Author: Inquisitive Society

When traveling, I’ve always found the airport pickup process to be a bit of a hassle. With the ever-increasing airport fees and surge pricing, it can be quite costly. But I recently stumbled across a hack that can save you a lot of money. Instead of ordering a rideshare from the airport, I catch a shuttle to the nearest hotel and call the rideshare from there. Not only do I save money on the rideshare, but the hotel shuttle drivers never ask to see proof of a hotel reservation, so you don’t even need to check into a room.

I’m a Lyft driver in Los Angeles and I tell my passengers about this hack all the time. All those extra airport fees that Lyft, Uber, and other rideshares are charging are going directly to them, so why not find a way to save some money? The hack is surprisingly simple, and there’s usually an easy way to explain it if the shuttle driver asks why you’re there. Say you’re going to a meeting at the hotel or you’re just checking the area out.

This hack has been a game-changer for me and I’ve seen a dramatic decrease in the amount of money I spend on airport pickups. Plus, it’s often easier to find a hotel pickup than an Uber or Lyft, so it’s worth checking out. I’m sure other hotel managers would agree that they don’t care if you show up without a reservation. So if you’re looking for a way to save on airport pickups, this is one of the best travel hacks I’ve seen in a long time. Give it a try – you won’t be disappointed.

After three weeks of confidently getting around Vietnam on my own, I made the most rookie of rookie mistakes when I arrived in Nha Trang at 4AM. I stepped off the bus – the only passenger on the sleeper bus – and was immediately approached by the usual guys looking to take me on their bike. This time, however, I made the mistake of not ignoring them and instead told them I needed to charge my phone as it had died during the 9-hour journey.

Little did I know, the offer to charge my phone was too good to be true. Before I knew it, one of the guys had taken my bag and put it on his bike and we were off – no talk of money had been made. As we went to a cafe for me to charge my phone, I was handed a cigarette and asked where I was from. His friend followed on his bike while we chatted the best we could. In my tired state, I thought the two were just being nice and helping me out.

After my phone had charged, I showed them the address of my hostel and we were off. It wasn’t until we had arrived that I realized what a silly mistake I had made. Not only had I not asked how much I owed the two guys, but I had also foolishly not brought a USB charger. I was so close to getting away with it too.

Lesson learned: always stay alert and never trust the kindness of strangers in the early hours of the morning!

The recent fire that occurred at a hostel in Wellington, New Zealand was a tragedy that took six lives. My heart goes out to the families of those who passed away. As news of the incident spread, it made me reflect on my own experiences staying in different hostels. All too often, especially in older hostels, safety regulations and fire codes aren’t enforced or followed.

I’ve stayed in hostels that are crammed with people, with questionable appliances, and no fire extinguishers. The hallways are narrow and there’s usually only one stairwell to get out. Some rooms are high above ground, with no outdoor fire escape or rope ladder, and no smoke detectors or fire alarms.

I remember staying at a hostel in San Diego, California and my dorm mate pointed out a very dangerous fire hazard. The oven and fridge were right next to the dryer/washing machine and they were all plugged into the same outlet. It’s situations like this that make me worry.

I understand that it’s often difficult for hostels to comply with safety regulations, but the tragedy in Wellington is a reminder that it’s something we should strive for. Hostels can be a great budget option for travelers, but it’s important that safety and fire codes are enforced to ensure the safety of all guests.

I’ve been travelling for a while now, but this year I had my sights set on Italy. What I found when I started to plan my trip, however, was something I wasn’t quite expecting – hostel prices in Italy have skyrocketed since COVID.

When I was last in Western Europe, hostels were affordable and a great option for budget travellers. But now, in Italy, the prices are sky high, with a bed in a dormitory costing upwards of 50€ and often even more than 100€ per night. That’s more than a hotel room! It’s enough to make even a seasoned traveller like me balk.

