Get Organized NOW! or at Least Sometime Before You Die. . . (Funny Woman Guide Book 1)

Many taxi drivers are scared of the police, and often for good reason see below. If they are being dishonest and you mention the police, they will quickly back down. The police are not always your friends. Sad but true—in a lot of places in the world, the services of the police are sold to the highest bidder. Therefore, if you can pay them, they may turn out to be your friends… but in other cases, they may actually be the least trustworthy people in the country. When you feel pressured beyond your comfort level by someone who tries to follow you, be polite but increasingly firm.

If they keep following you, tell them to stop. When it comes to visas and all immigration issues , your experience will vary from place to place. The rules are flexible in most places, and sometimes they will work in your favor and sometimes they will work against you. All plane tickets are changeable no matter what is written on them, and any fees for changing can be waived with the right airline agent. You have a few options for making this happen: Round-the-World tickets are the best bargains for extensive international travel. I use and recommend both the Star Alliance and the OneWorld products.

Each have their advantages. Most people flying Business Class are not paying full-fare. A high percentage of them on most flights are using awards tickets, special tickets, or have upgraded from Economy. Flying in premium cabins can help you in more ways than just being comfortable on long flights, because the tickets can almost always be changed or refunded without penalty.

First Class is nice too, but the difference between First and Business is rarely as great as the difference between Business and Economy. In some places, buses are better than trains for overland travel… in other places, trains are better than buses. Check out the options before you go to make the best decision for each place. The concept of personal space means very different things in different countries. You kind of have to get used to that. Like it or not, you have to be somewhat tolerant of smoking.

Unless you can be very discreet, never take photos of people without asking. If they do say yes, you may find yourselves indebted to them for a gift or other favor. Never touch members of the opposite sex. In several cultures, this is disrespectful or otherwise inappropriate. Both of these are highly provocative in some places. Be prepared to represent your country , whether you care about politics or not.

For better or worse, many people will expect you to know a lot about politics in your home country and how governmental decisions in one country affect the lives of people thousands of miles away. No matter who you are talking to, never say anything negative about the government of the country you are in.

Many rogue states, from Zimbabwe to Iran to North Korea, employ English-speaking spies who will deliberately try to incite foreign visitors into saying something incriminating. A friend of mine went to North Korea and found an extensive tape recording system in his hotel room. Obviously, each place you go to will offer unique challenges, but following this list will get you off to a good start.

My views on medical tourism are rather mixed. I had one friend who received heart surgery in India with no complaints. Anyhow, nice Article on health travel. Facial expressions can be very important to communicating. Sometimes it might even be helpful to exaggerate your facial expressions in order to communicate a point. A smile goes a very long way. I was in Greece and was given a cough syrup which contained ephedra banned in the US for causing heart attacks and codeine, same medicine both drug components!

Always take your own medicine, foreign pharmacies are always very difficult to navigate.

The best medicine is the U. Once I was walking in the streets of Beijing when I came across a young child trying to sell some obviously handmade trinkits. Her prices were very cheap and yet there was a large American man standing over her trying angrily to haggle her down even lower. Later, when I was leaving, I was at the Beijing airport. This is the worlds largest airport and yet even from a considerable distance I could hear an American woman shouting at someone in one of the little stores demanding a cheaper price. This time I followed her voice until I finally found her. I said nothing but the look I gave her stopped her in her tracks.

Please remember that everyone deserves to be treated with respect. In foreign countries, you can save a lot of money by eating where the everyday people eat. You can read of our journey at familyonbikes. Be careful getting malarial drugs and antibiotics in some African countries. They are cheaper, but in my experience they are sometimes expired or of poor quality or even fake!

As people have pointed out, medicine can be a two edged blade sometimes and for the extra cost it may make the difference between a ruined trip due to even some milder symptoms of poor medication which is possible, like diarrhea, or much much worse. I have lived abroad, and in a first world country Japan and although there medicine is of a very high standard, certain things like hay fever medicine etc are of severely diluted strength, and can be difficult to find there, which could make a trip problematic. As far as the person in one comment getting mad at a fellow tourist trying to haggle a lot, this too can be a two edged sword.

