Travel – Page 4 – Karol Gajda

Travel Light, Travel Anywhere: The Ultimate Light Packing List

Have you ever promised yourself you were going to pack light on your next vacation? This is how I’m living. You can do it too…

Note: my complete packing list is below, but parts of it have been updated in a new post: Updated Light Packing List (or I’m No Longer An Ultra Light Traveler!). After you finish below, come back up and read the update.

Update #2: Ultra Light Packing List (Freezing Cold Weather Edition) – Still using the same backpack, but with a few different cold weather items.

This post has been in the works for a while and I’ve received a few e-mails and in person requests for it so I think it’s time. :)

I actually wrote the original draft after a trip to Germany earlier this year. My gear list has changed a bit since then so here is my updated light packing list. This is all the equipment I have with me on my current 100+ day trip. (Note: I’ve now been traveling like this for well over 500 days.)

Some of my gear I bought specifically for travel and some of it I’ve had for years and it may not really be good for travel. I have trouble throwing perfectly good items away until they’re ruined (like the fairly bulky Nike shorts in the first picture below).

When packing light it’s important to know your destination and your general plans. Obvious, right?

It’s about preparedness. You might visit somewhere warm and then go on a side trip to the mountains (for example) where it’s cold.

So know your destination and your general plans. Will you need really warm clothes? Do you plan on swimming or hiking? Do you plan on traveling from a warm destination to a cold destination without stopping home to change gear? The more climates you’ll be exposed to the more clothes you may need.

The packing list works from about 5° C to 40° C because of layers. That’s cutting it close on the cold side since I’m a naturally cold person. Any colder and I’d definitely need warmer clothes.

But I made a decision to never travel to cold climates so what I have here will suit me for almost any destination I choose. To some people deciding not to travel to cold places means I’m missing out. That’s the beauty of travel and life. To each their own. There are enough warm places to visit on Earth to last multiple lifetimes. Focusing on those places just makes it a little bit easier to choose where to go.

Before I get into it you should know that I’ve included affiliate links to Altrec and Amazon in this post. If you don’t want to support this site don’t click on the links, no worries. :) (That’s not a guilt trip, I’m serious, don’t click the links if you don’t want to.) If you do want to buy something and support the site, click the links. Simple as that…

My Complete List of Clothing

Starting from the top left quadrant and working my way around clockwise:

1) Marmot Ion windbreaker / light rain jacket

In the picture you see it folded into itself. Before packing it I wrap it with 2 rubber bands to make it even more compact.

This jacket is perfect when it’s 14° C – 20° C or when there is a light rain or wind. I use it often as an extra layer under my Outdoor Research jacket.

Buy the Marmot Men’s Ion Windshirt

2) Outdoor Research Eternal Jacket

This jacket isn’t waterproof, but it’s fine in light rain. It’s surprisingly warm and isn’t bulky at all. It also looks great, which is always nice when you’re focused on function, but are rewarded with form as well. I love the pocket on the front left. It’s where I usually keep a camera so it’s always at the ready.

Buy the Outdoor Research Men’s Eternal Jacket

3) Ski mask

I use this strictly for robbing banks. How do you think I fund my journeys? Purchased at K-Mart 10 years ago for $5 and has been used consistently since then. ;) It always gets a laugh or a scared look.

4) Patagonia Capilene 3 Zip-neck Long Sleeve

Light, warm, and breathable. This is an awesome baselayer when the temp starts dropping.

Buy the Patagonia Men’s Capilene 3 Zip Neck

5) Icebreaker BodyFit 150 T-shirt and Icebreaker BodyFit 250 T-Shirt

I’m not perfect and I didn’t make the connection before buying these that they’re not vegan. My brother actually pointed it out to me. These Icebreaker T-shirts are made of merino wool in New Zealand. Supposedly the company treats their sheep well, but any animal used as a slave isn’t OK in my book. That said, it would be far more disrespectful for me to get rid of these than just wearing them.

(Tangent: My being vegan is about respect at the core. If, for example, I’m at a restaurant and they accidentally put some dairy product on my food I will eat it instead of sending it back to be thrown away. It’s more respectful to eat the food at that point than get rid of it.)

With all that you’d think I’d tell you not to buy these shirts. The truth is, they are well made, they don’t smell (I’ve been known to wear them multiple times between washes), and they dry quickly. They do make me itch though. I’ve read that this wool isn’t supposed to make you itch, but I have sensitive skin and it does itch.

They’re also really expensive at ~$50 each.

Buy the Icebreaker Men’s BodyFit

6) Patagonia Capilene 1 T-shirt

This is the synthetic equivalent to the Icebreaker T-shirts. It feels great (doesn’t itch) and dries quickly, but it attracts odors moreso than the Icebreaker. I bought mine on sale for $25.

Buy the Patagonia Men’s Capilene 1 T Shirt

7) Nike basketball shorts

Nothing special about these. I’ve had them for 5 years. They are pretty bulky (especially the waistband), but I need something to workout in while I’m on the road.

8) Adidas Originals Superstar II

They’re leather, and I bought them before being vegan. They’ve lasted a long time, look pretty nice, and are very comfortable.

Buy the Adidas Originals Men’s Superstar II Sneaker

9) Vibram FiveFingers KSO

The Vibram FiveFingers have been getting a ton of press lately. Unfortunately, all I’ve heard is positives. There is one glaring negative to these shoes: they stink. The stench that emanates from them still lingers after a wash.

They are great shoes though. I absolutely love how they feel, but because of the stink I mostly use them for working out or hiking.

Buy the Vibram FiveFingers KSO

10) Smartwool Men’s Adrenaline Light Mini Crew Socks

Bought these at the same time as the Icebreaker shirts, so also didn’t make that wool connection. They make my feet sweat, but they don’t smell bad, are easy to wash, and dry quickly. I wouldn’t buy them again, but I’m going to get as much use out of them as I can now that I own them.

Smartwool Men’s Adrenaline Light Mini Crew Socks

11) 2 pairs Patagonia Lightweight Endurance Quarter Socks

Similar to the Smartwool socks, except they’re 60% synthetic and 40% wool. They don’t make my feet sweat so I hope I can find a 100% synthetic pair similar to these when the time comes.

Buy Patagonia Lightweight Endurance Quarter Socks

12) 2 UnderArmor Boxer Briefs

I’ve had these for a few years and used to only use them when playing basketball. They’re really comfortable, easy to wash, and dry quickly. I was going to replace them with 2 pairs of ExOfficio, but I probably won’t do that for another year. At ~$20 per pair they’re not cheap.

Buy Under Armour Boxers

13) ExOfficio Give-N-Go Boxer Brief

The tagline to these is: “17 countries. 6 weeks. One pair of underwear. Okay, maybe two.”