What’s going on here? How have hostels become so expensive? It’s clear that the pandemic has had a huge impact on the hostel industry, with many hostels struggling to stay afloat. While this is understandable, it’s still a huge blow to the budget traveller, who often relies on hostels for accommodation while on the road.

If you’re planning a trip to Europe, it looks like you may need to budget more than you thought. 2000€ for a month of travel in Spain and Italy just for hostels alone is a lot! And it’s something that budget travellers should be aware of before they plan their trip.

Fortunately, there are still some ways to save money on accommodation. For example, if you’re travelling alone, you can look for other solo travellers who may be looking for a roommate, or use websites like Airbnb or Couchsurfing to find more affordable accommodation.

Finally, if you’re looking for more advice on planning a solo Eurotrip, check out Solotravel’s detailed guide for useful tips and tricks.

Overall, the pandemic has had a huge impact on the hostel industry, and budget travellers should be aware of the higher prices they may face when travelling in Europe. But, with a bit of research, there are still ways to save money and have a great trip.

resolution” was.

I recently took a trip to Heidelberg, Germany, and rented an Airbnb listing from a British couple. Unfortunately, the listing wasn’t as described; it had a broken heater and was situated on an uneven, steep hill. Despite this, I decided to let it slide.

Five days after I checked out of the accommodation, I received an email from Airbnb that my account access had been limited while they conducted a review. This was a complete shock to me, and I was informed that any upcoming reservations may have to be cancelled as a precaution.

The email included questions about whether I was involved in any drug-related incident, if I remembered any drug or drug paraphernalia being left in the listing, or if I had left anything in the listing that might have been perceived as drugs or paraphernalia. As someone who doesn’t use drugs and only carries over-the-counter medication for colds and allergies while travelling, I was completely taken aback by these accusations.

When I contacted Airbnb to open a counter case for these false accusations, I was told I couldn’t because it had already been ‘resolved’. I don’t even know what the final resolution was.

I’m disappointed that this happened after such a positive experience with Airbnb. I don’t understand why the host felt the need to make these false accusations, especially when my stay at the property had been hassle-free and I had left the place in perfect condition. It’s frustrating that my account has been restricted and that I still don’t know what the outcome from the investigation was.

budget” section, but it’s still a bit pricey for my taste.

Traveling can be an expensive hobby. After all, it’s not something you can do on a shoestring budget. But that doesn’t mean there aren’t ways to find affordable travel options. I recently subscribed to Condé Nast Traveler, and while it’s a great magazine, I couldn’t help but be taken aback when I saw they were recommending a $25,000 safari as an “average fall getaway”. It’s no wonder, as Condé Nast is known for its luxurious travel recommendations.

But what if you don’t have Jeff Bezos level bank accounts? What if you’re looking for stories, experiences and tips that are accessible to the average traveler? That’s where I’m at and I’m looking for mid-range travel suggestions.

R/Shoestring is a great place to look for budget travel options, but sometimes it can be too frugal for my taste. I’m looking for something that won’t leave me sleeping sitting up on a train.

Unfortunately, magazines that cater to budget travelers are few and far between. Most magazines rely on two sources of income: advertisements and subscriptions. While advertisers are willing to pay for ads in magazines that cater to luxury travelers, they have much less to gain from a magazine that caters to people on a budget. People on a budget are also much less likely to pay for a magazine subscription. This combination of factors makes it difficult for a magazine that caters to frugal travelers to be successful.

Lonely Planet does have a “budget” section, but it’s still not quite as affordable as I’d like. I have had some luck using tour-radar to find mid-range travel options, though. There used to be a magazine called Budget Travel, but I think they went out of business.

At the end of the day, I’m looking for great travel writing recommendations that will give me an idea of what budget travel looks like, while also being realistic enough that I won’t be sleeping on a train. If anyone has any suggestions, I’d love to hear them!