However, in some ways haggling is something that is done in foreign countries and on certain items you are definitely getting screwed over unless you do haggle. There are some good tips in this article Chris. Medical services in North America, Western Europe, and Japan are the best around and for very good reason. The quality of the education, the standards and legal requirements, and the availability of the best technology eclipses that of other nations. Although you may find good resources at medical tourism boutiques, significant research is needed to establish that they are trustworthy with your health.

You could end up in real trouble if you experience complications beyond their skills. Keep your cool, take your time, understand and respect that there are other ways of doing things. Very good point on taxi drivers not always knowing how to get somewhere! Also, if you are trying to get to a little known location, try to find out the name of a well known destination or landmark nearby, and have the driver take you there instead. Keep up the good work! I find the dollar in free fall in value.

In many countries Thailand, China,Japan,etc I buy extra local currency to use on the next trip as the exchange rate for USD will have deteriorated. The rate now is I wear a Canadian Maple Leaf lapel pin and if asked claim to be from Etobicoke that is a part of Toronto.

Mostly because I have yet to meet someone who holds Canada in the low regard they have for America. I will admit that I am ashamed of what the U. If not, and you really want the item, take the higher price. Not the best way to represent yourself, or your country. Medicines can be dodgy in some parts of the world, but find a good local pharmacy and you should be OK. In many parts the locals have got to buy their medication over the counter and can therefore do so for a lot of things only available by prescription in the UK and US.

The hypochondriac guy complaining about cough syrup in Greece takes the biscuit though, none of them work regardless of ingredients! Pseudoephidrine and codeine are legal in most countries and are a must for a bad dose of sinusitis. It should be an eventful couple years, and i thank you for some of those tips. Add more if you can! On the topic of keeping abreast of how the U.

Several years ago, a friend and I were in Greece and there was a bit of back and forth between the U. We never heard about it in the U. My friend and I were strolling along Sophia Boulevard in Athens foreign embassy row and we noticed it had become weirdly deserted. Next thing we knew, a LARGE shouting mob of protesters with anti-American signs rounded a corner and were bearing down on us, sending automobiles fleeing before them.

The police just stood there impassively watching, while my friend and I barely had time to duck into a side street and hide out in a church courtyard until the march was well and gone. I would like to think not.

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Hi i like your site and i enjoyed everything i read. I got malaria medication a lot cheaper in Ghana than in Atlanta. I think that I had to start the doses before I left, though. The medication in some parts of Africa may be old. I lived in Ghana Tema and Accra for several months back in It is definitely one of my favorite African countries. Thanks for keeping the discussion going. Please share this article with your friends if you found it useful. Nice insights… practically true. You can never be too ready for traveling but you can at least be prepared.

What term s do you use to refer to the people who live somewhere as opposed to travellers? Moldovans, Sierra Leonians, etc. But I do realize that can be a bit awkward or tiresome in common traveler speech. It is not a pejorative in itself, but since it can be used that way I try to stay clear of it when possible. I am just returning from a 5 week stay in Spain — Barcelona and Madrid. I was pickpocketed in Barcelona, and my wife had her purse stolen in Madrid. You mention that you travel with a lot of cash.

How do you protect your cash? Have you ever had any experiences with being robbed? How do you deal with it? We had lots of troubles canceling credit cards, getting new passports etc. Not to mention the added expense of losing all that cash. It is a hard psychological blow too. Now I am a bit nervous about traveling. Any tips or thoughts would be welcome. Also reading parts of your tips for a non conformist life. I just came back from a week trip around eastern europe and everything was fine.

The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing

I kept half of the important documentation in the room, half with me. Always keep pockets and zips on the front, and take special care when there are many people around. I most of the times look around first to check any suspicious people. We are doing the Sydney to Brisbane drive over 3 weeks by hire car. We live in rural England so are not particularly city wise, lol. Would love to get your advice.

