me. Yes, I love to travel. Yes, I love to meet new people. Yes, I love going out and doing things and seeing friends. The thing is, aside from travel, I haven't really been living my life so differently. In fact, not having obligations or having to coordinate plans with people or tell them I'm not coming out on a week night, has been really stress-free for me. In fact, it's been very good for my mental health, which I know is a lot different than other people. 


UberEats

Before the pandemic, we went out to eat quite a bit. Friday night was take-out and then we would usually go out for lunch and dinner on Saturday. Some weeks my mom and I would eat out on Thursdays. We can't do that anymore. I mean, we could do it now, but I'm still not willing to eat inside. We've only eaten out once, and it was outside, and then I felt guilty, so I didn't do it again. Instead, we make Friday delivery day, where I order a full meal from a local place I like on UberEats. I have the Eats Pass, which gives me free delivery and exclusive discounts. I usually spend that savings on top of whatever tip I'm going to give. I like still getting to "eat out" and being able to help both a restaurant and someone trying to pay their bills. 

Streaming concerts

While we can't go out and see shows or movies, streaming movies, plays, comedy shows, and whatever else have really made our time at home interesting and exciting. I hope when this is over, it remains an option, because sometimes we can't travel and sometimes we can't afford $150 for a ticket. If you're like me, a taller person always stands in front of me so I can't see. Sure, not being there in person sucks, but not being their in person means you can sit on your couch (or dance in your living room), in your pajamas if you want, eating food you made, and drinking non-$12 beers, and not having to miss anything because you're waiting in line for the gross bathroom that is almost out of toilet paper. 

Google Street View

When I feel like I really want to get out and explore, I sometimes just jump on Google maps and choose a destination and just "walk" around a neighborhood. At one point I took a "walk" around EPCOT. While I couldn't go on rides, I could wander the souk in Morocco and stroll through the gardens in the UK. I saw things I missed when I'd been there in person and will look for when I finally get to go back. 

You can check out some live views on Earth Cam and see what's happening right now around the world. A few years ago, I started watching the Dublin (Temple Bar) Earth Cam to see the St. Patrick's Day celebration, and then I got caught up watching on regular days just to see how people lived their lives. Sometimes people would come by, look up at the camera and wave, and then go back on their way. This is when I really started to use Google Street View, because I wanted to see what was happening at the end of the street that was just out of sight of the camera. It was a little like going on vacation. I highly recommend it.

McElroy podcasts

This is the year I really got into podcasts. There were times at work where I was the only one there doing things in the warehouse. We have a stereo, but Eric had got me started on The Adventure Zone, which I didn't realize only had one episode every two weeks. It is the three brothers and their dad playing D&D and other similar games. I decided to go back and listen to other stories from TAZ and found myself hooked. Once I'd caught up, I realized that I should go back and start back up with My Brother My Brother and Me. I had listened to quite a few episodes years ago when I was commuting 30+ minutes to work. I started on episode 75. They were currently on 569. Somehow, I was binging 5-7 episodes a day. I caught up in something like 4 months. Then I started listening to Rosebuddies, which turned into Wonderful (I'm up to pandemic times on that one) and I dabble in Sawbones when I'm feeling curious. 

The McElroy brothers are fun, and funny, and continually evolving to become better people. My Brother My Brother and Me started 10+ years ago when podcasts were pretty much not that big a thing. They based it on answering questions from Yahoo! Answers, and evolved into also answering listener questions. They don't give good advice, because that's not funny. Sometimes they don't give advice at all. 

Wonderful! is a a show that the youngest brother, Griffin, does with is wife where they talk about things they like and think are great. It started out as Rosebuddies, a show that talked about The Bachelor franchise, which I loved, but also once it became questionable in nature, they felt they couldn't morally continue to talk about it. I equally love the passion they have talking about fun things they like, no matter how mundane. Some of my favorite episodes talk about bubbles, Japanese pop bands, and their favorite restaurant that served sushi and teriyaki and had jazz shows.

Sawbones is a show that the oldest brother, Justin, does with his wife who's a doctor. They talk about weird medical things, like how we tried to fix people with various ailments before modern medicine came along. They talk about the history of vaccines, the danger of laudanum, and  blood letting, among other things. I've learned quite a lot about how things have evolved in the medical industry and they've done several episodes this year on pandemic-related things, like quarantining and masks. 

