Tips and Tricks – One Thousand Golden Highways

7 Quick Tips For Travel to High Altitudes

By Mary Paul | February 5, 2018 | Comments 5 comments

Work and play in high altitudes when you’re not used to them can be tricky. Certain prep can ease your transitions and help you have a good time up top, whether that’s Denver, Nepal, or Macchu Picchu!

1. Hydrate Hydrate Hydrate. High elevations have low humidity and your lungs will be breathing harder which will dehydrate you quickly. Your blood needs lots of water to not turn into sludge. Don’t make your heart work harder than it has to by letting yourself get dehydrated. The symptoms of dehydration are similar to that of altitude sickness and can make them worse- ie headaches, fatigue, and nausea.
2. Don’t forget sunscreen. You are literally closer to the sun. Also, the atmosphere is a bit thinner so that UV will hit you right in the face.
3. Watch your physical activity at first. It’s easy to underestimate the effect heights have on your body until you’re at the point of fainting. Go slow while you get used to it and let a buddy know if you’re feeling woozy. Don’t be afraid to sit down if you need to.
4. Go easy on the alcohol. Cocktails are going to hit a bit harder in high elevations because you may already feel slightly woozy or dizzy. They will also add to the dehydration problem. If you drink, drink less than usual and have extra water to compensate.
5. Grab a banana. Foods high in potassium can help with salt intake which can help you stay hydrated and keep your blood doing like it should.
6. Snack on some leafy greens. 50% of the American population is low in magnesium. Magnesium and iron both help your blood transport oxygen- kind of a thing when you’re in heights. Anemia will make it harder to acclimatize to high elevations.
7. Wear layers. The weather can change quickly up there and it’s often windy. Good idea to have options.
8. Rest. If you’re not feeling great or feel tired, don’t be afraid to sit and rest. You won’t be able to do as much as you usually can, so don’t get yourself in trouble… like trying to outrun mountain goats…

Like recovering from Jet Lag, there are hard ways and there are easy ways of dealing with high altitudes. Do yourself a favor and make it the easy way so you can be sure to have a great time!

Have you had trouble with altitude sickness? How did you cope? What would you do next time? Let me know in the comments!

7 things you should know when renting a car in Ireland

By Mary Paul | January 29, 2018 | Comments 0 Comment

Renting a car in Ireland seemed like a great opportunity- so many castles and ruins and abbeys to explore- but also intimidating. What’s it like renting a car abroad? How was I going to drive manual on THE OTHER SIDE OF THE ROAD? It seemed like Roadtrip: challenge mode.

Because we rented a car, we were able to duck into tiny villages, take photos of misty graveyards, and explore the ruins of infinite churches. There’s just no substitute for the freedom of a car trip in new countryside.

It was certainly was challenging, but not in the ways I expected. Here are the main things I wish I knew in advance.

Get a Refresher on Manual. If you’re not used to a manual transmission (I know they’re uncommon here in the states) ask around and see if you can bribe a friend into giving you a lesson or refresher on their manual vehicle. Many manual drivers would love to share their niche skillset with you. You definitely don’t want the first time to be trying to get out of the rental car parking lot- that would be embarrassing and potentially a disaster. Although you can get an automatic transmission in Europe, they will be more expensive and harder to find.
Book with a credit card. Many cards will cover insurance themselves so don’t get pressured into unnecessary costs. On the other hand, assume you may get a scratch or two, especially if it’s your first time on that side of the road. Read up on your own policies- you may be pleasantly surprised. On the other hand, a little extra per day for peace of mind is valuable if you can afford it…
Book online. We looked online before we went in person to the rental place. They tried to charge us around 200 euro instead of the advertised 40 euro online. Then they gave us a line about “special online promotions” that “would take a day at least to work”. We walked to the other side of the room, booked on our phone, and the car was ready immediately. Nice try, boys.
Hanging out at Guinness early in our three months of backpacking
Choose a navigator. There’s a lot going on driving in a foreign country so it’s good to give the map-following to a partner. The co-pilot’s job was to give directions and say “LEFT LEFT” at any and all major intersections so the driver could focus. Silly, but it helped a lot.
Beware the hedges. The roads are not really two lanes in many places. When another car appears ahead, you may need to pull onto the side to let them pass. Be very careful pulling off because the hedges and small stone walls are vicious. Watch those mirrors!
Find your Airbnb in daylight. If you’re renting a place, be sure to find it in daylight. The roads are not well-lit and many places don’t have proper street addresses. The address they give may just drop you off in the center of town. If you get lost, ask directions just like the old days. There will always be someone in the local pub!
Go easy on your speed, especially at night. The roads are unlit, there are many switchbacks, hills, valleys, potentially drunken drivers, and livestock that may cross the road. Better to take it a little slower.

Ireland is a great country to drive around, exploring little towns and stopping at anything that looks interesting by the side of the road. Have fun and remember the most nerve-wracking part of your journey will probably be driving out of the rental parking lot: you’ll be nervous and it’s likely to be a busy traffic area. Once you get out of town, the roads are less busy and stressful! Enjoy!

