Standing in the middle of a bustling market on the outskirts of Sydney’s inner suburbs, my man and I are looking at a plethora of spices and spice racks. Cheap by ordinary shopping standards, but I’ve done the hard yards in Asia and I’ll haggle anything.

We’re discussing our purchase in hushed tones. I want the cayenne pepper, he needs a spice rack. We come up with a crafty plan. The total price is $45. Can I get a 20% discount? You betya.

My partner flushes deep red. He doesn’t like the haggle, so I’m boss lady when it comes to market purchases.

I find the stall keeper and taste test the cayenne. I pretend that my tongue doesn’t blister and burn due to the strength of his delightful pepper powder. He laughs, I tell him its great.

‘How much for the rack?’ I ask him

‘hmmm 35 dollars’ he says, mentally adding the spices and the rack.

‘Can you make a special deal if we buy 12 spices to fill the bottles?’. I know that the extra 12 spices total an extra $20.

‘Yes, you can have… 2 free’ is his reply. This is about a $3 discount. Definitely not what I had in mind!

I pause for a second before replying

‘would you take $35 for the lot?’

Result? A gourmet kitchen with a full spice rack for well under retail.

 

There is an art to getting the best price in any city, and Sydney is no different. Typically, prices are fixed and most people don’t haggle or aim to drive a hard deal. But Sydney is an expensive city, for travellers and locals alike. There is no harm in trying to make things a little cheaper. And while there are those things that can’t be discounted on the spot, when you hit up the local markets, anything goes.

The rules aren’t the same as in Marrakesh or Ho Chi Minh City, but there are some simple ways to get a better price at any of Sydney’s markets. In order to get the best price without embarrassing yourself, here are some simple rules for getting the best price at the markets.

Rule #1: Don’t let on that you love the item

Stall holders are ultimately sales people. They can see a sucker a mile away, if they know that you absolutely MUST HAVE something, they won’t be so keen to drop the price.

Rule #2: Don’t be uninterested

Stall holder needs to know that you are willing and able to play ball, so to speak. Don’t pick things up and drop them, treat their items with the respect that you would expect for your own items. If you appear to be just ‘testing the waters’ of the price, you might be met with an unfair dismissal, and they are unlikely to give you a good price if they don’t think you are a genuine buyer.

Rule #3: Don’t go so low

In other countries, tourists regularly get ripped off for not knowing basic price rules. This doesn’t apply in Australia, but its still your fault if you don’t know what something is worth, because most things are price stickered. Where in Morocco or Thailand it may be common and acceptable to offer one quarter to one half of the first price, if you do this in Australia you will probably only succeed in looking rude. Aim for around 20-25% lower and you may get lucky.

Rule #4: Buy multiple

Sales people want to sell. If they can make their margins across a few items, you will be able to drive a bargain. Aim to purchase a few things from the one vendor and you will have a better chance of getting them to lower the price. But once you start bargaining below the marked price you will be expected to buy!

Rule #5: Be Polite

Bargaining and haggling is NOT common practice in Australia. Mind your manners at all times, smile and say please and thank you and you’ll be rewarded.

How do you get the best price where you live?

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I have noticed lately, a number of travel bloggers referring to themselves as expats, after having only been travelling for 6 to 12 months.

To be an expat means “to withdraw (oneself) from residence in one’s native country”. In my eyes, you need to be pursuing citizenship in your new country of residence, not just jaunting through the country on an extended tourist visa or overstaying as an illegal immigrant.

I don’t care what wikipedia says You are not an expat.

You are on a sojourn

you are staying in a country for a while, you may have a home, a job, a lover. If you are not planning on living there permanently (and pursuing citizenship) , you are better described as a sojourner.

A sojourn is a temporary stay. It describes travellers who stay or reside temporarily.

Sojourn accurately describes what many of us long term travellers do. And it’s a much prettier word. Don’t you think?

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Did you know that Vietnam was colonised by the French and had been at war for 10 years before the USA invaded?  Did you know that up until 1998, Indonesia had only ever had 2 Indonesian Presidents?

I love to read and I love to travel. That much is obvious. I love reading even more when I can read about travel, and actually learn something from it about the places I have visited or am about to visit.

These two novels, set in Southeast Asia, have some grounding in true events, and will give you insight into the politics and culture of Vietnam, Indonesia and Burma before you go. Each of them has some controversy, and any controversial book is generally worth reading!

