Travel Tips for the Fabulously Frugal

2015 has been good to me. I got to visit 5 countries, made some great new friends, and was able to put away a little money for a rainy day. I also spent a lot of money, so my goal for the new year is to be better about where and how I spend my money. Here are my 3 4 tips for saving some money and not blowing the budget while traveling:

1. Opt for a seat in the back of the plane

When you check your bags in (p.s. don't be one of those jerks that brings a whole suitcase on as your carry on, but more on that later) ask the gate agent if there are any empty rows available that they can book you in. Since most people prefer to sit at the front of the plane, the back of the plane usually has a few rows of empty, unloved seats. You can also check this yourself if you check in online, but the gate agent can prevent anyone else from booking seats beside you. Once you've taken off, kick your shoes off and stretch out across all four seats! Business class space for the economy class price. People may give you dirty looks, but hey, that's what eye masks are for, blocking the haters out ;)

2. Bring your own snacks

Everyone knows that airports and hotels usually overcharge you for snacks and drinks, so why not bring your own? I always try to book hotels that have breakfast included, but for those mid-day munchies, I like to pack my own snacks from home. Stocking up on Kind or granola bars, dried fruit, nuts, popcorn, and teas will make sure that you snack healthy while you're away and stick to your budget for food. I also like to take an empty water bottle with me so that I can stay hydrated. S'well makes a metal water bottle that keeps whatever you put inside cold for up to 24 hours without refrigeration.

3. Befriend a local

If you don't already have friends or family that live in the country you're visiting the next best thing is to befriend a local person. They'll be able to help you navigate the city, find authentic local food, and help you to save money by avoiding tourist traps. When I was in Istanbul, my local friend took me to a restaurant I would have never gone to on my own, that had amazing baklava and turkish coffee, and also talked to taxi drivers to help get me to where I wanted to go quickly and inexpensively. In Tanzania, my local friend saved me a ton of money buying souvenirs by speaking for me and negotiating prices. Like I've said before, people in other countries hear my American accent and think I'm rich, so having a local person to inquire about pricing for me was a big money saver.

4. Turn off your wifi and cellular data and still use Google Maps to navigate your way around a foreign city

I found this one out by accident but it has helped me out so many times and saved me a ton on data roaming charges. Chances are your hotel will at least have free wifi in the lobby. Before heading out for your day of exploring, search for wherever it is you want to go and click to begin navigation. Once you leave the hotel you'll lose the wifi signal and you'll get a notification that your data is not working but good ole Google Maps will continue to navigate you to your destination, even if you have wifi and cellular data turned off. If you really get into a pinch and need to navigate your way to another location but have no wifi, you can briefly turn on your cellular data and roaming to get Google Maps started and then turn it back off once you're on your way, it'll still work the same. You're welcome!

And finally, not a money saving tip but a time saving one. Try to be the last person to check in for your flight and close to the last person to board the plane. You won't be stuck sitting in your seat on the plane waiting for everyone to board, your luggage will be put on last and therefore be the first to be taken off, and you'll be able to easily see those empty rows of seats that are just waiting for you to nap on. Plus, if you're not one of those jerks that brings a whole suitcase on as your carry on, you'll be able to quickly maneuver your way off the plane and power walk (feel the burn!) to customs. Also, since I'm off on a tangent, keep your fashion accessories to a minimum (no belts, coins, bobby pins, shoes with laces) and your time at security will be a breeze.

My Thoughts on Egypt

This year for National Day we had a full five days off from school (thank you Sweet Baby Jesus in your Golden Fleece Diapers!) and since I had already had the whole National Day experience, complete with camel racing, an air show and the insanity that is the car parade down the Corniche last year, I decided to go away. My curiosities led me to the great city of Cairo, Egypt, and while it didn't disappoint I wish it had been...more.

Since this would be my first trip to the African continent I had high hopes for my experience while there. I guess I expected it to be more welcoming and friendly, especially towards another person of color, but I definitely felt a sense of otherness while there. In my short time there it was pretty clear that Egyptians don't consider themselves African. In the museum, I referred to something as being African and a woman quickly corrected me, saying it was Egyptian. In another experience, as I was walking down the street (with a tour guide) past a group of teenaged kids, one of them yelled out "African", which confused me. Was he calling me African? I was the only 'black' person on the street but technically he was the African, not me. I'm still confused about that.