My Top 10 Best Backpacking Moments

By Mary Paul | November 6, 2017 | Comments 0 Comment

Travel blogs are informative and instructive, but they also make you wander-hungry. And sometimes regular hungry, especially if you’re into food like I am. So this week I thought I’d post the top ten most amazing moments I had backpacking with my husband for ten weeks last summer.

10. Seeing the Scottish castle rising over the hill that we would be living in for free (article to come soon) for the next few weeks and realizing it was all real. Running up the stairs when we got there like little kids at Disneyworld.

9. Realizing I had just saved several hundred dollars on our Irish car rental. Yes! Having the cashier give me a congratulatory smile and nod, like I had figured out the correct answer to a fairytale riddle.

8. Wandering the market in Valencia, picking from different cheeses and sausage for lunch. Marveling over shellfish and seafood I couldn’t even identify. Grabbing a huge fresh squeezed Valencia orange juice, a giant horxata, and paprika-soaked meats for less than ten euro.

7. Sharing a bottle of cider with our Airbnb host, an ex-pat luxury fashion editor, in Milan. Oh, the stories!

6. Sitting outside my favorite cafe on Rue Mouffetard in Paris with a cappuccino, an apricot mini-tarte, and my journal, sketching.

5. Eating some of the best italian food of my life in El Brellin in Milan. Yes, I am a little food obsessed. Totally okay with that. Food to me is part of the magical, temporary nature of our lives.

4. Having a martini in the Monte Carlo in Monaco. Eat your heart out 007.

3. Going to my favorite London neighborhood (Camden Town) after ten years and seeing my husband also fall in love with it at first sight

2. Seeing the sunrise over the Mediterranean the first time after an all-nighter in Ibiza

And my most amazing moment backpacking Europe was….

Sitting in a beautiful touring drummer’s apartment in Avignon, smoking a cigarette over breakfast(sorry, mom!) talking fluently in French about life with a traveling German girl of my own age.

This was the first time I felt like I was a part of Europe instead of just a visitor there. When you travel, it’s easy to just skim the surface- hanging out with one-day hostel friends, going to the major tourist areas, and not interacting in any meaningful way with locals. Sometimes having “an authentic experience” just means listening and opening up to a shop owner or tour guide. Sometimes it means staying in an Airbnb and making friends with your host, sacrificing exploring time for banter over a glass of wine. Sometimes it just means loafing around the kitchen.

More than just the moments above, I remember the people we met on the road and their stories. I remember how Alan almost bought an elephant. I remember “Ulysses” the angry Australian teaching us how to be homeless. I remember running into a couple from Amsterdam two cities later and hearing about their time as personal chefs in Cambodia. I remember our host explaining why her apartment might be bugged by the KGB.

And now, because we’ve kept in touch with some of our friends a year later, we get to hear what it’s like to build guitars in Prague, to teach English in Morocco, to pitch a bid in Dubai. Hearing their stories keeps my feet ready for the road (and gives me a place to stay in many foreign cities!) In many ways, the people we met were the most valuable backpacking moment of all.

What’s crazy is that for two people doing almost three months of traveling in some of the most expensive places on the planet, still enjoying nice dinners, museums, and stuff only cost around $6k American. I know it feels that way sometimes, but these kinds of experiences are attainable. I know people who spend several thousand dollars just to go to Disney World. If that’s your thing, cool, but if you want to spend a fun few hours, browse fares on my current favorite travel app, Momondo, and see how you can get almost anywhere on the planet for $300.

The 10 things I wish I knew before I backpacked Europe

By Mary Paul | October 30, 2017 | Comments 1 comment

To say I was unprepared before I went off to Europe for three months was an understatement. It’s not that I didn’t read up. I knew some things- I knew to pack earplugs for the hostels. I knew to use a credit card that waived international fees and have more than one card on hand in case one was lost or frauded. I knew how to spot a good restaurant. These are very important things! If you don’t know these already or are just starting out, I recommend the book How to Travel the World on $50 a Day.

However, there were some really stupid mistakes I made that I would like to save you from. They were stressful, in some cases, embarrassing.

10. Hostel booking is per person.
Okay, this is the most embarrassing one right at the top. Before Europe, I had never actually stayed in a hostel. Never. Weird, right? But imagine my embarrassment when I had only booked one bed (hey, I’m with my husband, it’s a co-ed room, we only need one right?) and then on arriving in Dublin, found out it was per person. And there were no more beds left. Oh boy, good start, right? What an idiot.

9. Balance flexibility and structure.
When we got to Europe, I was SO excited about the complete freedom we had. We had nothing to come home for in the immediate future. We had no idea where we’d end up. We planned on taking the cheapest flights and buses until we were getting short on cash, knowing we could use the points I had saved up to fly home. This was FREEDOM. I would only book one night at a time at hostels and Airbnb so we could follow WHIM and WHIMSY on our spiritual quest! (and also bail if the room turned out to be a dud.)

Yeah, here’s the thing- if you wake up at 9 and need to be checked out of your hostel by 10 and you have a 30lb backpack and no idea where you’re headed next, it’s a bummer. And a little scary. What if there is no place available? What if it’s hella expensive? Even if you’re keeping yourself free, make sure you’re booked around busy times like festivals, holidays, and weekends so you don’t get stuck. It’s totally ok, especially if you decide you like a certain hostel or Airbnb, to just book the next few days in advance. You’re going to have plenty of adventure in your life already, right? It’s okay to add structure in there.

