Budget Travel Archives - Page 8 of 9

January 15, 2013 by jfalbelda

Anything but Crabby in Krabi Town, Thailand!

After thoroughly enjoying northern Thailand for a few weeks, I was given a sign from Allah when I crashed my motorcycle that it was probably time for me to slow things down and kick back in the south and let the sunshine heal my beer-battered body.

I decided to crack my Lonely Planet and instantly became overwhelmed reading about the million different islands with crazy names I could never remember (or pronounce), so I decided to just take my chances and book a direct flight form Chiang Mai to Phuket which would get me into the southern mix.

I had always seen pictures from the beaches in southern Thailand and heard about Phuket (I guess because it has an international airport), but after reading a little bit more, it seemed that Phuket Town itself was actually a slum and the nice beaches and islands were all just surrounding it.

So after arriving in Phuket, I decided to spend a few days at the beach town next door called Patong (absolutely insane place with more hookers than you could possibly count, ((or have sex with))(((unless you’re a dirty old 60 year old from The States or UK))), I figured I better send myself somewhere a little more chill to let my foot heal up a bit and experience more of an authentic Thai town.

December 28, 2012 by jfalbelda

The Only Thing Permanent in My Life – Tattoos!

I like tattoos. Always have. So much in fact that I didn’t even wait one day after my 18th birthday to hop on a train with my friend Jooce (yup, we actually call him that) from Philly to NYC to get one.

Well, we really went up there to get Fake I.D’s which we accomplished as well, but I knew why I was truly going up there (even if Jooce didn’t). I wanted one so badly that I didn’t even take recommendations from anyone, and I just walked right to the first place I found, paid the guy a hundred bucks and he put my family crest on my right shoulder. It was a tasteful design, but lets just say it didn’t end up like the picture, and I still have a pretty shit tattoo, but, you live and learn…right? :S

I waited a whole year to even consider getting another one. This time, I wanted something on my leg right before going away to college so that I’d be the coolest freshman there (which I obviously was). Instead of just being a “yes man”, I opted to visit a more reputable tattoo parlor in Philadelphia, Kadillac Tattoo, in the Manyunk section of the city. It was so “legit” that I had to go in twice before they even inked me up to drop off my design, have the artist get the mock up ready for my approval and then finally the big day. It came out great with lines so crisp, you could use them as a ruler.

After my first two tattoos, my desire for new tatty tats went dormant as I often forgot I even had them or couldn’t think of anything meaningful that I’d want to bury it under my skin until it decomposed off of my rotting bones (sorry got a little into that one). That was until my recent trip to Asia.

Throughout my trip, I really felt good about everything that was happening. New experiences, complete self-reliance, living by my own rules, you know, renegade shit that makes you want to get a tattoo.

I remembered a painting I had done a couple years ago that still hangs in my living room and I thought, “wow, that would make for a perfect tattoo” – something to live by, something to look down at and go, “yup, every day son”. It says this:

Being that I have made a living out of traveling, I thought it would be the perfect, self-inflicted indelible mark to say a respectable, “Fuck You Corporate America!”. Coffee shop warrior fo’ life!

So, instead of opting to have my tattoo done in Asia (that’s my 25 year old judgement kicking in), I waited until I got back to the city of my birth and site of my last tattoo to get it done up. Six years later since the last one, and with the rise of online reviews dictating much of our off-screen decisions, I opted to search Yelp this time to see where might be the “best place in Philadelphia” to get a tattoo (Kadillac was too far from where I was staying). Read More »

December 20, 2012 by jfalbelda

The Best Beaches in Miami!

Miami Beach

Looking for a budget-priced Miami hostel that’s close to the beaches but far away from the crowds of loud tourists? Then set your sights on accommodations near these off-the-beaten-path beaches that have peaceful enclaves where you can unwind and relax however you like best — fishing in breezy atolls, exploring shoreline ecosystems or mastering water sports like kite boarding. While South Beach might be the place to see and be seen, Miami offers a wealth of alluring beaches that will make you melt into the sand and never want to go home.

North Shore Park Beach

During the day, this beach attracts families who enjoy the comforts of the surrounding picturesque park dotted with big shady trees, barbeque pits and picnic tables. Kids can enter programs offered by the North Shore Recreational Center at 501 72nd Street that uses the surrounding natural habitat as a schoolroom. After sunset, the beach gets empties out, but on full moon evenings, spontaneous drum circles form in the soft sand that’s perfect for unabashed dancing.