I sometimes listen to Schmanners, a show done by the middlest brother, Travis, and his wife, where they talk a lot about manners and etiquette. I have to be in the right mood for this one, but if you feel like you want to know how some etiquette traditions evolved, this is one to listen to. 

All three of them do other shows as well, but these are the strictly family ones that I enjoy, because they feel like family to me now. They've really helped me pass the time with laughter, even during the really hard months. In the past year, they've given tons of money to charity (trans rights, racial equality, women's rights) through direct donations and proceeds from items bought through their merch store. 


Curbside coffee pick-up

Since I can't go sit in a coffee shop like I used to, I haven't been drinking quite as much away from home. I was worried about my local shops, so I started ordering ahead and picking up. Then I discovered the Joe app (<---use that link to get $5 added to your account when you sign up). Joe has a bunch of coffee shops that allow you to order and pay in the app and you can choose counter, window, or curb-side pickup. As much as I like going in, often there are people waiting in line or inside and I just feel it's safer for everyone involved to order, and either run in to grab my order off the counter or have them bring it out to me. You get notified when your order is ready and if you choose curbside, you can let them know you are there in the app, too.



My backyard

Is it weird to be grateful for a thing I have had for over a decade? This year it has been especially nice to have a yard, where I can be outside and not worry about being around others. It's also where we do our Destination Date Nights (or afternoons) when it isn't freezing outside. Not only that, but I can watch wildlife out my back door. Squirrels and birds come right up to the door and often run around in the backyard. It's a nice little slice of nature. 

If I don't force myself out of my bubble, then I can very well not leave the house or talk to anyone other than my husband for 5 days. This is why I am an officer for Geek Girl Brunch and plan monthly brunches or other get togethers for a different group of friends and I volunteer for my local chapter of the Harry Potter Alliance. When the pandemic hit and I couldn't do any of those things, I had to do some different things to socialize. 

Showing off our favorite masks

Zoom

I know that some of my friends have a hard enough time getting away to see us for those once-a-month brunches, but they always said they loved coming and hanging out, so I decided we could still do a new at-home brunch. Zoom has allowed us to do weekly Sunday morning brunches. We don't make it serious. You either show up or you don't. Sometimes we have 4 people and sometimes we have 12. We encourage dressing up (every few brunches we'll have a theme), but we don't require it. We encourage people to post their meals/drinks (because I like to see everyone's dishes at real brunch, but I also want to make sure people are taking care of themselves). We tell people they don't have to have their camera on if they don't want, they don't have to even have their microphone on if they don't feel up to actually engaging with people.   

We talk about current events and share fun stories and ask how everyone's week was. This allows us to learn new things and see people that we don't live with. We also give each other recommendations for shows, movies, restaurants that do delivery/take-out, outdoor activities. And then we do things like show off stuff we bought or made (like all our masks). It helps a lot with sharing feelings. I know many people are Zoomed out right now, but I actually rather enjoy it.

And that, my friends, is how I'm getting through this pandemic. I have friends, food, family, and fun that I fill my days with (besides work and running this blog). I hope some of these things will help you as well. What's helping you get through this pandemic with your sanity?

Saturday, January 23, 2021

Tipping Around the World

In America, we are so used to tipping for everything, we don’t even think twice about it when we go to restaurants or have services performed, like getting a haircut. We just figure it into the bill. Tipping is not customary everywhere in the world and in some countries it’s even considered rude. Eventually we'll be back in the world and spending money and it might be hard to get back in the habit. So, where should you keep your money in your pocket and where should you tack on a few extra bucks?



Asia
  • China does not practice the art of tipping and so no tips are expected unless you have an experience that is above and beyond your expectations.
  • India may include a 10% service fee to your check, but 15% is appreciated for good service. 250 rupees (or $5) per night for the housekeeper and 50 rupees per bag for porters is the norm. Keep plenty of small bills on hand in India, because it may be hard to get change.
  • Japan isn’t big on tipping either and a tip is not anticipated anywhere, unless you allow the porter to carry your bags, then the yen equivalent of a dollar per bag is the norm.
  • South Korea is a non-tipping society, with the exception of drivers and tour guides who should receive $5 and $10 respectively and $1 per bag for porters.

photo credit

Australia and New Zealand have similar tipping practices as the U.S. 10-15% for your waiter in restaurants is now acceptable, 10% for cab drivers, $1-2 per bag for porters and $1-5 per night for housekeeping.


