Trip - Traveling Thru History

Hampton Inn Seattle/Southcenter: Not the Best Stay

Erin — Mon, 01 Mar 2021 21:10:01 +0000

When staying in a hotel, you expect the room to be cleaned between guests. Our stay at Hampton Inn Seattle/Southcenter showed that is not always the case.

The post Hampton Inn Seattle/Southcenter: Not the Best Stay first appeared on Traveling Thru History.

10 Ways to Get Your Travel Fix When Stuck at Home

Erin — Sat, 11 Apr 2020 00:41:00 +0000

Being stuck at home can really put a damper on your travel dreams. It's hard when so many places are closed and travel is being restricted. But, all is not lost. You can still get your travel fix when stuck at home. You just have to be a little creative.

The post 10 Ways to Get Your Travel Fix When Stuck at Home first appeared on Traveling Thru History.

How to Prepare for an International Trip

Erin — Mon, 01 Feb 2016 12:00:49 +0000

With the ever-growing popularity of international travel we see more and more people visiting countries and experiencing cultures that are wholly unfamiliar to them. Some are even venturing out without fully being prepared for what they should know, what they should have and what they should be prepared to encounter. There are so many stories about people getting arrested or detained or, like me, kicked off a flight because they don’t fully understand what they’re getting into when they start their international journey. While you can never fully prepare to make those first steps into an unknown world, there are some things you can do to get prepared for your journey and make life less crazy once you’re on your way. PASSPORT This is the most important thing you will need for your journey because without it, you can’t go. It may seem like common sense that you need a passport to travel outside the US, but I’ve run across a few people who didn’t realize they’d need one to go anywhere outside North America. COST Your US passport is issued by the US government and comes in two forms: a standalone passport ($135) and an optional passport card ($30). The passport card can be used to travel to Mexico and Canada, but can’t be used to go anywhere else. For your passport application along with photo information, visit the government’s passport information page. TIME You can expect your passport in about 6-8 week from the day you turn your application in. The best time to get one is as soon as you start talking about going on an international trip, but if you want to wait, I’d recommend sending in your application 8 weeks before you leave. Anything under 5 weeks you should probably use the the expedited 8-day service, which costs an additional $60. EXPIRATION If you already have a passport, check to make sure it does not expire in the next 6 months. Some countries will not allow you to enter the country with less than 6 months validity between entrance and departure and you certainly don’t want to have your passport expire before you get back to the US. Be sure to check each country you plan on visiting to see what length they require. If you’re using a travel agency, don’t just assume they’ll do that. I heard a really sad story about a woman who planned a trip through a travel agency and wasn’t allowed to board her airplane because her passport expired in 3 months and another one where a woman arrived at her destination, but wasn’t permitted into the country because she only had 5 months left on her passport. Check and double-check this. BLANK PAGES Most countries require at least two blank pages for their exit and entry stamps, but some countries require four. It’s a good idea to check each country you plan to visit and make sure you have enough blank pages to satisfy ALL of the requirements before you leave. The US no longer adds additional passport pages, so if you don’t have enough blank pages to satisfy your entire trip, you’ll need a new passport. If you do have enough blank pages, you may want to try this trick. Since entry stamps are placed on whatever random page the clerk flips to, it’s a good idea to place sticky notes over however many blank pages you’re required to have for the length of your trip. I’ve noticed that instead of taking the time to pull the sticky note off, the clerks will just flip to another page. VISAS There are a variety of different ways to procure visas, so it’s a good idea to research what you need to do for each country you plan on visiting. Visa requirements vary from none at all to getting them in the airport to needing one at least 30 days before your departure date. Some countries (like China and Vietnam) will want to know several details about where you’re staying and how you plan to transit from one city to the next when you apply, so be sure you are familiar with the visa requirements before applying. When getting a visa prior to arrival, always check the validity date of the visa and make sure you are leaving the country before it expires. Wikipedia has a pretty good list of which countries require visas and how long they’re valid for. That can help you plan your travel dates, but don’t rely on that information entirely. Check the visa in case rules have changed or there was an error. If you plan on staying in a country longer than the visa is valid, be sure you know the visa extension procedures before you leave on your trip. BUDGET The next thing you need to do is figure out how much money you need for your trip and create a budget. You’ll need to figure out an overall estimated total for airfare, visas, exit fees, hotel charges, attraction prices, currency exchange fees, food, tips, bribes, internet access fees, SIM cards, car rentals, gas, parking, tolls, public transportation, bars, clubs, spa treatments or whatever it is you plan on doing on your trip along with travel insurance, vaccinations, pet care while you’re gone and extra for emergencies. When we first started traveling, we didn’t pay much attention to these things. We were just having a blast exploring the world. Our first trip after moving to Malaysia was a week in Thailand. The exchange rate at the time was 30 baht to $1, so any time we saw