And they fully live up to the hype. Odor resistant, quick drying, light, and they even double as swim trunks. :) $25, and well worth it.

Buy the ExOfficio Men’s Give-N-Go Boxer Brief

14) Columbia Titanium Omni-Dry Silver Ridge II Convertible Pant

It took me months to find convertible pants I was even a little bit happy with.

The shorts don’t look great, but with a 10″ inseam they are decent. Being that I’m 6’5″ I would like them to have a 12-13″ inseam, but I’ll deal with it.

I really like the zippered side pocket. The zipper closes down. Which is unnatural so I feel like a pickpocket would have trouble with them.

The insides of the pockets feel weak so I hope they last.

I couldn’t find these in a darker color (the color Shade was sold outeverywhere, in stores, and online). While we’re on the subject of color: why do no manufacturer’s make black convertible pants? Come on people, step up your games!

Columbia Men’s Titanium Omni-Dry Silver Ridge II Convertible Pant – S’09

15) Smartwool Mid-weight Bottoms

I sure bought a lot of wool in one day, didn’t I? These things clock in at $60, but they are warm and work well under my very light convertible pants.

No real complaints. They’re easy to wash, dry quickly, and do the job I bought them for. I’ll find synthetic long underwear when it’s time to replace them.

Buy Smartwool Men’s Midweight Thermal Bottom 15 852

My Complete Toiletry Kit

1) PackTowl – Medium

This towel is outstanding. It packs up small, soaks up water well and dries in a few hours. It also comes with a mesh pouch that you can attach it to the outside of your bag and keep everything in your bag dry. (Assuming you have to use the towel and then pack up and get a move on.)

2) Earplugs

Nothing special, just a bunch of ear plugs, including a pair of EarPlanes in case I have crazy sinuses and need to fly.

3) Pack of facial tissues

4) Light My Fire Spork

This spork is awesome. Includes a “knife” edge too. It’s heat resistant (doesn’t melt in high heat), small, light, and durable. You can pick these up at any outdoors store.

5) Plastic comb

6) Mach 3 Razor + 4 blades

7) Pacific Shaving Oil

This, my friends, is the greatest invention ever made for light packers. I’ve been using it at home for almost a year too. No need for shaving cream as this oil softens the hairs and doesn’t cause razor burn. Seriously. I have the most sensitive skin in the world. Touch my face and my skin gets red and itchy. Shaving has been a nightmare since I was 13. While it’s still a nightmare, at least I don’t get razor burn very often. (Sometimes, when my skin is being especially irritated and I shave it gets even more irritated. I can’t blame the shaving oil for that though.)

Each tiny bottle of this oil is supposed to last for 100 shaves. I’ve found it lasts about 50 for me, and I’m cool with that.

Buy this awesome shaving oil at http://pacificshaving.com.

8) Pacific Shaving Nick Stick

For when you cut yourself shaving. Which I do often because if you touch anything sharp to my aforementioned sensitive skin it breaks open and bleeds like blood is going out of style.

Not exactly a necessity, but you can also buy this at http://pacificshaving.com.

9) Razor Gator Razor Extendor

This little tool says it makes razor blades last up to 10 weeks. If you use disposable razor blades it saves you a lot of money. I’ve been using these for almost a year, and while they don’t make my blades last 10 weeks, they do last about 1 month each instead of just 1 week. Well worth the few dollars the tool costs.

Pick them up at http://www.razor-gator.com.

10) Hydrocortisone cream

Did I mention I have sensitive, itchy skin?

11) SPF 50 Sunblock Stick

This stuff is awesome as it doesn’t make your face all greasy. Unfortunately, it does dry out my already dry skin even more. Sometimes you gotta roll with the punches.

12) Tea tree oil

Oh how I love you dear tea tree oil, let me count the ways. Use this antiseptic oil to clean cuts and for blemishes (i.e. acne). I go through 1 bottle per year.

13) Nail clippers and small scissors

14) Three 3 oz bottles of Dr Bronner’s Baby Mild Organic Fair Trade Liquid Soap

I buy the Baby soap because my skin is more sensitive than a baby’s. 3 oz will last about a month. This soap is highly concentrated and I use it not only to shower, but to brush my teeth and wash my clothes. It’s the ultimate multi-use product. It’s also biodegradable so using it out in the wilderness is less stressful on nature.

http://www.drbronners.com or most health food stores (including Whole Foods).

15) Gold Bond Medicated Powder

I replaced Baby Powder with Gold Bond. I can use it to help with stinky shoes AND for itchy skin. Thanks Gold Bond. I smell like old people and I love it.

16) First Aid Kit

I got this kit free somewhere. The SouthLake Hospital packet above it has some aspirin and bandaids. I don’t plan on cutting myself, but I guess if I do I can do something about it.

17) Pepto Bismol tablets

Just in case.

18) Hand sanitizer

I keep this on me at all times because nothing sucks more than getting sick while you’re traveling. Killing the germs on your hands helps with that so if I can’t wash my hands before eating I use this.

19) Triple antibiotic ointment

Again, in case I cut myself. Honestly I wouldn’t have packed this normally, I just didn’t want to throw it away during my downsizing.

20) Saline nasal spray

I didn’t have room for a Neti pot so this is the next best thing. Actually, it’s not even close to as useful as a Neti pot, but it does help with dry nasal passages when you’re flying.

21) Vitamin E Oil

Holy wow is this the best moisturizer ever discovered by mankind. A little goes a long way. If it was possible to get a Bachelor of Science in Moisturizing I would have it. What I’m saying is, I know my moisturizers. If you have dry skin, use this stuff. It’s oily, but it actually works. Not like all that Jergens, Cetaphil, and other garbage that’s advertised on TV. You can pick this up in the vitamin section of any store that sells vitamins.

22) Dental Floss

23) Another Gold Bond

I love smelling like a medicated old man, ok?!

24) Folding tooth brush

I don’t know where you are on the love/hate scale for WalMart, but this tooth brush is awesome. The bristles are anti-bacterial and it’s a full sized travel tooth brush when you unfold it. And they only cost $1.47 at WalMart.

25) Tom’s of Maine Sensitive Skin Deodorant

Made with soothing camomile. Mmmmmm. This deodorant rules. Each stick lasts about 2 months. I was only going to pack 1, but I didn’t want to throw away the stick that was 2/3 gone so I packed it. Available at most health food stores like Whole Foods. I’ve also found this at a lot of chain grocery stores like Publix.

My Electronic Items

1) Asus Eee 1000HE

This is a great laptop, but it’s not perfect. 10″ screen. Extraordinary long battery life. Built in 1.3 mega pixel web cam. Almost full sized keyboard. And it’s light, of course.

Dislikes: I wish it was flat. The shape makes it a little cumbersome to pack.

