Planning the Next Adventure: Tips and Tricks

I’m a planner. I enjoy making spreadsheets and budgets and charts (usually of the color coded variety). Before a trip, I’ll map out locations, peruse restaurant menus, and read hotel reviews like there’s going to be a pop quiz. And ultimately, the trip is the pop quiz. A failing grade would be crying on a French payphone after missing a connecting flight. A passing grade would be surviving. And the A+? Thinking back on the trip as worth it.

Trips are best in anticipation and retrospect, and maybe that’s why travel excites me. It’s not just the week you’re away, but it’s the planning that goes into it and the memories you keep from it. That way, you’re not just experiencing the trip when you’re on it.

I’ve been craving an international adventure and in a couple months that craving will be satiated in the best possible way. Some familiar places are on the agenda (Toronto, London, and Oxford), but the brand-spankin’ new locale I’ll be visiting isn’t new at all. In fact, it’s one of the most historic empires to ever grace the earth: Istanbul.

As the former capital of the Roman Empire, the Latin Empire, and the Ottoman Empire, to say Istanbul is rich in history does its impressive past a disservice. And as the third largest city in Europe with 13 million people living in it, the prospect of conquering Istanbul is intimidating. Intimidating…but not impossible. So let the planning commence!

• Start out with a basic Wikipedia overview of the new place you plan to visit. Say what you will about the free online encyclopedia, but it’s full of all the basics you need to know about, well…anything.

•  Price out your flights using Kayak’s calendar; it will project the cheapest months to fly. The cheaper the flight, the worse the weather, but an umbrella usually doesn’t cost $500 (the average price difference between flying abroad in the summer vs. winter).

• Check the cultural calendars for the city to see the popular festivals, holidays, and events. Do you want to avoid the crowds, or be a member of them? For instance, going to a heavily-populated Christian city like Rome on Christmas might be depressing with everything being closed. However, it’d be the perfect time to go somewhere like Marrakesh.

• Crunch the realistic numbers. Not the numbers you hope to have or want to have at the time of the trip, but the numbers you actually have right now this instant. Reservations and flights cost money now, not later. Bust out Excel, check your bank balance, and find the magic number that will make your trip a reality. Then add $300. And maybe another $50. Ok, now we’re in business.

• Study up. Guide books like Frommer’s or Lonely Planet will only get you so far. If you really want to appreciate a new area, brush up on your history. I picked up Strolling Through Istanbul: The Classic Guide to the City at my campus library and have already been immersed in the intriguing world of Istanbul, and I haven’t even landed there yet. It helps to build the excitement, understand your surroundings, and get a firm grasp on the amazing place you’re venturing out to see.

• Double-check your passport expiration date. Think about it…you’re rushing to the airport, check your bag, head to security, and then whammo-blammo you’re out for the count if your passport is expired. Leave plenty of time to get it up-to-date (upwards of six weeks if you need a new one).

• Scour the internet for hotels that have reasonable prices, included breakfasts, and excellent reviews. Even if the place isn’t a legit 5-star hotel, if there are more than 10 reviewers who deem it 5+, consider it better than a Zagat-approved joint. Look at the timestamps on the reviews as well—a negative review from a few years ago in the middle of several positive reviews from last week shouldn’t sour you; what if there was a change in ownership or management? Trust the most recent reviews first. Also, avoid the hotels that only have one or two reviews posted. As for the included breakfast, even if it’s boring, it’s one less meal you have to find and pay for.

• Hop on Yelp, Urbanspoon, or another restaurant review website to find out where the locals go. Look up the community newspapers to read restaurant reviews, instead of relying on out-of-date American guide books. And the best thing you can do? Ask. And not just the concierge, but instead the guy holding the door open for you at a local market or a stranger sitting on a bus bench. People love to talk about themselves and their cities—give them a reason to talk.

• DVR the Travel Channel. Perhaps avoid the Deep-Fried Paradise or Ghost Adventures segments and look for the likes of Anthony Bourdain instead. While his show often showcases unique eateries that cost more than the computer you’re reading this on, he does present some cheaper options or at the very least, ideas about the type of food you may encounter. It’s worth a watch even to pick up a few phrases or photo-op locations.

• Make a plan. Seems basic, and it is. But when you don’t have one? Some things won’t get done. Sure, you’ll have adventures and plenty of things to do, but the beauty of “the plan” is that you don’t have to follow it exactly. Stumble upon an impromptu market? Great! Discover an amazing museum? Super! But general areas and activities should be planned out by the day if you have limited time and money—no use taking a cab to the same place multiple times if you can conquer it all at the same time. 

While the above tips won’t guarantee a blast at your next vacation destination, it should help ease some of the stress and gear you up for the next excitement. The world is full of adventure: go plan one.
 

