(Kingston, Ontario, Canada)

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Only a few days until departure!  In the meantime, Ian B. has posted some interesting questions on my “About Me” page….and here are my responses.

• Do you think you will be staying in more hotels or hostels?

I hope to stay mostly in locally-owned accommodations that have some character.  This translates to a lot of simple hotels, B&Bs and “pensions”.  Hostels are always an option, especially in remote areas, although I’m not keen on large dormitories.

• Once you are in a country, how do you like to travel around most? Trains? Buses? Walking? Hitch-hiking and depending on the kindness of strangers?

For travel between places, I prefer trains because it is a lot easier to walk around during long trips (and to keep track of luggage). However, for short distances, I like to walk as much as possible.  You see so much more of your surroundings when you walk.

• Do you stick closely to your itinerary or give yourself leeway to get taken off course as you are exploring?

There are certain “can’t miss” sights and experiences that I want to make sure I see .   However, I try to stay in most places long enough to have some free time to explore and see what happens.  The weather often plays a role in this, but I also make decisions based on what I think has been missing from the trip so far.  This leads to your next question…

• What do you think you will visit more: cathedrals or soccer stadia? 

It will probably be about equal in the end!   I think the key is to have balance.  Too much of a good thing can lessen the magic.

I will say that going to a soccer game is a great way to truly experience a local culture (and be entertained at the same time).  I’ll try to see as many games as I can, although most teams play only once a week and it can be hard to coordinate that with my travel schedule.

• Do you like to try out new tastes in each stop or hunt down familiar flavours?

I definitely prefer to try out new tastes that are specific to the region I’m in.  However, there are certain limits:  mayonnaise and tripe (together or alone), for example, are out of the question.

• When you need to ask a local a question, are you the kind of traveller who would rather risk offence by asking (perhaps poorly) in the country’s native language or risk offence by asking in a lingua franca? (English, French etc.)

If the local language is French or German, I will try my best to ask in that language.  If it is another language,  I will learn about 10 key phrases in that language before I arrive…including “Do you speak English?”  I think it’s important to at least try to speak the local language, however poorly, when you first approach someone in another country.

• Do you think you will go into a McDonald’s just once to try one of the unusual items they have on the menu in other countries?

It is a possibility, although it’s more likely that I would go to a restaurant chain that we don’t have in Canada.   Going to a local chain might also prove to be helpful later in that trip!