8. Be realistic about how far you can walk, especially if you are unclear about how wide-spread public transport is.
Okay, so this one time we found a great place to stay in Galway (again, still in Ireland, can you tell it’s where we went first? Get all those mistakes out early!) It seemed a little far out of the way, but foreign countries are not always super google accurate. Ireland, for example, is not really into street numbers. After we had walked for several hours exploring the town, we set off to our Airbnb… only to discover it was eight miles away. About five in (as it was getting dark) we had to call our hosts and beg casually for a pick-up. Embarrassing. And although the walk back to town the next day was beautiful and full of thatched-roof cottages, it was also hard on our newbie backpacker backs.

7. You do not need to bring that extra pair of shoes. You do not. Do. Not!
Yeah, but I can just ship anything I don’t need back to myself right? That’s what I thought until I sent my first package back in Spain and found it cost $70! Ah! Do you know how many pintxos I could have eaten for that kind of money?? 70! 70 delicious pintxos!

The truth is, you can buy almost anything on the road you’re really in dire need of. Backpacking long periods is also money-saving in that it discourages you from buying needless souvenirs. If the question is “do I like that thing enough to carry it on my back for the next ten weeks?” the answer is usually no. Cha-ching, cha-ching! More money for pintxos!

6. Know your data options.
Do you have a cheap international data plan available with your carrier?Is your phone jailbroken so you can use foreign sim cards when traveling? My husband’s phone was paid off so he got a local sim card. Mine still had a little money owed so it was useless unless I wanted to pay $30 for every 500mB (which goes very quickly, let me tell you.) This meant half the battery life when we were out. Speaking of power, always carry a few charging bricks with you so you don’t get stuck in a strange place without a phone. While we’re talking about your digital life abroad, have you thought about how you’re going to back up photographs and information while you’re on the road? It doesn’t matter what your plan is as long as you have one. You’ll be really sad if you lose all those beautiful snapshots of how much fun you’re having because something happens to your phone and nothing was backed up.

5. Read the fine print with budget airlines.
Caveat Emptor- Buyer beware! There are lots of amazing deals out there. In Europe, it’s possible to grab a plane from Copenhagen to London for $14 and then London to Ibiza for $30. Fantastic! But if you’re not careful, you’ll lose your savings and more through not reading requirements on budget airlines.

Learn which airlines are more associated with “budget” fares- these are ones to be extra wary of. Ryanair and Spirit, for example, are notorious for surprise charges. Their carry-on required sizes are extra small, for example, and you may have to rely on the kindness or negligence of your particular stewards to let you slip through without extra fee. Their online check-in times close super early. They charge extra if you don’t pre-print your boarding pass before arrival.

We scored a $30 flight from Dublin to London, but with all the mistakes my husband and I made not reading the fine print in advance, we realized on arrival to the airport we might be charged a full $300 in fees! Yikes! We decided last minute to let our flight go without us and buy new $60 tickets to Liverpool instead. All the scheduling chaos could have been avoided if we had been more mindful of the rules when we booked our original tickets.

4. Take extra care of traffic. Even a cyclist can DESTROY you.
Nice is a busy pedestrian city. There are scooters, cycles, cars, trucks, and buses all over the place and the margins between street and sidewalk are not as clear as, say, New York. Plus, as you explore a new place it’s easy to get distracted by all the exciting things around you. In my case, I walked too closely in front of a stopped bus (the light was red) and was totally owned by a cyclist who had not begun to slow down. He went flying, I went flying, and I literally couldn’t tell you how I ended up with so much road rash because I don’t remember anything between Brian screaming and me looking down after getting up and actually seeing how much damage I took. Wow, those stress hormones, huh? I didn’t feel a thing. Hadn’t even realized that I was covered in blood when I said how okay I was. I was very lucky it was just a cyclist. Don’t make that dangerous mistake- stay very aware of your surroundings, especially in busy areas.

3. Protect your gear!
When the lens fell out of my UV filter and shattered on the pavement as I was swapping filters, I debated replacing it. Imported items were extra expensive in otherwise-cheap Spain. Why bother replacing a filter that doesn’t really do anything anyway? Because this $30 filter protects my $100 lens when the lens cap is off. I replaced it. That meant that when I tripped spectacularly in Carcassonne while taking a picture and landed camera-first on the pavement, it was only my filter that was bent and scratched not my lens. I was able to remove it temporarily and keep taking pictures another day. The beautiful featured photo on this post? It would never have been taken if I hadn’t bought that UV cover. Good job, past me.

2. It’s totally okay to have rest days.
If you had told me that while I was in the South of France, I was going to spend a whole day sitting on the couch watching Netflix, I would have been super mad at myself. What a waste! How could I not be out exploring the amazing place I was in?

If you’re a go-go-goer like I am (I’m really not the all-inclusive resort kind of girl,) taking a full rest day on a trip sounds crazy. But as your trips get longer, they become 100% necessary. I was tired. I had been hit by a bike. I could barely walk and my knees were all shades of purple and red and green. For the first time in my life, I found myself in a beautiful place wishing I were back home. Taking a day doing a home activity sated that urge and gave me the strength and mental energy to explore again.

