So on this last trip, I was reminded of a very important travel tip that I did not follow. Let me set the scene, Rob and I arrived in Aswan on a late afternoon flight from Cairo. We arrived on time; the bags came off the plane quickly, but our driver was nowhere to be found. No-fault of the driver’s, unbeknownst to us, President Sisi was in town disrupting traffic everywhere. By the time the driver arrived, we were the last people to leave the airport and it was now early evening.
Our lovely guesthouse, the Om-Abdullah, was located in a Nubian village on Elephantine Island. Getting there not only required a ride from the airport but a ferry to the Island; and then a small hike traversing the maze of tiny dirt pathways up a hill. Luckily Nubians are extremely friendly and helpful. We found our way in the dark with the help of a local youth who was sent to fetch us at the ferry.
However; things could have turned out much worse. At the very best we could have been fleeced and at the very worst we could have found ourselves next to a camel on the back of a truck halfway to Sudan. I wasn’t worried but I can definitely say Rob’s NYC survival instincts were kicking it in high gear and by the time we reached the guesthouse he needed a minute (maybe longer) to regroup. Imagine falling asleep on a subway train in NYC; winding up in the Bronx in the middle of the night, and having to leave the station to find the way back.
So what’s the travel tip that I ignored? Don’t Arrive at Night in unfamiliar surroundings!!! Yes the flights are cheaper and yes you probably planned everything out and yes you are travel savvy. Arriving at night is disorientating and limits your choices at best and is just plain dangerous at worst.
Arriving earlier in the day allows you to orient yourself to landmarks; find your way back to a main road; change your hotel if the one you've chosen doesn’t quite match up to those fancy pictures on Booking.com and AirBNB, or even move on to your next location if the scenic town is just a little too local. It gives you time to relax, unpack, walk around and figure out where to get your next meal or just a bottle of water. At the end of the day arriving earlier gives you the confidence to get out there and explore a location and meet the people and that can be what makes or breaks a trip.
A few other things to keep in mind just in case:
Join social media groups or ex-pat pages and ask questions. They are a treasure trove of information. From trusted drivers and guides to the newest restaurants and hangouts that haven’t hit the guide books yet. Research your destination and line up some numbers to use during your visit or in an emergency.
Know the ‘Uber’ of your destination and download the app. Uber is found almost everywhere these days but it doesn’t work the same in all locations; often won’t work with that pre-loaded credit card, or doesn’t work at all.
Top up your phone, there are so many better things to do instead of running around a new destination looking for a phone place. In a new country try to get a sim card before leaving the airport if you can. It won’t be the best deal but if you’re there for a week it doesn’t matter and if you’re there for longer it’ll give you time to figure it out.
Always make sure you have small change not just for tips and such, but also to avoid those annoying ‘I don't have change.
Finally, always make sure somebody knows your plans and preferably somebody who is not traveling with you. Just like your Mama always told you to do.