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beneficii
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20 Apr 2018, 5:25 pm

Has anybody here tried to travel the world? If so, how do you deal with things like the constant changes of environment, having to interact with people to find a place to stay, not having a lot of money and so trying to make ends meet? How do you overcome all the stress? Please go into detail.


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MountainTrails
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20 Apr 2018, 6:30 pm

I had a job in the past where I traveled extensively. Like, 1/3 of the year off my home continent, a week here, a week there.

I can't address your questions about finding places to stay, not having much money, or making ends meet. My employer picked up the tab if I had receipts. But the basics of this are:

I ALWAYS had a reservation before I got to my destination.
Most airports have ATMs, which provide much better rates than exchange services. I'd get off the plane, find an ATM, and head off. Once I had local currency and could find/order/eat food, I relaxed a lot.
Put any extra local currency toward your hotel bill as you check out.

For the other stuff, well, I think I traveled better than many, because everywhere is a bit strange, right? I was familiar with being alone and not knowing anyone or even wanting to ask questions but figure it out on my own, etc. I spent all my spare time sightseeing wherever I was, and with the bubble I created with sunglasses and my favorite tunes pumping through my earbuds, I was a fearless explorer. When the stress would build up, I'd go look for "comfort (familiar) things" -- I've had Kentucky Fried Chicken in Yokohama, Subway in Buenos Aires, etc. Sitting somewhere quiet is what I need, but even then I tried to keep it in the spirit of being where I was. I had the kentucky fried salmon at that KFC; I sat in a park in Warsaw one quiet day and listened to Chopin while I looked at the trees.



blazingstar
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29 Apr 2018, 7:22 pm

All my traveling was done before I had any idea about my diagnosis. I was used to being alone and it was actually easier in another culture because then there was a clear reason I was alone.

I always prepared by reading lots about wherever I was going and learning enough of the language to be polite, ask for the bathrooms, etc. I tried to find a purpose to my trip, which could be visiting a friend, doing a canoe trip, learning a language, studying plants, etc. That gives the trip some focus and puts me in touch with more local people. I have stayed in hostels, hotels, beach cabanas, outside in a farmer's field, and so on. Most people are very friendly and kind especially if you can make an attempt to speak their language first.


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kraftiekortie
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30 Apr 2018, 10:57 am

Any time you really have to "go," and the words escape you, just say "WC." They'll know what you're talking about.



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04 May 2018, 1:55 am

Ho, ho, I know a lot of people who certainly wouldn't know what you're talking about. I'd probably take a while to figure it out myself; probably far longer than the asker could be bothered to wait.


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elsapelsa
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04 May 2018, 3:43 am

MountainTrails wrote:
For the other stuff, well, I think I traveled better than many, because everywhere is a bit strange, right? I was familiar with being alone and not knowing anyone or even wanting to ask questions but figure it out on my own, etc. I spent all my spare time sightseeing wherever I was, and with the bubble I created with sunglasses and my favorite tunes pumping through my earbuds, I was a fearless explorer. When the stress would build up, I'd go look for "comfort (familiar) things" -- I've had Kentucky Fried Chicken in Yokohama, Subway in Buenos Aires, etc. Sitting somewhere quiet is what I need, but even then I tried to keep it in the spirit of being where I was. I had the kentucky fried salmon at that KFC; I sat in a park in Warsaw one quiet day and listened to Chopin while I looked at the trees.


That sounds blissful. I was also a fearless explorer and found not being desperate to fill times of solitude with people to be one of my strengths as a traveller.

I always did research on culture and etiquette and stuck to it. Travelling as a young female I always covered up (arms, legs, in some countries even hair). This paid off big time. I can't count the amount of times men and females approached me, helped me out in tricky situations and told me they had helped me as they felt I was respectful to their culture.

When I backpacked I didn't book things in advance. I had extremely few possessions with me. Basically one or two changes of clothes and some books and toiletries for the best part of a year. This was before mobile phones so basically once every two weeks or so I would shoot my family an email from an email cafe saying I was ok.

I travelled on a minimal budget. I had a set amount of money I allowed myself every day and ate quite basic cheap food. I didn't drink apart from on one or two occasions. Both for the expense but also as I didn't want to make myself vulnerable when I was far from my own culture and customs. I carried the vast majority of my cash strapped around my body underneath my clothes. This was as many of the countries I travelled to didn't have ATM machines. I am sure it must be easier now to access money and pay by card. But I still think it is a good idea to only have very minimal money in your wallet as if you flash lots of cash when you take your money out to pay for a drink or a banana that is not great!