The hop-on-hop-off bus can be useful too as a way of getting your bearings and seeing the highlights, then determining if you want to go back and explore a particular spot in more depth. And here is a link to all our New South Wales posts: I really appreciate how comprehensive this list is.

All of the information about the best travel insurance companies is especially useful because when I travel outside of school I never know which insurance to get. In the past, I have also struggled with keeping track of everything that needs to get done to plan a trip. Hi Love the information you have provided, I got so many great tips.

I have organising and booked everything for a holiday for myself and a friend to Europe, we are 60 yr females first time travelling to Europe. I hope I have covered everything. I have done so much too much researching hopefully all goes well so far saved money and doing what we want in a short time fame. I really like the tip on Tripit was it easy to use?

Do you think this would be a good idea to purchase? Tripit is really easy to use. The free version is still useful. This is such a comprehensive list! Traveling overseas in 3 weeks to come and I have found this extremely useful! I just started planning my first trip to Europe.

I had no idea what I was doing till I read your article. Thank you for useful tips! And it lists all the events scheduled at each venue when you click on the links. Thank you for such nice tips. I have a plan to go to Africa next summer so your tips are useful for me. Love seeing this tips.

Thank you for posting this. It has caused me a tremendous amount of stress. Hi Veronica, glad you found thus post useful.

Where are you going in Hawaii? We have some good content on Hawaii here: Great work on the blog. I have been looking for in a long time. Thanks for this awesome tips. Thanks for your wonderful article. Well, you have shared here such a nice and best kind of stuff here in your post. I like to say that while my book tour bus to NY I read it and its really good for me as a visiting lover. I explore this place or maybe it will be my next destination for visiting. Your planning of the trip stuff is really informative for me. Really like the information on the website I can see it being incredibly useful when planning an upcoming trip.

With regards to the planning list above I would suggest moving the buying travel insurance point to step 3. You really need insurance as soon as you commit to the trip which in most cases is at the point you buy your flights. I would like to do many activities like skydiving, rafting, scuba diving etc. With this, below are some of the things that you might find to be […]. So if you are planning to buy a hammock to use them outdoors, it is advisable not to use quilted types as they are very […].

There are numerous websites that give advice. This is one of many: If you are a rider you should avoid […]. It may take up to six or eight weeks to get these items updated, so, as soon as you know your […]. Additionally, I recommend only paying for a direct flight if […].

Once the trip is over, you feel content because you have finally visited places you never knew you would. At the same time, you are totally broke. You have spent a lot of money during the trip and it is difficult for you to recover at this point. Planning your destination is your primary step when you […]. Similarly, you can plan the trip with distance calculator features; know whether you are driving within the speed limits prescribed […].

All it takes is getting smart with planning. You could even work on fitting two excursions into each day where possible. Admittedly, time away […]. If you are going to have the most amazing time abroad, you need to ensure […].

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There are instances when you cant make reservations because you are too busy with work. Before you know it, your travel schedule is already approaching and you cant finish the travel arrangement anymore. Prices start to increase and you decide to just cancel the trip. You better choose a travel agent to help you if you are too busy. They know what to do. Let them know your specific requirements and they will find a way to arrange everything for you.

Meanwhile, on the outside this bag screams smart, sophisticated, and durable whether on a plane, train, or in the backseat of your car. There are some things to consider and remember to make our holiday trip memorable. Visit those places you have dreamed of for years. By using these tips, you […]. Read More — 8 ways to book accommodation using Booking. Read more — 19 ways to save money on rental cars. Read more — 15 tips for buying the best travel insurance policy. He's a travel addict, sports fanatic, beach lover, and passionate craft beer drinker! Thanks again for your post. I hope to read soon about your coming US road trip.

