Comments on: Should Lisa Charge a Trip to India, or Skip It?

By: swirrlygrrl

swirrlygrrl — Thu, 29 Nov 2012 22:19:19 +0000

@Fig. 1 I went back to Turkey at 32, after having been there on a school trip at 16. While that trip at 16 was great for many reasons (instilled in me a love of travel! Also, people would give you alcohol and boys were crazy for you.), I enjoyed my independent trip at 32 muuuuuch more. I got way more out of the country, enjoyed the history and beauty and culture and food and people and politics, and, still got all kinds of handsome men hitting on me (though I was much less inclined to go behind a historical site and make out with them now, I could have if I wanted to). I think my 30s are going to be a great decade for travel and life experience generally, now that I’m more financiall stable and self aware and confident.

By: swirrlygrrl

swirrlygrrl — Thu, 29 Nov 2012 22:06:53 +0000

@Tuna Surprise I am also part of the Mike Dang fan club. Fiscal responsibility is sexy.

By: cmcm

cmcm — Wed, 25 Jul 2012 09:29:19 +0000

@Vicky Johnson@twitter WHOA. What?! HOW IS THIS A THING. It sucks that I am the worst negotiator/bargainer ever… I want to figure out how to make this happen.

Actually wait. I don’t have $5,000 to pay right now. Sooooo… that’s not going to happen. Student loans until I die!

By: Katzen-party

Katzen-party — Sat, 05 May 2012 00:50:53 +0000

@Maven Ha, thanks, and no word of a lie!

By: Maven

Maven — Sat, 05 May 2012 00:07:31 +0000

@Katzen-party bathrobe/hella prunes made me lol for real.

By: Katzen-party

Katzen-party — Fri, 04 May 2012 02:36:28 +0000

@Fig. 1 Yay, have a great time in Montreal! I’ve only been there once, but it was at the end of a six-week solo train trip from Vancouver to Montreal and by the time I got there I was broke as a joke (didn’t plan things too well–bad Past Me!), really homesick and suffering from a really bad bout of plantar fasciitis (OW). So I would love to go back and actually be able to do stuff besides, like, eating spaghetti at the hostel and googling old flames at the internet cafe. Hmm, what was I saying about wanting to do stuff again knowing what I know now?

Okay, well, I did take two years of French in college (Canadian Studies requirement!), but that was long enough ago that I’ve forgotten so much grammar and even verb conjugation…I can read signs though! And I still have a passably good accent. I’m nervous about speaking French to the French, but I think I just have to remind myself that if I embarrass myself and/or someone is mean to me, I’ll probably never see them again so it’s okay?

And I just searched the Hairpin earlier today for an article I remembered reading about being comfortable on long flights! Besides the article itself, I’m finding the comments helpful–often the case with the Hairpin! And thanks for the advice–I’ve heard that you shouldn’t nap when you get there but I was thinking, “But…I don’t know…maybe it would be okay…” Will not do! Thanks!

By: Megano!

Megano! — Fri, 04 May 2012 01:18:00 +0000

@Logan Sachon I was gonna say, “Dang girl, dang.” But then I realized you are already kind of doing that.

By: Fig. 1

Fig. 1 — Fri, 04 May 2012 01:00:33 +0000

@Katzen-party Off to Montreal for a bit, just going to chill out and eat as much as possible. (Which reminds me, I should brush up on some French grammar. I put in a lot of effort taking French all through high school and part of uni, so I’m rather vain about my ability to speak it.). I wouldn’t worry about your French too much, if you can read signs and whatnot you’ll be just fine, there are a lot of tourists in those cities. The Americans we went with on our trip did just fine without any French, I think it’s more a matter of attitude if anything.

Canadian studies? I don’t think that’s creepy…just sort of funny that I hadn’t thought anyone would study it. I guess we have American studies and history majors here, so it makes sense. Usually we’re used to people not knowing anything about Canada, not the other way around!

As for flight advice, I think Jane had a good article on the Hairpin about travelling comfortably, which I’m sure you’ve read. I made the critical mistake of taking a nap upon arrival which made things worse. Do not do!

By: Katzen-party

Katzen-party — Thu, 03 May 2012 23:02:13 +0000

@Fig. 1 “What you get out of travel depends on what you put in, and I’m not talking money-wise here”–definitely! Well said. I feel like I might be a better traveler now as sort of an older, wiser person (I mean, wiser than I was at the age of, say, 19 or something–I’ve still got a lot to learn in life, don’t get me wrong)? And yeah, you definitely don’t need to be well-traveled to be interesting! Nor is everyone who is well-traveled very interesting (not to hate, but…it should be acknowledged b/c I’ve met some boring-ass people who’ve been all over the place).

Are you from Canada then? I’m actually not, but I’ve been up there many, many times (on vacation and doing a little bit of studying) and I actually majored in Canadian Studies in college, which Americans think is hilarious and/or pathetic and Canadians think is weird and/or suspicious.

I’m going to Paris, Berlin, and Munich on my trip and I’m trying not to get too nervous about the long flight or the fact that I can barely string a sentence together in French. Where are you going on your honeymoon (and congrats, BTW!)?

By: Logan Sachon

Logan Sachon — Thu, 03 May 2012 22:54:42 +0000

@Megano! I haven’t actually figured out what the actual trip cost? There was $10K before I went (um, I think?), but when I went I started using more cards, and then kept on using them! Until last week! And that is how it happened.