I started this journey to get myself out of my comfort zone and heal anxiety. The thought of traveling the world with huge unknowns can cause anyone to panic, let alone the Type-A personality that wants everything to be “in order.” I used to be that type of person, everything was organized, in its place, and every step of the day was organized. If this sounds like you, it might be time to open Expedia, book a cheap flight, and explore a destination that you know nothing about. That is exactly how I silenced my Bob Wiley tendencies.
(Europe and Brazil) October and November
Expedia is an amazing tool to use for comparing flight prices. Flights and hotels are the most expensive part of travel, all the incidentals are secondary. Expedia offers comparison on flights and will show you the price difference in days, meaning the business class flies on specific days and if you book on an off day, you get a much better deal; sometimes hundreds off. If you download the app and complete all the needed information, the comparison will show you at the top of the screen. There is also a tool within the app that allows you to turn on notifications for a specific trip (date, destination, and airline) that will aware you of fluctuating prices, so you can lock in the best price. It is a best practice to get the cheapest flight and hotel that you book in advance. I have noticed that the word “advance” applies to two to three weeks before departure. The best features of Expedia flights are:
- The website allows you to add a lot of filters to see options. This can give you the cheapest flights to any destination.
- The search filter results allow further filtering of the data provided.
- See all layovers, duration, and prices.
- See options to have a longer layover in a location that you want to explore for one or two days.
- Further filtering options on all search results.
- Compare dates and pricing. Set notifications for a specific search result to watch prices.
- Set notifications for search results to your fave destination to watch for the best price.
Cheap vacations do not mean that you sacrifice obeyance, by any means. I have used Airbnb, Hilton, Misterb&b, and Expedia to research, and book, and have had various experiences. I have learned from the “whomp-whomp” feeling after opening the hotel or apartment door. Airbnb allows any home or apartment owner to list a bedroom or an entire apartment for rent on their app. Some use filtered, staged, or older photos to boost the posting. The things that I have learned to look for are:
- Review the photographs carefully and inspect every inch of the area depicted.
- Look at the bedding close (even if you have to take a screenshot and zoom in).
- Look at the widow frames. This can indicate mildew, water, or poor air circulation.
- Make sure there are multiple photographs of the bathroom and shower. If they are not, they might be hiding something.
- Inspect the furniture that is in the photographs. If it is older and outdated-looking designs, that is not necessarily a bad thing. You should look for stains, quality of the surface, and edges.
- If there are any unresolved questions, the host on Airbnb can answer any questions you might have.
- Some of them are very helpful and polite.
Looking for bougee, but cheap lodging is not impossible, it's in the research. Using Expedia for cheap or discounted hotels is the best value I have found for accommodations when traveling abroad. I have found Hilton to be an amazing hotel chain to call home when abroad and their prices are typically cheaper on Expedia. When doing your research on Expedia, look for the following things:
- The location of the hotel is what drives the price, anything on a busy beachside can be expensive. Look for a stop further down the populated retail spots on the beach.
- Look for public beaches that do not have any retail stores.
- Look for grocery stores near your lodging. Ya gotta have a balanced meal in other countries. You will most likely be walking a great deal. This includes small-ish sized to medium.
- Expedia does have the same tool for price watching on the hotel, because those do change.
Airbnb has been the best to work with abroad. Customer service kind of matters a ton when there is a communication gap, language barrier, or any other foreign obstacle. You are on their land and it’s important to be respectful and deal with issues calmly when they present themselves. I found the following qualities helpful for someone who has not been immersed in culture:
- Customer support to deal with listings that are falsely advertised. You can find yourself in a room that Martha Stuart wouldn’t approve of, with lodging anywhere.
- Verified photography of spaces. Clear pictures that accurately represent the space.
- Purchase in app and no third-party websites. Turns out, this is important.
- Currency exchange rates in your country's favor.
- I noticed that prices on Airbnb do not escalate the closer you get to a stay, most of the time.
- Reminders, and a clear address that can be copied into Apple Maps or Google Maps (I like AM).
Navigating the area in which you are staying is going to be crucial. Street signs, navigation signals, and signage are all different. Apple Maps was the most useful in this way:
- She reminds you as you walk and where to turn and says the name of the street.
- Has an annoying way to pay attention to the distance by shaking the phone or smartwatch.
- Keeps directions going while the screen is off and on power save mode.
- More detail-oriented with direction in another country. Google Maps had the opposite direction at intersections, on some roads.
- Clear on-screen visual detail of building type and structure.
mmkkkkkay, let’s briefly tap the Misterb&b topic. I did LOVE the apartment that I was in. For never going to Brazil, I chose to stay in Vila Mariana. It was in what I would consider a downtown-looking area and had a laundry mat, grocery, and restaurants nearby. LOVED the apartment's appearance and furnishings. Only one semi-stinky pillow. Amazing bathroom and kitchen. So what’s the problem? The host was a bit “desperate” shall we say in actions. He was super nice and there is a cultural difference, but…
So you now have the baseline of information that you need to start planning your European or South America’s vacay. Remember that this can be an overwhelming process and there is a lot of information to digest. Some countries do require a visa to enter, or a departure date of exiting the country. If you are an American, you hav more freedom in visa requirements. It is important to look for visa requirements for the country you are going to, which can be found on any embassy website, or by visiting the specific country's formal government or police website. Remember to be respectful of other cultures when traveling. If you are an American like me, there will be some culture shock, so enjoy it.