• HOME
  • ABOUT
  • ABROAD
    • Destinations
    • Itineraries
    • City Guides
    • Resources
  • AT HOME
    • San Francisco
    • Freelance Life
  • CONTACT
  • SHOP

Part-Time Traveler

Find your balance of travel and home.

Home » Practical » Your Frequently Asked Questions: Places

Your Frequently Asked Questions: Places

October 2, 2013 Practical, Travel

This week I’ll be answering a series of questions I received during my months away.  So far we’ve covered affording travel, safety, and interacting with people.  I’ll also link the entire series together into one page, available at the end of the week.

 

On Places

Santorini, Greece view

On Planning

How did you decide where to go?

  • First, I had to decide where to start.  For me, it was easy: I was meeting a friend in Hong Kong, and I had always wanted to go there.  I knew I could work west from there across Asia, through the Middle East, and finish in Europe.  It all depends on where you’re heading, and for many travelers, where you can find a cheap flight.  I found a deal on a direct flight LAX –> HKG and I was sold.  Other common entry points include Bangkok for Southeast Asia and London or Frankfurt for Europe.  Large airports that serve as major hubs tend to have the best deals

  • Once I knew where I was starting, I used several resources to then map out a reasonable itinerary (including several Skype planning sessions with fellow travelers!)
  • By no means did I intend to stick strictly to my plan, but I knew where I wanted to go and about how long I wanted to spend there beforehand.  This kept me moving, otherwise…I enjoyed each place so much I could have stayed in one country the whole time!
  • There is nothing more fun than whipping out the ol’ bucket list of countries and places and trying to fit them together like a puzzle.  I’ve kept a list for years and it was a dream come true to sit in front of it and plan how to get there!
  • RESOURCES:
    • Your local library.  It’s free.  It’s (hopefully) extensive.  Guidebooks may be a bit outdated, but you can fill in the gaps with up-to-date information from the Internet.
    • Rome2Rio.com is a great resource to give you an idea of the many ways to get in between places.
    • If you’re visual like me, Traveller’s Point has my favorite ‘map your trip’ function online. (See mine.)
    • Travel blogs.  Just like this one.  People have done it before you, learn from them!

Above all, don’t forget to plan to be flexible!  I know it sounds counterintuitive, but if even if you’re doing a loose outline of places you’d like to go, it is necessary to add extra days as problems can and will arise…as well as opportunities for adventure you never could have planned.
Where did you go that you COULD have (if necessary) crossed off of your itinerary?
Only places that I had already gone.  I did revisit places like the Taj Mahal  (and honestly, never assumed I would be back to.)  I was traveling with a friend who hadn’t been.  She did the same for me in places I hadn’t been– like Angkor Wat in Cambodia, and honestly, revisiting a place (I mean, who’s lucky enough to have been to the Taj once, let alone twice?) always allows me to see how far I’ve come since I was there last.
Where do you wish you could have ADDED?
ALL THE PLACES!  I’d keep going to every corner of this world.  On this trip in particular, if I had kept going I would’ve liked to have explored more of Eastern Europe: Croatia, Bulgaria, Slovenia.
What did you pack?
Utterly complete packing post is in the works!
I’m going to ____ next month.  Can you give me your tips or offer any suggestions?
Of course!  This is my number one FAQ (after ‘how do you afford it?’) and I love connecting with my readers. Let me know how I can help you.
 

Abu Simbel, Egypt

The temples of Abu Simbel, Nubia, Egypt


 

On Favorites

I absolutely love sharing the answers to the questions I received about “favorite” places.  Many of them I visited only because they were raved about by other travelers.  May this list give you some fodder for your travel bucket list!
Most beautiful place?
Santorini, Greece.
Close runner-ups: U Bein Bridge (Burma), Udaipur (India), Lake Como (Italy), Cappadocia (Turkey.)
 Most fascinating place?
Jerusalem and the West Bank, Egypt, all of Burma.
Favorite country?
Friends and family joke with me that my favorite country is whatever one I went to last.  This trip, or any, if I HAVE to choose one…it’s India.  Visiting India is truly, almost like visiting another planet.  In every good way.  It turned me–and everything I thought I knew about the world–upside down.  (This trip was my second time there, and it definitely won’t be my last.)  And while it isn’t perfect, I do appreciate and admire the culture and the people tremendously.
Close runner –ups: Burma, Laos, Italy…well, all of them damn it!
 

Pamukkale, Turkey

Pamukkale, Turkey


Favorite city?
Paris!  Without question.
Close runner-ups: Mumbai,Luang Prabang, Bangkok, Istanbul.
Underrated place?
Amman, Jordan and Bologna, Italy
Overrated place?
Mykonos, Greece (it’s beautiful, but much more expensive and touristy than other nearby Greek isles.)
Hidden gem?
Koh Rong island, off the coast of Cambodia.  Also Si Phan Don (4,000 Islands) region in Southern Laos.
Where do you most want to go back to?
If I had to choose one country to get a plane to tomorrow to explore further, it would be Turkey. Turkey was a beautiful surprise. I absolutely fell in love with the people and there’s so much more to see than I had time to spend there on this journey.
What place had the best food?
Ah, my favorite question of all.  For me, the best food is in India. Closely (and I mean, closely) followed by the dim sum I had in Hong Kong, any type of noodle in Asia, ‘the real deal’ hummus and falafel in the Middle East, Vietnamese soups, anything artisanal in Italy, and of course, nearly any plat du jour in a Parisian café. (I know, I know…this really narrows it down.)  Eating is one of the greatest joys of traveling for me.  The way people all over the world interpret and present this basic human need to nourish never ceases to amaze me.
 
