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Live The Backpacker Life Contest Entry #2 – Snake Temple In Penang, Malaysia

by Anil Polat | Oct 14, 2010 | Contests, Pictures and Video | 7

This video is the second entry (here’s the first) for the Live The Backpacker Life Contest, one of several contests I run throughout the year. The winner will get a free week of travel to anywhere in the world, including round-trip fare and hostel accommodations. For more travel videos check out my YouTube page and consider subscribing for email updates, RSS feed, or following me on Twitter.

Contest Video And Post By Barbara Weibel

The Snake Temple, located on the southern part of Penang Island in Malaysia, is reputed to be the only one of its kind in the world. It was constructed in 1850 by a Chinese monk who named it Ban Kah Lan, which means Temple of the Azure Clouds in his native dialect of Hokkien, a reference to Penang’s beautiful blue skies. However, the name was quickly abandoned when snakes began arriving by the hundreds from the surrounding untouched jungle, making the temple their home by day and leaving each night to hunt.

Rather than take steps to rid the temple of snakes, the monk welcomed their presence and became their protector, which is even more astounding when considering that most of the snakes were poisonous Wagler’s Pit Vipers, also called the Temple Pit Vipers. Since they are fond of inhabiting coconut trees, the temple constructed mock mini-trees from barren branches that are intertwined in tall ceramic vases that are then set on the altars. It is here that most of the vipers hang out, sluggishly curled around the nude branches, displaying a range of colors and patterns ranging from the light green of juveniles to the darker green with thick yellow bands displayed by adults.

The poison is apparently not life threatening, although a bite can be very painful and cause much swelling. But devotees generally believe that the smoke from burning incense has rendered the snakes harmless, and indeed, they are usually sluggish and seldom bite. Still, signs throughout the temple warn visitors not to touch the snakes or try to pick them up.

Today the pristine jungles of the early years are gone. Factories now surround the Snake Temple, resulting in a loss of habitat and a reduction in the number of snakes that arrive each day. Even so, on any given day visitors can stand inches from dozens of these fearsome reptiles with no barriers to mar the experience. The Snake Temple is open from 6 a.m. to 7p.m. and there is no admission fee, although as with all temples, donations are welcome.

Though many visitors fork out good money to take a taxi to the temple or hire a guide for the day, I took a local bus from Komtar, which is easily found in Penang as it is marked by the tallest building on the island. At Komtar I boarded the #401 bus and made the trip in about 25 minutes for a fare of $2.70 Malaysian Ringit (about 80 cents USD).

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Live The Backpacker Life Contest Entry #1 – Mr. Satoshi’s Tour Of Tokyo, Japan

by Anil Polat | Oct 12, 2010 | Contests, Pictures and Video | 4

This video is the first entry for the Live The Backpacker Life Contest, one of several contests I run throughout the year. The winner will get a free week of travel to anywhere in the world, including round-trip fare and hostel accommodations. For more travel videos check out my YouTube page and consider subscribing for email updates, RSS feed, or following me on Twitter.

Contest Video And Post By Dave Brett

This was my first day in Tokyo and I had my own guide. Mr. Satoshi is an old friend of mine. He had the whole day planned, a full day. I love full days! That means that I will be nice and tired when the day is finally over and makes great stories for later. After breakfast he took me to a fish market. Personally I’m not the biggest fish fan. I like salmon and I can eat other fish but still not what I would choose for dinner. On the other hand I love sea food, like crab, squid and that was something there was a lot of in the market. I know, a fish marked doesn’t sound like the most exiting thing to do. But it helped to have the most awesome little Japanese guy taking us around. One thing that really amazed me was the smell. A fish marked should smell like fish, right, but this place didn’t smell at all! It was fresh clean air everywhere.