And the number 1 thing I wish I knew before I left?

1. There may come a time that you want to go home. And that’s okay too.
I thought that once I was on the road, I might end up on it forever. I met many cool people who did that- people who started traveling and five, ten years later were still out there, having amazing adventures. Whatever your timeline is, there may come a point where you’re tired and road weary and need a break. That doesn’t mean you can’t go back or that there won’t be a next time. Italy, Fiji, Angkor Wat will still be waiting for you. There will still be Chinese kids to teach English and waves to surf in Costa Rica. But be real with yourself- being real about your needs and desires is what got you on the road to begin with and you need to keep listening to that while you’re out there. Coming home at any point is not a sign of failure.

Remember, the hardest step is that one out your front door. Once you’ve done that, the rest is easy.

Have you gone for a long-term trip yet? Are you dreaming of it? Comment where you’d like to go or have been below!

You’ve been doing New Year’s wrong

By Mary Paul | October 23, 2017 | Comments 0 Comment

“What?” you reply with indignation. “You don’t know me! I have the best New Year’s Eve every year on the planet! I party with my closest friends on a raft and sing Kumbayah at midnight when we dance naked in the moonlight!”

If that’s the case, go you, man, you live your life. Also, try not to catch cold. But let me tell you about what my New Year’s Eve used to look like and see if it’s at all familiar:

“New Year’s Eve is coming! I hope I do something special and get invited to a cool party!”
“Oh, gee, no one has planned anything. Hope I don’t end up at home alone this year.”
“Hey, I got sort-of invited to this acquaintance’s party, but I’m sure something better will come up.”
“Okay, acquaintance party it is.”
(Cut to me, in a stranger’s basement, drinking vodka-cranberry and pretending to have fun watching the ball drop on tv. If I’m lucky, I have a date to kiss at midnight.)

Let’s be real, this is a weak way to start a brand new, glorious year! Don’t passively wait and hope, create for yourself an active life that guarantees a good time. New Year’s Eve is a world-wide holiday- unlike Thanksgiving, you can be pretty much anywhere on earth to celebrate. In that case, might I make a suggestion?

MONTREAL

Montreal, my darlings! If you live in New England, Montreal is less than a six-hour drive away and it is glorious. It is the best parts of North America and Europe in a gravy-infused and reasonably-priced smoked meat platter of goodness. It is a snow-globe of gentle holiday festiveness. And, as a surprise bonus, nowhere parties like Montreal.

Fire Juggler at Cirque De Boudoir's incredible New Year's bash — What is even happening here? Oh, a lizard man is fire juggling in a drained swimming pool at the New Year’s bash, obvs. Cirque De Boudoir: Carnavalesque New Year’s Eve 2013 // Photo courtesy of Cirque and by Jo Gorsky. For upcoming events visit http://www.cirquedeboudoir.com

Whether you’re looking for a family-friendly holiday or a rock-n-rock party-all-night, Montreal has what you’re looking for. That’s why I’ve been there every New Years six years running.

Our first year was also my first time in Montreal, although I had visited it’s frostier cousin, Quebec. Fed up with boring plans, I had looked up New Year’s Eve parties to find the most interesting and stumbled onto Cirque De Boudoir. I’m not into the S&M scene, but I know a good party when I see one and “Venetian themed New Year’s bash in a former YMCA with an open bar, cage dancers, and burlesque” sounded right up our alley.

Suspended Cage Dancer, Montreal, New Year's Eve — Cage dancer hanging from the ceiling over the pool. No, really. Cirque De Boudoir: Carnavalesque New Year’s Eve 2013 // Photo by: Jo Gorsky. For upcoming events visit http://www.cirquedeboudoir.com

The city was beautiful- sparkling with fairy lights and chinese lanterns, warm with holiday cheer, stuffed with hearty food. Notre Dame is one of the most lovely cathedrals on the planet. The party was wild- airbrush artists doing full body makeup, a dance floor in the former pool, and great performers all night. Awesome. We’d be back.

The following year, we dragged a good friend with us and rented an entire apartment for $20 a night. Instead of buying party tickets this time, we explored the city and discovered The Greatest Cocktail Bar in the World, Le Lab.

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A post shared by MP | Lifestyle+Travel (@1000goldenhighways)

There’s going to be an entire article about how amazing this place is in the future, but suffice to say, we have been all over the US and much of Europe sniffing out speakeasies and cocktails and this is still our favorite cocktail bar (sorry, New York.) And at midnight on New Year’s, they have a wild fire show.

Ever since then, we grab a van full of friends, rent an entire apartment, and explore the city. We always are at Le Lab for midnight. Prices are very reasonable, even for a fancy dinner, and the food is excellent. Splitting the costs with friends lowers our overhead even further. We have yet to have a bad time. How can you have a bad time in such a beautiful place?

partygoers in Times Square on New Year's Eve — Yeah, okay, you could go watch the ball drop, if you want to stand in 10 degree temperatures for nine hours. I’ve heard it’s a thing everyone should do at least once. Image courtesy Anthony Quintano.

