How not to stand out from the crowd in unfamiliar countries

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

The most common advice travelers hear is: do what the locals do. This is fantastic advice and is easier said than done. Fortunately, after spending some time and googling information about the place you are going to in advance, you have every chance to act like locals in some situations. That is, do not overpay where you do not need to and do not get into stupid situations that unprepared tourists usually get into, see a little further and know a little more.

When you find yourself in a new place for you, it is important to be familiar with its language and customs, as well as to know what the locals do here, where they go and how, for example, they organize their leisure time. And, of course, you will most likely be interested in finding non-standard places and attractions that you will not find in guidebooks.

Let's start with the simplest.

Hotel (or apartment) reservation

To begin with, it is worth determining what you want from the area of residence. To have a lot of restaurants, clubs? Or do you want to live by the beach so you can get to it quickly? Once you decide on your desires, it will be easier for you to choose the part of the city or area that suits them.

Since you will be spending a fairly large amount of time in the chosen place, it would be good to scout out what is in your neighborhood. Services such as TripAdvisor and SrteetAdvisor will help you with this. They provide information on local shops, restaurants, attractions (TripAdvisor) and how clean or safe your area is (SrteetAdvisor). Of course, not in all cities you will find hotels in the areas you need, but at least you can get closer to your ideal.

However, locals do not sleep in hotels. So why would you do this? If you're willing to take a light risk, then Airbnb, which helps you rent apartments and houses from local residents, is what you need. If you are going to rent a house for a long term, then VRBO or HomeAway services will come in handy.

If things are going very badly with finding your ideal neighborhood, try posting your problem on Twitter or Facebook. Perhaps your friends can help you with advice. If you are still not sure in which area exactly you want to stay, detail your plans and wishes further: what events you want to visit, what restaurants and bars to go to, and so on. Then book a hotel or apartment in the location of your choice based on this data.

Apps and tricks to help you find amazing activities virtually anytime

A little preliminary research has helped you get to the area of the city you want. Now the main goal is to have new great and wonderful experiences and experiences.

Eat and drink like the locals

Eat a lot during a good rest. As a rule, there is some uncertainty and an element of spontaneity in the choice of eating places. But if you want to eat deliciously and if you don't have much time to search, and if you are limited by some kind of budget, then a little research is required. It's that simple!

There are always many options for where to go to eat. The choice of location depends on what exactly you are looking for. If you would like to sample the local food and cuisine that your destination is famous for, take advantage of Eat Your World. Of course, sites like Urbanspoon, Yelp, Chowhound and Local Eats will help you too. On each of them you will find information about restaurants, opinions of professionals, comments and user ratings.

Another option is to look at local blogs. You can also search for information on different culinary competitions. If you are a big coffee lover, search for the phrase "World Barista Championship". Thus, you will find cities and names of cafes in this city that are very "serious" and know a lot about their business. The same goes for breweries, restaurants and even DJ parties and clubs.

Find cool local events and unusual places

If you want to keep yourself busy with interesting events in a new place, then act as the locals would do: look for information about events on the same sites and in the same newspapers. In major newspapers you will find information on events such as theater tours, orchestra performances, parades, events in local parks. In local small weeklies you can find information about the opening of a nightclub or specials. promotions in restaurants.

If you are interested in unusual and strange places, then sites like Atlas Obscura will help. The site lists places with strange restaurants, unusual architecture, small museums, and more.

In addition, you will find many interesting places and events in the Triposo catalog. It has everything from dance lessons to art gallery openings. This is the best starting point for finding places and events you want to visit.

Behave like a local, respecting the customs of the place you are visiting

Each country and each city has its own local habits, customs, jargon, and sometimes a specific dialect or dialect. Even if you are familiar with the language, keep in mind that it will be different in every place. There is a great TripLingo app for the iPhone because it will teach you live phrases you will use, not textbook phrases. For Android phones, Google Translate remains the best option at the moment (other options: Speaklip for Android, Talking Phrasebooks for iOS and Android).

In terms of custom, there is a dedicated online etiquette guide for most countries in the world that gives a good overview of custom, etiquette and tip sizing standards around the world. If all else fails, follow the example of those around you.

Ask questions

Once you start walking around a new location, the funniest time begins to find what you are looking for. Perhaps you will find the place you are looking for using the tips above, but there are also places about which they write very little or not at all on the Internet.

To find such places, you need to ask the locals. One way is to use the free Asknative iPhone app. Type in the name of the city and ask a question. Perhaps one of the local residents will answer you.

Local forums are simple or thematic - one of the places where you will be happy to advise you on where to go or answer your questions. Even a traditional travel forum like Fodors can be a great place to connect with people who have already visited the place where you have come or live there.

In any case, we live in a human world, and there is nothing shameful in approaching a stranger and asking him a question that interests you. Of course, the stranger doesn't know your interests, but at least he will be able to advise you on something new.

Enjoy your travels.