It was all really nice but the biggest surprise came back at the meeting room, when we went for a toilet break. The toilet seats was warm. Not cold and hard like back home, but warm and nice to sit down on. Why don´t we do this here too! It’s genius! Well after the fish market we tried out some nice fresh sushi, yum yum, and after that we went to all kids’ paradise – The Pokemon store. My childhood dream. Who don’t like Pokemon? So I had to make up time to visit the biggest store during my first time in Japan! And it was awesome! Filled with every Pokemon in the book. Also filled with kids, but ain’t we all kids deep inside?

When you are in Tokyo you must visit a park. They are beautiful peaceful places all over the city. Nice to relax in after a day of walking. Its something real Japanese and so is shrines. You can’t walk anywhere without seeing a shrine and one of the most amazing and beautiful once was just around the corner from our hostel. Luck or what!

We finished it all with a nice dinner at a local pub. The local once is always the best!

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How To Get Keys To Couchsurfers, Friends, And Visitors When Traveling

by Anil Polat | Oct 8, 2010 | Lodging, Security | 14

There are a host of services in place for travelers to move large things like suitcases, musical instruments, and even dogs and cats around the world; but getting little things from one place to another when you’re on the go can be a cumbersome mess. As many couchsurfers have come to realize, even a simple key swap can be a tough game of timing and coordination that doesn’t always fall into place.

handing over keys

Swapping Keys The Old-Fashioned Way

Couchsurfing, the free accommodation swapping network, is a simple concept – yet can leave many members wondering how to swap keys when the host is traveling. Simple tried-and-true methods work best in these situations as the small size and flat profile of a house key make them easy to hide just about anywhere.

Under The Doormat – This is probably the most common method of leaving keys for people when you’re not around but as Alex mentions, using a bit of tape to secure the key is an effective improvement.
Key Camouflage – You can take your key hiding to the next level by disguising them as rocks, thermometers, or sprinklers.
Leave Them At The Front Desk – Usually only an option for apartments and condos but if you’ve got a front desk or building security you can trust, John suggests leaving keys with them.

Wall Mounted Key Safes

Key safes are small lock boxes that mount to the exterior wall of your home and a common form of key exchange at holiday cottages and cabins (thanks Dee and Heather for the tip). A basic one like this Master Lock model runs around $20 making it an inexpensive way of leaving keys for visiting family, friends, and home swappers when you’re not around.

If you go this route however, be absolutely sure you purchase a key safe that lets you chance the combination after each visitor. It’s good a good habit to get into to secure your home and lock down your laptop as well.

Real Estate Locks – Common on for-sale homes throughout the US, these locks get the job done at the same price as wall-mounted key safes but may give off the impression that you home is always vacant to unscrupulous folks.
Combination Door Locks – With both the option of a physical lock as well as a numerical password you can let couchsurfers and other visitors in by giving them the key code, skipping the physical key all together. Many of these combination door locks (which cost around $75) also let you program specific times outside of which even a valid combination won’t work.
SmartKeys – Most lock manufacturers like Kwikset make deadbolts that can be easily re-keyed at home with inexpensive kits. A bit more involved than the other options, it lets you create a new set of physical keys for each visitor.

You might be thinking wall-mounted key safes are easy targets for potential thieves and buglers but anyone who’s willing to tear a piece of your wall off to deal with a key locked in steel is probably more likely to smash in a window instead.

Key Shipping And Pickup

Keys are small enough to fit into envelopes but if you do mail them locally it might be a good idea not to include a return address (or at least a real one); lest someone along the line of communication decides to pay an unexpected visit.

Use Free Priority Mail – Shipping keys using priority or express mail typically isn’t expensive, but according to Get Rich Slowly, the USPS will send free Priority Mail boxes to your home, saving you even further.
UPS Or FedEx Pickup – Understandably you might not want to ship house keys half way around the world for every visitor. Rather send or keep them at your local UPS or FedEx store, most let you specify packages must be picked up there.
Take Packages With Your iPhone And Online – Of course if you ever send your keys through any mail service, it’s a good idea to confirm they got to the person you sent them to. Since you might be traveling, consider tracking your packages for free with the iPhone version of Packagetrackr.
Airport Lockers – This method might involve a bit more work for you but if you’ve got a flight scheduled, an airport (train, or bus station) locker makes a great place to drop off a set of keys for arriving guests as Chris suggests.

