10 reasons you hated your last vacation

If I had to guess, these are ten reasons why your last vacation wasn't what you hoped it would be.  I know we've all made endless travel mistakes, and sometimes we run into things that just aren't under our control.  If these things haven't happened to you on a trip yet, either you haven't traveled much or you're a very easy-going person!   These things don't have to make you hate your vacation, but sometimes they do.  Some of these things can be avoided, and some of them can't.  However, you can decide how you're going to deal with these situations, which can make or break a vacation.

1.  Driving time took a lot longer than Google maps said.  So Google maps said an hour right?  I wish I had a dollar for every time this has happened.  We quickly realized driving in Ecuador that if the GPS said 1 hour, it was actually going to be 2 hours.  Once you realize that you have to account for driving behind farmer's trucks, and 15 mph dirt roads, it's a lot easier to deal.  Or when we were driving in Yosemite, the traffic was so bad a 20 minute trip actually was going to be an hour.  So my recommendation is don't be so naive as to trust Google maps.  They do a great job, but you'll be sorely disappointed if you're in Miami and it says 5 minutes, but really it's an hour.  Google maps driving time is not to be trusted with your life.

2.  Everyone was hungry and the food was terrible.  Add this one to the fact that Google maps said "20 minutes" and now it's an hour and everyone is in the car starving.  Plus, you didn't research restaurants, so you have to wander around, finding parking trying to get to a restaurant.  You pick the first place you find and it's terrible.  Don't let this happen to you.  PACK SNACKS.  And plan your food accordingly.  Do not let hanger on your vacation with you.

3.  The weather didn’t cooperate.  There is not much to do about this except do research on your weather ahead of time.  If you're going somewhere in the USA in Spring, most likely it's going to be rainy.  So if you're upset that it's March and 5 out of 6 days is rain, well, there's not much that can be helped.  Maybe you went in June and were shocked with a storm that couldn't be avoided.  However, be prepared if you're going somewhere during a time when bad weather is to be expected.  Have a rainy day plan.  If you have all outdoor things scheduled, you'll be real disappointed.  At least have a few places you can go if weather isn't ideal.

Can't wait to walk around in this wet mess.

4.  You went with people that didn’t have the same vacation philosophy as you do.  This one is hard to find out unless you ask a lot of questions ahead of time.  If you're planning a trip and you are interested in sleeping in and staying in the whole time, and the people you're planning with keep talking about "waking up at 6 a.m. to make it across town to the museum," you're probably going to have a frustrating vacation.  Make sure you're all on the same page.  If you can't in good conscience do what everyone wants to do, that's OK.  Everyone has a different vacation style.  Try to plan vacations with people who are flexible or into what you're into.  It makes it a lot easier on everyone.

5.  Your sleeping accommodations kept you up all night.  Cheap accommodations usually mean cheap beds with thin walls.  That way you can toss and turn all night, and hear the kegger going on in the room next door. If you're a light sleeper, you may need to shell out some extra money to make sure you get a good night's rest.  Or if you have back problems, or any other issues that could make sleeping anywhere but home difficult for you.  What kind of vacation is it if you get 3 hours of sleep every night and are Mr./Mrs. Cranky Pants the whole time?

6.  You didn’t think all that traveling would make you tired and cranky.  So you thought 20 hours in the airport would be fine because after all, you're not doing anything but resting.  The fact is, though, it's not rest.  Not real rest.  Waking up to let someone next to you go to the bathroom, getting shook around by the turbulence, and being woken up for pretzels every hour isn't exactly "relaxing."  Traveling takes it out of you.  You'll need rest from all your restless time on the plane.

7.  Your airline lost your bags.  You thought all that "packing light" and only bringing a carry-on nonsense was for everyone else.  Until, you went to baggage claim and waited for 30 minutes... that turned into 60 minutes... and your bag never came.  Then you get to fill out paperwork for another hour, after you've waited in a long line with the people whose bags also got lost.  This is when you finally realize that airline employees actually aren't thinking, "This Joe guy... I'm really going to make sure he gets his bag and this doesn't get screwed.  After all, it's his vacation."  Next time, just bring the carry-on.