But it’s cold!

Yes, my friends, but Canada is used to cold and has many fantastic warm drinks to keep the frostbite away! Dress well (another article on that will be forthcoming) and feel free to bar-hop your way down the street. Wear good shoes and toast yourself at the fireplaces in the central areas. You’ll have a wonderful time despite the cold!

But I don’t speak French!

Although Montreal is 100% French-speaking, pretty much everyone can speak English as well. Remember, half of Canada doesn’t speak French very well either. As long as you are polite and learn a simple “Bonjour!” and “Merci” for when you enter shops, you shouldn’t have much trouble. They will appreciate it if you at least try.

But I don’t have a passport!

….Seriously? Go to your post office. It’s time.

Have you been to Montreal yet? Do you have any specific recommendations you’re looking for? Hit me up here!

How to drive in New York City (without losing your mind)

By Mary Paul | October 6, 2017 | Comments 2 comments

Okay, you’re heading to the city. And you’re thinking of driving?? All your friends think you’re nuts. Why would you drive willingly into a crazy place like New York when it’s one of the few American cities with perfectly good public transport?

I used to only take the train in, but now that I work in the city often, I drive more. I find it gives me more freedom to explore and gets me home faster when I’m working late at night. Plus, if I have a car full of people, it saves us all cash.

Good reasons to take a car

Mobility: New York is not the best city on the planet for people who have trouble walking and having a car gives you the freedom to drop people off before you go park.

Freedom: If you’re getting out super late, it may be faster to drive out than waiting for the subway and then train. It also allows you to explore a bit further afield- if you want to go from Manhattan to Williamsburg to Flushing (for the real Chinatown, obvs) it’s going to be easier to hop around with a car.

Downsides

Stress: Okay, New Yorkers are (justifiably) known for being high strung. There will be lots of honking, people weaving in and out of traffic, people right on your tail, oblivious pedestrians, and slightly confusing on and off ramps, though once you get into the city streets are very logical. If you’re an anxious person, it may not be worth the added stress. However, if you can take a deep breath and go slow at intersections you’ll be ok. A honk is not going to damage your car but getting t-boned at an intersection will.

Cost: Both tolls and parking are not cheap. If you’re bringing a car-full of people down, you may save money from train fare. If you listen to my tips, you’re not going to lose an arm and a leg to parking but you still need to be wary of costs. It might make sense to find a cheap garage, leave your car, and take the subway to other spots.

Timing: Any time you want to go into the city, you need to give yourself lots of extra time to get around, in a car or otherwise. If there’s anywhere you need to go around morning rush hour, save yourself the madness and take the train in. Or take your car to city limits and hop on a train there. Traffic is no joke- I had a French proficiency exam at 10 am and left at 6am (should be an hour drive) and it was going to take 4 hours by car to get in because of accidents. We ended up parking and taking the train. Google maps or Waze will help you stay updated.

Before you go:

Download an NYC parking app like Spothero:
This step is key. If you take exactly one thing to heart from this article, get yourself a parking app. This app will show you the cheapest parking in your area for the time you put in and then give you a discount as well! Last time I had a convention to go to, parking nearby was $50 for the day (damn you, “event pricing”.) Using Spothero, I found another garage a few blocks down for $15 for 12 hours! Hell yeah.

Designate a Navigator:
As Maverick needed Goose, you should have a co-pilot if possible your first time navigating in New York. They can let you focus on traffic instead of not getting lost. And be patient. If you miss a turn, you can just go around again. Because you gave yourself plenty of extra time, you’re not going to stress right?

Know where you’re going (at least at first):
“Where is it?” “Somewhere in Manhattan.”
Look, pal, Manhattan is a big place. Take a look at the map and familiarize yourself with where on the island you’re headed. Is it far south? Along the right side or left? Midtown? Bonus if you take a look at the New York neighborhoods and familiarize yourself with such magical places as TriBeCa and St. Mark’s Place.

If you take these basic precautions, practice your Zen breathing, and take a buddy, you’re going to have a fine, safe, and hopefully, inexpensive time driving in the city. The more you do it, the easier and less intimidating it becomes!

Oh, and avoid driving anywhere near Times Square! You’ll thank me later.

How I learned to speak 14 languages and you can too

How I learned to speak 14 languages from a monoligual house (and you can too)

By Mary Paul | January 16, 2017 | Comments 2 comments

This year, I have some crazy ideas.

A few days ago, I got notification of success on my Diplôme d’études en langue française B1 exam I sat in December.

I didn’t have much trouble with it (with one exception which I will detail later) and feel confident in scheduling my B2 exam for March, hopefully passing C1 by the end of the year.

“But Mary,” you might say, “what’s the rush?”

Well the rush is (embarrassingly) I have been “studying french” for 15 years. Before December, I last took a french exam in 2004- high school! But the progress I’ve made over the last few months has been greater than that of the past ten years. I am speeding along and I can give you the tips and tricks I’ve learned on the way. With some work, I should have no trouble passing my exams in a few months even without immersion.