Europe
  • France, in general, does not expect tips to be given when dining out, but if your service is excellent, up to 10% is appreciated. A euro or two for cab drivers is common, as is one to two euros per bag for porters and per night for housekeepers.
  • Germany has hefty tipping practices for hotels: five euros per night for housekeeping and three euros per bag for porters. Only 10-15% gratuity is expected at restaurants. Cash is expected.
  • Italy has a cap of 10% tipping at restaurants, though gondoliers are not expected to get tips. Five euros for porters is customary and one to two euros per night for hotel housekeeping.
photo credit

Middle East
  • Dubai is a very friendly country with overachievers in the customer service department. The standard here is 10%, but only tip with cash. At hotels and restaurants the tip is figured into your bill, so no need to add extra unless your service was exceptional. Tipping your taxi driver is not really done, except to round up your fare.
  • Egypt has an easy 10% tip rule. Ten percent for dining is already included in your bill, but it is customary to add 5-10% extra to that total. Tipping your cabbie is appreciated, as is any guide who takes you on a tour.
photo credit

North America
  • In Canada, like the U.S., it is standard practice that 15-20% is tipped in restaurants and a few dollars per day of your hotel stay if your service was satisfactory.
  • Mexico expects tipping 10-15% in restaurants, five pesos for gas station attendants and 20-50 pesos for hotel staff per day. It is appropriate to tip in the local currency rather than dollars.

South America
  • Argentina generally assumes that diners will round up their bill and add a 10% tip to the total. Dollars may be difficult to spend, so carry some smaller bills in Argentinian pesos for purchases and tips.
  • Brazil includes a 10% gratuity on all restaurant checks and no additional is expected. Round up your fare for cab rides and a dollar or two is a suitable tip for bag porters. Dollars are preferred, as the exchange rate is better than Brazilian currency.
  • Colombia may or may not add gratuity onto your restaurant check. Make sure to look to see if it has, though it’s customary to add extra for a 15% total. Many small hotels are family-run, so expect to leave $5 per guest per day. The usual dollar or two per day is fine at larger hotels. Colombian currency is preferred.
photo credit

The United Kingdom often includes a tip on your restaurant bill. Often, it will be under “optional”. If it is not figured in, then 10-15% is standard. Tipping in pubs is not customary. Add up to 10% for a cab driver and a pound or two per bag for porters.

It’s easy for Americans to get in the habit of tipping and do it wherever we go, but in some countries it can be a major faux pas, so it’s always best to check requirements for each place you visit to know what is customary and what is not. It’s better to feel a little awkward, but save your money, than offer a tip and offend someone. Plus, you'll have some extra dollars to spend! Here are more tips from Budget Travel on who we always tip and probably shouldn't, as well as who we don't tip that we should.


Have you ever committed a tip faux pas?

Wednesday, January 20, 2021

5 of My Favorite Budget Travel Tips

There are lots of travel tips I tend to offer up over and over, but it's because they work and I use them myself. I travel on a budget as much as possible, and sometimes I cut costs in some ways in order to splurge somewhere else on my trips. By now you know I love food, and I will plan full days around where I want to eat. On the other hand, sometimes I know there are one or two really unaffordable things I want to do, and if there are ways I can make up that in savings elsewhere, I'll do that, too. 


Here are 5 of my favorite budget travel tips for you:



Travel in the off- or shoulder-season

When you travel during the busiest times (usually summer and the holidays, but this can vary from destination to destination), not only do you end up paying more than you would otherwise, but you also lose a lot of time waiting in lines. These are two of the worst things to waste in my opinion. I travel in the fall, because it's almost always a shoulder-season time for destinations. Kids are back in school everywhere, so places are less crowded. Places are often looking to entice visitors and drop their prices. In fact, you might save up to 50% off hotel rates, 30% off airfare and vacation rentals. 

Do laundry

I know laundry sucks, but it's not that bad when you're on vacation. Why do I suggest doing laundry? Because this allows you to pack less and travel lighter. I'll be doing a packing post soon, but think about this: You are going somewhere new. People there don't know you and won't remember what you wore all week. I mix and match a small capsule wardrobe for my trips. It's enough to give me variety, but it's also easy to pull stuff out and know that whatever top and bottom you choose, they'll go together, because you already planned ahead of time. 