My family and I recently had a stressful vacation due to a complete lack of quality control at a four star resort. We were offered a room that was not up to satisfactory standards and had to move to a smaller unit in order to be comfortable. The resort has offered to comp our stay, but in return, we must sign an NDA, preventing us from writing about the experience.

Though this may sound like a fair deal, I’m not entirely sure if I should push for them to comp our incidentals as part of the NDA. It’s important to note that different countries and regions have different buyer rights when it comes to purchases like this.

If you’re in a similar situation, I suggest saving any emails from the resort stating that they agree you deserve a refund but are unwilling to provide it without an NDA. Additionally, consider contacting your bank to see if they can provide buyer protection for you.

I’ve worked in luxury hotels for many years and have never heard of an NDA for lodging. Instead of accepting the first offer, consider writing up the review you would have posted and sharing it with them. If the review is bad enough, you may even be able to get your airfare covered too. The key is whether it will cause other guests to look elsewhere.

I’m about to embark on my first solo trip to Europe this summer and I’m feeling a little anxious about how to spend my nights alone. I work remotely from 9-5 EST, so when I’m in Europe that translates to roughly 3-10pm. That’s no problem, I just need to be somewhere with reliable wifi. During the day and early afternoons I’ll be exploring, but I’m uncertain about how to spend my evenings. I’m considering going out to restaurants or out and about to bars, but I’m a bit intimidated to do this alone. I’m hoping to hear some personal accounts and tips.

Working until 10pm and being an early riser, I’m wondering how much night time I really want to spend. I think that if it were me, I’d just be getting to bed early and going out in the mornings until it was time to start work. That way I wouldn’t miss out on the day, but would still have enough energy to work.

I would suggest being mindful of the fact that after 10pm in many parts of Europe (especially the further north you go) you might not find any open place for dinner other than Fast Food. I experienced this myself when working late, particularly in Scandinavian countries.

I recently had a travel nightmare that I hope nobody ever has to go through. I accidentally washed my passport with a pocket of pants. I tried to dry it out, but it was completely ruined and unusable. I’m currently in Chisinau, Moldova, which doesn’t have an Australian embassy and is not in the Schengen Zone, so I can’t just travel to another country to get a new passport.

I’m planning to call the Australian embassy in Warsaw on Tuesday after the Easter long weekend, but I’m not sure how I’m going to be able to cross both the Chisinau and Warsaw borders without a valid passport. I’m sure I’m not the only one who’s ever been in this situation, so I’m wondering if anyone has had any similar experiences or any advice on how to handle it?

If you find yourself in a similar situation, don’t panic. You can try to cross the border with your current passport, contact your embassy, or try to get an urgent replacement. You may even be able to find a consular assistance phone number for Australians in Ukraine and Moldova. Don’t worry, it’ll all get figured out. Just remember to double check your pockets before you wash them!

Last summer, my wife and I took a trip to Verona and Rome, and I wanted to share my onebag experience. I researched bags for weeks before finally settling on the Cotopaxi 35l Alpa backpacks. We used the bags for the majority of our travel, but they weren’t the star of the show.

We started our journey by taking an Uber to the airport. We wore the backpacks while walking through the terminal to our departure gate, then boarded the plane to Frankfurt. When we arrived in Frankfurt, we donned the packs again and took a bus to our plane for Verona. After arriving in Verona, we took a taxi to our VRBO and unpacked.

Six days later, we repeated the process in reverse. We took a taxi to the train station, wore the bags to the train, and boarded for Rome. We took a taxi from the Rome airport to our airbnb, unpacked, and then four days later, we packed our luggage again. The next morning, we took a taxi to the airport, wore our bags to the departing gate, and took a flight back to the US. We wore the bags during our Uber ride home and arrived at our house.

Looking back on the trip and my pre-trip research, I can’t help but chuckle. I spent so much time researching the perfect bag but in the end, it didn’t matter nearly as much as I thought it would. The bags were utilitarian and served their purpose, but the places we visited, the memories we made, and the people we met are what we’ll remember most.