Poste Restante

One of the easiest to use and most internationally available methods of package pickup and delivery is called “poste restante” or aka. general delivery. As Upgrade: Travel Better describes it,

Poste restante is an old fashioned mail-pickup service that most countries’ postal services still provide. Mail is addressed to a person, but in lieu of an address for delivery, the mail is sent to a post office branch, where you pick it up. You’ll usually address mail to Name, Poste Restante, the specific name of the post office (usually the main, central office), that branch’s street location, city, postal code, and country.

A simple Google search of “poste restante [country name]” should turn up the information you need. Once it’s set up, you send the keys to a local office and let your couchsurfers know to pick them up there while you’re out shopping or getting a tan in Panama.

Secure Your Preferred Methods

It may initially take some trial and error to figure out the best key swapping method for you but once you get it consistency keeps things simple. Finally, if you’re not home for part of your couchsurfer’s stay be sure and keep your home safe while traveling and implement a personal security plan for you and your house.

[photos by: novelgazer (handing over keys), cheerfulstoic (combination door lock), cindy47452 (Tunnelton post office), elephantkitty (poste restante)]

7 Plane Crash Facts That Could Save Your Life

by Anil Polat | Oct 7, 2010 | Air | 57

Many people have at least a slight apprehension about flying, looking at each takeoff as a crap shoot in the game of life. Although it seems like pure luck as to who survives and who doesn’t, there is a substantial base of information on plane crashes that shows otherwise. Knowing these 7 things could save your life should you be one of the unfortunate 1 in 10.64 million people to experience an airplane crash.

1. Most People Survive Plane Crashes

Don’t board a plane or neglect this advice thinking that a plane crash is a death sentence, when more than 76.6% of all persons involved in crashes survive. According to the Survivor’s Guide by Ben Sherman the key differences in those who make it and don’t are preparation and mindset.

Survivors Club

2. Plus Three, Minus Eight

According to David Palmerton, a US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) expert on plane crashes, these are the crucial 11 minutes when you need to be alert on an airplane. The three minutes during takeoff and final 8 minutes before landing are when 80% of plane crashes occur, usually due to wet weather. Stay sober, hold off on your nap, and don’t bury your face in a book and follow the plus three, minus eight rule.

3. Be Ready To Part With Your Carry On

Most people who survive the initial impact of a plane crash, yet still lose their lives, do so because they try to take their carry-on luggage with them. Anything that’s really important to you sentimentally or otherwise should be in your pockets – remember your life is more important than your iPod.

4. You’ve Got 90 Seconds To Get Out

In about the time it would take you to scan 3 posts on my blog page, an airplane cabin can reach temperatures that will melt human skin. That’s all the time you’ve got to get off a burning craft and one of the reasons to follow the 5 row rule and know where your aircraft’s emergency exits are.

5. Have A Plan Of Action

The Survivor’s Guide: The Secrets And Science That Could Save Your Life has an excellent exit strategy to follow should you need one. The key however, is to have one, as people tend to do very strange things when faced with incredibly stressful situations they’re not prepared for. Things like leaving their infants behind or sitting in shock in their seats as the plane around them burns to the ground. Ben Sherman calls this “active passiveness”, a phenomenon present in all major disasters like earthquakes, terror attacks, and plane crashes.

6. Skip Stockings, Heels, And Extra Meals

Fabric like nylon has a low melting point, easily cooking its way into your skin in the event of a fire after a crash; and high heels aren’t good for running (let alone walking). Also, yet another reason to keep up with your hotel room workouts and stay trim, is to consider the people who typically survive plane crashes – according to plane crash statistics, slender males fared best. Smaller people fit through more places and an extra step or two could save your life.