Although I love this laptop I think the ultimate travel/work laptop should have at least a 12″ screen, a full sized keyboard, and still weight 3lbs or less. The Apple Macbook Air would almost work if it didn’t suck. ;) Seriously, just one USB port Apple? WTF are you thinking? Also not worth paying 4 times the cost of the Asus Eee (or any other netbook for that matter), unless you actually need extra processing power (for editing video or photos for instance).

Buy the ASUS Eee PC 1000HE

2) Western Digital Passport 250GB hard drive with Kroo case

For backups of my important work documents and pictures/video of my travels.

3) Unlocked Motorola RAZR V3xx

I got this free from AT&T. I don’t buy phones. AT&T was also nice enough to unlock it for me and not charge me an early termination fee for canceling my contract a year early. (Of course, I’ve been with them for 9 years, so I should hope they’d be nice about everything.)

I’m now using Virgin Mobile in Australia and it’s working out well. (Even though Virgin Mobile has spotty coverage.)

4) Flip Ultra Video Camera

I’ve had this for over a year and I love it. Almost every video on my YouTube account (youtube.com/karolgajda) was made with this camera. That includes the concert videos. Normal cameras distort audio in loud situations. Not the Flip Ultra. Here you see it packed in a water proof aLOKSAK. I pack all my clothes and toiletries in aLOKSAKs too. (aLOKSAKs are also my secret to cleaning clothes virtually anywhere. That video is coming soon.)

Pick up a Flip UltraHD Camcorder (newer version of what I have)

5) Canon PowerShot SD890 IS Digital Elph

It’s not pictured because I had to take the picture with something. :) I love this camera. Strong zoom and high quality photos for a point and shoot.

Buy a Canon PowerShot SD890IS

6) Pacsafe Metrosafe 200 Shoulder Bag

I bought this literally a week before I left on my trip. I debated long and hard whether I need an extra bag. I got along fine on a 16 day trip earlier this year with just a backpack. I decided that I should have something like this because it makes going out in the city with my laptop and book much easier. No need to lug around my whole pack.

The Pacsafe brand is full of theft deterring features. I could explain them, but it’s easier if you simply visit this link and see what it’s all about for yourself.

Get the Pacsafe MetroSafe 200 Anti-Theft Shoulder Bag

Stuff I Didn’t Include In Other Pictures

1) Kiva Keychain Backpack

Not a fan of this thing for any practical use. It is, however, good for keeping dirty clothes separate from the rest of your stuff. I’ve also used it to carry all my clothes/toiletries from dorm to bathroom while staying in hostels. For $10 you can’t expect anything spectacular.

2) iPod Mini – 4GB

I’m an old school G. I almost cried when the battery on this thing died early this year. (I lie, if it died I’d be quite alright.) I went on eBay and bought a replacement for $7 shipped. Booya! Back in business baby!

3) Organic Vegan Raw Food Bars

These are tasty treats when you’re starving and all you see is meat. That wasn’t supposed to rhyme, but I have been known to be a lyrical gangsta.

4) Rayovac USB battery charger

I don’t really like this charger, but I didn’t want to use disposable batteries for my Flip video camera. I have 2 gripes: 1) It takes 8 hours to charge a battery. 2) It doesn’t tell you when it’s done charging. The light doesn’t change color. Come on Rayovac, that’s amateur shit right there. It was less than $10 at WalMart.

5) Pacsafe 55L

For locking up my bag in hostels, bars, or wherever I might need to lock up my bag. It’s 4 lbs so it adds quite a bit of weight, but I’m happy with it. I don’t use it much, but when I do need it I’m glad I have it.

6) Flip Camera Stand

This works with any camera or video camera. Good when you want to take a steady shot. Honestly, not necessary and won’t gettoo much use. But I will need it for at least 1 video I plan on making (the aforementioned How To Wash Clothes While Traveling vid).

7) Sleep Mask

There is nothing like sleeping in absolute darkness. I guarantee it.

8) Gymboss

Interval timer for my workouts, of course.

9) Books

Brida by Paulo Coelho and Meditations by Marcus Aurelius (Gregory Hays translation).

10) Jump rope

For use with the Gymboss. :) This is a speed rope from Lifeline USA. It can possibly double as a whip if you’re looking to be Crocodile Dundee in the Outback.

11) Braided Stretchy Clothesline by Rick Steves

This triple braided clothesline is pretty sweet. Attaches to almost anything and keeps clothes on the line by pinching them in the braids.

Buy the Rick Steves Braided Clothesline

12) iPod cable

13) Sennheiser CX300-B Earbuds

These are fairly low cost earbuds and do a fine job of keeping background noise out.

The Carry On Backpack

My bag at LAX on Sept 01, 2009. (Mental Floss magazine in the pocket.)

Deuter Futura 32

This backpack has a netting/rib mechanism that keeps the bag off your back, lets air flow, and keeps your back from getting soaked in sweat. I love that. But the ribbed frame makes packing the bag a little cumbersome. It’s a tradeoff I’m willing to live with.

At 32 liters, this is a pretty small backpack by most standards. Walking around Sydney I see most backpackers in 55-90L backpacks and they look miserably loaded down. :)

Buy the Futura 32 Internal Frame Backpack

Whew! For whatever reason, writing this post took longer than any other post. All that bolding, describing, and linking I reckon.

###

Coming soon: What it’s like to tour the country (the US, that is) with a rock band in honor of my friends The Swellers, whose new record Ups and Downsizing is coming out next Tuesday. :) My how to hand wash your clothes while traveling video is coming soon after.

Australia Field Report: Sandboarding The Stockton Sand Dunes

A field report about the largest moving sand dunes in the Southern Hemisphere: Stockton Sand Dunes near Newcastle, NSW, Australia.

Trying something new: instead of a normal story or article, a report from the road. If you’re reading this in an RSS reader and don’t see the videos click here to check them out.

Last Sunday I hit the road with a bunch of new friends from Sydney to the Stockton Sand Dunes just outside of Newcastle in Port Stephens, NSW, Australia for a day of 4WD (in the indestructible Toyota HiLux, no less) and sandboarding.

The Stockton Sand Dunes are the largest moving sand dunes in the southern hemisphere and most visitors to Sydney have no idea the Dunes exist. Hell, most Sydneysiders don’t seem to know the Stockton Sand Dunes exist.

You won’t hear people talking about them and you’ll find almost no information about them if you’re looking up things to do near Sydney. Granted, Newcastle is ~180 kilometers from Sydney, but it’s only a 2 hour drive.

