5 Items You'll Forget When Moving

Recently I chatted with a friend who just moved apartments & was reminded of all the headache-inducing items I forgot to plan for when we first moved. Please learn from our mistakes - don't forget to plan for these 5 items when moving:

1) Cleaning Supplies
Brooms, dishwashing gloves and chemicals are easily forgotten when you've spent all week packing and cleaning. While you could potentially leave these items for the next tenant, consult your landlord or leasing agreement first to confirm you won't ironically be charged a clean-up fee.

2) Trash Cans
Related to #1, you've likely forgotten to plan for kitchen and bathroom trash cans and recycling bins. Save the car space - leave these in the alley next to the dumpster with a "FREE" sign for any potential drive-by takers and good karma.

3) Neglected Clutter
That dusty box in the attic containing all your birth and financial records... The living room drawer housing both junk mail and forgotten sentimental items... Clear out the clutter 2 weeks in advance to give yourself enough time to determine what's essential.

4) Opened Food
Don't waste precious car space or risk spills transporting cereal, rice, coffee or any other open foods. Instead, arrange to donate opened food to a close neighbor or friend & treat yourself to a Starbucks breakfast on the day-of.

5) Spares
Keys, light bulbs, garage openers - you name it. Plan for these items ahead of time so you don't lose time on the big day collecting and depositing spares.

Hopefully this post saved you a headache - happy moving!

1 Year Abroad!

Wow, it's already been exactly 365 days since my fiance & I left Los Angeles to travel halfway across the planet. While it was scary at first it has definitely been an amazing adventure I wouldn't trade for the world. To celebrate our first year away I thought it'd be fun to look at the year in review!

In this year we have been so fortunate to gain so many new experiences: my fiance worked at a top 10 company in the Middle East, I took my first managerial role before becoming a private consultant, we learned Arabic & Turkish, and so much more.

It was nerve-wracking and painful to leave our loved ones, home and comfort food behind

But we plunged into a new world together, moving up and exploring Dubai

We saw some pretty amazing sights

And started a new chapter of our lives together :)

 

In March 2014, we moved to Ankara, Turkey

And I quickly learned why people fall in love with this city

So far I've seen Istanbul, Abu Dhabi and Oman

And I can't wait to see where life takes us next!

From our engagement at the Jetty Lounge in Dubai, attending my first world conference (Arab Health 2014) & shopping at the Souks to enjoying the relaxed Turkish lifestyle, witnessing protests & releasing our first joint Android app, it's hard to believe how much has happened in one year.

To my dear fiance, if you're reading this, thank you so much for taking me with you on this adventure. There is so much to celebrate - new friends, languages, experiences, cultures - and I am so deeply appreciative of and humbled by these opportunities. While we still haven't decided where to head next (Spain, Indonesia, Greece?), I am happy anywhere as long as it's with you.

7 Sneaky Travel Scams & How to Avoid Them

While I've only been to two popular tourist spots so far, recently I came across a list of 40 common travel scams. I read through them all and have highlighted the 7 most sneaky ones here plus how to avoid them. All 40 are listed in the link at the bottom of this post - please be alert when traveling!


Sneaky Scam #1: The Broken Camera (common worldwide)
Someone asks you to take a photo of them and/or their group of friends, you kindly oblige but upon handing back the camera they move such that the camera falls and breaks. Now they're demanding money for repairs and/or pickpocketing you during the commotion.  

How to Avoid: Either don't take photos of strangers or stand firm, shake your head and walk away if they try pulling this trick on you.


Sneaky Scam #2: Fake Front Desk Call (common worldwide)
An identity thief calls your hotel room pretending to be the front desk, asking you to confirm your credit card details. What's so sneaky? They call late at night when you're too tired to go downstairs and confirm in person.

How to Avoid: Ask for details ("what's the problem, why are you calling me now?"), get the caller's name and walk downstairs to sort it out in person. 


Sneaky Scam #3: The Expensive Taxi Driver (common worldwide)
While I shared a personal taxi scamming experience in my last post, another way taxi drivers will scam you is by rigging the meter beforehand such that fare rises at a faster rate. Others will quote you one price at the beginning of a trip then quote a much higher price halfway through the drive (usually while you're on a highway, delaying an exit and raising costs). 

How to Avoid: In Istanbul, use www.taksiyle.com/en to calculate the route and estimated cost of the trip. Otherwise you can print 2 copies of Google Maps directions, handing one copy to the driver and using the second copy to follow along with the actual route they take - protest if they veer off.

Sneaky Scam #4: Slow Counting & Drop n Swap (common in Europe & Asia, respectively)
Many scams work by creating social pressure. Cashiers might take their sweet time counting through your change in the hopes you'll get fed up and accept whatever they give you even if it's a smaller sum than you're owed. Others might "accidentally" drop your change, picking up similar looking but lesser valued coins and notes instead.  

How to Avoid: You're on vacation, right? Take your sweet time confirming the change before leaving the counter.


Sneaky Scam #5: The Thrown Baby (common in Rome)
A woman walks towards you, suddenly throwing a bundled baby (a doll in reality) into your arms. Instinctively you reach out to catch the child, adrenaline pumping and hands now occupied while she and her accomplices raid your pockets or purse.