Great tips, really good planning is key, I loved your guide congratulations for the initiative. Happy to hear my guide on how to plan your trip is useful. Enjoy your next trip! Bye and thanks for your support. Wow, I loved it! Thank you very much for the craig tips!! Thanks for sharing our plan your trip guide with your friends and family Adam. Hi Nicky, Excited that you guys are visiting Australia. And glad our blog has been helpful. I don't think this matters for two reasons. Firstly, the ideas and methods in this book can be perfectly applied to your space, no matter how extensive it is.

It's all about creating the most positive space imaginable, and that is very achievable with just one room. Secondly, this book was very much a philosophy. It's about learning to reflect on the relationship between you and your possessions and is something I will carry with me moving forward in life. Thank you, Marie, for sharing what you've learned, I'm very excited to start my journey of only surrounding myself with things that I love and bring me joy. View all 27 comments.

Dec 26, Maggie added it Shelves: The book is short and sweet, and the author is bat-shit crazy. Here are two take-aways that will stay with me: If it does not spark joy, throw it out. I refuse to fold my socks though. Folding socks is for people with all the time in the world. View all 35 comments. Dec 23, Sheri rated it it was ok. Because she is dead serious. Although there were several helpful sections about how to declutter and organize your home, much of this book is ridiculously funny.

She's also afraid of hurting her socks' feelings. I gave it two stars because I do like the idea of getting rid of things that don't bring you joy and I like the idea of stacking things vertically. And I'm taking Marie Kondo's advice and getting rid of this book. It most definitely does not spark joy. View all 36 comments. Oct 14, Janet rated it it was amazing Shelves: Though this book can be a little woo-woo and a little repetitive, I have to give it five stars for the impact it has already had on my life.

I love collecting stuff and have a very hard time letting go. My sister asked if I was high! I still have much more to do, but I'm trying to do one step a week. View all 25 comments. Oct 17, Kirstie rated it really liked it Shelves: This book just spoke to me, for whatever reason, although I can see why others might not get much out of it.

No matter what the subject is, I love reading books by people that are truly passionate about the subject matter, and one thing is for sure: Marie Kondo is passionate about tidying. Despite all of that, this book isn't really about tidying, at its core. It's about living very intentionally and allowing your surroundings and possessions to become an expression of yourself.

If that last sen This book just spoke to me, for whatever reason, although I can see why others might not get much out of it. If that last sentence made you roll your eyes, skip this book, but if you like the idea of finding meaning in the things that you own, you'll enjoy this. View all 12 comments. Oct 23, Diane rated it liked it Shelves: This review was delayed because I was busy tidying up.

Of course, such projects always take longer than you expect. I was trying to follow the spirit of Marie Kondo's guidelines, which involve handling each one of your possessions and asking: Does this spa This review was delayed because I was busy tidying up. Does this spark joy? If it gives you happiness, keep it. Otherwise, get rid of it. Imagine yourself living in a space that contains only things that spark joy.

Isn't this the lifestyle you dream of? Keep only those things that speak to your heart.

28 Things I Wish I Knew Before I Started Traveling : The Art of Non-Conformity

Then take the plunge and discard all the rest. By doing this you can reset your life and embark on a new lifestyle. After spending most of the day doing that, my donation pile had grown to several bags of clothes, a big bag of kitchen items, and a hefty stack of books. The most difficult things to sort were the books a problem I bet most people reading this can relate to and fortunately, Marie had some good advice on this: The most common reason for not discarding a book is "I might read it again.

In the end, you are going to read very few of your books again So when deciding which books to keep, forget about whether you think you'll read it again or whether you've mastered what's inside. Instead, take each book in your hand and decide whether it moves you or not. Keep only those books that will make you happy just to see them on your shelves, the ones that you really love. I have many, many books that make me happy, and I will keep those. But when I looked more closely at my shelves, I do have a fair number of books that I can pass on because they have served their purpose.

Which brings me to one of my favorite aspects of Marie's advice, which is that when you get rid of something, you take a moment to appreciate the item and how it served you. Each object has a different role to play. Not all clothes have come to you to be worn threadbare. It is the same with people. Not every person you meet in life will become a close friend or lover.

