How to Travel Around the World

How to Travel Around the World

Traveling around the world is often a cheaper option than a return ticket to a single destination. The secret is to plan carefully and purchase the ticket well in advance. Of course, you will probably spend more than going to a single destination because of taxes, accommodation and activity costs and a longer trip but this is more than made up for by the amazing experience of seeing many places in a short time. And memories for a lifetime. Here are some tips for how to travel around the world.

Steps

1. 1
   Price your trip as an "Around-the-World" ticket.
   
   
   • 

      Eurail/Interail European railpass
     For train travel. Amtrak is the national rail company in the United States. In Europe, consider buying Eurail (for non-EU citizens) or Interail (for EU citizens) international railpasses. In Asia the Trans-Siberian railway goes from Moscow to Beijing where you can connect to Shanghai then Tokyo.
   • For bus/coach. In the United States, Greyhound provide bus travel. In Europe, Eurolines provide a pass to cover travel between more than 45 European cities. Megabus provide intercity bus travel in North America and Europe.
   • For air travel. Air travel is generally the most expensive way to travel. Use flight comparison websites such as travelsupermarket, skyscanner and kayak. Use flight brokers such as travelocity, expedia and opodo.
     
     If you want to go by plane, or by plane for parts of the trip, there are Around-the-World tickets. These tickets allow you to fly from city to city around the globe on your own schedule for significantly less than you'd have paid for individual tickets. Pay close attention to restrictions. Many "Around-the-World" tickets mandate that you must always be going in the same direction, ex. L.A. to London to Moscow. You could not go L.A. to Paris to London, this takes significantly more preparation.
   • For ship/ferry travel. Cruises can be cheap if you consider accommodation and meals are included. Cunard operate transatlantic cruises. TheCruisePeople compare cruise prices.
2. 2
   Get accommodation. Some ideas for housing are hostels, which are located all around the world or if you have friends or family who live internationally, staying with them.
3. 3
   Buying groceries. Making your own meals will dramatically cut costs, as opposed to eating out every meal.
4. 4
   Stay in touch. For safety purposes, every few days find an Internet cafe and email your parents or friends, so they know where you are in case of an emergency.
5. 5
   Spend time with the locals and be aware of your surroundings.
6. 6
   Set a budget. Based on where you are going, how long you will be there and whether the country is 1st, 2nd or 3rd world. Obviously, first world countries are the most expensive (Europe, Canada, USA, Japan). Second world countries are a bit harder to define, but are usually somewhat developed (Mexico, Eastern Europe, China, Egypt). Third world countries are the cheapest but most difficult places to travel (most of Africa, Bolivia, Peru).
   
   

Tips

• Realize that you don't need to bring everything and the kitchen sink, only the essentials. The idea is to save money. Get a backpack and some exercise and get out there. This is once in a lifetime experience and you don't need sleep, you just need heart and soul. Trust some people to give you some yummy in your tummy cultural food and some nice living quarters. Now get out there and have a good travel!
• If you have no so much money, if you have no friends in a foreign country, so you can use some sites, offering opportunities to exchange houses. For example, you want to live to India, you find a person there who is ready to host you for free and make some excursions around the town.

Warnings

• Currency and health are always the biggest issues when traveling.
• Find out what currencies you will be using throughout the trip and plan ahead. Although traveler's checks are safe, they can be hard to cash in smaller countries. You can almost always find an ATM, and they will dispense cash in the local currency.
• For health, get international health insurance, so no matter where you are, you can get medical help or be evacuated if necessary.
• Check for travel advisories from your State Department in order to avoid the risky regions in the countries you want to travel to.
• Make sure you got all the necessary vaccination for your trip (e.g. yellow fever, hepatitis, typhus...)
• If you prefer host families, you should know that they are proved as real people, contact them through Skype or just call them. Look at the history of their guests and hosts

BON VOYAGE

Family Vacation Petra ...WowOWEEE

Family Vacation Petra =Wow!

