Traveling Like The Locals: Using Public Transportation In Foreign Countries

Many people are surprised that we use public transportation when we're in foreign countries, and don't depend on tour buses and taxis. "Isn't that dangerous?" they'll ask or "Aren't you afraid of getting lost?" In almost all cases, the answer is no. Taking public transport is usually faster and less expensive than taking a private cab. Just get a good map and pay attention to your surroundings. When we were in Tokyo back in 1985, my dad got us around on the subway by comparing the Japanese characters on the map to the ones on the signs. It was difficult, but he managed to do it and get us around. There have been some exceptions. When we were in Nigeria, we were strongly advised against using public buses and mini vans and our friends hired a driver for us. He was great, but honestly, this was a little strange for us and we felt cut off from the world. For me, using public transportation is a great way to people watch and get a true sense of a city. Take an Athens subway during rush hour, for example, and you'll see every type of person imaginable on board -- not just other tourists. Take a local bus or train in the Netherlands and you'll hear a variety of languages being spoken around you -- not just English. Some of my best travel stories come from having taken public transportation. When we took the subways and buses in Mexico City, we were accosted by people selling things (not just to us; to everyone, as this is what they do in the subways there) and were entertained by impromptu concerts. Everywhere you go, someone is performing and some of the best musicians were right there in the subway! My friends and I are all New Yorkers, so we're somewhat accustomed to the chaos, but even they were impressed. "I can't wait to see who comes onto the subway next!" my friend Scott exclaimed. In Athens, the subways double as museums. Go underground and you'll see many ruins which are still in the process of being dug up. Not your average underground experience! Meanwhile, when we were in Dublin, we were staying about a half hour outside of the city, so we took the light rail. Hardly any Americans traveled this route so we were with the locals and drove through neighborhoods we wouldn't have otherwise seen. Of course, you want to be careful when taking public transport. Don't wear expensive jewelry. Keep track of your wallet. Watch out for gropers. But these are things to be aware of even in cities back home. Heck, I worry more about the weirdos on the NYC subways than I ever did in Mexico. So next time you travel, try traveling like a local. You'll probably find it to be a lot less scary than you thought.

How To Pack Light For A Trip

After traveling so often, I've become something of an expert when it comes to packing. That said, we ONLY travel with carry on luggage and do not check bags. This saves time and money, and a lot of hassles at the airport. Here's an article that I wrote which details exactly HOW I can successfully travel with so little: How To Travel With Only A Carry On Bag Just for fun, here are more shots of Amsterdam:

Welcome To Naomi The Traveler!

The title for this blog is pretty simple -- my name is Naomi and I'm an avid traveler. I guess you can say that I come from a family full of wanderlust. My childhood wasn't like most kids'; since both of my parents were teachers, they had summers off and would take me all over the place. So by the time I was 15, I'd been to China, Japan, Israel, Egypt, Russia, Mexico, and all over Europe and the United States. The other kids thought I was a little weird ... but I always had interesting slide shows for projects. Now that my parents are retired, they travel more than ever. They've been pretty much everywhere you can think of: India, Malaysia, Mongolia, Papua New Guinea... okay, they haven't yet been to Australia or New Zealand, or most of the Pacific, actually, but still, they've so far been to an impressive 90-something countries. Meantime, I've gotten my husband into traveling. In the 12 years we've been married, we've visited Australia, New Zealand, Iceland, England, France, Ireland, Norway, Sweden, Mexico, Canada, Greece, Hawaii, Puerto Rico -- and just returned from a trip to the Netherlands/Nigeria. So we're doing pretty well! My goal is to set foot on every continent before my parents. They're missing Australia and Antarctica. I'm still missing South America and Antarctica. So it's anybody's game at this point, though we could fly from the tip of Chile to Antarctica. You go via a military plane and stay there for about three hours, but hey -- it's Antarctica! There are ice caps! Penguins! What more can you want? I kid, but in all seriousness, I think it's important to see the world and learn about the people and places with whom your share your Earth. We're fortunate because we live in New York City, which is a very international place, but while I love eating Chinese food, there's nothing quite like actually going to the real country. So welcome aboard my blog as we take a trip around the world! I'll be sharing travel stories from when I was a child and an adult, as well as travel tips and recommendations. And if you have any stories or tips of your own, feel free to add to the comments. To whet your appetite, here are some photos from last year's trip to Greece:

Safe journeys, Naomi