Oh, Canada: Our Amazing Neighbor to the North

This is a long overdue, kind of controversial, semi-political, very personal, idealistic ode to Canada. Happy Canada Day!

Talk about a Toronto girl, my mom was the epitome of a polite Canadian who was the product of an Ontario upbringing in the 1950s. Taking trips to the lake, shopping at Eaton’s, and receiving a rigorous education at Victoria College, University of Toronto, she enjoyed a traditional Toronto childhood raised by two kind-hearted, foreign parents. While my mom spoke with enunciated eloquence with only a slight Canadian edge to her outs and abouts, her parents both sported thick accents from their home countries: Scotland and Germany.

Born during the Berlin blockade, my mom was truly an outcome of World War II. Her father, a British intelligence officer serving with the post-war military government in Berlin, started up a romance with her mother, a German school teacher who had escaped to the West from East Prussia. In 1951, the whole German side of my family and my Scottish grandfather sought idyllic refuge in Canada, where they were all treated with the utmost hospitality. And sixty years later, my great aunt is still in Toronto and will be the first to tell you how appreciative she is of the life Canada has provided.

While Americans cling to this ostensibly outdated notion that they’ll accept the tired, the poor, and the huddled masses yearning to breathe free, Canada is the country that actually lives up to this bold vow. The golden door leads to Canada, and although it inevitably has its own issues to contend with, I can’t help but look to this friendly neighbor to the north in awe—a country that is welcoming, humble, and kind. A sweeping generalization, I know, but just look at this nation: publicly-funded universal healthcare, a continuously declining crime rate, and an attainable immigration system. Even in a post-war world in the 1950s while there was a heightened sense of unknown threat and bitterness around the globe (sound familiar?), Canada accepted my foreigner family wholeheartedly.

Comparatively, America is struggling. There’s this fabricated urgency to shut down our borders and refuse entry to those who strive for betterment. For many, the argument has gone beyond the illegal aspect of immigration and morphed into this loathing for all things foreign. It seems the abhorrent behavior of a few fringe efforts leads to national panic over entire sects of people. In Canada, approximately 41% of its inhabitants are first or second generation immigrants and that didn’t seem to negatively affect its ranking as one of the happiest, safest, and most successful countries in the world.

The acceptance of international influence and immigrants as exhibited by Canada has led to great things for its people, and has encouraged them to explore the world at large. While my mom already had a global flair thanks to her parents, living in a multicultural and diverse city like Toronto helped her ease into six years of studying and living in London. "Culture shock" didn’t even enter her vernacular when she resided in Manhattan. And moving my family across the U.S. to a whole new world in New Mexico was just viewed as an adventure.

Growing up, I always thought the world was within reach (and I still do). My mom’s upbringing in Canada influenced the way she raised me and both my (foreign-born) parents insisted we travel to better understand the world. Perhaps that led to a naivety of what’s truly within reach, but exploring cultures by going beyond the border—both literally and metaphorically—while embracing a variety of cultures makes the globe seem conquerable.

In an ever-changing integrative world that’s only becoming smaller thanks to emerging technologies, isn’t it time we accept diverse cultures, people, and ideas opposed to shunning them? Canada has embraced diversity, innovation, and openness the way America only purports to do. As a 25-year-old first generation American, I can only hope to one day see America emulate Canada and truly accept all kinds of diversity the way I know we once did. Conservative Americans need to shed this unwarranted fear and ignorance when it comes to foreign lands and people, not to mention accept and appreciate vast and interesting differences.

While my mom felt very much at home in America, Canada was her original home. She even wrote a book about it for Macdonald Educational called Canada: The Land and Its People. Now when I visit, I can’t help but feel a deep-rooted connection to Canada, and I had no issues—ethically or bureaucratically—getting my Canadian citizenship (a feat that would be a true testament to time, patience, and wealth in America).

So I’d like to end this ode to Canada with a sincere thank you. I am thankful for the chance Canada took on my family back in 1951. It led my mother to seek out interesting places and adventures, and in turn has led my brother and I to do the same. Despite a few frustrations and aggravations, America is certainly full of good people and adventures in its own right, and here’s hoping that it soon realizes that other people beyond our borders and within them are just as good and just as deserving of the adventure. While for the long-term my love (and residency) lies in America, I do have a very special place in my heart for Canada, the land and its people.

Opa: Going Greek

 

For this post, I will be digging in the archives; but that seems appropriate considering the ancient history of Greece itself. I was inspired to write about my Greek adventure (circa 1997) thanks to the Greek Festival happening in Denver this weekend, plus the headline news about protests plaguing the nation. But my memories of Greece are far less dramatic, and more akin to a dream. These dreamlike visions are probably due to the fact it has been more than 12 years since I last stepped foot on Greek sand, but also because of the stark beauty and staggering scenery found on the many islands of Greece. 