8.  That site you wanted to see was under renovation.  Oh man.  This is the worst.  I've missed out on a museum in Paris because it was under strike.  I missed a museum in Rome because it was under renovation.  This is a huge bummer.  Sometimes you can look it up and double-check, and sometimes you're in for a rude awakening.  I should have looked this up ahead of time, but alas, I didn't.  And I was rudely awoken.  

9.  You were sick.  You sat next to Typhoid Mary on the plane and walked away with a nasty cold.  Or, you already had a cold and the plane clogged up your ears so you can't hear anything.  Or maybe, you get food poisoning and the hotel doesn't have air conditioning... and it's 90 degrees.  Or maybe you have to spend the week in a hospital getting your kidney stones treated.  Or maybe you get an infection and you're there for two months.  Every single one of these are real things that have happened to people I actually know. (I was the one with the clogged ears and actually had to pour water up my nose to try to get my ears to pop.)  These things suck.  And there is really no way around it.  Sickness can really take the winds out of the sails.

10.  The vacation just wasn’t long enough.  All that travel time made you tired and by the time you felt like you could finally relax, the vacation was over.  This is hard because sometimes you only have a few days for vacation and there is really nothing you can do about it.  I recommend doing whatever you have to to get into vacation mode.  Maybe cancel your plans the day before you leave and start early.  With busy lives we live right now, getting relaxed takes time.  Pretend that you're on the beach: make a Pina Colada and turn on Island music on Pandora.  Don't let your vacation come and go.  Do what you have to to prepare yourself for a relaxing time.  

And the winner is...

Thanks for playing and tagging your friends in my anniversary giveaway contest!  I didn't know if I'd have any bites on this, since I've never done anything like it before.  I was pleasantly surprised with the number of shares and likes on Instagram!  

I was very excited to be able to give away a set of packing cubes.  They are my favorite packing accessory and I think everyone should have a set (read why I love them.)    I'm sorry if you didn't win, but consider purchasing a pair as a holiday gift to yourself, or add them to a wishlist for someone else to get for you.  You won't regret it!

We will be embarking on one of (what I believe) will be the trip of a lifetime in 9 days.  I have some posts lined up for the next few weeks I think you'll really enjoy.  So stay tuned..

Next week: 10 reasons why you hated your last vacation

Followed by: How to prepare for a hike (I will actually be hiking the W in Torres Del Paine when that post is published!)

I hope you all have a safe and happy holiday!  Again, thanks for reading these posts and participating in my anniversary contest.  I look forward to another year of traveling and sharing some of my practical tips and advice "from a Central Ohio girl."

Anniversary giveaway!

December 18th marks the one year anniversary of my first post, and I want to celebrate this anniversary with a giveaway!  I want to share some travel love with those of you who have been reading my posts and commenting to me about what you like and what has been helpful.  

Since I'm always promoting my favorite travel item (packing cubes), I think it's only appropriate that I am going to give away a set of them to one lucky winner.

I'm giving away one set of packing cubes, and in order to be entered to win, you'll have to do the following:

1. Follow me (Traveling with Nina) on Instagram
2. Tag a friend in my giveaway post.

If you do this, you'll be entered in a drawing to win a set of your very own packing cubes!

 

You have until 12 p.m. EST on Monday December 21, 2015 to enter.  Once I have all the entries, the winner will be announced on the website and Instagram by Monday evening.

Terms and Conditions
1.  Must be a United States resident.
2.  The winner will be chosen at random.
3.  The winner will be Direct Messaged on Instagram and must respond with address within 30 days of when the winner is announced.
4.  No purchase necessary.
5.  No sponsor.
6.  Void where prohibited.