Sunny Isles/Golden Beach

This section of Miami-Dade County is known as The Venice of America because of the interconnecting bridges, canals and intercoastal waterway, but there’s a noticeable culture gap between the multi-racial diversity of Sunny Isles and the upscale tone of Golden Beach. As it turns out, you can set out walking south along the Sunny Isles beach and stroll along until you find yourself on the exclusive private beaches that flank the mansions of Golden Beach. Celebrities like Eric Clapton and Bill Gates own these homes so don’t be surprised if you’re asked to leave.

Matheson Hammock Park Beach

View of Downtown Miami

Though not actually on the ocean, this 630-acre natural park contains a man-made atoll pool in Coral Gables that boasts excellent fishing and a refreshing sea breeze that makes the shoreline a superb location for picnics and barbeques. Coral stone buildings house a snack bar and restaurant while the on-site marina has a fishing tackle shop, fueling station and boat launch ramps. Right next door is the Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden and a short hike across the R. Hardy Matheson County Preserve brings you to the Montgomery Botanical Center that conserves rare species of palms and cycads.

Crandon Park Beach

Crandon Park

If your ideal day at the beach involves getting back to nature, you’ll be delighted with this eco-adventure park on Key Biscayne that encourages visitors to connect with the great outdoors. Boardwalks from the Nature Center at 66747 Crandon Boulevard lead to fossilized reefs, butterfly colonies and twisted mangrove forests. The 2-mile beach fronts a calm lagoon with low surf impact, making it appealing to kite surfers and kayakers who take advantage of the gentle winds and sedate waves to sharpen their skills. Equipment rentals and guided tram tours of Bear Cut Preserve are available from sunrise to sunset, seven days a week.

Hollywood North Beach

Further north from the glitzy Hollywood Beach and just south of Dania Beach at 4800 North Ocean Drive is a rather forgotten little stretch of beach that has no shops, restaurants or rental kiosks – it’s just sand and surf and sunshine. Usually deserted on the weekdays, this quiet stretch of coastline ironically nicknamed Dog Beach of Hollywood is also home to a successful feral cat colony, so you might encounter some curious stares from the feline residents. A sweet little bike trail runs alongside the sandy beach and there’s plenty of parking with easy access to the shoreline and bus stops on both sides of Ocean Avenue. Pack your own picnic and after lunch stretch your legs on an invigorating walk to the wharf at the end of North Beach Road.

Check out the locations of budget-priced Miami accommodation at Hostelbookers.com, the budget travel specialists.

December 18, 2012 by jfalbelda

Travel Tip of The Week: Spend The Night, Catch the 1st Flight!

Ryan Air Plane

While traveling can be pricey, there are a wealth of little tips and tricks you can take advantage of to make vacations more regular than not.

One thing that I have been doing recently is catching a super early morning flight and saving hundreds of dollars in the process on longer distance travels. While normally this would usually mean waking up at 2 or 3 in the morning and being miserable the next few days, I’ve been opting for a different solution that’s been leaving me much more bright eyed and bushy tailed while still saving me significant buckeroos!

Spending the night at a cheap hotel next to the airport cuts my commute from my bed to the terminal to minutes. One example would be if you were living outside the core of London and would need to set side a couple hours to get to one of the airports to catch a flight via public transportation.

You could drive your own car and find cheap luton airport parking or Heathrow Airport Parking and just sleep over the night before. This will force you to pack early and not in a frantic mess (which I’m guilty of more often than not), be relaxed before your trip and let you leave much later to catch the already early-enough flight. Yes, if you want to be a complete cheapo you can brave the miserable ultra-early wake up and long public transport trip to the airport, but if you still want to save money off of a midday or afternoon flight and don’t want to kill yourself, try my method and you’ll see things go much more smoothly!

December 17, 2012 by jfalbelda

My First Urban Love Affair

Architecture in Barcelona

When I studied abroad in Barcelona back in 2007, it was my first real experience living on my own (lets be real, sharing a dorm room on campus with another awkward freshman goon doesn’t count). I had decided to study abroad earlier than most kids (sophomore year) along with one of my friends, Pranay.

We thought it would be cool to venture to the same destination to study, so after a little back and forth, we both agreed that Spain and Barcelona in particular would be an amazing place to go. Once we handled a bunch of paperwork, locked down Spanish Student Visas, and got things straight with our home university, we were ready to plan the next part of living abroad, where to live. Read More »