It remains one of my most memorable trips from childhood, as I can still picture the exotic aqua sea crashing against the shores, where white stucco buildings with blue doors were cascading down the hills. I can still feel the oppressive heat atop the roof of the Marriott in downtown Athens. I can still hear the sounds of the bustling streets along the many plazas, as taxis crammed their way through tight spots and tourists shuffled through the crowd.

And then there are the other distant memories that aren’t quite as romantic, but certainly helped to form the identity of the area. Like the nude German tourists showering out of their RV’s parked along the beach. Or the sign in our island hotel stating “If you wanted to be comfortable, you should have stayed at home.” Or the late night sing-alongs in the taverna, which was lit by mere candlelight and had tables lined with ouzo and retsina. 

Sitting beachside is not a typical Harben endeavor, but my parents needed the vacation in the true sense of the word; not hustling through city streets and yo-yo-ing from monument to monument, but just a soak-up-the-sun kind of vacation. In these days, we were still living in upstate New York where at least six months of the year were consumed by at least six feet of snow (give or take a few feet). So the trip began in London, continued on Naxos island, and ended in Athens for a few days. 

A week on the island of Naxos, in Naxos City, started by landing at the rickety airport. Did I say rickety? Good, because I mean it. Look at this place! Talk about authentic. But as long as the airplanes going in and out of the airport were of the contemporary variety, it was fine. A wild cab ride took us through the winding hills and the dirt roads to our hotel—a whitewashed set of bungalows that possessed both charm and functionality. Until you stepped foot in the bathroom. Cue the cheeky sign touting comfort and staying at home.

There’s no way I can find the exact hotel we stayed in, but its steeped studio apartments and friendly owners are vivid. The list of economical hotels in Naxos is extensive, with prices ranging from $30 to $80 per night—even in season. Whichever hotel you find, chances are it will have spacious rooms with seaside views outside broad windows. Find accommodation with a restaurant or bar, as your fellow lodgers will likely be from all parts of the world and an interesting mix of people to talk to.

My affinity for Greek food started on Naxos, where I enjoyed authentic moussaka, spanakopita, and baklava for the first time. However, it was a rude awakening to discover a Greek salad in Greece consists solely of tomatoes (my antipathy for tomatoes was simply confirmed on Naxos). The restaurants on the island were humble, often run by modest families who looked out to the Mediterranean from their overheated kitchens. Business was less than booming during the day, but as the sun set, the locals and the tourists alike would pile in. 

Exploring the island was truly an adventure. The largest in the Cyclades island group within the Aegean, Naxos was once the center of archaic Cycladic culture in the Early Bronze Age. Wherever you find yourself on the island of Naxos, you’re only a few short hours away from a great ruin (such as Demeter's Temple) and mythic legend of yore; the only challenge is navigating the incredibly twisty roads (sans guardrails, of course). When not driving on edge (literally) or swimming in the Aegean, we walked along the stone streets of Old Town, trotted through the dirt roads marked by donkey tracks, and dug our toes into the crisp Greek sand.

Of course, island life got a little old after a few days of creating homemade seashell necklaces and splashing in the water, so it was off to Athens for the rest of the trip. This is where we enjoyed sunsets on the Ledra Marriot rooftop, leisure dinners on the popular restaurant plazas, and treks through ancient ruins. 

There are a lot of overrated cities in the world (Budapest and Lisbon come to mind), but Athens does not rank on that list. The energy, the food, and the people all make it a foreign experience in the best possible way. And the setting is stunning, with the Parthenon and Acropolis towering over you like a constant reminder of their historic prevalence. For a child, trying to comprehend the Early Neolithic era (i.e., 6th millennium BC) is nearly impossible, considering a flip-phone is “ancient” in kid terms. But it’s hard to miss the point that 7,000 years is a long time as you stand smack-dab in the middle of all that history.

Athens will forever be my first “foreign” city and perhaps the reason I fell in love with traveling in the first place. Toronto and London were always homes away from home, but Athens presented something completely different—something inspiring, something magical. The sign that suggested you should stay at home if you want to be comfortable sticks with me; traveling shouldn’t be familiar. It shouldn’t even be leisurely. It should be eye-opening, exciting, and at times, uncomfortable. That way in retrospect, trips can seem more like dreams—adventures you have to struggle to recall were real or fiction. Maybe the filter of time and youth has clouded my judgment of Greece. Perhaps if I visit it today, I'd have a completely different experience. But in the end, isn’t that what travel is all about?

If you’re craving more on Greece, especially the island of Naxos, take a peek at my mother’s book: Royal Amber, in which she describes these places so vividly, it’s like you’re there.