How to Avoid: Stay in larger groups if possible - it's easier for them to target singles or couples.


Sneaky Scam #6: The Friendship Bracelet, Music Artist & Free Peanuts (common in various tourist spots)
These 3 are bundled together since they all bank on social awkwardness to pressure you for money. You're offered something seemingly free-a bracelet, CD, food-then harassed for cash upon accepting.

How to Avoid: Don't accept anything without a clear price - return the item immediately into the scammer's hands. If they don't accept the returned item, place it on the floor next to them.


Sneaky Scam #7: Eager English Students (common in Shanghai, Beijing and Xian)   
Young ladies overhear you speaking English and request to practice theirs on you. Either they start telling you a sob story to guilt you into offering money or offer to return the favor at a cafe, ordering drinks and leaving before the bill arrives.

How to Avoid: Ignore or say "Wish I could" and keep walking without engaging with them further.


The world is a big, beautiful place but you need to stay cautious of scammers. You can be scammed while walking on the street, by shopkeepers, or even at your own hotel! Remember, most scammers count on awkward situations to pressure you into parting with your valuables - combat that by standing your ground (which sometimes means walking away from a situation like #1 or #6).

All 40 scams: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/07/23/travel-scams_n_5605742.html

Greetings from Istanbul!

My fiance and I vacationed in Istanbul this week. Usually I'd use this opportunity to give specific travel advice but tonight's post will focus more on our trip so feel free to peruse posts about Traveling on a Budget or Best Travel Apps instead!

We arrived on Wednesday morning and crossed from Asia to Europe on the drive to our hotel, Erten Konak which is located in Old Istanbul. It's been a charming stay with accommodating staff, free wifi and breakfast buffet each day. Note: double check flights before booking a hotel - we landed at SAW but our hotel was located near ATA airport.

First impressions: Istanbul is brimming with multidiversity and English speakers. Shops are packed close together like on Beverly Drive or in DTLA but with an exotic air. It's especially romantic in the evening with colorful lights, live restaurant music and rustic streets.

We spent most of the first day settling in and walking around. We strolled down the sunny beach where we found men tanning on rocks and splashing in the water while vendors sold homemade simit, fresh orange juice and aromatic corn on the cob. It was every bit as picturesque as it sounds.

An incredibly tall stone wall stretches on for miles, separating the beach and main road from the hotels and shops. According to my fiance it was built during the Ottoman Empire to keep out any adversaries attempting to attack from the sea. In my opinion it only blocks off the view of the blue, blue water but I suppose the Ottomans had other priorities. 

Day 2 was dedicated to checking out historical structures like the Hagia Sofia and Blue Mosque. We saw the Obelisk of Theodosius which was constructed in 390 A.D. It's insane to think that these structures 1) have survived this long, 2) will continue to survive another several hundred centuries, and 3) were built without the use of any power tools.

Another surprise was simply how deep these structures were built. I'm not sure if humans have increased the size of Earth's crust over time but the base of these structures easily reaches 20 feet down. It makes you wonder what life really was like back then. 

On Friday we met up with my fiance's friends from Dubai plus my friends in new Istanbul. The Grand Bazaar is located in Old Istanbul and swarmed with tourists exploring the jam packed shops selling jewelry, spices, purses, scarves and fabrics, men's clothes, plus leather jackets and shoes. 

Salespeople are ruthless so I suggest brushing up on your Turkish prior to arrival ("yok tesekkurler" = "no thanks", "ne kadar" = "how much", "Ingilice bili musniz?" = "do you speak English?"). Note: say you live in Ankara or another nearby city for fairer treatment by salespeople. We picked up 50 grams of Ottoman Spice plus a couple free Turkish delights for $5 by speaking the local language.

 

Saturday my fiance and I went to the mall and found Krispy Kreme! He was super pumped as we haven't had KK since we left Dubai so he purchased a dozen in celebration. We ended the evening at Dubb, an Indian restaurant, as we likewise haven't had Indian food since Dubai.

Word of caution: a taxi driver tried screwing us by shutting off the meter halfway through the drive. When I asked why the meter was off and how much the trip would cost, he said he'd decide upon arrival. After taking a roundabout way of reaching the destination, he announced the cost would be 150 TL for a 30 min drive. I said no way and he hurriedly bumped it down to 120 TL. I offered 60 TL and we settled on 100 TL for what should have been an 80 TL trip. This problem isn't unique to Turkey but hopefully serves as another reminder to be diligent about dealing with taxis.

 

Finally we returned to the Hagia Sofia, Blue Mosque and Grand Bazaar for further exploration only to find the Bazaar is closed on Sundays! It prompted us to explore a new area though where we found an outdoor bazaar with vendors selling everything from electronics to African decorations. 

We split an ear of corn at the park, watching the tourists around us. We returned to Dubb for dinner where we met two French ladies sitting next to us who had backpacked through 6 countries in 2009 (Syria, Lebanon and Israel among others). What an adventure they must have shared.

 








Today we returned to Ankara richer from the experience in Istanbul. While several people tried taking advantage of us, we still had a great time. I learned the value of sneakers over flats, talking like a local and witnessing some sights for myself. Until next week, gule gule (bye bye)!