Family friendly? Fun for kids? Petra, Jordan has long been on my "bucket list", but little did I know that it is a perfect family vacation destination. Out of all the amazing and diverse places that we saw in Jordan, Petra was my personal favorite.

It is THE breathtaking iconic site in Jordan and more than lives up to it's mystical and magical reputation. Kids and parents alike will love magnificent Petra. No fears either, Jordan is a very safe, welcoming  and peaceful place.

 

"...match me such a marvel, save in Eastern clime, A rose-red city, half as old as time" Petra by Dean Burgen

Petra rocks! And sometimes in Jordan family travel, that means literally.... like when riding a camel around the stunning landscape of ancient Petra or taking the colorful  horse cart in. This really added to the excitement and our ten year old adored both and came up with the great idea to play her violin on top of the camel in front of the Treasury. Wow!

 

Talk about making history come alive, experiential, hands on learning  and immersing in the culture. Could there be a better educational or unschoolingassignment than this, which was both a blast and informative? Petra was a unique and enriching experience that our 10 year old  daughter will never forget because there is no other place like it on earth.

 

Our wonderful guide Saleh was a Bedouin nomad who lived his first eight years in that nomadic lifestyle and also has a degree in archaeology, so was the perfect person to add insightful richness to this experience. I will be writing more about him soon.

 

Mozart wore a  traditional Bedouin outfit called a thobe ( with her peace pants leggings underneath) and several people helped her with the head gear as it was put on three different ways by three different Jordanians. The young Bedouin kids she met there seemed to really like the fact that she was dressed traditionally  and it's a fun way for a child to immerse in Jordan's culture as well as a perfect hand-made souvenir to keep forever. 

 

To save money, we bought it at a small store in a Madaba called The Map Bazaar and I told her I would mention it here because of the great price. We haggled a bit and bought the 3 hand-stitched pieces for about 20 dollars. Bedouin artisans had a few simple stalls in Petra which sold pottery, jewelry, handicrafts and small bottles of colored sand made into patterns, so of course my little shopper had to check those out and bought one with a camel. 

 

Petra is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and on almost every one's  list for good reason. The BBC has listed it in the "Top 40 places you have to see before you die" and it was picked as one of the new Seven Wonders of the World. 

We're certainly glad that we got to see it, because nothing really prepares you for the mind-boggling experience no matter how many photos, videos or books you have seen and read about Petra. It's a magnificent  place  in the Middle East, full of grandeur and impressive history to share with a child. 

 

I think it's  better to walk in like DaVinci and our guide did, but due to my mobility problems, Mozart and I took a horse-drawn buggy which was more thrilling and bumpier than any theme park ride I have ever been on. She giggled all the way. I was totally stunned by the sheer size and outstanding beauty of the Siq which is the long entry to the historic Treasury. That said, it was too jarring  for photos on the move.

 

The Siq is a majestic, narrow, flat gorge, a one meter walk of sand and stone into Petra, bordered on both sides by soaring 300 foot cliffs in a myriad of colors and formations that are simply dazzling and awe-inspiring, ending at the heart-stopping  red sandstone Treasury that was carved by the Nabataieans over 2000 years ago. Our guide explained how they were experts at using water even for carving into the stone.

 

The morning sun was shining on the astonishing AL-Khazneh (Treasury) as we arrived and very few people were there at first, so we had it almost to ourselves. We had stayed at the luxurious Petra Movenpick which is located at the entrance so a very close walk away. But soon more people began to gather as you can see in this shot that we took after her camel ride violin playing,  so it's a good idea to arrive early. The weather was perfect in May, sunny but cool and even at their worst, the crowds were not bad as the space is very, very large. 

 

I wish I could have stayed a month in Petra as there is way too much to see in just one day. We did enjoy exploring the grounds, hundreds of elaborate tombs, intricate carvings, alters and the huge Roman-style theater. There are also two museums: the Petra Nabataen Museum and the Petra Archaeologcal Museum and the Ad-Deir Monastery. I think Petra is especially good for a little older child who can appreciate the history, read up on this topic and will remember the experience. 

