Travel Trends

Travel Safety Interview
Travel Safety Interview 1440 540 Greg Ellifritz

I did a short interview today with author Jason Brick on his “Safest Family on the Block” Facebook page.

 

We talk some travel basics, how to find information about areas where you are staying, assessing neighborhood safety, and what is most likely to kill you in a foreign country.

It’s only about 20 minutes long and may be useful for some of you travelers.

Enjoy.

 

 

 

Where to Travel Based on Your Myers-Briggs Type
Where to Travel Based on Your Myers-Briggs Type 1854 2560 Greg Ellifritz
This is kind of a fun idea that I haven’t seen before.  Have you considered matching your travel goals with your personality type?

 

I’m an INTJ and I would certainly enjoy their recommendation of a solo drive around Ireland.  I haven’t done that yet, but would book that trip in a heartbeat.

 

Interestingly enough, I’ve done about 3/4 of the trips she suggests for other personality types and I enjoyed all of those as well.

 

So it might all be crap, but it’s an interesting amusement for travelers.  If you know your personality type, check the link below and find out where you should be traveling this year.

 

 

Where to Travel Based on Your Myers-Briggs Type

 

 

 

Best Beaches Around the World
Best Beaches Around the World 747 1260 Greg Ellifritz

If you like beaches, here’s the article you need to plan your next vacation.

 

I’ve been to five out of the ten.

 

On this list, Copacabana Beach in Rio is my all time favorite.  But I actually like Ipanema beach a little better.  It’s more crowded, but cleaner and safer than Copacabana.

 

Have any of you been to all 10?

 

 

Top 10 beaches in the world

Becoming a Digital Nomad
Becoming a Digital Nomad 1263 631 Greg Ellifritz

Working remotely from a tropical country has a unique appeal.  If your work is location independent, why tie yourself down to any city you don’t enjoy?

I recently spent over a month doing my writing/blogging work from Mexico.  It was one of the best moves I’ve ever made.  Why should I suffer through winter in Ohio when I don’t have to?  Writing in Mexico in the sun was a far better option than being stuck in the snow in Ohio.

Much of my income comes from teaching classes, so remote work won’t be my sole occupation for quite some time.  With that said, I plan on consolidating my training classes in the future to allow me the opportunity to do several months of remote work from beautiful tropical countries for a good portion of the year.

If being a digital nomad is appealing to you, you’ll learn a lot by reading the following article.

How to be freelance: this is the reality of living the ‘dream’ Instagram lifestyle

 

No More “Emotional Support Animals” on Airplanes
No More “Emotional Support Animals” on Airplanes 859 483 Greg Ellifritz

Effective today, the TSA has banned “emotional support animals” from flying.

 

Say goodbye to emotional-support animals in airplane cabins

 

According to the article:

“The agency said Wednesday that it was rewriting the rules partly because passengers carrying unusual animals on board “eroded the public trust in legitimate service animals.” It also cited the increasing frequency of people “fraudulently representing their pets as service animals,” and a rise in misbehavior by emotional-support animals.”

 

Leave your emotional support penguins home, folks.

Faked Covid-19 Tests
Faked Covid-19 Tests 670 300 Greg Ellifritz

Check out the two articles linked below.  There seems to be a cottage industry producing paperwork for fake negative Covid-19 tests.

Passengers Are Faking Negative Covid Tests In Order To Travel

 

95% Of Passengers On One Flight Faked Their Negative Covid-19 Tests

 

I predict that in the future making faked Covid-19 test results and vaccinations will be a profitable enterprise.

 

Besides the fraud, there are lots of other reasons why requiring testing before boarding a flight would be a really bad idea.

World’s Cheapest Travel Destinations
World’s Cheapest Travel Destinations 570 244 Greg Ellifritz

It’s a myth that exotic world travel is too expensive for most people.

 

Airfare is expensive, but when you get to some of these countries, you will be paying $10-$20 a night for a hotel and $3 per meal.

 

When everything is factored in, it’s often far cheaper than a visit to Disneyland.  I’ve been to most of these destinations.  I wasn’t a huge fan of Bolivia, but the others were awesome.

 

 

6 Of The World’s Cheapest Destinations To Travel To On A Budget

Begpacking?
Begpacking? 470 301 Greg Ellifritz

Have you heard of the latest “begpacking” trend?  It’s when a Western tourist runs out of money in a foreign country and sets up as a beggar asking locals for money.  What a strange phenomenon!

 

I can’t say that I’ve seen this more than a couple times in my travels.

 

For more information, take a look at this article that describes the practice in Thailand.

 

Begpacking is shameless behaviour that is outlawed in Thailand and poisons goodwill between cultures

 

“Ignorant, ‘cool’ trend continues

Despite this, this ignorance is now a ‘cool’ trend among hip young millennials some of whom continue to come to Thailand. The activities are insulting to the occupations of Thai men and women as well as their right to a livelihood in their own country, something many of these young people have no understanding of apparently. It also, inherently, deeply disrespectful to the laws of the kingdom.”

 

I haven’t been to Thailand since 2013.  With their crazy Covid-19 restrictions, it doesn’t look like I’ll be going back anytime soon.  I’ll give you a “begpacking” update the next time I make it to Asia.

 

 

Generational Travel Differences
Generational Travel Differences 700 394 Greg Ellifritz

Some very funny and painfully accurate realities shared through humorous drawings.  They will make you laugh.

 

Enjoy.

 

Boomers vs. Gen Z Traveling Internationally