The Quiet American

Set in Vietnam, this anti-war novel was a best seller in its day and author Graeme Greene was called anti-American for the themes contained.

The Quiet American is set in Vietnam in 1955, 12 years before the U.S. officially became involved in Vietnam. But for those who don’t know, Vietnam was at war long before the Americans set foot in Indochina.

Full of intrigue and espionage and littered with reference to the streets of downtown Ho Chi Minh City, The Quiet American is a classic (and short) novel that will have you longing for steamy nights in Saigon.

Year of Living Dangerously

Set in Sukarno’s Indonesia, Year of Living Dangerously follows a group of expatriate journalists in Jakarta before and during a coup attempt on September 30, 1965. A number of high ranking generals of Sukarno’s military were killed, and ultimately Sukarno was deposed making way for President Suharto.

Both were extremely authoritarian leaders, and its a worthwhile read to find some of the very modern history which influences Indonesia’s politics and culture today.

The title refers to former Indonesian President Sukarno’s speech, in which he declared 1965 the year of living dangerously. This novel was eventually made into an Australian film starring Mel Gibson and Sigourney Weaver, which was banned in Indonesia up until 1999.

Are there any novels that you would recommend to read before visiting a new country? Which ones?

(photo by Ian Wilson)

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Are budget airlines safe?

Budget airlines are a blessing for travellers worldwide. From a to b for less than the cost of a train or bus fare and in a fraction of the time has meant more people travelling and more money for the fun parts of travelling.

Like beer.

However, controversy has been brewing in Australia recently. Australia has 3 budget airlines: Virginblue, Jetstar and Singaporean Tiger Airways.

Recently, some Tiger Airways committed a series of breaches of aviation security.

Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA), a government funded organisation grounded Tiger Airways for failing to comply with Australian Aviation standards.

Breach

Tiger Airways had to show-cause to CASA in March over issues of pilot training, fatigue and qualifications of operational managers.

On June 7, a Tiger Airways jet flew dangerously low on approach to Melbourne’s Avalon airport and narrowly avoided missing a jet from another airline on an approach.

All of this adds up to unsafe skies for travellers.

Dangerous practices are happening worldwide. In order to cut costs to the $10 deals that we have come to expect, cost-cutting is occurring in repairs, maintenance, and staffing.

In 2009, the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam slammed unsafe practices by Jetstar Pacific Airlines, part-owned by Australian airline Qantas. Apparently, maintenance staff were not supervised properly and took shortcuts with repairs and other maintenance tasks.

Stranded

35,000 travellers were stranded as a result of the grounding of Tiger Airways this week. This could have been so much worse if a tired, inexperienced pilot made a negligent mistake in the cockpit.

As the aviation saying goes, ‘if you think safety is expensive, try having a accident’.

World

But what happens in other countries? Do they have an aviation watchdog ensuring world class safety standards, and how can you be sure you’re not putting your life at risk by flying budget?

Budget airlines in modern, developed countries with stringent safety standards are as safe as flying with any full-price airline. What is missing is the service.

But in industrialising countries, you are taking a very serious risk flying with a budget airline.

Are you willing to risk your life to save $100?

I’ve flown on a few budget airlines. Air Asia and Tiger Airways among them. When I was in Borneo, just 6 months ago, an Air Asia flight overshot the runway and wasn’t able to stop. No one was injured, but I definitely thought twice about getting on that same flight 2 days later.

Tiger is far worse than Air Asia though. The staff are generally terse and incredibly young (not that that really means anything). It all gives the impression of dodginess, and I doubt that I would fly with them again if CASA lifts the ban.

Ultimately, you have to make your own decisions about who you fly with. Be informed, take notice of crazy airline names (like One Two Go, or Tiger), listen to your instinct, and don’t board an airplane that is held together with 1000 mile an hour tape.

Because planes go faster than that.

Have you ever been on a dodgy flight?

(Image by  Fred Vloo / RNW)

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The United States is one of my all time favourite travel destinations. I drove from coast to coast, stopping at leisure along the ways. One of the things that really sticks out in my mind is the stunning scenery of the South West. The people are friendly and the drive from Los Angeles (crossing Nevada) is gorgeous, and you get to stop in Vegas.

Rafting Rushing down a river with nothing but a rubber tire to protect you? Count me in. The best place to try rafting is Lower Salt River near Mesa, Arizona where they will rent you a raft to go down the river. Or try seesouthwest.com for more ideas on places to get wet.