My favorite travel video

Although this isn't a practical traveling tip, this is one of my favorite videos I've taken on a trip. To me, it really captures the feeling of the trip.  Sometimes the entire trip happens and there are these moments that you may not remember, and sometimes you just need a video to jog your memory.  They engage a whole other part of your brain: sound. 

This video was taken while we were driving through Zion National Park almost two years ago.  Just to clarify, we were actually listening to this song on the drive.  I didn't dub it in after we got home.  (You can tell, obviously, as Jared is "ding-a-linging" in the beginning.)  We just celebrated our seventh wedding anniversary yesterday and it's hard to believe we've been seeing the world together for all that time.  

I suppose I can end with a travel tip.  Don't just take photographs, take videos, too. When you're there, you may feel silly doing that, but trust me, they're worth it when you get home.  It's been almost two years and I still like to see this.

Creative ways to find budget (and free!) accommodations

By. Heidi Papworth

Many times I’ve sat down with my dream travel trip and my budget.  I’ve then realized that I will have to survive on PB & J’s and Ramen noodles for the next year in order to pay off my airfare and accommodations!  Sure, it would be nice to have a couch to crash on with a cool Aunt living in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.   But alas my family lives in Central Ohio (with the exception of my favorite cousin in Michigan.)  So although I have plenty of wonderful people to stay within the Midwest, I’ve had to get creative in finding affordable accommodations, and I’d like to share 3 of these methods with you today.

1.  Couchsurfing  

Couchsurfing is really a thing; for more than just fraternity brothers.   Couchsurfers is a method of finding accommodations… for free.  You can “travel like a local”, by finding hosts all over the world who are willing to (quite literally) lend you their couch to sleep on.  You sign up on this site and create a profile listing your travel goals and places you’ve been.  I’ve never traveled this way, but I have been a host on the site and have met travelers from all over the world. 

Couchsurfer Hosts

This is a great way to meet people from other countries and to gain insight into other cultures.  Most travelers are willing to cook a meal from their country and share stories and other “life-hacks” that they’ve picked up along the way.  Since they are getting a free place to stay they tend to be flexible with their travel dates and their schedule while they stay.  On the down side, they are staying for free.  It’s a lot of work to host someone for free.  They eat your food, rack up your utility bills, you’ll have to clean before/after their stay and all of the pre-arrival communication eats up time.  Since I’ve moved to Miami I get about 3 inquiries for my couch a week which is a lot of extra communication to manage.  I’ve also found that a lot of couchsurfer travelers are inquiring without giving much lead time.

Couchsurfer Travelers

To state the obvious, this is a free way to find accommodations.  A win-win if you are willing to take a chance.  After all, beggars can’t be choosers!   You have to be flexible with your travel dates and your schedule.  For example, Hosts may require you to be out of the house when they are out of the house.  I’ve often heard from travelers that a lot of their host inquiries go unanswered entirely. My opinion overall?  This is a great site if you’re a young traveler who is ok sleeping on a scratchy couch and willing to be flexible in travel dates. There is definitely more demand than supply and hosts don’t have a whole lot of incentive to be active on the site since it’s a lot of work for no money.  So travelers may waste a lot of time trying to find a host.  It’s a better medium for meeting people than it is for finding accommodations, but would be a good place to start a search.  

2.  Airbnb

While you won’t find any free accommodations on Airbnb you’ll be more likely to find a good deal and still have an awesome experience.  Airbnb got started in 2007 by 3 broke guys in San Francisco.  They needed extra cash and realized they could offer an air mattress and free breakfast to tourists.  And voila,  that’s how the name came about:  Air bed and breakfast.  Today Airbnb is in all but 4 countries with 1.5 million host listings worldwide, and 45 million travelers.  You can still travel like a local by finding a host in your destination city and you’ll be more likely to have a unique and personal experience than if you were to book a double bed at a Hilton.  While you can still find a room for rent, you can also find entire houses/apartments for rent, tree houses, boats, trailers and still the original air bed to rent.   