You see, I’m not just working on French. I am also functional in Japanese, Spanish, Italian, Russian, and German, with bare bones Mandarin, Arabic, Hebrew, Hindi, Classical Greek, Latin, and ASL. The learning curve for each of these languages is different, but the learning rules are the same.

So besides French, I’m hoping to certify two other languages this year- Italian(CILS) along with Japanese (JLPT 4kyuu) in December and possibly Mandarin(HSK) as well.

Languages interest me and always have but I haven’t always been good at them, and worse, I haven’t always been efficient. My mistakes, though, are your gain: after confirming my skills in a three-month backpacking trip through Europe, I consider myself a master language learner. Back home at last, I am on fire.

In this series, I hope to answer some of your common language learning questions and share my favorite tools and techniques. Some upcoming topics include:

How to keep things straight when learning multiple languages at once
The one first step when learning a new language to immediately improve your “native accent”
How to master tricky new alphabets and non-latin languages
How to efficiently incorporate media and listening into your practice
Where and how to practice your new language as quickly as possible

I will especially focus on free tools, since that’s always my preference, but will also include those that give the best bang for your buck. Look for a list of these on my resources page.

Do you have any language tools or tricks you think are indispensable? Tell me in the comments!

My Best Key West Travel Secret for your next trip!

My Favorite Key West Secret

By Mary Paul | November 30, 2016 | Comments 2 comments

It’s a rainy, wet, dreary day today, the perfect kind of morning to curl up on the couch with some Earl Grey and Jane Austin or “Seven Years in Tibet“. Or, alternatively, we can cast our minds to beautiful places far away, whether to daydream, plan, or remember. We can visit tropical wonderlands like Key West.

Today I’m going to tell you a secret, a traveler’s secret. You know my favorite kind of secret? When you go somewhere you’ve never been in your whole life and you can still show someone something amazing your first time there, something totally unexpected and marvelous?

This was a something passed on to me and now I can share it with you. But let’s keep it special, shall we?

The island of Key West is at the end of one of the most gorgeous road trips in the whole world. If you’ve never been to a tropical paradise, you may be unprepared for the turquoise blue of the water or the impeccable visibility, falsely attributing it to some kind of Instagram filter. You may be surprised by the colorful birds and fish, the treacherous humidity, the lazily hanging mosses.

Personally, I was most surprised when I ran over a crocodile with my rented bike.

My first trip to Key West was supposed to be a weekend in Maine. It was my birthday and I was excited to return to Acadia National Park… but then rain happened. When my traveling companion glanced at the radar and delivered the bad news, I asked how far the green splotch on the map went – Vermont? Wet. Cincinnati? Soaking. Virginia Beach? Damp, at best. Well, then, where did the giant green splotch end?

“Charleston,” he replied.

“Charleston,” I said, tasting the distant city on my tongue. “So we drive to Charleston,” I said, “and we see how far we get.”

Well, we made it to Charleston in time for a delicious cup of morning coffee and doughnuts, and, with the wanderer’s creed of “just a bit farther” we continued to Savannah, St Augustine, Miami … and Key West. A mere spur-of-the-moment 1,500 miles.

Accommodations:

Miami itself is further from Key West than one might think, 3.5 hours drive without traffic. If there is any traffic, you’re done for, because there is exactly one main road that goes through the islands (route 1, of course). It’s also two hours between the first key (Key Largo) and the final one (Key West) so plan accordingly, especially if you have a flight out of MIA to worry about. Now, for cheaper accommodations, I recommend staying off the final island if possible. Key West is the busiest, most popular, and most expensive of the chain. Do visit but you may not want to stay there. As for options, AirBNB is a good bet and there is at least one hostel in Key West though I have not been there. Many hotels and B&Bs will include bonuses like free fishing pole and tackle, kayaks, and bikes with stay. Drink more water than you think you’ll need, wear bug spray, and beware the heat.

Things not to miss:

Snorkle and scuba dive – If you come to this island paradise with any interest in diving, DON’T MISS IT. If you’ve never been snorkling and you can swim, I highly recommend giving it a try. It’s some of the most exciting diving on the planet. You put your face in the water and it’s like watching National Geographic. For around $40 per person, you can join a diving group for maybe four hours out on the water. It’s fantastic. One other pro tip- don’t forget to reapply your reef-friendly sunscreen every few hours. The water can act like a magnifying lens, frying your back as you paddle merrily along, which you won’t be feeling for several hours (and oh boy, then you’re going to feel it for sure!)

sunburned couple — Look at those sad faces! Don’t be like us- Reapply your sunscreen regularly!

If you’re not hitting the reef and you still need sun care, check out “Sun Bum” sunscreen. It’s in many beach shops there and California and if you don’t mind spending a little extra, you, too, can smell like a very expensive banana (and you’re going to need their cooling lotion if you missed that last tip about reapplying sunscreen!) Overpriced? Almost definitely, but like the scent of “Sex Wax”, it instantly transports me to warm beaches and endless sun, which in February is much cheaper than a ticket to Orlando!