Parts of the movie Mad Max were filmed here. Specifically in the Tin City area:

Me doing *something* in front of Tin City

About 5km down the shoreline from Tin City is the Sygna shipwreck. The Sygna is really close to shore as you can tell by this photo:

After hitting the dunes for a while we chilled out, ate (thanks to my host Agata for making me an awesome vegan lunch!), and then headed out for more fun:

If you’re a fan of the outdoors, getting dirty, and possibly getting hurt, the Stockton Sand Dunes are sweet as (as they say in Australia/New Zealand).

Don’t have a car and want to get to Stockton Beach from Sydney? No worries. Get there in about 3 hours via public transportation:

– The CityRail Central Coast and Newcastle line train leaves from Central Station Sydney a few times per day. It arrives at Newcastle Station after a 2 hour 45 minute train ride.

– Walk to Newcastle, Queens Wharf (less than 200 meters) from Newcastle Station and get on the Stockton Ferry to Stockton, Mitchell St Nr Ferry Wharf. (5 minute ferry ride)

A full day pass on the train and ferry to Newcastle is $9.50 for an adult and $4.70 for a child. For more info on fares check out http://www.131500.com.au/faresandpasses/.

If you don’t already have gear, there are a few companies that offer 4WD sand dune and sandboarding tours for $20 and up. You can also hire (rent) a quad (4 wheeler) if that’s your bag.

###

Coming soon to Ridiculously Extraordinary: How To Travel The World In One Carry-on Backpack. Everywhere I go people ask me “Is that all your stuff?” and responding with a prideful “yes” is one of my new favorite feelings. ;)

Fuck “Doing It While You Can” (or How To Make Things Happen)

There is never a perfect time to do anything. Here’s how to make things happen anyway…

Ever since I made the decision to go on an extended trip (EDIT 2 years later: this has now turned into a non-stop travel lifestyle) I’ve been getting lots of feedback. Much of that feedback has been in the form of …

Do it:

– while you’re young.

– while you still can.

– while you don’t have kids.

– while you’re not married.

“You can hold your breath until you turn blue, but they’ll still go on doing it.” – Marcus Aurelius Meditations 8.4

It got to the point where I started believing it and I’d say it myself.

“Yeah, you know, I gotta do it while I can.”

It pissed me off that I let that non-sense poison me.

I say non-sense, because when somebody says “do it while you can” it’s their cop-out. Their excuse for not doing “it.”

If you want to do something, you make it happen. Somehow. Some way. Make. It. Happen.

It probably won’t be easy at first and you may have some setbacks (i.e. learning experiences). But you never know, maybe it’ll be easier than you can imagine. After all, humans are an incredibly resourceful bunch.

“Do it while you can” only exists in the hearts and minds of those who have never accomplished anything they’re proud of.

What’s the perfect time to travel?

What’s the perfect time to get married?

What’s the perfect time to have a kid?

What’s the perfect time to quit your job and start anew?

What’s the perfect time to exercise?

What’s the perfect time to quit smoking?

The only “perfect time” many people have figured out to do anything is when to watch their favorite TV shows and when to go to work.

And that’s only because somebody else makes those decisions.

What’s the perfect time to make thing happen?

Right now.

“Keep in mind how fast things pass by and are gone — those that are now, and those to come. Existence flows past us like a river: the “what” is in constant flux, the “why” has a thousand variations. Nothing is stable, not even what’s right here. The infinity of past and future gapes before us — a chasm whose depths we cannot see. ” – Marcus Aurelius Meditations 5.23

Let’s use exercise as an example.

I know, based on my old ways, that an easy way to get out of working out was telling myself “now is not a good time.”

It’s too late. I’m hungry. It’s too early. I’m tired. I just want to relax. I didn’t get enough sleep. My favorite TV show starts in 10 minutes. I ate too much.

Let’s say you had a really busy day with work and errands and you didn’t get home until 10pm. Since you usually go to bed at 11:30pm you decide it’s too late to work out. You have no valid reason, of course. It’s just “too late” to work out.

How badly do you want it?

If you want to lose weight, get 6-pack abs, run a marathon, whatever it is, you have to make sacrifices. If that means working out at night when you least feel like working out then so be it. Make. It. Happen.

Nobody will do it for you.

You don’t burn calories and lose weight by thinking about burning calories and losing weight. (Let’s not get technical, I know we burn calories by simply living.)

You burn calories by physically stressing your body through exercise.

You don’t quit smoking by thinking about quitting smoking.

You quit by making the decision that the benefits of quitting far outweigh not quitting.

And you make it happen.

If you’re having trouble making something happen a great way to figure it out is to model someone else who has already done what you want to do.

It’s OK to be a follower (sometimes).

Fortunately, we live in a time when people freely share information online about life changes they’ve made. Anything you want to do has been done before in some way, by people no more intelligent or gifted than you.

And they’ve documented how they did it on blogs and Web sites.

Your next step is to follow what they’ve done.

You’ll find the sole difference between somebody who accomplishes a goal and someone who doesn’t is focus. If you’ve got laser targeted focus you will accomplish anything.

I would not have set off on a journey like I have if it wasn’t for all the travel blogs I’ve been reading and people I’ve met through CouchSurfing over the past 2 years. They provided me with not only inspiration, but practical advice for doing what they did.

How can you not get inspired by people like Gary Arndt, who spent more than 2 years traveling the world solo? (If you want to use being married and having a young child as an excuse, check out http://soultravelers3.com.)

Don’t believe anybody who says “you gotta do it while you can.”

You’ve got to do it because you want to, need to, do it. And nothing else matters.

How To Get Lost In Notoriously Dangerous South Central LA (or How To Get A Free Ride From The Police)

About that time I got lost in the wrong part of town. The LAPD offered me a ride to a safer place. I declined and lived to tell the tale…

I’m at LAX on the way to Sydney, Australia via Auckland, NZ on Air New Zealand. I thought it would be fitting to write about 2 interesting events that happened last time I was in the area.

These events both happened within 1 week of each other on a trip to LA in 1999-2000. My girlfriend at the time and I were staying in Redondo Beach with her cousin, which was about an hour on trains to Hollywood.

On their own these stories are short so I’ve combined them into one longer post.

Part 1: How Not To Get Shot For Your Shoes

Late December, just before New Year’s 2000:

Making our way back to Redondo Beach after sunset from a long day in Hollywood we had to get off and switch trains in Watts. Home to the Watts Riots of 1965 and with more than 500 homicides between 1989 and 2005, Watts isn’t known as a particularly safe city.

But we’d made this trip a few times before so I didn’t expect this experience to be any different.

There we were on the train platform with 30-40 others waiting for our respective trains when across the platform I noticed a kid, about my age, staring me down.

I ignored it and continued talking to my girlfriend.

But I felt the eyes still staring at me so I did one of those “hey, there’s a girl checking you out, so turn around and look but don’t make it seem like you’re turning around to look” moves.

He started walking towards me.

My first thought was “OK, no big deal, he’s probably not even walking towards me.”