something we wanted to do or buy, we converted it in our heads and just thought, “Wow, this is so much cheaper than in the US. We should buy this.” Or, “This isn’t that expensive, we should do it.” By the end of our trip, we’d spent almost $1,000 on Muy Thai boxing matches, tuk-tuk rides, river trips, temple tours, city tours, room service and souvenirs. So, before every trip you go on, make sure you know how much it’s going to cost, what the exchange rate is and what your budget is. You can blow through a lot of money really fast if you don’t have a budget and hold yourself to it. EXCHANGE CURRENCY Once you’ve figured out how much money you’ll need for your trip, you’ll want to look into what currency you’ll need in the countries you are visiting and where to exchange your currency. A lot of people we’ve run into just exchange their currency at a bank before they depart, but this practice can actually cost you more. In Asia we found we got a better exchange rate in-country than at a bank in the US. Different banks or exchange centers have different rates, so it would be wise to do a little research and figure out where you will get the best value for your exchange. It was pretty fantastic when we were on our way back to the US and needed to exchange our ringgit for USD and found an exchange place that had a surplus of USD. The surplus pushed their exchange rate lower, so we ended up making a little bit of money off the deal. That won’t always happen, but when it does it’s pretty great. HEALTH & WELLNESS Another item people don’t pay too much attention to is health insurance while you’re traveling. Whether or not you think you’ll need it, you will want to at least look into travel insurance and travel health insurance. We were quite fortunate that the only medical emergency we had during our 13 months in Asia was in Malaysia where Troy had health insurance through his work. Had he needed to go to the hospital in any other country it would have been an insurance nightmare. If you don’t want to splurge for the international health insurance, at least look into what your current health insurance will cover while you’re traveling and see if they have the option for short-term international coverage. Whichever way you go, be sure to make copies of all pertinent documents and keep it in your suitcase. While we’re on the medical subject, I’ll give a quick tip about allergies. Not all countries have the same level of understanding about allergies and food sensitivities. Troy has asthma and is allergic to flour. We had such a hard time trying to communicate that in some countries. I finally had the epiphany to translate this information into different languages and hand those papers to servers at restaurants. Once we started doing that the level of understanding increased dramatically. If you have any type of allergy or medical issue, write up a little blurb about it, translate it into any language you may come across on your trip and make several copies to keep with you at all times. It really will make things much easier if you find you need to communicate your issue in a country that speaks limited English. VACCINATIONS & MEDICATIONS Speaking of things medical, some countries have requirements for certain vaccinations while others just recommend them. Be sure to look up which shots you need prior to starting your trip and get those as soon as possible. There are many travel medical clinics that can walk you through which vaccines you need and which are optional. I used Passport Health and they did a fantastic job of walking me through the different vaccines required for the countries we might visit and then administering the shots I decided to get. On top of getting the required vaccines for you trip, you should also speak to your medical provider about any prescriptions you need to take with you. If you need an epi pen, inhaler or any other type of limited-use emergency equipment, ask if you can get an extra or see if your doctor can recommend a reputable place to get a refill overseas. Troy lost his only inhaler while snorkeling in Thailand and while we were fortunate enough to be in a country that didn’t require a prescription for an inhaler, it could have been worse had we been in Myanmar or Vietnam. FIND THE EMBASSIES It’s always helpful to know where the nearest embassy is and how to contact them. You never know when you’ll run into an issue and need help. Keep a list on you and in your suitcase. COPY PERTINENT DOCUMENTS Once you have a passport, visa, health insurance and vaccinations you will want to make copies of all of it. Make copies of your passport information page, your visa if you already have it, your health insurance information, your shot record and the front of all credit or debit cards you will be taking with you along with the international phone numbers for each bank. You should also make up a detailed itinerary including flight numbers, hotel confirmations, activities, your international contact information, emergency contacts and US embassy information for each country you will be in. Leave one copy with someone you trust back home and take at least one copy with you to keep in the hotel safe. This is important for if you lose your passport, your bank cards get stolen, there is a natural disaster, you go missing or any other type of emergency. LAWS & CUSTOMS Another important part of preparing for international travel is becoming familiar with local laws and customs. Certain hand gestures are offensive, or even illegal, in other countries. Some countries find certain behaviors distasteful while others are more accepting. Did you know that in China it is offensive to offer to tip someone who has helped you? Or in Thailand it is offensive to sit with your feet facing a Buddha statue? And in many countries with monarchies they will be highly offended if you speak badly about their governing body. It is also against the law to speak badly about the Chinese government, for foreigners to be in the vicinity of a political protest...

The post How to Prepare for an International Trip first appeared on Traveling Thru History.

