Five Tips for Travelling Abroad

When travelling to countries outside of your own, there are few simple things that can make your trip more enjoyable and the locals more likely to treat you with respect.  There are plenty of tips for travelling, but these are focused on things that can apply to any country that you visit.  These are the things that we’ve learned over the years and we keep them in mind whenever we travel outside of the country.

  1.  Learn at least a few phrases of the language.  Whether the only thing you can say is good morning, good day, how are you, or thank you, by speaking (or attempting to) in the local language, the people you meet will appreciate your attempts.  Many people from English speaking countries will assume that English is spoken everywhere and just expect everyone to speak in English.  The people of every country are proud of their heritage, traditions, and language, so we believe it is a matter of respect to at least try and learn a little of their native language.
    Fish Monger in Morocco

    Our Favorite Poolside Waiter
  2. Eat where the locals eat.  Depending upon where you are travelling, there are often many restaurants that cater to tourists, but we’ve always found that by asking our hotel manager, local bartender, even the policeman on the street, that you can find more authentic meals by eating where the locals eat.  They might not be as fancy and often won’t speak any English at all, but if you’re adventurous, you can end up eating something that you would have never expected just by pointing to something on the menu and taking a chance.
    Grilled Octopus in Spain

    Lunch at a Moroccan Restaurant
  3. Act like you’re a local, not a tourist.  This is more about a state of mind than anything else.  If you walk confidently as if you belong in your environment, it is less likely for bad things to happen to you, such as being the target of a pick pocket.  Figure out directions to where you’re going before you go so that you’re not walking around with a map in your face.  This has the added benefit of allowing you to keep your eyes on your surroundings instead of reading pamphlets or maps.  The more you’ve prepared in advance and know what to expect, the easyier it will be for you to relax, enjoy the people instead of fearing them, and see more of what the city or town that you’re in has to offer.
    Jewish Quarter in Seville Spain

    Temple Prayer Booth in Chennai India
  4. Stay at or go to as many different cities and towns as possible.  Sometimes when we’re in a country, we’ll have a base camp where we do our exploring from, but we usually still add a couple of nights in different cities as well as day trips to nearby towns and attractions.  Other times, we’ll spend two days in one location and then we’re off to the next.  Some of the most fascinating things we’ve seen or done have happened when we’ve left the larger cities and spent time in the smaller towns.
    Estapona, Spain

    Stratford-upon-Avon
  5. Respect the local customs, traditions, and religions.  The greatest thing about travelling is learning about all the different people that inhabit this world.  Not all of our belief systems are the same and in our opinion, the world is a better place for that diversity.  So, learn about the culture of the place where you are travelling.  Learn simple things such as whether certain hand gestures are offensive, what body parts should be covered, and what types of public displays of affection are allowed.  We always do our homework and read up on the do’s and don’ts when visiting a country, which was something that we learned from a friend of ours who is a cultural anthropologist.  It doesn’t take a lot of effort to make sure that what you do while you’re in a foreign country doesn’t offend or upset anyone’s belief system.
    Blessing Elephant

    Flamenco Dancers

Going to foreign countries is truly a magnificent experience, but one that is made even better if you do a few simple things that will make it that much more enjoyable.  Perhaps it really is as simple as following the golden rule to do unto others as you would have them do unto you, but sometimes, when we get out of own environment, we tend to forget that it is the simple things that make everyone’s lives a little better.  Hopefully, the next time you travel abroad, these simple tips will help make your trip a little better.

Spicy Chicken Curry

It wasn’t our original intention to do back to back Indian inspired dishes, but we were watching a cooking show over the weekend and got inspired.  Even though we had a general idea of what we wanted to do, we ended up basically making this one up as we went along.  All things considered, this one is a keeper, but we like spicy food, so if you’re not a fan of spice, you can always tame it down.  We also chose to serve it over long grain wild rice, but white or brown rice would also go nice with it as well.