Within a few seconds he was within 12 inches of my face staring into my eyes.

I didn’t know yet what to think, but this kid did not seem very happy to see me, and as far as weapons go all I had was my hands. (Which, fair enough, are LETHAL!)

“Nice shoes, what kind?”

Taken aback, I looked down at my shoes, because I had no idea what they were, while simultaneously thinking “Oh sweet, I’m about to get mugged.”

“Oh, New Balance running shoes.”

Still staring laser focused into my eyes he said, with a very serious tone, “I like them.” Then he turned around and walked away.

I’m still not sure what this experience says about me.

I didn’t feel uncomfortable being one of only a handful of white people on the train platform until I was approached rather ominously.

But why did I assume I was going to get mugged when the kid asked about my shoes? He was obviously just a big fan of shoes.

That said, had he been more cheerful it might have helped to ease my tension.

Part 2: If A Cop Offers You A Ride, You’re Probably Not Safe

“I don’t need a map, I know how to get there.”

I’m going to speculate that those 11 words have resulted in quite a few good stories over the years.

Here’s mine:

We decided to spend the afternoon at the California Science Center near downtown LA in Exposition Park.

We’d been in that area a few days earlier so I knew the correct train stops.

After breakfast in a nice little Redondo Beach diner we headed out. The first train station was a 15 minute walk and, as luck would have it, the train arrived at the same time we did.

As per usual for our sojourns to LA from Redondo we switched trains in Watts and headed on our way to the California Science Center.

After riding on the train for a few stops I decided the upcoming stop was ours.

We got off the train.

And we were the only 2 people to get off the train.

That seemed a little odd, but nothing necessarily out of the ordinary.

Walking away from the train into a neighborhood I didn’t feel sure this was the correct stop anymore. Maybe it was just my mind playing tricks on me.

The neighborhood looked so normal I can’t even describe it well. Normal looking stores. Normal looking streets. Normal looking houses.

Except for one minor detail.

There were no people in sight. Anywhere. Nobody in the stores, nobody in the streets, and nobody outside the houses.

We’d been walking for 10 minutes and we were completely alone somewhere in Los Angeles.

But we pressed on. The California Science Center had to be somewhere around here, right?

A few minutes later I spotted a gas station down the road and made out an LAPD cruiser.

We hurriedly walked to the gas station, I walked up to one of the Officers and asked, “Excuse me, do you know how to get to the Science Center?”

He gave me a once over and responded authoritatively, “Get out of here.”

“What?” I responded, a little confused.

“You shouldn’t be here.”

“Well, then how do we get to the Science Center?” I still didn’t understand what he meant.

“You shouldn’t be here, do you want a ride?”

Oooooohhhhhhh. That’s what he meant.

“Uhh, we’ll just walk back to the train.”

“That’s probably a good idea, but be careful.”

“OK, thanks, bye.”

I guess I didn’t know the correct train stops.

And we never did make it to the Science Center.

*****

Your turn: Any good “stranger in a strange land” or “wrong place at the wrong time” type stories of your own? Comment or shoot me an e-mail. Just please don’t shoot me. ;)

7 Tips: How To Declutter Your Life Using Craiglist

What I’ve learned about getting rid of most of my belongings and paring them down to just one 32 Liter backpack…

Getting rid of the extraneous things in your life is such a good feeling it really is hard to put into words. If you’ve done it, you know how amazing it feels. If you haven’t purged the clutter in your life, give it a try.

Good reasons for getting rid of clutter are vast and varied.

Maybe you’re moving and don’t want to rent a moving van. Maybe you’re like me, going nomadic, and just need to get rid of everything. Maybe you need a little bit of cash. Or maybe you just need to clear a lot of junk out of your life and start with a clean slate. Any reason is a good reason.

The question is, how do you go about getting rid of the clutter while minimizing the time involved and maximizing the cash you’ll receive?

Craigslist is your answer. It’s available worldwide. It’s free. It’s fast.

To make purging your unwanted belongings easier I’ve put together these 7 tips I’ve acquired over the past month of clearing out my house.

I’ve sold almost everything except my car and couch at this point. I’ve sold bedroom furniture, 2 beds, my favorite guitar (Gibson SG), bookshelves, a TV, Nintendo Wii, a Nintendo DS, fake house plants, and the list goes on. All of the stuff I’ve sold has put about $3,000 in my pocket and I’ve never felt more free. I’m paring everything down to one 32 Liter backpack so I still have a bit of a ways to go, but I’m almost there.

With all of that out of the way, let’s get to it:

1) Get An Account.

Go to http://www.craigslist.org and sign up for an account. It’s free, and it makes listing and relisting items for sale quicker. Saving your time is saving your money.

2) The Pictures.

Take pictures of all your things. More pictures is better, but be mindful of the return on investment. If you’re selling a $10 lamp is it worth your time to take multiple pictures? No. If you’re selling a $500 bedroom set, on the other hand, provide as many details as you can. Especially if there are any flaws in the furniture. Be upfront about defects so you don’t waste anybody’s time.

Upload your pictures to Flickr, Photobucket, or your favorite image hosting site. Name your images by product and number them. For example, BedroomSet01.jpg, BedroomSet02.jpg, etc. This way you’ll be more organized, and listing your items on Craigslist it will be quicker and easier.

Note: I use Photobucket and for each picture they give you the HTML code needed to easily insert into your Craiglist ad.

3) How To Write A Craigslist Headline.

Headlines are important, so be clear about what you’re selling.

Bad headline: 5 piece bedroom set.

Good headline: Black 5 Piece Bedroom Set Non-smoking home 70% off list!

It almost seems like common sense, but you’d be surprised how many people have horrible headlines.

4) Killer Pricing Strategies.

Craigslist buyers are looking for a deal. That’s not to say you have to be unreasonably cheap, but be realistic. If you have a $2000 bedroom set don’t expect to get $1500, or even $1000 for it.

Industry standard, time-tested, pricing strategies work here. For example, $499 or $497 instead of $500. I had a bedroom set listed for $500 and didn’t get any e-mails. I changed the price to $499 and got 2 e-mails within an hour.

Bonus pricing tip: If you have no idea what to price your item you have 2 fast and easy options. First, check eBay’s completed listings for the same item to check the average selling price. Or, if your item is a big piece of furniture or something else that is probably not on eBay, price it at about 33% of retail if it’s still in great condition. The worse the condition the lower you’ll have to go.

5) Best Times To List.

Deleting and immediately relisting your post is not allowed. Craigslist makes you wait an arbitrary number of minutes, hours, or days. I haven’t figured out that algorithm, because I’ve listed an item and been able to relist it within 30 minutes, and with another item I had to wait 2 days.

Best bet listing strategy: List at 6-7 PM on Thursday. This is when people are preparing to do their bargain shopping for the weekend and your item will be listed towards the top of your category’s page.