TOP DESTINATIONS TO TRAVEL WITH YOUR FAMILY

Bhutan Maps

Tiger's Nest in Paro, Bhutan

A pilgrimage and trek to the Tiger's Nest (Taktshang)  Monastery near Paro,Bhutan, that hangs on the edge of a rocky cliff ( 10,000 ft or 3,120 meters above the Paro Valley) is both thrilling and exhausting. Our fit and energetic ten year old daughter made it look easy, but many adults don't make it, even the ones who ride a horse half way up. The Tiger's Nest is the diamond in this mysterious, mystical jewel that is Bhutan, 
the last Shangra-La.

I have mobility challenges as well as vertigo, so had to be content with this distant view of the Tiger's Nest from the valley below, but I still enjoyed my time there and will write more about what I did soon. See that little white speck? That is what the Tiger's Nest looks like from a distance and gives you some sense of perspective

 It is a bit mind-blowing to think they originally built this in the 17th century in the spot the Buddhist saint Guru Padmasambhava meditated in the 8th century at a nearby cave. Better known as Guru Rinpoche, he is credited for bringing Buddhism to both Bhutan and Tibet. This Monastery is one of the most sacred places in Bhutan.

   

The trail is often very narrow as you can see here and usually almost vertical so one must remain very aware of each step, thus there were not other children on this trek. They both said I'd never make even a few steps of this trail  due to my vertigo alone. 

 



The high altitude makes the climb much harder and even though DaVinci is in great shape, he had a very bad cold and flu that day, thus found it to be the hardest climb he has ever done since it was difficult to breathe. I found it difficult to breathe even at the bottom which is quite high altitude.  Nevertheless, they were both very grateful for this rare and spectacular accomplishment. Few little blond American girls will have bragging rights about trekking to the Tiger's Nest at ten. 
 


Surrounded by prayer flags and prayer wheels, our 10 year old had a Bhutanese picnic with her Dad and our guide from Bhutan at a stopping point on the steep climb up to the Tiger's nest. Just like locals do, we bought Mozart traditional clothes in Paro and she changed into them to do her violin vignette at the top. It's become our soultravelers3 family world trip tradition now for the last 5 years, for her to play her violin at an iconic place in each country.  A perfect souvenir memory for her and our readers. 

 


In May the weather was perfect and sunny in Bhutan, but much cooler than most of our around-the-world trip, so we wore our warmest clothes repeatedly ( we travel with just 1 carry-on each). Mozart just has one pair of long pants and one sweater ( like her parents) so she started the hike in her peace pants and took the sweater on and off as the weather varied. Thus you see her dressed  in various things, but it was just a one day trek. 

Trekking to the top of the Tiger's Nest is a breathtaking ( literally and figuratively) once-in-a-lifetime experience that few have the privilege to do and see. We're so grateful and honored to have had this chance to experience this majestic, mysterious magical, place. 

Paro Taktsang Monastery.

Taktsang is one of the holiest places in Bhutan the monastery is perched on a high granite cliff overlooking the northern Paro valley. This place is especially venerated because of its association with Guru Rinpoche, who is said to have flown to Paro Taktsang in the form of Dorji Drolo, mounted on a flaming dakini-tigress in the 747A.D.

Guru visited Bhutan for 3 times. His first visit to Bhutan 746 A.D from India was when he was invited to Bumthang to treat the Sindhu Raja, the ruler of Bumthang, who was seriously ill. The king was cured and was converted to Buddhism. He promised to return to Bhutan again to further propagate the Buddhist teachings.

A year later, Guru was invited to Tibet by King Thrisong Deutsen to assist him in the construction of the Samye Monastery. He traveled to Tibet, by tantric powers, he cleared away the demonic forces that were disturbing the construction of the monastery, and so the monastery was successfully completed.

During this visit in 747 A.D to Tibet, Guru Rinpoche decided to visit Bhutan again with his Tibetan consort Khandro Yeshi Tshogyel and Denma Tsemang. He travelled all over the country and blessed the people.