Airbnb Hosts:

Airbnb is great way to foster a sense of community.  Interact with your guests as much as you would like, before, during and after their stay.  You can personally approve and screen all of your guests or you can allow guests to book automatically if their preferred dates are open.  Greet them upon their arrival, or give them a lock box code to get in.  Rent them your spare bedroom, or let them rent out the whole place entirely.  Be a local tour guide for guests, or hire a property manager to manage your vacation home!  You can really customize Airbnb based on what you need and want.  You set your own calendar, rates, check in/out times and can personally screen all guests.  Airbnb offers a platform that allows you to communicate with travelers through their site – eliminating the need to give out your personal cell number or email until they’ve booked with you.  I’m currently renting out an air bed in my studio apartment – an ideal situation for the traveler on a budget.  My competition is local hostels, so I keep my rates comparable to those.  But when I need to make some extra cash I can rent out my air bed, and when I want my privacy I can turn potential travelers down.

Airbnb Travelers:

Airbnb is equally easy to use for travelers.  There are many different search parameters that you can use to hone in on the right accommodation for you.  Hosts and travelers have the opportunity to review each other, so you can read if potential hosts are really living up to what they are offering.  Hosts are rated on accuracy, communication, cleanliness, location, check in and value.  The downside for travelers, is that hosts often want to see reviews for their guests before they approve.  This can provide a problem if you’re new to Airbnb and don’t have any history yet.  In those situations I recommend having more info that you can provide to the host:  Reason for your trip, plans during your stay, links to other profiles, or references.  My opinion overall?  This is a great alternative to hotels!

3.  House/Pet Sitting

Do you love pets and also love to travel?  Believe it or not, house/pet sitting is a great way to travel for free!  It’s also a great way to find petcare for free. House sitters have the opportunity to travel around to take care of pets and homes while their owners are off on their own travels.  A win-win!  

Home Sitters:

If you love pets and also love to travel, homesitting is the way to go.  While you may be willing to lend a hand for Sparky next door when your neighbor is away, have you ever considered doing it around the world?  Pet and home sitting for owners is an excellent way of keeping accommodation costs extremely low.  You can find long term sits (3 months or more) or short term sits (for the weekend or week) in an area that you’ve always wanted to visit.  It provides an intimate experience and therefore you’ll need to prove your trustworthiness and reliability to potential owners.  If you want to become a home sitter, I recommend you get some local experience under your belt with at least one good reference and join one of the sites below and start your search!

Trusted Housesitters - $100 a year membership for owners and sitters

Mind My House – Free to owners; $20/year for sitters

House Carers– Free to owners; $50/year for sitters

               

Home Owners:

Pet boarding fees (and even finding a local pet sitter) can be very expensive.  If you’re like me, you would much rather have you’re beloved FIDO in the comfort of your own home and surroundings while you are out traveling.  Finding a sitter who wants to travel to sit is a great solution – you can find genuine, caring people who will gladly watch FIDO while you get free care!  (After all, they don’t have to incur hotel costs if they stay with you).  In addition, out of town tourists have a lot of free time (unlike local sitters who have other work, family, schedules, etc) so FIDO can get round the clock care.    Take my advice though and do your research on your sitter.  I recently hired someone from Las Vegas who was pressuring me to make a decision quickly because he wanted to book a flight while airfare was on sale.  It was my mistake to not take my time to research him.  Although he cared for my dog in my absence, I came home to a dirty and smelly apartment.  He even broke a few items without offering replacements.   I also offered him transportation to the airport and stalked the fridge full of food, which ended up being costly for me.  The more communication that you can have beforehand, the better.  Lay out ground rules ahead of time for what they can/can’t use, emergency contact info, local area attractions, public transportation and explicit instructions for your pet/home care.

Whether you travel through couchsurfers, Airbnb or one of the home sitting sites, one thing is for sure -- you will meet new people and maybe save some money too.  After all, strangers are the friends that we haven't met yet.  Enjoy!