Some you will find hard to get along with or impossible to like. But these people, too, teach you the precious lesson of who you do like, so that you will appreciate those special people even more. When you come across something that you cannot part with, think carefully about its true purpose in your life. You'll be surprised at how many of the things you possess have already fulfilled their role.

By acknowledging their contribution and letting them go with gratitude, you will be able to truly put the things you own, and your life, in order. In the end, all that will remain are the things that you really treasure. Marie is apparently a very successful and sought-after organizing consultant in Japan, and her book has numerous stories about her clients' efforts to declutter.

Marie says many of her clients have a life-changing experience doing this. For example, after getting rid of all the books that didn't spark joy, one of Marie's clients realized that all of the books she kept were about social work, and that what she truly enjoyed in life was helping others, so she changed her career. Marie said this kind of epiphany often ocrrus because once we clear away the clutter in our lives, we can better see what truly matters to us. The anecdotes and guidelines were helpful, and this was a pleasant read, even though the Japanese-to-English translation was a bit stilted at times.

I doubt I will take every piece of advice Marie gives —- for example, she recommends putting all of your clothes on the floor, and then sorting them — but I appreciated the spirit of it. Now I have to decide whether or not to keep this book: Does it spark joy? View all 28 comments.

Nov 19, Laurie Notaro rated it liked it. I laughed out loud four times reading this book. Otherwise, it's the ravings of a lunatic. Funniest moments include the author bursting into tears when she discovers a smudge of bathroom slime on the bottom of her shampoo bottle and that she believes if you have 80 rolls of toilet paper in your house, you are a hoarder instead of a Coscto member.

This is a woman who has her entire bookshelf in her clothes closet; if I walk into your house and you do not have books laying around that you have I laughed out loud four times reading this book. This is a woman who has her entire bookshelf in her clothes closet; if I walk into your house and you do not have books laying around that you haven't read yet, I simply don't trust you as a human being.

Because you are not. Three stars for unintended humor. View all 17 comments. Advice is a form of nostalgia. Dispensing it is a way of fishing the past from the disposal, wiping it off, painting over the ugly parts and recycling it for more than it's worth.

This was the most stressful book I've ever read. I haven't been thrown into such a fucking frenzy of hatred since The Book Thief , and as with The Book Thief, I'm astounded that audienc " Be careful whose advice you buy but be patient with those who supply it. I haven't been thrown into such a fucking frenzy of hatred since The Book Thief , and as with The Book Thief, I'm astounded that audiences en masse are embracing such codswollop.

I'm baffled as to why this is a bestseller. My best guess is that Marie Kondo targeted the most materialistic generation in the history of humanity, and they've since passed the book on to their equally superficial, spiritually empty, and stuff-obsessed grandchildren, who have made the fucking thing go viral. At this point, we should just accept the fact that when our fellow countrymen gobble up 4 million copies of a book, it's garbage.

Stupid just hit a whole new level. But before I go tearing the book and its semi-literate fans to pieces, let's be fair: I'm not the intended audience. Other than the fact that I'm an unduly harsh critic of everything I read I like to call that using my brain, but whatever , I already live minimally: I live in one of the rainiest cities in the country, but I will never buy an umbrella; except for 4 absolute favorites, all of my books are in the Cloud; knick-knacks make make me want to smack someone, the mismatched mess of an "eclectic" decorating style nauseates me, and I never buy anything unless I need it or love it.

My house is almost always immaculate, and I don't do clutter. Excess "stuff" stresses me out to no end. As I read Kondo's book, I realized that I'm not the typical American drowning in an excess of useless crap. Living in Europe and trading continents 4 times in your 20s can do that to a person. So why wasn't I nodding in agreement with her guide to decluttering? You mean it's not obvious? There's no such thing as the "KonMari method for tidying up.

Saying that you follow the "KonMari method for tidying up" is like saying you follow the "Harpo method for finding your spirit" or the "Martha Stewart Omnimedia method" of crafting Christmas ornaments out of pinecones and pipe cleaners. There is no KonMari method, you idiots.