In many countries I visited there was little or no verbal interaction. I would point at phrases from a book or try expressing things in the language where I was. That was enough for basic things, like ordering food or buying a ticket somewhere. In other places where there were more tourist beaten tracks and more tourist English spoken I still stayed off the beaten track. I found I quite liked to settle down places and stay there for a while and return to places again and again during my travels so once I got into the swing of things it was fairly easy.

In most countries now there are tourist hot-spots, like certain roads with backpacker hotels and cafes where everything is in English and where you can meet other travellers.

If you have any specific questions, please feel free to ask. And good luck.


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starcats
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06 May 2018, 7:25 am

If you can figure out the logistics ahead of time so you don't have to stress on details, traveling to other countries is really nice. People see you as different because of your culture, not because of AS, and they will take the time to know and understand you for who you are.

That being said, I really dislike group tourist vacations. They will take care of details for you, but then you are surrounded by other tourists, doing drive-bys of tourist sites, and miss out on the authentic experience of connecting with people and culture from that place.

My best traveling experiences have been educational, work exchange programs, or retreats for workshops where the workshops are geared to locals. That way I am in the new place, have a purpose for interacting with new people, not with an annoying group of tourists just looking for a fb selfie. Most of the locations I go to are not the mainstream tourist hubs, like not right on the beach, but if you find your own time for that.

For example, I have zero interest in going on a safari in Kenya. Fake, rushed, targeted as a tourist, not connecting with any part of Kenyan culture. I would absolutely love to assist with a Kenyan based research study of something so that I am there and having the authentic experience of the people, animals, and, and culture.



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06 May 2018, 9:12 am

starcats,

I agree with you about any kind of "tourist trap" tour, whether it's an African safari (no interest) or one of those hokey "If It's Tuesday, It Must Be Belgium" type European tours. Being subjected to a crush of people is not my cup of tea.



Redxk
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08 May 2018, 7:45 pm

I can't stand the sound of a coffee grinder or vacuum cleaner, but I found I liked the sounds and even the smells of big foreign cities. I got an unlimited rail pass, so if I didn't like the vibe or atmosphere of a place, I just got back on the train and stopped somewhere else.



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09 May 2018, 1:35 am

I have travelled extensively. Preparation is the key, planning everything before you leave. This is far more possible now, with the internet, than when I first spread my wings in around the world travel many decades back.

If you are getting connecting flights between countries, always check what the local time will be in each country before you leave and check that they will allow you enough time to make transfer possible. Travel agents can miss this step and you then can miss connecting flights.

Plan for things going wrong, like knowing what to do if your passport is stolen, how to contact your embassy in each country, and keep this information with you, not just in your cargo luggage. On the inside of your cargo luggage, sticky tape your name and your itinerary date/flight numbers. This may help return of your luggage if it goes astray.

Many websites have specialised information for travellers entering a country for the first time, and your local library is likely to have travel books which offer good advice.

Make sure you are adequately insured. Don't leave home without completing this vital step.

Finally, take a cheap plastic doorstop wedge that you can put under hotel doors. This stops staff intruding when you don't want to be disturbed, and also keeps other kinds of possible intruders out.



Fireblossom
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14 May 2018, 4:08 am

What counts as traveling the world? Does having a few trips count or does one have to hop from country to country for a while to make it count?

Personally I've been abroad five times in four different countries but, well... I never went alone or was the one who did the arrangements, so I can't really call myself much of a traveler. I always check up places I want to go to and such, but in the end the one who makes all the decisions of when to go and how is never me. I've tried to get a word in of course, but usually with not so good results. But when I have the time and money to travel abroad on my own, I will do my best to be able to do so. I'm already getting some practice with cheap weekend trips here in my home country... not just for the sake of going on a trip of course, but to see stuff.



bichonwalker
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11 Jun 2018, 1:49 pm

This is a good question and I'm curious about other Aspies on the go. I started teaching online about two months ago. Teaching would normally be exhausting as I view it as a highly social activity, BUT I don't teach too much. I teach 3-4 short courses a day with small groups. I'm heavily focused on the task and often turn the class into one game after the next with clear rules or repeated chanting of phrases. I also like the repetition in teaching the same trial lessons which eases a lot of anxiety.