Eat at food trucks/carts

I love food, and that means I want to eat a lot of it. There's only so many hours in the day, and I can't eat a ton of food at a time. Food trucks are great, because not only is there usually more than one when you find them, but they are also affordable. If you travel with your family or you just don't eat the same things as your travel companion, food trucks are awesome. You can each get something you want without having to fight over restaurants. And if you like to try all the things, you can easily get items from different trucks and share. 

More and more trucks are serving restaurant-quality food, and while they may creep into the almost-restaurant prices, they don't have overhead like staff and rent, so you aren't expected to pay for all those extras or give a big tip for someone to wait on you.

Look for coupons & promo codes

When we travel, we try to book as much ahead as possible. Why? Because you can often get a better deal by booking early, booking online, or through promo codes. Groupon is available around the world as well, so I often set my subscriptions 6 months out to my travel destination and keep an eye on discounts for attractions, activities, and restaurants. We've saved a ton of money this way. 


Take public transportation or walk 

I rarely take taxis, and though I often use Uber for getting around, I usually forgo it unless I really need to get somewhere and can't take public transportation to get there or it'll take too long. Public transportation can show you an entirely new view of the city and often I speak to locals, while also learning to get around my temporary home. Public transport is usually cheap, and is a great addition to walking around. Compare rates where you're going. I've found that an Uber can run between $15-20 for 5 miles or so during peak times, and the same ride on the bus or the subway can be $5 roundtrip or for the whole day. You even get to people watch, since everyone is usually on their phone. This is one my favorite parts of riding around a city. 

I'll be adding more money-saving travel tip blog posts soon, now that we have a vaccine and might have some hope of traveling by the end of the year. I'll be taking my first road trip for the first time in almost a year in just a few weeks. 

What are some of your favorite ways to travel on a budget?

Tuesday, January 19, 2021

Advice When Planning A Trip For A Large Group Of People

Planning a trip for a large group of people is always difficult. This is because you have many different opinions and requirements to take into consideration. The organization can be challenging, to say the least. With that being said, we have put together some useful tips that can help you to organize an exciting vacation for a large number of people.

  • Consider transport carefully - The first tip is to make sure you consider transport carefully. If you have a large number of people, getting from activity to activity can be difficult and expensive if you do not have a plan in advance. There is the option of renting coach buses nationwide, and this is something that can work out more affordable when you are splitting the cost between a big group of people. Consider all of your options carefully and compare expenses to determine what is going to be the most affordable for you.
  • Don’t wait around for everyone to be happy - One of the most challenging things about planning a vacation for a large number of people is that it can feel like it is almost impossible to make everyone satisfied. If you cannot agree on a date because everyone is busy, you will have to go for the majority, otherwise, you may never end up going anywhere at all! 

  • Consider booking a large villa rather than hotel rooms - Accommodation is another area that needs to be considered carefully. There are plenty of different options for people today, and Airbnb has opened us up to the possibility of booking vacation homes rather than staying in a hotel. If there is a large number of people, you can often find that staying in a big villa ends up being much more affordable, so make sure that you look into this. When you are looking at how many the property sleeps, though, make sure you check out how the beds are divided up and where they are all placed so you can be sure everyone is going to be happy and comfortable. 

  • Don’t get stressed if people want to do their own thing - It can be difficult to keep everyone satisfied when going on vacation. If you are planning lots of fun activities, don’t take it personally if some people do not want to get involved in all of them. We all have different tastes and different ideas of what makes a great trip, so allow people the freedom to make their own decisions and try not to stress about it!


So there you have it: some key tips and pieces of advice if you are planning on booking a trip for a large number of people. There is no denying that there is a lot to think about and consider when booking a trip for a large number of individuals. However, if you have a plan and you stick to the advice that has been provided above, you should find it somewhat easier to enjoy a great vacation.


Saturday, January 16, 2021

Keeping Connected to Home

When you travel, it can sometimes be hard to keep in touch with home, especially if you're traveling out of the country.  I'm not about to just cut off all communication for a week or two just because I don't want to pay $.60 for a text message or much more than that per phone call minute. I know we may only be roadtripping for the time being, but here are the ways I stay in touch with home when I travel.

apps to connect with home
Photo by ROBIN WORRALL on Unsplash
You could rely on email, but if you're traveling solo or actually want to speak to a human being, that's a bit impersonal, though you can also email people in addition to emailing them all the fun details of your days. I tend to do both, but I like for people to know that I haven't died, and I want to see my dog while I'm away for a week or more.