If your item hasn’t sold by Friday, delete the listing Friday evening then relist it Saturday morning if you can. If you can’t (due to Reposting restrictions), relist the item Sunday morning. If you have a Craigslist account relisting is really quick. Login to your account, find your deleted post, click Repost, and follow the steps.

6) Time Saving Strategies.

You’ll receive a lot of time-wasting “is this item still available?” e-mails. Cut them off at the pass by clearly stating in your listing: “Please do not e-mail to ask if this item is available. If this listing is up the item is available. I will delete the listing as soon as the item has sold.”

To make it easier on yourself you might want to list your phone number in the listing so you don’t have to bother responding to multiple e-mails on the same items. That’s really a personal preference and dependent on how comfortable you are listing your phone number in public.

7) Safety.

Don’t accept any form of payment other than cash. You may get e-mails about using Western Union, bank transfers, or other scam-prone options. Don’t even respond to those e-mails. For small items, meet in a public place like a gas station, preferably during the day. For larger items you will have to obviously give your address, but be sure to take down the person’s full name, e-mail, and phone number. Truthfully, that might not help a lot if something bad were to happen. But at the same time, it is good information to have on hand.

Bonus Tip: Start Early.

Start listing your items 1-2 months BEFORE you really have to sell them if you want to the highest possible price. You can start your prices high and every week drop them a little lower. I sold my beds and bedroom furniture for more than I expected because of this strategy. If you’re in the process of moving, the added benefit of starting early is you won’t be stressed out trying to get rid of your things at the last minute.

Once you’ve de-cluttered your life and put a little bit of cash in your pocket, be mindful about getting back in the habit of filling your life with more unnecessary stuff.

***

Update (August 14): Sold my car on Craigslist! Also had interest from an eBay ad, but ultimately sold to someone who found it on Craigslist.

***

Some additional links about clearing clutter you might want to check out:

– Why You Need To Clear Your Clutter from TheLifeUncommon.net
– 5 Tips For Taming Clutter, Online and Off from WebWorkerDaily.com
– 4 Effective and Fun Clutter Busting Games from TheHealthyLivingLounge.com

How To Drive 1,802 Kilometers With A Cat In Tow (or How To Pull Kitty From A Thorn Bush)

About that one time I got cut to shreds pulling my cat Jessie out of a thorn bush in the middle of dark nowhere Texas on a 1,120 mile road trip…

Last Thursday afternoon (12:30 PM EST July 30, 2009) I started driving my kitty Jessie to her new home in Austin, TX with a friend (Jessie’s new Parent). It was 1,120 miles (1,802 kilometers) and 19.5 hours of straight agony. :)

I’d driven Jessie 1,200 miles twice before. Once from Central Florida to Metro Detroit, Michigan. And then 4 months later from Metro Detroit back to Central Florida. Each of those trips were done in two 8-9 hour spurts, with a night of rest in between.

The Austin trip I decided should be done straight because Jessie is not a fan of carriers or driving. I thought it would be easier to just get it done as quickly as possible.

But I guess hindsight really is 20/20 because that was wrong, wrong, wrong.

The best (read: worst) part was getting my arms and legs cut to shreds pulling Jessie out of a thorn bush in the middle of dark nowhere Texas at 4:00 AM Friday morning, just 150 miles from Austin.

She Pooped In The Car

Around 3:15 AM Jessie pooped in her carrier. She had been doing well for 950 miles and we only had 170 miles to go. We pulled over to the first gas station we saw, got a key for their bathroom, and took Jessie inside. She refused to come out of her carrier so I pulled the towel she was sitting on out and threw it away. I put down a new towel and we were good to go.

Hey, that wasn’t so bad.

She Peed In The Car

20 minutes later she peed in her carrier.

I pulled over again, but this time there was no open gas station. There was a gas station with open pumps that was pretty well lit so we stopped there.

I took the carrier out of the car and put it on the ground. As I opened it slightly and reached in to attach a leash to Jessie’s collar she darted out towards the highway.

She stopped right before the road and I ran across the highway to chase her back towards the gas station. But then she ran towards a dark field that surrounded the gas station for a good mile.

Cats are fast.

I thought she was gone forever and felt an immediate sadness. My body started to feel like Jello. You know that feeling you get when you have a near-miss car accident?

She would stop running for a second, but even if I’d stop and walk slowly towards her she’d run. So I kept chasing and, unfortunately, Jessie ran under a 5 foot tall fence.

I hopped the fence and felt a nice surprise. It was a field full of thorn bushes. I barely saw, mostly heard, Jessie run into a dense thorn bush, about 4 feet in diameter.

She was stuck and my legs were already cut to shreds.

I reached my arms in trying to find her only to feel dozens of thorns piercing my flesh as I frantically thrashed my arms around.

Jessie didn’t move, didn’t make a sound, it was too dark to see her, and I didn’t have a light.

I had my friend run to the car for my cell phone which gave me a bit of light.

Jessie was right in the middle of the bush in a bit of a clearing, but she wasn’t moving, probably due to being scared and in some pain.

I essentially dove into the bush, grabbed a tight hold of her body, and pulled her out. I immediately clipped the leash to her collar, ran towards the fence, hopped it while holding her in one arm (I’m 6’5″ so a 5 foot fence isn’t too difficult), and ran towards the car.

In the light of the gas station we cleaned off all the visible thorns from her fur and examined her face and paws. Everything looked okay. She was in an almost paralytic state and didn’t struggle as I put her inside her carrier more easily than ever before.

I proceeded to examine myself and pulled the 2-3 dozen thorns, many of which had broken their points off under my skin, out of my arms and legs. Luckily I had tweezers (Swiss Army Knife, thanks!). I wiped myself down with an antiseptic wipe (First Aid Kit, thanks!) and we were on our way.

I still found thorn splinters in my hands 2 days later. :)

What I should I have done differently?

I should’ve pulled out a litter box and had Jessie use it in the gas station after her first accident.

And if that didn’t work and she still had a second accident, I should’ve opened the carrier and leashed Jessie inside the car instead of trying to do it outside the car. My thinking was that since she was afraid to get out of her carrier the first time she would also be afraid the second time. But cats are tricky and unpredictable like that.

Lack of sleep and 17 hours on the road can make decision making less than stellar.

If you’re ever planning on driving a long distance with a cat of your own here’s what I’ve learned driving a cat over 3,500 miles (5,630 kilometers) on 3 separate trips, speaking to 2 Vets, and reading a handful of pet travel information online.

There is no learning experience like real experience, but you’d probably do well reading about my mistakes instead of making them on your own.