The other thing that turned me off about Cairo was that I constantly felt like I was being taken advantage of. Maybe I'm just paranoid. Or maybe it's a symptom of being in a country that has a lot of poverty and instability. Maybe it's just a tourist problem. I'm not sure. In a lot of the shops that I went into, the salesmen would aggressively go into their sales pitches and then suggest that I pay some absurd amount for a little trinket and then get offended when I'd decline. I usually offer about half of what they're asking and then meet somewhere in the middle. After successfully (I think) haggling with one store owner, he said that I couldn't be American, I had to be Indian from the way that I bargained. I think it was a compliment.

Anyway, on to the adventures!

First on the itinerary was a visit to Saqqara which is a burial ground for the ancient city of Memphis. As we drove there on a country road that we shared with horses and donkeys pulling carts of fruits and vegetables, I was surprised to see the lush greenery and farms that led right up to the burial site, which was the complete opposite.

After Saqqara, we went to visit a papyrus shop in Cairo. Papyrus and Lotus Flowers are two of the main plants that grow in Egypt. Both have several different uses and can be found in most artifacts and hieroglyphics. The gentleman at the papyrus shop did a short demonstration for me on how papyrus plants are turned into scrolls which can then be painted or drawn on.

from this...

...to this

The shop sold reproductions of all kinds of famous art, and even some that glowed in the dark.  There were literally hundreds to choose from, it was so hard to narrow it down to just a few to buy. 

Right next door to the papyrus shop there was a perfumery that sold all kinds of oils. I was treated to a private demonstration to test and smell all of the different scents, of which papyrus and lotus flower were the most popular. The salesman of course heard my American accent and tried to sell overcharge me everything in the shop. After I agreed to buy two small bottles, he took me to another area to pay and when we returned another worker had already poured and packaged my oils. This didn't sit well with me because I had no way of knowing that they actually put what they said was in the bottles, so I kindly asked them to do it again in front of me. He wasn't happy about it but he'll get over it.

If that wasn't a busy enough day, I also went to see the pyramids and Sphynx in the afternoon. I rode a camel through the streets of Cairo and had a guide on horseback to lead me up to the pyramids. It was...quite an experience! Most of the ride was uphill and my camel and the horse didn't really seem to like each other, which was a little scary. At one point the horse nearly threw the guide off, which didn't make me or my camel too happy. But I powered through my fears and made it to the top.

weee!!!

The next day, we set off to see the Citadel, which I could have done without. I don't really remember too much about it except that it had a mosque and Mohamed Ali, not the boxing legend, is buried there, and my tour guide took the time to sit me down and tell me all about the perils of dating Egyptian men. Good thing I have no plans on doing that.

After that we went to Khan el-Khalili market which is like a large outdoor flea market. You can buy anything from jewelry to souvenirs to bedroom linens there, and haggling is expected. I got some nice gifts for my friends but I wish I had gotten more.

My last stop of the day was the Museum of Egyptian Antiquities. 

Ta dah!

After passing through security, you're on your way to exploring the artifacts from several different dynasties. I happened to be visiting at the right time because tourists were allowed to take pictures of all of the exhibits. Score!

papyrus scrolls

Horus and Isis

one of many jewelry pieces

ancient tomb

Ramses

The museum was definitely my favorite part of the trip. I'm a nature nerd but I'm also kind of a history nerd too. I find it so intriguing to think about how many of the places we know and visit today were also frequented by people hundreds or thousands of years ago. Seeing all of the exhibits made that feeling all the more real for me. It also made me curious to learn more and sparked some questioning about religion that I'll save for another time.

To wrap up my day I hit up the spa in the hotel. It was too cold outside to go in the pool but the hotel had a spa in the basement that had a sauna, steam room, and hot tub. I wish I had thought to use them before my last day there.

And that was my trip to Egypt! I'm not sure if I would go back to Cairo again, but I definitely want to go to Luxor and Aswan to see the other third of Egyptian history that I missed, and Sharm El Sheikh strictly for relaxing purposes. That'll have to wait though, I'm going to Tanzania in 6 days! Hopefully I'll get the African experience I'm looking for there :)