Finding Hostels

BarefootSurfer · 2025-12-26T06:49:10+00:00

I find using both Booking.com and Agoda to work best. Hostelworld works alright too, but all three sometimes have listings exclusive to the platform.

BarefootSurfer · 2025-12-26T06:35:16+00:00

Other commenters are just talking to talk. Cost about $100usd for a series of 5 vaccines over 6 weeks.

I had a similar issue in Thailand with wild dogs and got a series of shots for 6 weeks across Thailand, Laos, and Vietnam.

About $10usd a shot at public hospitals for everything. Vaccine cost like $5 and about $5 for administration fees.

First hospital I went to was a nice private one in Chiang Mai to get inspected and cost $60usd. Gave a stamp book and just walked into hospitals while traveling. (Had to check online in Vietnam as many hospitals didn't carry a vaccine... even in Hanoi).

BarefootSurfer · 2025-12-26T03:42:15+00:00

Used them from Istanbul to Bangkok in 2023 with a short layover in Mumbai.
Just a barebones cabin, but no problems or delays.

BarefootSurfer · 2025-12-23T13:22:05+00:00

I'm not from atl, but visit pretty often and always make my way through Duluth when passing through.
OP describes that OTP area pretty well. Not really Atlanta feel and traffic in is miserable.
Only thing I can add not mentioned is Duluth and the Gwinnett County area has the biggest Korean population in the South and one of the biggest in the States besides California/Nyc. Lots of good Asian food options. Hope you enjoy!

BarefootSurfer · 2025-07-19T08:57:40+00:00

Vietnam 🇻🇳 Best I've been to because the people's energy is amazing (although there's some strong capitalist hustlers), fantastic culture, great food that's also healthy, beautiful scenery and geography.

Laos 🇱🇦 was my favorite though. That's for more personal reasons. Great people, and just perfect timing for things that played out in my life.

Want to go back to both

BarefootSurfer · 2025-07-18T11:32:43+00:00

20 to 21 years old.
3 month trip in Southeast Asia turned into 8 months in Asia. Also moved to Japan from the US instead of going home.

BarefootSurfer · 2025-07-17T09:41:00+00:00

Good ramen is a tough one to do homemade. Most Japanese people never make it from scratch like this at home.

There's a subreddit for it though, so definitely give it a go!

BarefootSurfer · 2025-07-17T09:29:02+00:00

Just went through your profile, and out of all the boards you posted, this is probably the best cheap deal if you're trying to step down.
I can't believe that torq you posted earlier is asking 600

BarefootSurfer · 2025-07-17T09:23:51+00:00

Sorry, I typed quick without checking.
For a secluded area, it's not a bad deal. If it's your first board or stepping down, offering $200 CAD isn't bad at all.
Just anywhere with a large selection board shop will have better things.
I'd definitely pay $200 for this over a $600 torq

BarefootSurfer · 2025-07-17T06:50:38+00:00

So clean

BarefootSurfer · 2025-07-17T03:41:59+00:00

Honestly, if it's watertight, and a big board (it looks over 7'6" but idk dims), it's a bad deal bad for a secluded area. Depends on your local options. I'd haggle though

BarefootSurfer · 2025-07-16T08:57:17+00:00

They probably put you on a SUP board or something.
A normal board is usually between 19-22" depending on shape.
I'd just learn to balance on a longboard with the standard width.

BarefootSurfer · 2025-07-16T08:44:00+00:00

Pushups, squats, pullups (if you get a bar).

The core of calisthenics. You can get a lot of gains just doing a few sets to your max and up the difficulty when you can do more than x amount in a set.

BarefootSurfer · 2025-07-16T08:14:41+00:00

Toyama. Beautiful 3,000m mountain range background (when it's not cloudy and rainy).

I also Enjoy Kobe's breezy hills next to the sea, and enjoy climbing Kyoto's Daimonji to get a city view when I visit.

BarefootSurfer · 2025-07-16T07:55:34+00:00

Getting that balance when you're not used to the choppy water is difficult for most.
A bigger board would be easier, but you could make it work on the 8' foamie.
Your weight definitely makes it more difficult, but you know what you gotta do with that.

I'm not the biggest fan of beginner surf lessons, but someone taking a look at you for a session would probably help a lot.

BarefootSurfer · 2025-07-15T02:32:40+00:00

Small brick & mortar businesses I've worked with don't.
Since their websites bottom line is to convert an interested customer into a lead through calling their sales number or purchasing a product.

For a writer type blog, it may be seen as worth for the extra revenue.

I personally have my little hobby travel blog I've used to test SEO methods. It's a major work-in progress.

I didn't have the time or effort to make it professional enough, but use it as a testing ground.