Hike Picacho Peak Picacho Peak is the site of Arizona’s only Civil War Battle, and even a partial climb is worth the effort with spectacular views from every side of the Peak. Go before dusk and witness Arizona’s beautiful sunset. If you’re into wargames, go in March and witness a reenactment of the Battle of Picacho Pass.

Try Geocaching In Pheonix alone there are around 1800 Geocaching sites for you to discover. Geocaching is a game played by adventure seekers all over the world. You use a GPS receiver to locate hidden containers called Geocaches and then log your finds and share your experiences online with the rest of the Geocaching community

See the Grand Canyon. Ever wondered what it would feel like to look 4,000 straight down with nothing below your feet without falling? The Grand Canyon Skywalk projects 70 feet out over the canyon, and has a glass bottom allowing you to view the near vertical walls and offers a perfect view 4,000 feet straight down towards the Colorado River.

Find Curly’s Gold Panning for gold isn’t just about finding gold, it’s an entire experience. I went goldpanning with my parents as a kid and its something that has stuck with me for a long, long time. Probably because crocodiles were involved. However, it’s not as easy to find gold nowadays as it was during the gold rush, but it sure would be an awesome story to tell the grandkids. The Bradshaw mine is a great place to start.

Find a real live cowboy

No symbol or legend is as powerful as that of the South West cowboy. The cowboy is the quintessential American hero; the embodiment of rugged individualism and independence. Being from an Australian city, we don’t really have cowboys in the traditional sense, so get out there and seek out and close with a real American cowboy. You’re sure to find one in Arizona.

I wish I’d known about all these fun things to do in Arizona before I went! Luckily you can plan your trip better than I did.

Grand Canyon http://www.flickr.com/photos/mandj98/ / CC BY-NC 2.0 rafting http://www.flickr.com/photos/7202153@N03/ / CC BY-NC 2.0

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Welcome back for part 2 of the Endless Summer series.

Now that you’ve had your fill of kickboxing and cage fighting its time to chillax and check out the extreme watersports offered in the beautiful Philippines.

June-August – Philippines
The Philippines is made up of 7000 gorgeous tropical islands. Unlike Bangkok, Manilla is definitely missable. Filipinos are reputably very hospitable, and English is one of 2 official national languages. While you won’t find the great discounts found in Thailand or other parts of South East Asia, the ease of travelling will more than make up for it.

Where to go:
With 7000 tropical islands, you will never be short on beaches in the Philippines. My recommendation is Camarines Sur, located on the island of Luzon. Stunning beaches, surfing, jungles, wildlife, festivals, and best of all, Camarines Wakeboarding. CWC is the best water park in the world, and hands down the cheapest.

You can learn to wakeboard here in the footsteps of world champions, or just take advantage of the other areas of the water parks in the area. Completely off the typical tourist path, no one visits Camarines Sur unless they are coming for the wakeboarding. The Camarines are chalk full of gorgeous waterfalls, beaches, mountains and best of all, CWC Water Park.

Where to stay:
Accommodation at CWC starts at around $16/night. Negotiate with them directly for long term discounts. Cheaper accommodation can be found way from the park but factor in transport costs.
The Department of Tourism has a Home stay Program that offers visitors the comfort of modest homes and an insight into Philippine life. For information, contact the Tourist Information Centre at Room 106, Department of Tourism Building, tel. nos. 524-2384 / 524-1703.

Getting there:
From Manila, Cebu Pacific and Air Philippines fly at least once per day (55 mins) to Naga Airport (actually in Pili about 10kms East of Naga)

Getting around:
Jeepneys are abundant everywhere and work like a dodgy local bus. Tricycles are similar to the cyclos or rickshaws of Vietnam and run at about the same prices. If you want to travel under your own speed, hire or buy a bicycle. Scooters are also available for rent from CWC.

What to do:
Besides the white sand beaches with clear turquoise waters, national parks, limestone caves and volcanos for you to explore, there is, of course, the world famous Camsur Watersports Complex.

Known as the best cable park in the world, it is also the most affordable with rates from 185 pesos (around $4USD). For your money you get free use of entry level equipment as well as the skate park, volleyball court, swimming pool, and the elevated spectator area for watching the many champion wake boarders who visit on a regular basis.

When you get bored of wakeboarding, there is the Lago Del Rey Watersports facility. With giant waterslides, aqua wall climbing, water polo, kayaking, etc etc etc. Lago Del Rey was built to balance the cable park’s extreme sports forte, with water-oriented sports and entertainment for children.