Spicy Chicken Curry

Ingredients

  • 2 Large Chicken Breasts – cut into 1 inch cubes
  • 1/2 cup Flour
  • 2 tbsp Medium-Hot Chili Powder
  • 2 tbsp Cumin
  • 1 tsp Paprika
  • 2 tsp Cayenne Pepper
  • 2 tsp Turmeric
  • 1 cup Chicken Stock
  • 1/4 cup Whipping Cream
  • 1/4 cup Vegetable Oil
  • Salt and Pepper to taste
Spicy Chicken Curry

Instructions

Wash the cubed chicken and keep moist.  In a medium bowl, mix together the flour, 1 tbsp chili powder, 1 tbsp cumin, the paprika, 1 tsp cayenne pepper, and 1 tsp turmeric.  Heat the vegetable oil in a skillet over medium-high heat.  Dredge the chicken in the flour mixture and add to the oil, cooking until the chicken is a nice golden brown, approximate 4 minutes per side.  Remove the chicken and set on a paper towel to drain any excess oil.  Add the chicken broth and whipping cream to the same skillet that the chicken was cooked in.  Add the remaining chili powder, cayenne pepper, cumin, and turmeric and bring the liquid to a low simmer.  Add the chicken back to the skillet and heat together until the liquid becomes creamy.  Cook rice according to the package directions and serve the chicken curry over the rice.

Flour Dusted Chicken
Simmering Curry
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Garden of the Gods

Anyone visiting Colorado should definitely make their way to Colorado Springs to visit the Garden of the Gods.  The rock formations, with their vibrant reddish-orange color, are visually stunning against the back drop of Pikes Peak and the surrounding foothills.  It is hard to imagine that the majestic orange sandstone rocks that are so beautiful today were once sand dunes millions of years ago when an inland sea covered the area.  It is this vast geological history with all of the forces that produced the Rocky Mountains that gave birth to the rock formations that make up the Garden of the Gods.

Garden of the Gods
Pikes Peak

Many people are aware that Colorado is an active area for discovering dinosaur fossils, but most people don’t associate that with the Garden of the Gods.  The Garden of the Gods Visitor and Nature Center opened an exhibit in 2008 to celebrate the discovery of a new species of dinosaur based on fossils that were found in the park.  The discovery actually occurred in 1878, but the fossil was misidentified as a Camptosaurus and it wasn’t until 2006 that it was reexamined and determined to be a new genus and species.

Dinosaur Exhibit
Fossil Skull

The park offers great activities for people of all ages.  There are hiking trails, nature walks, Jeep and Segway tours, rock climbing, or even bird watching as there are many species of birds that make the rocks their home.  Rock Ledge Ranch, located within the park, is also worth a visit as it provides a glimpse into the early settlers and native inhabitants of the Pikes Peak region.  Whether capturing images with a camera or a canvas, Mother Nature has made sure that there is plenty of picture perfect opportunities.

Rock Climber
Steamboat Rock

Not surprisingly, over time people have given names to many of the formations within the park.  Some are obvious such as Balanced Rock.  Others are more imaginative, such as Three Graces, The Cathedral Spires, Getaway Rock, or Steamboat Rock.  None is probably as famous as the Kissing Camels, which is an often debated conversation amongst the visiting tourists as to whether they really look like camels.  With or without names, each of the different rock formations is inspiring to realize that time, weather, and geological upheaval could reveal something so amazing and beautiful.

Balanced Rock
Kissing Camels

Fittingly enough, the park got its name from a couple of surveyors who were exploring the local area.  When they came across the park and its natural beauty, M. S. Beach, for whom the story is attributed, stated that it would “be a capital place for a beer garden”.  The other surveyor, named Rufus Cable, replied “Beer Garden!  Why it is a fit place for the Gods to assemble.  We will call it the Garden of the Gods”.  The name stuck and after a long day hiking and climbing in the park, a beer is the perfect complement to a day outdoors.

Rock Formations
Garden of the Gods

Obviously there are other attractions in the Colorado Springs area that are all worth a visit as well.  Places like the Cave of the Winds, Pikes Peak Scenic Highway, the Cog Railway to the summit of Pikes Peak, Seven Falls, or the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, just to name a few.  But a visit to Garden of the Gods is on the top of our list of sites that need to be seen, not just in Colorado Springs, but in the whole state.

Behind Kissing Camels
Chimney Rock
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