7. Keep Your Seat Belt On And Brace Yourself

Somewhere along the line seat belts stopped being cool – that is until you’re hurdled into the seat in front of you with the force of several thousand kilos. Keeping your seat belt on and tightly fastened can not only save your life but also protect you from injury in rough turbulence. Make sure you read the safety pamphlet on the plane and wear the seat belt tightly fastened. While you’re at it, learn the proper brace position, it will greatly reduce your chance of head trauma.

The Odds Are In Your Favor

Human beings are terrible at assessing risk based on probabilities (our memories fuel our fears) but you can still relieve your flying anxiety without relying on the statistics. While luck and some random chance does factor in on your survival, remember that a few seconds of preparation before each flight can help you in the unlikely event of an unorthodox landing.

[photos by: Stuck In Customs (American Airlines plane), Dennis.Vu (elevens on clock), renedepaula (carry on luggage), Dyntr (90), arunjrk (airplane safety message), Martin Neuhof (high heels), Sean Munson (keep seat belt fastened)]

How To Get To North Cyprus From Turkey And Abroad

by Anil Polat | Oct 5, 2010 | Air, Lodging, Travel | 21

The Turkish Republic Of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) is a de facto state which occupies the northern part of the island of Cyprus. Since the TRNC is only officially recognized by it’s neighbor to the north, Turkey, getting there from just about anywhere else is cumbersome to say the least. Learning all of the ways to get there is where most of the work lies but once that’s out of the way adding North Cyprus to your Turkish travel plans opens up a beautiful and rather inexpensive Mediterranean paradise for you.

tasucu turkey

North Cyprus Tourist Visa Information

Keep in mind that the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus is not the same thing as “Cyprus”. In all official documents, websites, and travel guides, Cyprus refers to the southern part of the island and the north without recognizing the independent TRNC. The TRNC has different travel visa requirements than Cyprus, which is a member of the European Union (EU).

US, EU, Turkish, Norwegian, Canadian, Israeli, Japanese, Australian, New Zealand, and citizens of several Central American countries can enter the TRNC without a visa. Visas are given upon arrival and allow stays up to 90 days, although the requirements vary. For those of you interested in business, you can learn how to set up a company here.

In general getting a tourist visa to visit the TRNC for citizens of most countries won’t be much of an issue, although if you have specific questions you can contact one of these TRNC embassies. Your local Turkish embassy will also likely be able to help (use Embassy World to find the nearest one).

Arriving By Air

You’ll be able to find flights from many European cities and internationally by searching for tickets to Ercan Airport (code: ECN). The planes will touch down in Turkey first before taking off again for the TRNC. Flights may be hard to come by and often expensive, so a cheap flight option is to book the Turkey-to-North Cyprus leg separately from any other flights.

Most major Turkish airports will have offices for Turkish Airlines, Cyprus Turkish Airlines, Atlasjet, and Pegasus, all of which fly to the TRNC.

Tickets are relatively inexpensive, especially if you visit outside of the busier summer months and can often be found for less then $100 round-trip. Find your tickets to Turkey, and then, like you would any multi-city flight using Kayak Explore, book something from Istanbul, Ankara, Izmir, or Antalya to Girne (Greek: Kyrenia) or Lefkosa (Nicosia) in the TRNC.

Ferries To Northern Cyprus

There are two regular ferries that go back and forth from Alanya and Tasucu, Turkey to Girne on the northern coast of the TRNC. Alanya is a longer ride and only an option during the summer months so it’s an easier process to make your plans from Tasucu. The ferries to the TRNC leave at 11:30 am every morning (although tend to be late departing). To get to the TRNC from Tasucu:

