Thread by @flowen_nl

More pro-trip-tips:

🎒 travel minimalistic. I only use a @Minaal day-pack

it fits:
shirts: 2 button-up, 2 t-shirts
pants: 1 long, 1 short, swim trunks
garments+socks
towel (ditching this)
toiletry + medicine bag
laptop, charger, roost, ext kb & mouse
phone, cables,
notebook

🏍 visit:

less-popular destinations
visit touristy destinations during low season
Dont book excursions, research and drive yourself (you can copy itineraries)
do spontaneous drives in a random direction
Use public transport, not taxis
join the 'free city tour' - every city has 1

Looking for the REAL local market? If it has no AC and no ventilation, the products are more likely to be sold for local prices. Also no/less tourist scams
Never be afraid to refuse an unfair price, but dont waste energy for a dime.
Honest and hard work should always be rewarded

👻 ignore:
all award signs (trip advisor, lonely planet)
Don't buy from those who approach you
Don't look posh to avoid touts.
Please also don't wear elephant pants 😂

❓ Ask:
make local friends and ask why they like the city. Where to eat. etc.
Or even better, there are sites such as showaround.com to locals who would show you around for free

I haven't done couchsurfing in years. It's still a thing?

📕 research:

Keep to a minimum. Forget about lonely planet books (too big)

a free alternative:
* go to Wikitravel and find the country and cities you want to visit
* Use Pocket to download offline & you have a free open source travel-guide

My notebooks in evernote:

if you are tech savy and noticed in the previous pic: you can easilly by-pass wifi networks of hotels and such. Honestly, I hardly ever used it

Learn the language. Locals love hearing foreigners speak with a funny accent. This is a minimal template:
* Hello / How are you
* Yes / No
* Thank you / Please
* Where is …
* What is the best ...
* Cheaper😂
LEARN SLANG. Locals laugh their asses off
Anki to learn more (free)

Stay:
* Airbnb: message a few hosts. Ask them for communication outside of airbnb to sometimes save 20%
* Have local friends or meet through websites I mentioned before
* use local website or hire a VA on fiver or smth

Avoid people who ask you these questions:
* do you speak ‘local language’? checking to see if you can understand
* where are you from? gauging your net worth
* in what hotel are you staying? gauging your net worth

* lies lies lies. They will use all kinds of lies to put pressure on you to buy
* use a lie to get out of one
* don't be gullible. Free is not free. People earn commissions over your back
* bargain without getting angry or being mean.

the evernotes are basically a collected notes I liked and simply saved.

Like, I see on a forum how to travel by ferry:
travelaroundchina.wordpress.com/2012/03/26/fer…

or something interesting on atlasobscura.com

And most important:
- use common sense. If it's too good too be true, it probably is.
- stay safe, but keep your adventure hat on