The Hemmingway House is absolutely worth a visit if you’re a book nerd, manly man, or cat fanatic and The Green Parrot exists for those who still need more of a “Papa” fix. My own favorite hobby is walking through town, admiring the stately colonial architecture, and peaking into the lush pocket gardens full of mangroves and tropical flowers. Naturally, you also need to spend time on the beach. Walking (or biking) over Seven-Mile Bridge if you’re hardy enough is unforgettable because visibility allows you to see every fish scooting along the sand beneath you. Chartered water sports in Key west (parasailing, paragliding, boat charters and rentals) are also cheaper than almost anywhere else in the US.

Lastly, a quirky piece of Americana in the restaurant Better than Sex. Like Madame Puddifoot’s in the Harry Potter movies, Better than Sex is designed as a date spot. If you found a hot date on your trip (or imported one with you) bring them here to this dessert-based placed for naughty-themed cocktails and the best chocolate grilled cheese of your life. Now, just because it’s a date place doesn’t mean this can’t just be a giggle-worthy time with a good friend or a very special moment between you and your cheesecake. No one will judge in this candle-lit atmosphere so thick you can barely see your delicious meal. Each time we go, the ambiance gets darker- this last time they gave up entirely and swapped the paper menus for Ipads.

A couple dine at "Better than Sex" — “Melanie? You look lovely by iPad light.”
(“Better than Sex” image courtesy “The Daily City”)

Eat some conch fritters and key lime pie, have a good margarita, listen to live music, do some water sports, check out the crazy sunset parties on the beach, and…

Oh, did you think I forgot the secret I said I’d tell you?

Here it is: when you get to Key West itself, Duval street is the main area and “party town”. There are all kinds of art galleries and tchotchke stores on Duval. There is also a Starbucks.

Near sunset time, go into this Starbucks, sneak out the back door into the Hotel, and go straight into the elevator on the other side. Head to the top floor. Stay sneaky. Hum “Mission Impossible” if that helps.

Wah-la. You are in one of the best and highest places in town to grab a drink and watch the sunset over the whole city. They frequently have live bands playing and they fix a mean cocktail.

Have you been to Key West lately? Did I miss anything important? What’s the farthest you’ve gone on a spontaneous road trip? Tell me in the comments.

a beautiful beach sunset with palm trees — Really is just another day in paradise. So why not head to the Keys? If you’re American, you don’t even need a passport. Photo credit: bmward_2000.

How to find great food when traveling

By Mary Paul | November 26, 2016 | Comments 1 comment

If you’re like me, food is one of the best parts about traveling.

Whether you’re trying something new or just hunting down the best fresh, local ingredients, good food can give you an insight into new cultures and make you feel far from home in a good way.

Picking a good place when you’re away can put the pressure on- you’re only around a limited time with a limited budget and a bad meal can sour your day. Even worse, getting caught in a “tourist trap” can give you subpar food at high prices.

If you don’t know anyone in town and you don’t know the area, how do you find a good place?

Fear not for I am a broke foodie and have made finding good food away from home an art form! Here are my secrets:

amazing pinxos great food — Food in Spain is super cheap and delicious. Check out these pinxos- they were about $1 each!

1) Walk around:

This is my most important tip. Don’t leave finding a place to the last minute when possible– hanger can make for bad decision-making. Instead, keep meals in the back of your mind as you explore. You’re going to have to eat some time, right? If you see a good-looking place, glance at the menu and start getting a feel for typical prices and food in the area. This will help you not get ripped off. Definitely take a look at what people are ordering as well- if it makes you drool, what you order will probably be good too. Don’t be afraid to follow your nose!

2) Use Yelp:

Most restaurants are clustered in certain areas. Maybe you already have a feel for the busy places from exploring, but if not, use yelp or other review sites (when possible) to find where the food is. Definitely look at reviews if there are any, but don’t just go by stars- check and read some of the bad reviews too. Make sure none of the mentioned issues are ones you’re not willing to deal with.

3) Never feel like you have to eat at a place before you see the menu

Sticker shock hurts! Often menus are posted outside or you can ask a waiter to see one. If you sit, are handed a menu, and the prices or offerings are not what you want, head out and find a better place. You may not be in town again, right? Don’t be guilted into a bad meal or one outside of your budget.

4) Location location location:

Often restaurants right next to a famous area or monument (I’m looking at you, the Latin Quarter) are awful. They’re designed for travelers who don’t know any better. Even the better restaurants in touristy areas may be overpriced. Don’t be afraid to go down the side alleys for a better deal and better time.

5) Do what the locals do:

Talk to people in your hostel or leaders of your walking tours about where they like to eat most (phrasing it like that will hopefully avoid steering you to generic tourist options). For the most part avoid chains. When possible, beware places with menus in several languages, especially those that only list the most twee dishes of the area like “fondue” and “cassoulet” or “authentic paella“. Beware the word “authentic” at all cost! How does the menu look? Is it updated day-to-day with seasonal ingredients or does it look like a diner menu full of clip-art that hasn’t changed since 1998? Don’t underestimate local options like food carts and markets- if a food spot is busy and full of locals, it’s probably a great place and even cheap places can have incredible food.

When choosing a place to eat, any and all of these rules can be broken. Sometimes a tourist location is located so well or is so beautiful, it’s worth the risk. Sometimes there’s a very specific deal or menu item you want to try or you don’t have many options to choose from. Don’t forget that a bad meal isn’t the end of the world!