Paris Macarons Place de Madeleine

How I feel about Paris (and macarons.)

What’s on your favorite places list? How to choose where to travel?

Up next: On My Story

Subscribe to posts via email 

Leave a Comment

SHARE
« Your Frequently Asked Questions: People
Buckwheat Galettes Recipe: Savory Crêpes, Three Ways »

YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE

  • An Unexpected Attack In Thai Waters
  • Gifts for Travelers!
  • 12 Best Shots of 2012: A Photo Essay
  • Sydney for Foodies

Want to travel more while still keeping a home base?

Sign up for exclusive content:

 

Winner of Gold and Silver 2019 Solas Awards for Best Travel Writing.

About Anne

Anne Lowrey is an award-winning travel writer based in San Francisco.

After spending a year in the world, she insisted on building a life at home she loved as much as she loves travel. The result was a move to SF, which she affectionately calls her “soul city.” She believes in the balance of and connection between time spent at home and abroad.

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

I’m Anne! I spend part of my time traveling the world and the other part living in my soul city, San Francisco.

I have a love for all things travel. I also have a love for nesting. I do NOT believe the two have to be mutually exclusive. If you seek that balance…you’ve come to the right place.

LOOKING FOR SOMETHING?

Where Am I?

Last: We honeymooned in Greece (Santorini, Milos, Crete) and babymooned in Northern Italy (Piemonte, Lombardia, and Emilia Romagna.)

Next: ???

Now: At home in San Francisco, doubling down on nesting with our newborn baby  ♡

POPULAR POSTS

30 Life Lessons I Learned From Travel (And How They’re Making Me Happier At Home)

Nan: The Quieter Version of Thailand

san francisco restaurants

The Side of San Francisco Most Tourists Don’t See

“If travel is like love, it is mostly because it’s a heightened state of awareness, in which we are mindful, receptive, undimmed by familiarity and ready to be transformed. That is why the best trips, like the best love affairs, never really end.” – Pico Iyer

Plan a Trip

PLAN A TRIP

 

I’ve got…

PLAN A TRIP

  • One Day
  • One Week
  • Two+ Weeks

JOIN THE LIST

Find your balance between home and travel.

Not Como but…Iseo! Looking to return to the lake Not Como but…Iseo!
Looking to return to the lakes of North Italy, we considered Como, Garda, Maggiore, Orta…and in the end we chose Lake Iseo, the one least known (to me.)

It was a beautifully uncrowded atmosphere that only added to our relaxation. Aside from enjoying the lakefront hotel and restaurants, we took a day to visit Monte Isola, the island in the middle of the lake, and another to drive around the perimeter, stopping at villages nestled by the lake’s edge or up into the mountains as needed (cappuccino, gelato, aperitivo, etc.) 

If you’re looking for a smaller, calmer Italian lake experience, add this one to your list! 
—
#parttimetraveler #lagodiseo #italianlakes #italianbeauty
I’ve mostly traveled Italy by train (still my fa I’ve mostly traveled Italy by train (still my favorite way!) but for this trip we decided to rent a 🚗 so that we had a little more freedom to explore and discover smaller villages and countryside. 

If you haven’t yet thought to do this outside of Tuscany, I highly recommend! It’s great to be able to see and support smaller spots and businesses that don’t get much as much tourist traffic. 
—
#parttimetraveler #piemonte #italytraveltips #slowtravel
Bella Italia 🇮🇹🤍 looking forward to shari Bella Italia 🇮🇹🤍 looking forward to sharing more photos this week from my recent journey in Northern Italy!
I’ve also got some news to share…
—
#parttimetraveler #northernitaly #bellaitalia #traveldeeper
Como calls ✨ I’m actually visiting a smaller, Como calls ✨ I’m actually visiting a smaller, much lesser known Italian lake this time. Can’t wait to share more! 🇮🇹
#northernitaly #italianlakes #lagodicomo
Hi friends, it’s been awhile. I’ve got an inte Hi friends, it’s been awhile. I’ve got an international trip planned that starts next week 🧳 😭 Can you guess where? #parttimetraveler #ontheroadagain
Feeling grateful today for another trip taken arou Feeling grateful today for another trip taken around the sun ☀️ and for being able to do so with many favorite people (and in some of my favorite places!)

It can be difficult to celebrate big days or little happy moments amongst the current heaviness of the world. But we must 🌴🌴
—
#bigisland #smallbirthday #alohasunday
9.3.21 :: by far the best day of 2021 and the star 9.3.21 :: by far the best day of 2021 and the start of what makes me most excited for the years to come. ✨
📷 @amandaweiphoto

#sanfranciscowedding #tiburonreception #sfcityhall #2021bride #grateful
Note to self: take more walks just after sunrise 🌁 
#alwaysSF #iphoneonly
Mentally, I’m here right now. 🇬🇷 #milosg Mentally, I’m here right now. 🇬🇷 

#milosgreece #honeymoondestination #parttimetraveler
CONNECT ON INSTAGRAM

© 2022 PART-TIME TRAVELER         Privacy Policy + Terms of Use          Subscribe

THEME BY ECLAIR DESIGNS