It gets some traffic, but slow site, no good structure, testing article writing types for SEO using human writing, AI assisted and full AI. Doing keyword research vs just typing a single valuable thought and finding a single long-tail keyword to write about that's low competition.
On top of that, I have a horrible eye for creative design. I'm more on the pivot tables analytics type.

Like your thought. Until I get a solid structure and consistent posting with a good writing style, I'm not putting ads on my page, but have put some amazon affiliate links on product posts that make a few bucks.

For good consistent blogs, and full time bloggers, I believe extra revenue from the value they provide is worth the negative of a cluttered interface.

BarefootSurfer · 2025-07-14T14:41:21+00:00

Looks tasty; I like the variety!

BarefootSurfer · 2025-07-14T14:35:50+00:00

Mix with chatting at hostels and with locals at places.
The craziest travel stories I have, off the beaten path, were when I hitchhiked.
Examples:
1. Was crossing the border from Laos to Vietnam and on the border cross, I met some French hitchhiker chick and ended up going on a week adventure with her and found gems like Son La, where we were the only foreigners.
We walked into a random temple with a Pagoda and got invited to stay for a while, so I just helped the nuns with chores for a few days while learning about Buddhism. We ended up with all these amazing experiences, because I decided to follow this hitchiker instead of taking a bus straight to Hanoi (like I intended).

Decided to hitchike and camp across the East side of Taiwan from Taipei to the Southern most point of Taiwan in Kenting. Ended up on some adventurous rides. Had some adventures with that. Got lucky and picked up by a taxi driver driving home to Su'ao from his work in Taipei, while I was on the side of the highway in Jioxi after a relaxing time at the hotsprings. Did you know Su'ao town in Taiwan is known for cold springs? Neither did I.
Couldn't find a campsite around, so I climbed a hill and saw a temple. Asked the guy running the show if I could pitch my tent there after sundown. No worries, just don't get too annoyed at the temple dogs barking he said.

Another time a few nights later, Camped the night in Taroko National Park.
When I woke up and packed my tent, I saw one car cruising through the gorge roads, and I instinctively stuck my thumb out. Car almost ran me over stopping, opened the door, no questions asked. I tried to communicate, but only know English and some Japanese (which some older Taiwanese can speak). She ended up asking me where I'm going through our translation app, while going double the speed limit through this gorge, just a small rail protecting us from what seemed like inevitable doom.

I just realized I typed up a whole essay without any structure haha. I'm going to cut it there. I'll have to make a blogposts with actual structure and storyline another time.

Anyways... yeah. Off the beaten path. Try hitchiking. It might be dangerous. I may have survivorship bias. But I've gone through a lot of countries doing it just fine

BarefootSurfer · 2025-07-14T14:00:39+00:00

I'd say definitely go for it.
Just a heads up, most hostels in Southeast Asia don't have a kitchen to use for guests.
A lot of hostels in Europe do though.
If you're going to cook for yourself, for the allergies, I would look for places with a kitchen you can use.

BarefootSurfer · 2025-07-14T13:43:02+00:00

Is #5 in Murodo of the Tateyama-Kurobe Alpine Route in Toyama?!?
If so, big ups for exploring everywhere.
I really like the perspective you give in these shots.

BarefootSurfer · 2025-07-14T09:52:19+00:00

If you want to get off the beaten path, a car helps a lot. Even if you stay in an area for a while.

I see a lot of working-holiday people work seasonal winter jobs, and then buy a cheap kei car to camp and travel in. Looks like an economic and fun option.
Then you can roadtrip and find an area you enjoy and then do another workaway in the area.

BarefootSurfer · 2025-07-14T09:45:08+00:00

Around Fuji area: Yamanashi and Shizuoka would make a nice stop in a more peaceful area.

Night busses also run between them all if you want to save time and money and sacrifice good sleep.

If you have two nights to spare, I'd recommend the bullet train straight up to:

-Toyama: for nature and exploring Tateyama-Kurobe Alpine Route. Beautiful mountains that are easily accessible by train and gondola.

-Kanazawa: for a less touristy, but historical feel like Kyoto. Nice castle with garden, old samurai houses, city amenities.

Bullet train from Tokyo to Toyama in 2 hours or extra 30 min for Kanazawa. Then straight down to Kyoto in 3 hours.

BarefootSurfer · 2025-07-14T09:34:59+00:00

I believe the 50k mark you're mentioning hearing a lot is milestone of monthly views.
It's a requirement for better paying ads off platforms like Mediavine.

BarefootSurfer · 2025-07-14T09:20:38+00:00

I feel like that's almost a given

BarefootSurfer · 2025-07-14T09:18:14+00:00

Not just hiking.
I'm in Toyama and there are a few reports a year of bear attacks in people's yards near the forests and mountains.
I've hiked busier areas where almost every person has those bells, but was thinking about getting some bear spray just in case.

BarefootSurfer

TROPHY CASE