When you’re done with water and nature calls there are plenty of nature trails for hiking or mountain biking through the jungles, or you could just hit the awesome skate park located at CWC.

At the end of the day when you’re famished and looking for food be sure to check out the local specialities. The region is known for its fiery, chilli based dished.

Join in for part 3 of the Endless Summer Series : Australia

© Zoe for The Pursuit of Adventure, 2009. | Permalink | 4 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Adrenaline Junkies, adventure, beach, endless summer, extreme sports, phillippines, travel, wakeboard, wakeboarding

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Ever wanted to spend a year soaking up the sun?

The sound of waves crashing on golden shores, your tan deepening every day, learning to surf the salty waves, checking out the talent on foreign beaches… What more could you want from a mini retirement? How about 12 action packed months checking out some extreme sports in some of the sexiest locations on earth?

Forget lying on beaches. Take an adrenaline filled, adventure seeking round the world mini-retirement, perfect your mad skillz in places you would have never expected and take in some of the world’s best beaches, extreme sports and adventure activities, all in one supreme trip.

This is your first stop on a 12 month, 4 stop journey.

Thailand

The saying goes that “one night in Bangkok and the world’s your oyster”, there are literally millions of different experiences to be had in Thailand. From the chilled out tribes of the North to the stunning beaches in the South you are sure to find what you are looking for.

Where to go:

For the best of Thailand, head directly to Phuket. The island of Phuket is located a short 2 hour flight south of the capital, Bangkok. Home to the notorious party town of Patong, Phuket is surrounded by stunning beaches (obviously). While the surfing isn’t world class, you will be able to catch a few waves off the western beaches like Kata.

Where to stay:

By going in March you can avoid the high season and be able to take advantage of discounted room rates. Stay in a place for a couple of nights before asking for a long term discount. Around Kata beach you should be able to find a serviced studio apartment for less than 15,000 baht/ month.

Getting around:

The easiest way to get around the island is to hire a motorbike from your guest house, these usually run around 3500 baht/ month. A car can also be rented for about 10,000 baht/month. If you like public transport there are tuk tuks and local buses starting from 20baht per trip.

What to do:

Days can be lost in Patong, due to the abundance to lady boys willing to take your money and the free flowing cocktails at discount prices. Literally anything you want can be found in Patong.

If you like western style nightclubs try hollywood patong

Thais are great musicians so if you like hard rock check out rock city with its giant King Kong stage featuring the best rock cover bands from AC/DC to The Rolling Stones.

For more active pursuit you could Train in Muay Thai kickboxing and Mixed Martial Arts at Tiger Muay Thai. Speak to the instructors and put effort into your training and you could have your first pro fight within 3 months. If you’re not game to fight professionally, there are monthly smoker fights where you will be pitted against other students at the camp. A great way to test your skills after a few months of training.
(NSFW – swearing)
Phuket has great diving and a plethora of dive schools will happily show you how with internationally qualified instructors. Wicked Diving offers livaboards and overnight adventures to the Similian islands.

For those who like to party and lie on beaches, Koh Phangang is just a few hours travel away, and the beaches are absolutely gorgeous. World Famous Full moon parties occur once a month, with dark moon parties in between.

If you do happen to be in Thailand for Songram festival, Patong is definitely the place to be. The entire town erupts into one giant waterfight for 2 days. You will not leave the house without getting drenched, so bring your water guns!

If kickboxing, cage fighting and the beaches arent your thing, phuket also offers wakeboarding, bungee jumping, dune buggies and hiking to your delight.

Coming soon… the Phillines, land of unspoilt beaches and world class wakeboarding…

© Zoe for The Pursuit of Adventure, 2009. | Permalink | 7 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Adrenaline Junkies, adventure, beach, endless summer, extreme sports, MMA, Muay Thai, thailand, travel, wakeboarding

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We’ve all read hundreds of articles about how to make money while travelling. They usually say the same old thing, teach English, start a blog, write or create websites. Right?

Wrong.

There are more jobs in travel than most of us would ever consider.

1) Work in a bar

Surprisingly, this is more common than most people think. Especially in South East Asia. Most of the bars are run specifically for expats, often co-owned by expats, and guess what? The managers are expats and travellers too. Make sure you have plenty of bar or waiting experience before you go and remember to talk it up.

2) Teach something other than English.

You could be teaching Arabic in Vietnam, Yoga in Thailand or Snowboarding in Canada. The options for this are endless. Tap into what you already have and make it into a shareable skill.