My final recommendation is that we all could stand to broaden our palettes and eat more local food. Food from home is likely to be more expensive and not as good. Besides, did you really come half-way around the world to eat a crappy hamburger at McDonald’s? Before you choose your next meal, remember that food is an intrisic part of a place’s culture. As a traveler, an adventurer, an explorer, we should celebrate that.

How about you, what was your best food find on the road? What was your worst food disaster? Tell me in the comments!

-M

How to not kill your spouse on the road

By Mary Paul | September 8, 2016 | Comments 3 comments

Ah, the joys of traveling with a friend or partner! Although going solo is a pleasure in itself, having someone to share memories with for a lifetime is fantastic and can be safer and more comfortable than starting out alone.

However, we’re all familiar with the problems that can come from traveling with others– Maybe they want to take things slowly and you’d rather run around. Maybe they prefer traveling at a higher level of luxury than you can afford or aren’t interested in the kinds of activities you are. Maybe they’re not as fit or adventurous and may hold you back from doing things you’re excited about.

Small nuances like someone who talks all the time when you want quiet aren’t even noticeable until you’ve spent 48 hours with a person and can lead to vicious blow-outs.

I get surprised when people ask me how I can spend so much time alone with my husband, Brian. After getting used to our life, I forget that it’s not the norm- We’ve spent months traveling as just the two of us when some partners and spouses I know barely get to spend 24 hours in a row together. Brian and I got our travel lives started early- two weeks after I asked him on a date, Brian asked me to come to Las Vegas with him for a week. In fact, it was on that Vegas trip I knew we were destined for great things because Brian, terrified of heights, offered to go on the zipline over Old Vegas with me.

When I realized how white-knuckled he was when it was our turn, I asked him, “Wait, why are you doing this if you’re so afraid of heights?“

And he answered, “Well, if we’re going to have adventures together the rest of our lives, I figured I’d better start now!“

(COME ON GUYS IS THAT NOT A KEEPER??)

But I digress:

How do you travel with a partner and avoid wanting to kill them?

Much of the prep of a good trip happens long before you get to the airport. Good research and solid communication sets you up for a good time before you get there. Many of the questions are the same ones you should ask yourself when planning any trip, even if you’re going alone.

Questions to ask yourself and your travel partner:

What do I want out of this trip? What are my biggest must-do experiences?
Are you going to Italy for the food? Are you really into art museums? Has it always been your dream to sit in a hot spring and watch the Northern Lights over Reykjavik? Being real and honest about your top priorities makes sure they won’t be skipped. You may need to trade and negotiate with you travel partner to make sure you both get some of what you want. The earlier in the process you do so, the happier everyone will be. Of course, some flexibility is still key!
Which areas am I most likely to splurge on? Which am I okay saving money on?
Maybe you have an enormous budget and can do whatever you want. More than likely, though, you’ll have to set priorities. Which is more important to you: a fancy hotel or some amazing dinners? Do you want to spend time shopping in flea markets and boot sales or on the Champs Elysee? Be realistic about your budgets and always give yourself some wiggle-room in case of emergencies and unexpected costs. Are you two okay with splitting meals? That can be a great way to try a wider variety or higher quality of food than you might otherwise.
Am I an early bird or a night owl?
This one is easy to forget about but can lead to significant frustrations. No one wants to be sitting around, waiting for someone for hours. Also, if you know you snore, do your partner a favor and grab some nose-strips! Avoid the temptation: sometimes going full-day-early-morning-up-all-night is doable, but only for a short while. Any trip a week or more is going to require some down time if you don’t want to crash (and you may want to account for some jet lag)!
What’s my “activity level”?
Some people have an entirely different idea of what the word “vacation” means. I am one of those crazy types who loves exploring cities by foot for days upon days (and miles upon miles.) Only recently (as we go for longer trips) have I learned the value of taking it easy now and then, for Brian’s sake as much as mine. Some mornings we sit in a cafe and read. Some afternoons we lie on the beach in the sun. Most days, we explore as much of the city as we possibly can, usually by foot or by bicycle. Some people on vacation want nothing more than to be fed mixed drinks through a straw poolside for a week. There is no wrong way to travel, but understanding expectations in advance will avoid bumping of heads later.
How flexible am I?
Some people are planners: they want to know exactly where they’ll be staying, what they’re eating for dinner, and which museum they’re going to see when they get up every morning. Some people fly by the seat of their pants and do whatever looks good that moment. If someone gets panicked about not knowing where they’ll be staying in advance, book a night or two ahead. No matter which style of planning suits you, to avoid conflict, plan on where you’re going to eat before anyone gets hangry. Food rage is a real thing when traveling in groups of any size!
Keep talking!
No matter what happens on the road (and anything can happen on the road) be prepared to listen and communicate clearly about your needs. No one is a mind reader and learning to be patient, to explain yourself in a nice way before tempers flare can save whole vacations. Remember your partner is relying on your to have a good trip too!

Do you travel with partners or friends? How do you choose who to travel with? What have you enjoyed most about traveling with others? Do you have any horror stories? How did you deal with them? Tell me in a comment!

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