Driving a cat is different than driving with a dog. Dogs are leash animals, so stopping to let them out and relieve themselves is usually no problem. They’re also good about coming when you call their name. Cats don’t believe in names. :) My driving experience is strictly with cats so the following tips are for cats.

Pre-Trip

I don’t subscribe to the popular “take your cat on short car trips a bunch of times before your long trip” that I’ve read on countless Web sites. I tried that on previous long trips and what I found is every short car trip was just more stress on my cat. Who does that help? It’s a waste of time and may just make your cat even more difficult on the long trip.

What I do, as much as I dislike it, is give Jessie a mild sedative from the vet about an hour before driving. It’s in pill form and puts her in a drowsy trance for about 10 hours.

Pack your car the night before the trip so when you’re ready to go in the morning you can just scoop up your pet and go. I made the mistake of renting a car from Orlando to Austin and picking it up and packing it the morning of the trip. That wasted about 3 hours of valuable travel time.

Don’t feed your pet a few hours before the trip. That includes water. I fed Jessie a little bit about 2 hours before her first accident, about 14 hours into the trip. I’m still not sure if that was a good move or not, but I wouldn’t do that again.

During The Trip

Make your stops brief and infrequent.

Don’t leave your cat in the car alone for more than a minute or two. If you really need to sit down to eat bring the cat carrier inside.

For the most part your cat will probably sleep for the ride. When she wakes up she’ll probably vocalize her discomfort, but she’ll go back to sleep soon enough.

If you’re on an almost 20 hour trip like I was be sure to stop halfway to let your cat use the litter box. You can find small litter boxes with plastic bag box liners at any pet supply store (and even Walmart and Target). Find an enclosed bathroom and let your cat out inside. Not doing this was my biggest mistake.

After The Trip

Let your cat out inside her new home, give her a little food and fresh water, and bring out a few toys. Set up the litter box and make sure she knows where it is.

If your cat doesn’t do well in new environments you might want to keep her in one room while she adjusts. Thankfully, Jessie is pretty easygoing as far as new places so she immediately took to her new home. But you should watch your cat over the next few days for behavioral changes, especially lack of appetite.

Conclusion

Don’t be stupid (like I was) and let your cat get free in the middle of the night in the middle of nowhere. :)

Powder Is For Babies (or How I Keep My Only Pair Of Shoes From Smelling Like Boiled Rat Piss On Extended Trips)

If you travel light and for extended periods of time your shoes are going to stink. No ifs, ands, or buts about it. Here’s how I got rid of that rancid stench wafting up from my feet…

“Those are rank!”

“What?”

“Your shoes man!”

“Oh, right.”

Here’s the thing: if you only take 1 pair of shoes on a long trip and wear them for 12-18 hours/day they’re going to smell.

Really. Badly.

In an effort to pack light, taking the bare minimum of what I need, and find multiple uses for every item, I never bothered with shoe deodorizer.

I mean, come on.

How could I possibly tell people I pack light if I’m traveling with freakin’ SHOE DEODORIZER?

But I had to do something. Even I was embarrassed by the smell emanating from my shoes. That’s coming from a guy who once wore the same 2 shirts, 2 socks, and 2 underwear for 8 days in Germany without washing them. (haha, gross!)

Dr Scholl’s wasn’t going to do it for me. Although it does work well, it’s a single use product.

Same with Febreze. I’ll use the stuff in my home, car, or shoes when I’m not traveling. But taking a bottle of Febreze on the road just isn’t practical. I’d go so far as to say it’s outright stupid.

TSA Agent: “Sir, why do you have a bottle of Febreze in your backpack?”

ME: “My shoes smell.”

TSA: “Sir, this is no time for jokes.”

ME: “Seriously, smell ’em!”

TSA: “Sir, I’m going to have to ask you to follow me.”

In an effort to keep myself from backroom strong-arming and demoralizing cavity searches I settled on a travel sized bottle of baby powder.

Baby powder is just talc and fragrance.

But what’s important is that it’s a drying/deodorizing agent. In other words, it soaks up foot sweat and stink.

That sounds all well and good but here’s what I’ve also found: if I load up my shoes with baby powder and put them on, my feet start to feel “weird” after a while.

Is that the talc eating away at me? (Could be, supposedly talc causes cancer!)

So if you’re going to follow my lead then do what I do (hmm, that’s the definition of “following my lead,” huh?):

Toss the baby powder in your shoes at night before going to sleep. Really coat the insides of your shoes. Be sure to sprinkle some on your shoe laces because they absorb odors too.

When you wake up get rid of the excess powder.

What I’m saying is, don’t dump a bunch of baby powder in your shoes, then put them on and go on with your day. Or do it and then come back here and tell me I was right and your feet feel “weird and cancerous.”

In a pinch baby powder can be used for deodorant, a quick dry for clammy hands, or countless other awesome uses. (Good, there’s my multiple use requirement taken care of.)

Yes, yes I did just spend a whole RidiculouslyExtraordinary.com article writing about baby powder. You’re welcome. ;) And…

Here’s to no more traveler’s stink!

The Persistent Shower Companion (or Early Mornings At The Munich Airport)

There comes a time in a young boy’s life when his shower companion will be a beautiful woman. This wasn’t one of those times…

It was our last night in Munich, Germany. In less than 12 hours I would be heading back to Orlando and my friends Jason and Adam (NSFW) would be heading to Chicago and New York City, respectively.

Adam and I had early flights out the next morning and he decided not to get a hostel for the night. With the total trek (including walking and waiting) to the Munich airport being at least an hour there was no point in sleeping. Being that it was an International flight, he’d have to get to MUC around 5 am to be on the safe side for his 7 am departure.

I thought about it for a few minutes and decided I’d pull an all-nighter as well since my flight was at 9 am.

With all of that settled we went out for the night to our new favorite bar, Schwabinger 7, king among dive metal bars.

The music is loud, the bartenders are amazing, the drinks are cheap, the people are friendly, and the place is very small and very packed every night. Always the makings for a good time.

Side note: the men’s bathroom is pure filth. Just like a dive bar should be.

We sat down with a large group of German students who were in Munich for just a few more days on some kind of school trip. Their English was good, but I didn’t understand if this was a Winter break or if they were in town to study.

Whatever the case, they were definitely in town to drink.

By 3 am, with a sufficient amount of Germany’s finest flowing through our systems, we headed back to Jason’s hostel. After getting some food at the only place open this time of night (Burger King, so I had fries and salad) Adam and I picked up our bags from Jason’s room and said goodbye.

With a night of drinking and, unfortunately, close-quarters in a smoke-filled room behind me, I really needed a shower. I knew there were showers at the Munich airport so I was really looking forward to getting there quickly.

Adam and I had both spent our last Euros on food and the ticket machine at the train station didn’t take credit cards. In a lot of places that would be a problem, but Germany’s authority figures seemed to be pretty lax about actually checking to see if anybody’s public transport tickets were valid.