Top 5 Temples in Bangkok

Erin — Mon, 04 Jan 2016 15:00:17 +0000

Bangkok: A city filled with wonder and an idea that brings to mind an ancient world of foreign fantasy. The very name inspires thoughts of curly-toed shoes, golden headdresses and elaborately-designed tunic dresses or exotic, towering temples covered in gold. Just about everyone dreams of visiting Bangkok and experiencing that ancient world for themselves. It’s no wonder that this fascinating city has such a hypnotic pull on citizens from all over the world. Bangkok was first recorded as existing in the early 15th century, though it is speculated to be much older than that. The problem with having that much history and that much time to create enchanting structures to honor the past and the present is that there is just too much to do in one trip. Too many temples, too many museums and too many shrines. How is one to know which are worth visiting and which can be put off until a future visit? To help you with this question I have compiled a list of temples that will give the discerning traveler a wide variety of cultural experiences while visiting Bangkok. We were in Bangkok for five days and visited 14 temples along with many other sites in that time. We were up before dawn, back at the hotel after dark and going non-stop every single day. We wanted to see as much as we possibly could! Since this mode of travel is not for everyone, I decided to share with you my top temple picks for having an enjoyable, leisurely trip to the most visited city in the world. Wat Arun, The Temple of the Dawn If there is no other temple you visit while in Bangkok, visit Wat Arun. Wat Arun has been around since around 1768. Before the temple that is currently there, there were two other temples, Wat Makok and Wat Chaeng, which is what some of the locals still call this magnificent structure. It was an early morning walk by the ruins of the previous Wat Chaeng that inspired King Taksin to design Wat Arun in 1768. In the mid-1800s, Kings Rama II and Rama III made modifications to the temple to make it as it appears today. HOURS – 8:30 to 5:30. PRICE – 50 Baht LOCATION – There are several ways to get to Wat Arun. The easiest would be to take a taxi, but if you want to get there a more unique way, you can take a river boat from Sapphan Taksin boat pier to pier 8. From here you can hop a small shuttle boat to get to the other side of the river. Or, you can do a Chao Phraya River Tour and either have that boat dock at the Wat Arun pier or just get off there. There is a 20 baht fee to alight at the Wat Arun pier. Wat Traimit, The Temple of the Golden Buddha Wat Traimit is pretty cool. This temple was built in 2010 specifically to house the world’s largest solid gold statue which is estimated to have been made around the 13th-14th centuries. This temple doesn’t have the same ‘awe factor’ as some of the older temples do since it is so much newer, but it’s hard to press that point when inside lies something of a marvel in and of itself. The golden statue enshrined in Wat Traimit stands 9.8 ft tall and is valued at about $250 million. Good luck trying to steal it, though. The statue weighs 5.5 tons. HOURS – 8:30 to 5:00. PRICE – 40 Baht for the temple and 100 baht for an exhibition about the history of the Golden Buddha on the second floor. We opted not to do that, so I cannot say whether or not the exhibit is worth the price. Several reviews on TripAdvisor say it is interesting and informative, so it could be, depending on how much you like learning about history. 😉 LOCATION – The easiest way to get to Wat Traimit is by taxi or tuk-tuk. Wat Ratchanatdaram Worawihan and Loha Prasat Monastery, The Temple of the Royal Niece and The Metal Castle This temple was a bit of a fluke visit. We passed it on the way back from Wat Saket and were fascinated by the 118 foot tall structure, which turned out to be a monastery. The temple portion of this complex was begun in 1846, but it wasn’t completed until during the early 20th century and received it’s name because it was built by King Rama III for his niece, Princess Mom Chao Ying Sommanus Wattanavadi, the future wife and queen consort of King Rama IV. The monastery was begun shortly thereafter and was originally intended to be a small temple, but it blossomed into the magnificent meditation chamber and residence for the monks that it is today. Atop the monastery there are 37 spires which represent the 37 virtues toward enlightenment. As the brochure for Loha Prasat states, there were only three monasteries ever built with metal roofs and this one is the last remaining. What is really fascinating about the monastery (aside from the architecture) is the maze of corridors inside. They really are fun to wander around and down each hallway is something new and interesting, whether it be beautiful shrines, a variety of statues, text carved into the walls or plaques telling interesting facts. We had a lot of fun wandering around this ‘castle’ and visiting the temple on the grounds. In 2005 Loha Prasat was submitted to UNESCO for consideration of becoming a future UNESCO Heritage Site. HOURS – 8:30 to 5:00. PRICE – The temple grounds are free, but there is a 20 baht ‘donation’ box by the entrance. There was nobody watching it when we were there, but I’d recommend donating since the entire complex is well worth the donation. LOCATION – Wat Ratchanatdaram Worawihan can be found at the intersection between Ratchadamnoen Klang and Maha Chai Road. There is no public transit stop nearby, so the best way to get here is by using a taxi or a tuk-tuk. Wat Saket, The Golden Mount Wat Saket is possibly the