Photo by Paul Hanaoka on Unsplash


Voxer

Instead of texting, I use Voxer. Not only is it free, but it works off WiFi, so it can push through your "texts" when you have a signal, but will timestamp it when you actually sent it. It will also tell you when your message was delivered and when it was read. If the recipient clicks on it, can see exactly where it was sent from. This way you save money and people know you're alive, and if you go missing, they know where you were last. Voxer allows you to send/receive messages, videos and voice recordings, and it's free, unless you upgrade for more capabilities. You could use WhatsApp instead. I just didn't think it was as user-friendly.

Photo by Glen Anthony on Unsplash

Skype

Yes, I'm old, apparently, because the kids all snicker when you mention Skype instead of Facetime. One, I don't have an iPhone, and two, I don't want one. Skype is mostly free, easy to use, and allows you to actually see another person, even if you think you look like a hideous beast on camera like I do. 

Trying to figure out a time to talk to someone when there's a very significant time difference can be difficult, but I generally send a Voxer to my mom (or whoever I'm going to call), to let them know when I'm planning to Skype, so we can have the app open. I use it on my phone, so I can give them a walk thru of my Airbnb. Ha! 

Swarm

This doesn't strictly help you stay in touch, but it does let people know where you are at any given time. I check in to most places I go, because I like a record of things I did, in case I forget, but I also like my friends to know where I am, just in case. If I'm away and I don't check in somewhere for a day, they probably know there's something wrong. Plus, Swarm check-ins are fun and you earn points and stickers. 


Photo by Oleg Magni on Unsplash

TripIt

This is another way for me to allow people to keep tabs on me. I upload my entire itinerary to TripIt, including my flights and where I'm staying, so I have something with all my confirmation numbers and addresses and phone numbers in one place (which also saves paper) and then I share it with one or two other people who like to know what I'm doing and who I want to check in with.

These are just a few of my favorite apps, but they are especially useful for keeping up with people wherever you are. If you have a favorite app to stay in touch with home, I want to hear about it. Let me know about it in the comments.

Wednesday, January 13, 2021

Tips On Visiting Bangkok

We've been talking a lot about Thailand. Bangkok in particular because it's so different from where we live and places we've been. We took some virtual tours and saw things we hadn't previously known about the city, and it really made us what to visit. I went looking to some other great travel blogs for tips from those who've been there, some more than once. 

Photo by Evan Krause on Unsplash

I appreciate people who are honest, and Nomadic Matt is one of the most honest bloggers out there. His post here lets you know that he wasn't the biggest fan of Bangkok when he first visited. Perhaps it's easy to love or hate, but it could be that for some it's an acquired taste. He gives you his 3- to 5-day itinerary, now that he has learned to enjoy the city and all it has to offer.

Photo by Evan Krause on Unsplash


I'm always happy when people include pricing for things and also give in-depth descriptions for places along with tips. Nerd Nomads also give a 3-day itinerary, and include a lot of background, so you can decide what's right for you. Not everything is cheap, but food and lodging can be extremely affordable, so maybe splurge a little on the things that sound awesome to you. 

Photo by Taylor Simpson on Unsplash


There are a lot of different neighborhoods in Bangkok, just like with all major cities. Alex In Wanderland has explored many and Silom and Sathorn looked very modern and interesting to me, plus this was much different than everyone else's take on Bangkok that I had to include it. I didn't even know spaces like this were things you could find in Thailand, so I thought you'd like to see a totally different side as well. Maybe it'll encourage you to stay a few more days when you visit.

Photo by PTMP on Unsplash


Only have a short time in the city? The folks from Full Suitcase only had a 12-hour layover and did the city a whole different way than everyone else here. They hired a private driver, so they didn't have to worry about their bags, and could do as much as possible in the short time they had. While most of us will have more time than this, hiring a driver is not super expensive and might be something you splurge on for one of your days for your family, in order to save time for other things later.

Photo by Yavor Punchev on Unsplash

I used to love buying travel guidebooks, but they are usually too big and bulky to take along with me. Two Wandering Soles gives the best of several guidebooks to one easily digestible blog post. They include important info, weather, common words and how to pronounce them, and things to see and do and what to eat. 

I hope you enjoyed learning about some new blogs and this help in planning your trip to Bangkok. What do you most look forward to on a trip to Thailand? 


https://www.twowanderingsoles.com/thailand-travel-tips

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