This isn't some ancient Japanese art of decluttering put forth by one diminutive woman from Tokyo.

Marie Kondo was manufactured by a Japanese publishing outlet , and KonMari isn't a method, it's a media company. I'm not bothered by the woman-as-the-face-of-a-media-company thing. It's been done before. Oprah and Martha Stewart, anyone? What disgusts me about this book is the deception behind it.

I don't dig Oprah, but at least she got people talking about uncomfortable topics like sexual assault and racism, among other things. And at least Martha Stewart was candid about her perfectionism and relentless focus on her business functioning as coping mechanisms during an ugly divorce. This chick is packaging her brand of crazy as the path to joy. I mean, peddling your mental illness as the new normal? If you're an American with an abundance of junk, you're normal.

Marie Kondo wants you to have a problem with your junk so she can make money. Dealing with her issues doesn't make her rich -- selling you her psychosis does. Do you really believe Kondo found joy in decluttering when she says her cleaning obsession started at age 5, and was a "custom [she] maintained even after entering high school," as she "sat on the floor for hours sorting things"? If you're going to ignore the fact that Kondo chose cleaning over normal after-school activities--a job, calling boys, playing sports--it's easy to brush aside her mention of having a teenage breakdown because her room wasn't clean enough.

Um, that's not a happy kid.

Path to joy indeed. But we don't need to psychoanalyze the early years. Kondo admits that her passion for tidying "was motivated by a desire for recognition from [her] parents," and that she "had an unusually strong attachment to things" rather than people. Think about what this chick is saying: By now, the person who wrote it has long forgotten what he or she wrote and even the letter's very existence.

That's a bleak outlook on life. But I guess Kondo is right. My grandma doesn't give a shit about the letters she wrote me--she's dead. Then again, I don't hold on to letters from grandma for her sake. The only thing I hate more than knick-knacks and the eclectic is a living space created with "perfection" in mind. They're goddamned mausoleums void of character and humanity. There's a little genius in a small organized mess. A tad bit of clutter is humanizing.

There can be beauty in a bit of chaos. Hey, Marie, here's an idea: Perfection is a fleeting organic moment: It's not some state you declutter your way into. This is where I usually put steel racks, bookcases, and cupboards or shelves, which can also be used to store books. This is exactly why I found this book so goddamned irritating. Passages like this made my immaculate and clutter-free city apartment feel like it wasn't good enough. I view them as a way of storing junk, and in my something years, I've only seen one bookcase done well.

But I have a bookcase for my 6 year-old. No goddamn way am I going to put his books on the Cloud, giving him another excuse to stare at a screen. I was never bothered by the bookcase until I read Kondo's book, but now I can't wait until we can throw the damn thing away. And moving it out of sight will magically make me hate it less?

This is my son's house, too. Sorry, Marie, I'm not going let your book make me miserable about a kid's bookcase. I'll go back to not noticing it. Never, ever tie up your stockings. Never, ever ball up your socks. Who the fuck cares about how they fold their socks? I'd love to scribble all over Kondo's walls just to see what she'd do.

An organized closet sparking a "thrill of pleasure"? I'd recommend another human being or a battery-powered I had an altogether different experience. When I upgraded to a new apartment a few months ago, I organized my hall closet. Afterwards, I stood there wondering if I'd accomplished anything or just wasted a bunch of time. When my 6 year-old wandered up and, near tears said, "When you clean, we don't get to play," I went ahead and decided on the latter. This is the routine I follow every day when I return home from work.

First, I unlock the door and announce to my house, 'I'm home! I say, 'Thank you very much for you hard work,' and put them away I put my jacket and dress on a hanger, say 'Good job! I put [my handbag] on the top shelf of the closet, saying 'You did well. Have a good rest. She's talking to her stuff. And why are Americans so quick to dismiss Kondo's talking to inanimate objects as some cultural quirk? No one talks to their shit in Japan unless they're certifiably nuts. Anyone who has kids or a general understanding of life knows that this is an impossible task.

I mean, give me a break!