3) Sell something

Every country on Earth has its niche; they have things that are made that can’t be bought anywhere else on earth. If you’re the entrepreneurial type, find someone back home who wants to import, charge them a fee to do their spotting and send the items to them. On the other hand you could set up an online store or sell via Ebay.

4) Train others

In Asia especially, they seek out people who have vocational skills that can be taught in a college setting. If you have experience as a barista and a Workplace Trainers certificate you could be earning big bucks teaching coffee making skills in Shanghai.

5) Pick something

Agriculture is one of those industries that always needs willing workers. The pay won’t be great, but then, who else do you know who has picked strawberries in Australia or grapes in France?

6) Use your imagination

With a little bit of imagination, you can do whatever you did at home in your new country, or something even more exciting. Look at what is going on around you, listen to what travellers are complaining that they can’t get, and give it to them at a price. You’ll find that with a little leg work you can get whatever is needed.

7) Keep your ears open

With a little bit of imagination, you can do whatever you did at home in your new country, or something even more exciting. Look at what is going on around you, listen to what travellers are complaining that they can’t get, and give it to them at a price. You’ll find that with a little leg work you can get whatever is needed.

Over the course of many international adventures I’ve had some strange jobs offered to me. From property manager to finance broker in Vietnam through to publishing assistant in Thailand. There are jobs out there, don’t feel restricted to teaching English wherever you go. Chances are, you can do the same job you did at home, or a variation of it,  in any country you happen to find yourself  in.

© Zoe for The Pursuit of Adventure, 2009. | Permalink | 7 comments | Add to del.icio.us
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Do you know what it’s to paddle a kayak in the open seas? To make eye contact with a humpback whale or to photograph Angor Wat? What about climbing the Great Wall of China?

When we think of adventurous people we often think of those who push their bodies to the limits climbing Everest or running in arduous adventure races.

An adventurer is someone who bases their life around adventurous acts, constantly seeking out new and interesting things to do with their time. Adventures create a psychological arousal, be it a fear or flow response, either way, your heart is beating faster.

To pursue adventure means wanting to step outside of your comfort zone. To decide to move away from the comfort of your life and push yourself to discover new things, about the world and about yourself.

Adventure travel is more than going to the far wilds of Mongolia to hike 100 miles up a snow covered mountain in search of the fountain of youth. Adventure travel encompasses everything from cycling around a new town to caving, sky diving or BASE jumping off the tallest building in the world. It is travelling to a distant location, immersing yourself in different cultures or undertaking some sort of physical activity. Travelling to a faraway land to watch TV from your 5 star hotel is definitely not classified as adventure travel, but if you wander out of your hotel and lose your guide book, end up on the wrong side of town and have to bargain you way out of your jail… That is definitely an adventure!

Adventure means finding new places, stepping outside the beaten path, looking up from your guidebook and discovering a place that has never been written about.

Adventure travel is a physical pursuit, a cultural experience or engaging with nature. Take this to mean a hike through the Amazon, immersing yourself in the culture of South East Asia or Volunteering to save wild cats in South America.

What is an adventure to one person is not an adventure to another.

The prospect of going to a foreign country and learning a new language, discovering the nuance of a new city or taking on a new sport are all worthy adventures.

To some, travelling in itself is enough of an adventure. To others, travelling solo is the height of adventure. Then there are those to whom travelling solo to an unknown land with only the clothes on their back is just the start of the crazy adventure they want to experience.

While a hardcore adventurer might want to spend their weekend jumping out of planes or battling white water rapids, there are more than a few ways to get your heart beating that don’t involve risking life and limb .

Would you prefer to spend your weekend shopping or pursuing new ways to make your heart race?

Your amazing travel adventure could be navigating the shopping districts of Tokyo, Paris or New York.

There are so many adventures and so little time. What is your adventure? What does your heart yearn for? Pick one and make it happen. Your life will be better for it.

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Cronulla , NSW

The Cronulla Coast has been home to the infamous Race Riots of 2005, but more recently was named Australia’s fifth National Surfing Reserve. The Duke Kahanamoko introduced the longboard to Australia in 1914 and grommets have been surfing Cronulla ever since.

Cronulla encompasses 7 beaches known as Sandshoes, Shark Island, Cronulla Point, North Cronulla, Greenhills, Merries Reef and Voodoo.

© Zoe for The Pursuit of Adventure, 2009. | Permalink | 5 comments | Add to del.icio.us
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