By bus, book passage to the larger city of Mersin. (Varan, Ulusoy, Kamil Koc, or Metro are all good choices.)
Once you arrive at the Mersin bus station, take a smaller local shuttle to the town of Silifke. (They will be easy to find and cost about 20TL.)
From Silifke, hop on any of the local “dolmus” buses to Tasucu (approximately 1.5 TL).
Hopefully you’ve gotten there at or before 10:30am.
There are two offices selling tickets to the TRNC, the primary one being Akfer. One way tickets are approximately 70TL and round-trip tickets 114TL.
You will be given two pieces of paper, one which has your boarding pass and the other with your visa stamp. Remember to keep your visa form for your return trip – don’t throw it away!
Begin boarding the ferry around 11:15 am and sit wherever there is room, there is no assigned seating.
The trip to Girne from Tasucu takes a little under 2 hours.
On The Return: You will need to have your ferry ticket validated by the office directly to the left of the Girne harbor where the ferry departs from. Not doing so will mean waiting in the security line twice!

You will go through security both before boarding the ferry and upon arrival in Girne. Alcohol and cigarettes are very cheap in the TRNC and you’re limited to taking 10 bottles of liqueur and 10 boxes of cigarettes out. The Turkish side will check for this so be aware of the limitations, and don’t take any alcohol or cigarettes across the border to Cyprus – the Greek side will confiscate it.

There are also once a week ferries from Famagusta on the eastern coast of the TRNC, to Latakia, Syria. The ferries depart on Wednesdays and run about 100TL round-trip. Some cruise boats from Italy and several other destinations occasionally dock in North Cyprus as well.

girne harbor

Crossing The Green Line From The South To The North

The United Nations (UN) Buffer Zone separates Cyprus into its de facto two halves. There are several major crossing points with the most popular being in Nicosia/Lefkosa. You’ll need to show a valid passport to enter the TRNC from the south, although it will not be stamped. (The stamp is added to a separate piece of paper you should carry with you until departing the TRNC.) It’s worth mentioning that it would be extremely foolish to try and cross the Green Line from anywhere other than the official crossing points.

Why Visit The Turkish Republic Of Northern Cyprus?

The TRNC is a lovely and cheap section of Mediterranean coast and much less expensive than its Euro-based Greek counterpart to the south. North Cyprus is also one of 7 up and coming best places to travel on a weak dollar, not as frequently traveled, and where you can explore the unique Turkish Cypriot cuisine. Finally, you can easily add the TRNC to your travel plans in Turkey, especially if you make your way south after turning Ankara into a tourist town.

How Do You Swap House Keys When Traveling?

by Anil Polat | Oct 1, 2010 | Lodging, Travel Unravel | 14

house keys Frequent travelers, Couchsurfing members, and those expecting visitors from the airport often need to exchange physical keys for homes and apartments – which can be both cumbersome and awkward when schedules don’t align. Reader and house-swapping traveler Renato has been struggling with this recently and asked me,

What are some good ways to exchange physical keys when you can’t be there in person to do it yourself?

As Renato illustrates,

Just in the last 4 weeks I have been struggling with it 3 times around Europe: sometimes you swap places with someone (great way to travel), other times you invite a friend to stay but you are not at the airport when they arrive, or a Couchsurfer sleeps a few extra hours when you are already out.

I [recently] left a set of keys for a friend in a locker (with a code) in Munich’s train station (a huge box for a single key!) – am looking forward to receiving an envelope from California – and I found a coffee paid at the local bar in Milan (with a set of keys instead of the sugar).

Does any traveler know a better and safer way to sort it out?

It’s been a while since I did a travel unravel but have no doubt in your ability to leave extremely helpful comments. I’m sure many of you know of some good tactics, websites, and traveler services to take care of just this kind of scenario with cost and security in mind. I’ll be expanding upon this topic next week but wanted to get your experiences and advice first so I can be sure to include your best ideas as well.

[photo by: Merida Hideaway (house keys)]

About Anil Polat

Hi, I'm Anil. foXnoMad is where I combine travel and tech to help you travel smarter. I'm on a journey to every country in the world and you're invited to join the adventure! Read More