oldest temple complex in all of Bangkok. This temple dates back to the Ayutthaya period, which lasted from 1350-1767. The temple has been renovated several time with the most recent being in the early 1900s. We really enjoyed visiting this temple. The walk up the hill (213 steps) provides some beautiful views of Bangkok along with various little gems along the way. There are several nooks and crannies in the wall supporting the structure filled with a variety of mini shrines, statues, carvings and flora. If you pay attention, you will find a few short pathways that lead off the main path and provide some pretty scenery and nice views. One of the really nice things about this temple is the feeling of peace and serenity that pervades the grounds. You will also love the panoramic views of the city. HOURS – 8:30 to 5:00. PRICE – The temple grounds are free, but there is a donation box at the top of the hill. Nobody monitors if you put in a donation or not, but it would be polite to put some baht in there as a thank you for letting visitors in. LOCATION – The easiest way to get to Wat Saket is by taxi or tuk-tuk, though you can also take a water taxi, which will drop you a short 5-minute walk from the temple. Wat Phra Kaew, The Temple of the Emerald Buddha The final temple on my list is found inside the Grand Palace complex. The Grand Palace was built in 1782 with Wat Phra Kaew being finished in 1785. The Emerald Buddha was brought to the Grand Palace when it was completed in 1782 and then moved to the temple when it was finished. There are various legends surrounding the Emerald Buddha with no concrete date as to when it was actually made, though some of the legends place it as being made in India 500 years after Lord Buddha reached nirvana, though nobody knows exactly when that was. Another legend shows it as existing in the lands that are now Cambodia during 457AD. During the proceeding centuries, it changed hands several times before landing in present-day Laos for several hundred years before Rama I became king of what is now Thailand and brought the statue to Wat Phra Kaew. There are several disputations to these legends, some say it was made in Sri Lanka while other say it was made in Thailand in the 14th century. Will we ever know for sure where it came from? Probably not. It’s still fun to think about, though. Another tidbit about the statue: it is not actually made of emerald. It’s true stone is jade. Why is it called emerald? Well, because the word emerald in Thai means deep green color. The actual complex of Wat Phra Kaew is quite grand. There are over 100 buildings and each is very ornate and beautiful. We spent several hours wandering around and taking it all in. I think one of my favorite parts of the temple was the scaled model of Angkor Wat. Very neat. There are other fascinating sights at Wat Phra Kaew and I recommend setting aside at least two hours to visit this temple. We were there for two and a half hours and didn’t get to see it all, but that’s because we were trying to photograph just about everything and didn’t realize it was as big as it was. Eventually, it closed and we had to leave. So, if you just like to go and wander without taking many pictures, about two hours should be fine. If you like to take lots of pictures, maybe give yourself three or more hours. HOURS – 8:30 to 3:30 – We arrived around 1pm and it was VERY crowded. I’d recommend arriving in the morning as soon as it opens. PRICE – The cost for this temple and the palace grounds is 400 baht. This price also include a ticket to The Pavilion of Regalia and a ticket for the Vimanmek Mansion Museum, which is offsite and can be used within 7 days. LOCATION – You can take the BTS skytrain to the Saphan Taksin station or you can take the Chao Phraya Express Boat (no flag, an orange flag, or a green flag) to Pier 9 (Tha Chang). If you don’t want to worry about the hassle of figuring out which boat or dealing with train changes, you can always ride a tuk-tuk or take a taxi. TIPS FOR VISITING THE GRAND PALACE They are very strict about respectful attire and will refuse to let you in if you are wearing shorts, a short skirt, a sleeveless and/or see-through shirt. If you are wearing anything like that, you will be required to either change or rent appropriate coverings. We didn’t like the price of the sarongs inside the grounds, so we went outside to where there were shops and people on the street renting clothes. I would not recommend doing this. If you want to buy something from a shop, go for it, but be wary of people on the side of the street renting clothing. We rented some pants for Troy and received a numbered ticket to receive our 100 baht deposit back, but when we came out after the temple closed, she was long gone. So, you should either dress appropriately or bring something to cover up with. They also require you to be wearing socks when walking around the complex, no bare feet allowed. Conclusion and GPS My City Giveaway Bangkok truly does have many fascinating and enchanting temples and a trove of cultural history. I wish everyone could see all of the beautiful temples Bangkok has to offer. On a short trip, though, these are my recommendation for must-see spots. The temples I have listed are the ones I feel will provide a person with the greatest opportunity to experience a variety of architectural styles as well as the possibility of learning the most about the Thai people, their history and their love of their Buddhist culture. Another way you can make sure you’re maximizing your experience is by...

The post Top 5 Temples in Bangkok first appeared on Traveling Thru History.