While in Singye Dzong inKurtoe, Guru is believed to have flown to Paro Taktsang in the form of Guru Dorji Drolo, the 8th and the final aspect that he assumed, mounting on a dakini-tigress. Before his arrival, the whole country was believed to have been inhabited by hostile evil spirits. On his arrival, he subdued eight categories of evil spirits and bounded them by solemn oath to be the protectors of teaching for all times to come.

He also concealed various forms of Dharma treasures including 3 teachings of Yoga to be discovered later by his disciples called Tertons (Treasure Discoverers). According to his biography Yidkyi Munsel, he meditated there for 4 months and blessed this place as the best among the sacred places (Ney).

Guru Rinpoche or Padmasambavha

He revealed the real form of Phurpai Kyilkhor (Vajrakiliya) and instructed upon Langchen Pelgyi Singye, one of his principle disciples (Gyalbang Nyernga) and his spiritual condort Khando Yeshi Tshogyel. The cave where Guru Rinpoche and many other renowned saints meditated is called “Drubkhang” (meditation room) or the “pelphug” (holy cave)

In Tibet at Chimphu, Guru gave initiations of the Kagyed text to his faithful disciples. His heart-disciple Langchen Pelgyi Singye who became renowned especially in the craft of subduing evil spirits was instructed to return to Paro Taktsang. Langchen Pelgyi Singye came to Taktsang in 853 A.D, and meditated in the Drubkhang for a long time. The place came to be known as Taktsang Pelphug after him. Then he went to Nepal and before dying, entrusted his body to the protector Damchen Dorji Legpa as his spiritual assistant. His body was brought back to Taktsang by Damchen Dorji Legpa and was hidden in the manner of a treasure (Terma) to be discovered later. His body is now enshrined in the deep rocks under the site of his Kudung chorten, which had been built years ago and was restored in 1982-1983.

According to the Neyig of Taktsang, compiled by Lopen Pemala, there are 9 holy caves (Phug) around the Taktsang, namely

1. Machiphug

2. Singyephug

3. Pelphug

4. Drolophug

5. Yoeselphug

6. Gadigphug

7. Choegyelphug

8. Kapaliphug

9. Phagmoiphug

Machigphug is the cave where Machig Lhabdron, incarnation of Khandro Yeshi Tshogyel, had meditated and is located above the ravine, before approaching the main Taktsang Goenpa. Singyephug can be seen nearby the small stream falling from the cliff. The stream is called Shelkarchu as it is believed that the string of glass beads were scattered around that area by Khandro Yeshi Tshogyel. The cave where Langchen Pelgyi Singye had meditated is called Pelphug seen in the main Taktsang monastery. Rest of the holy caves are said to be located somewhere behind the temple of Singye Samdrup, the protector deity of Taktsang.

Taktsang was under the charge of the Kathogpa lama since 14th century. Kathogpa lam Yeshi Bum (1245-1311), lived in the 15th century visited Taktsang where he intended to build a temple. His wish remained unfulfilled until 1508 when his nephew and disciple, Sonam Gyaltshen built the temple of Ugyen Tsemo above Taktsang.

In 1646, Zhabdrung invited Lopon Rigzin Nyingpo, the descedent of Terton Sangye Lingpa (1340-1396) from Kongpo in Tibet. Zhabdrung visited Taktsang in the company of Lopon Rigzin Nyingpo and took over the charge of Taktsang including Ugyen Tsemo from Kathogpa Lama.he appointed Jinpa Gyalthsen, brother of Desi Tenzin Rabgye, as Lama of Taktsang. Zhabdrung and Lopon Rigzin Nyingpo performed the prayer of Phurpai Kyikhor, which had been performed since then.