So we chanced it, didn’t pay for the 9 Euro train tickets (sorry Munich, I love you, and I will repay you somehow!), and got on the next train to MUC, a 40 minute ride.

I clutched an old train ticket in my right hand and went to sleep, hoping if an agent actually came around, he’d see the ticket and wouldn’t wake me up to check it.

At the airport, I said bye to Adam and went off to locate those showers. It was now 5am and in my slightly drunken and definitely very tired state, it took me a few circles around the airport before I found them.

Being that it was so early the showers were empty so I made my way to the very last of 6 stalls.

I once paid $7 for a shower at a dirty truck stop in the middle of the Arizona desert. The MUC airport shower was free and didn’t have the “truckers use this shower for unmentionable acts of biology” vibe. A clear winner in my book.

After my much needed shower I started brushing my teeth half-naked at the sink just outside my stall when a short man with shoulder length, curly hair, walked in.

He headed straight towards me, opened my stall door, walked inside and started laying his things down next to mine.

Each stall is separated into 2 “rooms,” so you can have all of your belongings with you in the stall, but they won’t get wet.

I quickly spit the soap out of my mouth, opened the stall door, and asked the man what he was doing.

He responded in a language I didn’t understand. It definitely wasn’t English or German so this didn’t bode well.

I pointed at the things strewn about the stall, said “That’s my stuff, what are you doing?” and then pointed at the other available showers.

He looked at me, said something in his indecipherable language, and continued unpacking his shower essentials.

Again, I pointed at the other showers and angrily asked him what he was doing. None of this seemed to matter to him and it was clear this conversation wasn’t getting anywhere.

I gathered my gear and left thinking “this feels like it would only happen in a movie.”

What a perfectly memorable way to cap off my last night in Germany.

I’m just thrilled he didn’t make my acquaintance 15 minutes earlier.

Zero The Hero or How To Pay 0% Credit Card Transaction Fees When Traveling Outside The US

INTERIOR LIVING ROOM COUCH – CALLING CREDIT CARD COMPANY

“Hello, how much are your transaction fees when traveling outside of the United States?”

“3%”

“3%?! Does that include Canada?”

“Yes, sir.”

“But Canada is so close! Can’t you work out some kind of deal? They’re nice people, I’m sure they’ll work with you.”

“Sir, that’s not exactly how it works.”

“OK, well, can you give me a discounted fee?”

“No, sir, I’m sorry we can’t do that.”

“I’d do it for you.”

“I’m sorry sir. But please keep in mind that while traveling if you ever have any problems. Should you need a replacement card or some other assistance, for example, our concierge is ready to serve your needs 24 hours/day 7 days/week. Just call the toll free or international collect numbers on the back of your card.”

“Thank you, yeah, I’ll use that…”

And so it goes.

I called 7 credit cards.

How Many Credit Cards Had Fees Between 2-3%?

If you guessed 7, you’re right. (I’m disappointed in you Amex Platinum, we’re such good friends.)

Let’s think about that for a minute. If I’m traveling and end up spending just $1,000 I pay an extra $20-30 in fees just for the “privilege” of using my credit card.

That negates any points I receive on the spending and it’s money I could use for a decent meal or two (or more, depending).

Next I called the company with those annoying TV commercials. (Are they still on TV? I haven’t watched since 2006.)

The Capital One No Hassle card I hadn’t used in years has 0% transaction fees around the world.

Period.

End of story.

Now, I’m not saying you need to get a Capital One card for your travels.

What I’m saying is if you don’t get a Capital One card for your travels you’re being stubborn.

No international fees and the No Hassle Miles card DOES earn you points after all.

ATM Fees

If you’re using your Capital One card as an ATM card to withdraw cash (as I do) you will have to pay the cash advance fees. I get around that by paying my bill ahead of time. i.e. I keep the credit card balance at $0 at all times.

Most foreign ATMs have their own transaction fees which you will also have to pay. These can be steep (I paid $10 for an ATM withdrawal in Germany!) so instead of making lots of small withdrawals make infrequent larger withdrawals.

How To Get Around ATM Fees

I don’t have a comprehensive list, but Bank of America has relationships with foreign banks. If you use those ATMs you don’t pay ATM withdrawal fees. I know this because I’m visiting Australia soon and somebody told me WestPac Bank in Australia doesn’t charge ATM fees to Bank of America customers. I called BoA to confirm and immediately signed up for a free BoA checking account.

10 Second Recap:

– Use a Capital One No Hassle card for credit card purchases

– Find out if Bank of America (or any other bank) has relationships with banks in whatever country you’re visiting to save on ATM fees.

Bonus: Digital Nomad, Location Independent, Etc, Etc?

If you work for yourself from your laptop you’re going to want another credit card in addition to the Capital One. Not for actual purchases but for all the other benefits.

The American Express Platinum card ($450/year annual fee) has a slew of features, but the most useful are:

* Regus Gold Card – The Regus Gold Card gets you access to over 1,000 business lounges around the world. Free wifi, coffee/tea, and a quiet place to get work done. This normally costs $300/year from Regus. www.Regus.com for locations and more info.

* Airport Lounge Access – Relax in the American Airlines, Continental, and Delta/Northwest airport lounges whenever you’re traveling on those airlines.Here’s what you get in the lounges:

o Free coffee/tea.

o Free fruits/snacks.

o Clean bathrooms (some with showers).

o Comfortable chairs and quiet areas.

o Multiple TVs if you don’t feel like getting work done.

o Some of them have free alcohol. (I though alcohol was free in all the lounges, but I got charged for beer at the Chicago O’Hare (ORD) AA Admiral’s Club bar.)

o Some of them have free WiFi.

But the best aspect of the airline lounges is their employees are tremendously more helpful than the “regular” airline employees and gate agents. This is most useful during flight cancellations.

While everybody else is fighting for attention outside, you can walk into the lounge and get taken care of quickly.

Lounge access is $50/day or ~$400/year per airline without the Amex Plat.

* Concierge – Need tickets/reservations/anything? They can do it. Lose your passport? They’ll help you. Forget your wallet in a Haitian cab? They’ll find it. Or maybe you need to settle a silly bet between friends in Vegas? No request is too crazy.

* Lots of other features I’ve never used like room upgrades when staying in fancy hotels.

Conclusion

Whether you’re a casual traveler or a nomad the most important card in your travel arsenal is the Capital One No Hassle Card. And it seriously took everything in me to write a full article instead of just leaving it at that. :)

Do you have any other money related travel tips? Do you, maybe, prefer a different travel credit card?

By filling out this form you are subscribing to Karol.Gajda.com NOT RidiculouslyExtraordinary.com. Name: Email:

RSS Subscribe	@KarolGajda	About