Re: travel, I'm currently in Bangkok, Thailand. I stay in Oldtown which is a traditional business district bordering Chinatown. It's very quiet by 7 pm. In terms of SE and East Asia, I feel very comfortable in most of the places I've visited over the past ten years--possibly because I started studying Japanese when I was 12 and studied abroad and lived there so culture shock is reduced. Anyhow, in this area of Bangkok, there's not a lot of bars around-- so I think extroverted types head to other areas like Khaosan or some of the bar districts. I've been staying in private rooms (hostel and hotel). And cheap (new) dorm rooms with curtains on the bed for privacy. Some of the new hostels in Bangkok have not been fully advertised online--so I purchase evenings just from walking by and checking out how "calm" the place is. I've found that hostels with cafes and quiet café-goers is a good indication or my ideal place. I avoid hostels with bars. Previously I was in Changsha, China, and next I'm heading up north to the small city of Chiang Rai. The fact that I'm not judged on American or Western standards has been a huge weight lifted off my shoulders--I'm just seen as a foreigner or tourist and I enjoy this identity.

Although I enjoy being on the go which may bring some surprises, there's a lot of routine in my daily life. First, I'm not going from one destination to the next daily. I move slowly. I'm spending two weeks to one month in a city for example--I figure I'll just stay abroad for a decade or so, so no rush. Also, the biggest ritual I have is walking. This allows me to check out the sights and generally people-watch while still being in constant routine.

Here's some of the routines I've been following regardless of city:
-take hot shower
-Americano or espresso in morning
-bullet journal tasks while drinking espresso
-plan walk; screenshot of google map route for personal memo
-take walk to park, riverside, garden or something resembling nature (according to previously decided plan)
-3 pm: prepare for classes
-5 pm: teach 3 classes - 4 classes till 8:10 pm
-catch up on emails, forums, a couple of youtube videos
-Mandarin practice: watch Chinese dramas or movies for about half hour with Chinese subtitles--jot down new hanzi (Chinese characters)

A couple of other factors have helped my mindset with this lifestyle. I don't feel compelled to engage. Basically, I talk when I want to talk-- this was quite different then my routine back in the US-- I do feel obligated for putting in social efforts toward family and friends (and it's exhausting.) I'm quite reserved and since I'm walking a lot, I don't tend to stop and chitchat. Because I don't speak Thai, and I only speak a bit of Mandarin, ... I find my language ignorance is bliss. People assume I don't speak the language so I'm never worried about getting bogged down into heavy conversation or making small talk. I tend to stay in non-touristy areas so I actually haven't met too many native English speakers. The few I have met were similarly reserved and probably also looking for a calmer experience and kept to themselves. Another thing that helps is the level of standardization via internet and technology-- for instance I pretty much book accommodations through one of three sites: Airbnb, Orbitz, and Agoda. There's satisfaction in being able to read hundreds of reviews before booking a place. Also, there's the familiarity of pretty much every major city having cafes with wifi, hostels with some English speaking staff or use of Google translate, and mapped subway or train systems.



slave
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11 Jul 2018, 10:39 pm

Gr8 thread!

Those of you who have traveled extensively, do you have Sens.Proc. Dis. (SPD)?

I find that many ppl with ASD can travel ok, but the ones with SPD have a much more difficult time coping.



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12 Jul 2018, 5:22 am

MountainTrails wrote:
I had a job in the past where I traveled extensively. Like, 1/3 of the year off my home continent, a week here, a week there.

I can't address your questions about finding places to stay, not having much money, or making ends meet. My employer picked up the tab if I had receipts. But the basics of this are:

I ALWAYS had a reservation before I got to my destination.
Most airports have ATMs, which provide much better rates than exchange services. I'd get off the plane, find an ATM, and head off. Once I had local currency and could find/order/eat food, I relaxed a lot.
Put any extra local currency toward your hotel bill as you check out.

For the other stuff, well, I think I traveled better than many, because everywhere is a bit strange, right? I was familiar with being alone and not knowing anyone or even wanting to ask questions but figure it out on my own, etc. I spent all my spare time sightseeing wherever I was, and with the bubble I created with sunglasses and my favorite tunes pumping through my earbuds, I was a fearless explorer. When the stress would build up, I'd go look for "comfort (familiar) things" -- I've had Kentucky Fried Chicken in Yokohama, Subway in Buenos Aires, etc. Sitting somewhere quiet is what I need, but even then I tried to keep it in the spirit of being where I was. I had the kentucky fried salmon at that KFC; I sat in a park in Warsaw one quiet day and listened to Chopin while I looked at the trees.


Get a travel card and pay as you would at home.



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30 Jul 2018, 10:10 pm

Travelling makes me nervous

Maybe I could travel the old fashioned way. Take the grand tour from London to Rome.

Do they still run the Orient Express from Paris to Istanbul? Sleeping in the same room every night would make me feel more secure. I would love viewing the European countryside from a cabin on a train.

My girlfriend wants to tour China (and part of Syberia) with me. I'm a little bit nervous to go to China. To me it's an alien culture with an alien language. Maybe I can persuade her to tour Europe with me some time later.


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