It is said that even though Zhabdrung had a wish to build a temple at the site where the Taktsang now stands, he could not as the construction of Paro Rinpung Dzong was underway. So he instructed Tenzin Rabgye, who was a minor at that time to build a temple. In 1692, on the command of Desi Tenzin Rabgye, the Paro Penlop Dragpa Gyaltshen built the main 2-stored temple around the Drubkhang in Taktsang and thus fulfilled Zhabdrung’s wish. It was from this time at Taktsang that system of performing annual prayer dedicated to Guru Rinpoche was introduced, which is even to this day conducted by the Tshenyid Division of the Central monastic Body.

Through numerous renovations and expansions over the following centuries, Taktsang grew into an intricate complex; some of its individual buildings are connected only by steep ladder ways. Between 1961 and 1965, the 34th Je Khenpo Sherdrup Yoezer renovated it. The latest additions were made between 1981 and 1982.

Different temples in Taktsang

On the left of the entrance stair is the building which contains the Kudung “stupa” of Langchen Pelgyi Singye whose body has been placed deep in the rocks under the site of the Kudung Chorten.

On the inner left corner is the Dorlo Lhakhang, the temple dedicated to Guru Dorji Dorlo, which had been installed by Late Lama Sonam Zangpo. In the main building, there are three temples.

The lower temple contains the cave where Guru Rinpoche and Pelgyi Singye meditated and contains a statue of Guru Dorji Drolo and statues of Phurpai Kyilkhor, which was said to have been erected by Niwari artisan Pentsa Dewa during the reign of Desi Tenzin Rabgye and of celestial palace of Guru Rinpoche (Zangtopelri).

The middle temple Guru Sungjoen Temple, temple of Guru who speaks because it is believed that when it is being transported to Taktsang, the statue of Guru spoke (sung)by itself. The most skilled artisans from Nepal, Pentsa Dewa, Dharma and Dharmashri erected the statue of Guru Sungjoen. This temple contains among other beautiful paintings of the eight manifestation of Guru, the cycle of Lama Gongdue and Tshepamed, the god of longevity.

The upper temple The Temple of the eight manifestations of Guru Rinpoche was built under the auspices of Myangmed Chungpo from Paro and contains other intresting mural paintings. One of them depicts vividly how Zhabdung Ngawang Namgyel vanquished his Tibetan enemies.

Another building includes a temple dedicated to Singye Samdrup, the protector deity of Taktsang, Tshepamed, the god of longevity and Namthoesey (Vaosravana or Kubera), and god of wealth.

It is believed that more merit is gained if we meditate one minute in Taktsang than to meditate months together in other sacred places. Its sacred essence is that of Drubkhang/Pelphug, the holy cave in which Guru Rinpoche and many other renowned saints meditated, and also the body of Langchen Pelgyi Singye had been placed deep in the rocks under the site of Kudung Chorten. The Drubkhang is opened once a year during an annual ceremony, which is performed by the monk body for 21 days in the fifth Bhutanese month.

The literary translation of the Bhutanese word Taktsang; Tak meaning tiger and Tshang , meaning Tiger Nest.

Located at 2950m, it is the most famous and sacred hanging cliff monastery in Bhutan.

Seen from the road while heading towards Drukgyel Dzong (Ruined Fortress).

Thangthong Gyalpo (1385-1464), the Iron bridge builder, also meditated here and discovered a Terma treasure text.

Milarepa (1040-1123) is also said to have meditated in Taktsang.

A hike to this temple from the riverbed below would normally take about 2-3 hours.

Ponies can also be arranged till the viewpoint of the temple.

LIVE YOUR LIFE TO THE FULLEST

"Life is like a box of chocolates, You never know what you're going to get" -Tom Hanks, 

Forrest Gump. 

But for those who take critical decisions, life can be different. How true that is. Stare life in the eyes as you experience it like a roller coaster ride. The meaning of your life is something you create day after day with your own actions and thoughts. Life is made up of choices and decision making is critical as each choice has both consequences and benefits; please weigh the latter and always choose life. Always ask what you can learn, and how you can move forward, and stop yourself from blaming other people if things aren't the way you would 

like them to be.