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HI - New York Hostel
Situated near Central Park and Columbia University, the hostel is in a historic
Victorian Gothic-style building on Upper West Side. It organizes walking
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Travelling questions |
Traveling is good but some people are not sure if alone. This is one of the biggest fears of all travelers. You have to be lucky to find a traveling partner with the same time money and schedule as you do. And do you really want to be with this person? If you travel by yourself you will be forced to meet other people and more experiences. Some people feel they must travel with someone; there is a good possibility that you will meet someone in similar circumstances that you are traveling in. People have traveled with backpackers for months, weeks, days or even hours. What you have to remember is that it is all good and you can leave the group whenever you feel you need to take another path. Some people believe that they don't fit in backpacker category. Most of the North Americans do not think they are, but maybe you are not sure what a backpacker is. The North Americans compared to Germans, English, French, Italians, Danes, Australians, don't really do much traveling. They take brief vacations to specific places and times, but as a nation they are not very adventurous. One of the reasons is that America is a gigantic country and is not exposed to other lands. Lots of people in Germany, Britain, France, Italy, Australia and Denmark - including engineers, architects, mechanics, secretaries, farmers and students, consider themselves the backpacker kind and travel discovering this beautiful open world, taking intellectual interest in other cultures. Is traveling something safe to do? There are risks in traveling as there is in anything you do. The difference is depending on the geographical area in which you are. Take this example; pickpockets are currently a greater plague in Managua than they are in London. However backpackers in Central America are a more self-aware group than the ones traveling in Europe or Australia. They know that they need to keep their money hidden, maybe under the belt, and are careful with there packs and wallets. There could be greater risk driving on the left side of the street in England than "proper" side driving in Nicaragua. Safeness comes first with you. Unsure that you are driving with your seat belt on and that you take the proper health precautions. If you are sensible to the things that are happing around you the risks of getting hurt will minimize. Are woman safe traveling by themselves? There are many woman backpackers traveling in the world today, many of those get together with groups during there travels. It is known that traveling in groups is safer, but nevertheless you will be alone sometimes and you should know how to defend yourself. There is something that woman travelers have to understand and that is if you travel in developing countries you must be aware of some of the old prevailing attitude's that men have towards woman. In some countries the woman traveler is considered as a prized sexual target for local men. That typically means a guy hanging at your side when you don't show any apparent interest in him.
You must take precautions in all ways to avoid any sexual harassing by wearing clothing that covers your skin and curves. You should also avoid walking alone at night in seedy areas. And it may not be smart to stay in the cheapest hotel unless recommended by a guidebook or if they are other backpackers. Woman as a defense mechanism commonly use aloofness. Avoid direct eye contact with some types by using sunglasses. Another defense is pretending to read something when a man cannot take no for an answer, calling the waiter and then slamming your fist on the table and shouting for all to hear. "Get Out!" Unforutnately there will be times when backpackers have to defend themselves and that usually is assuming an aggressive manner. There are many more females who dare to venture out and travel the world than men as of this moment. Furthermore, most women are emotionally stronger and mentally as well, which will allow them to have an age to a certain extent over men. The Roadblocks. Do not sell yourself short, always be on alert to when you may need to detour from your plan. Would it be better for me to travel in a group rather than alone my first time traveling? If you are always thinking in the negative, then something bad will come of it, yet if you are able to be positive, then mostly good things will begin to happen. Yet, a little phobia is good and is natural. * First of all, purchase yourself a guide book, then choose a country to visit, preferably one that speaks your language, this would facilitate the whole first time traveling abroad situation. * Use the internet to locate web sites of which offer cheap tickets, to book a hotel or hostel, for however long you intend on spending there, and if you wish to travel to more than one country, repeat the above procedure. Then you are ready to all but enjoy your very first traveling experience. * As a rule of thumb by even some of the most seasoned travelers, remember to pack light, do not be the one who is always trying to cram each and every little thing in to the suitcase. Take only what you will absolutely need and nothing else. When I am all alone, how can I keep from getting bored? Think about all the experiences you have gone through, and start a journal to record them all, or write home to tell your family and friends how your trip is going/been, and how you are, they'd surely like to know, and make some local friends, and do things that interest you, and may be even thoughs that you never imagined yourself ever doing, who knows you might find that you like them. How can I communicate to someone, if we cannot understand each other's languages? In most of the world's big cities, you can find at least a few people who can speak the ever growing international language of which is now English. Otherwise, use body signs, and hand gestures to get your point across, some people will be willing to try to understand. What to do when the unexpected happens? This will help travelers become streetwise and learn what to do and not to do in certain places throughout the world, also if in the likely even that something to this effect occurs, you should use common sense, and be calm, this will help make the situation worse than what it already is. Aren't there many countries that resent Americans? Even though a lot of people in foreign countries seem to strongly dislike americans, it is mostly directed to the US Government and not its people, as the people are not sole responsible party. What should I do in the event of getting sick or hurt?
First of all, prior to going anywhere, you should get all the shots you think that you will need, in certain places, it is necessary to even get some of the shots you'd rather not have done. Moreover, in most European and Asian countries, the medicine practice is pretty much the same as your home country, and the US has one of the top notch medical service providers in the world. So, there should not be any real concern on this issue. If you happen to fall sick or get hurt while traveling, find the nearest hospital or clinic and get it checked out. Should I put age over my having fun? That's just plain out absurd. There backpackers of all ages out and about, traveling various places, ranging from their teens to the upper and later 80's. So, there's no reason to let age get in the way of having fun! If you are the type who's never rode public transportation, how can you adjust? Most the world has improved in quite a bit of ways, and one of these ways is public transportation. How do if I caught the right bus? We all have a special sensory build in our brains, and some like to call it common sense, it can save you from a lot headache of getting lost, and having to catch another bus to get back to where you were then catch yet another one to get to your destination. Just ask the locals, they will be more than happy to point you in the right direction. How can I learn the value of my money? Most of the time wise travelers simply go on over to the closest bank, and have someone working there to figure out exactly how much your money will be once it has been transferred over to the currency for the place or country you will be visiting. "Good travel is matchless liberal education and should be enjoyed by all humans of this world!"
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