Coconut Compass

  • Home
  • About
    • About Us
  • Blog Posts
  • Planning
    • Budget
  • Travel Tips
  • Things We Carry
    • Packing Tips
    • Packing List
    • Travel Gear Reviews
  • Health and Fitness
  • Technology
    • Travel App Reviews
  • Places We Visited
    • Career Break Map – Where We Went
    • Asia
      • Indonesia
      • South Korea
      • Thailand
      • Vietnam
    • Central America
      • Costa Rica
      • Nicaragua
    • Europe
      • Albania
      • Belgium
      • Croatia
      • Finland
      • France
      • Germany
      • Greece
      • Iceland
      • Ireland
      • Italy
      • Montenegro
      • Netherlands
      • Turkey
      • United Kingdom
    • North America
      • United States
    • Oceania
      • Australia
Home » Archives for May 2015

Archives for May 2015

May 28, 2015 by Steve Owen 1 Comment

9 Tips to Set Your Travel Expectations and Avoid a Disappointing Trip

This Isn’t What I Expected!

While walking through Venice, Italy, we heard a very loud voice talking into a mobile phone from a woman standing on one of the many beautiful canal bridges:

“No one told me that I had to walk everywhere! There are no cars here! I have had to walk all day. Just steps and alleys everywhere you go!”

I don’t want to judge (and by saying that I have obviously done so already). She might have had a hurt foot or maybe her travel agent told her there were people movers or golf carts here. Either way, it highlighted to us that people may set the wrong expectations for their trip and why it is important to do some research before you go.

9 Tips to Set Your Travel Expectations
What your friends show you…
9 Tips to Set Your Travel Expectations
What it really looks like

Another example was the man who was standing in a castle on the coast of Ulcinj, Montenegro

9 Tips to Set Your Travel Expectations
Ulcinj Castle

and again, talking loudly enough for all of us to feel his pain.

“I can’t wait to go home! I’m so tired of not having working air conditioning.”

Once again, maybe he had a bad day. Maybe his room was very hot, but here we were in Ulcinj, in a castle, on the coast of a very beautiful setting.

There are many posts about holiday makers complaining about some crazy things, and we all like to laugh about them and at them on occasion. That being said, if you plan on dropping your hard-earned dollars on a holiday, you certainly don’t want to be disappointed.

Why We Whinge

9 Tips to Set Your Travel Expectations
What I put on Facebook. Kissing the Blarney Stone in Blarney, Ireland.
9 Tips to Set Your Travel Expectations
What it looked like. Bring disinfectant…

We all whinge occasionally as it seems to be part of our nature. We got caught off guard in a beautiful area of Nicaragua when we didn’t anticipate the start of local holiday season and spent a week listening to explosions, loud celebratory gatherings on the streets and Christmas music that shook the windows of our apartment. We whinged and then with a head slap realized that we didn’t do the same thing we tell others to do. We didn’t do our research and ask the right kind of questions about where we were going and the best time for us to be there (some people would have enjoyed every minute of loudness). We acknowledged our mistake and then went outside to watch the homemade fireworks land on top of our apartment from seven p.m. till midnight (for about two weeks). Turned out to be fun with some wine and cake.

 

 

9 Tips to Set Your Travel Expectations

So here are 9 ways to set travel expectations for a more enjoyable trip and to avoid disappointment. The “you” below is a general you, not you specifically. Unless it is you.

[Read more…]

FacebooktwitterredditpinterestlinkedintumblrmailFacebooktwitterredditpinterestlinkedintumblrmail

Filed Under: Travel Tips Tagged With: holiday disappointments, holiday expectations, holiday tips, travel disappointments, travel expectations, travel tips

May 26, 2015 by Eeva Routio Leave a Comment

Dreamy Nusa Lembongan Island – What to See and Do

Nusa Lembongan Island. Photo: Eeva Routio
Nusa Lembongan. Photo: Eeva Routio

I simply adore Bali. So imagine my delight when we discovered Nusa Lembongan Island, a kind of a quiet mini-version of Bali, just a 30-minute speed boat ride away. Lembongan is a super-chilled out small island with gorgeous blue-turquoise water, dreamy white sand beaches and boutique-y bungalows. There are no cars around; just motorbikes, bicycles, small converted pick-ups (for moving people and goods around the island) and golf carts.

Nusa Lembongan is a perfect little getaway for a couple days if you want a little change of scenery from the main island of Bali. There’s some awesome surfing (not that we attempted but so we were told); superb snorkeling and scuba diving – including the possibility of seeing some manta rays; stand-up paddle boarding; kayaking in the mangroves; and even some cliff jumping (if you are slightly insane – see below).

It’s easy and cheap to rent a scooter and ride around the island. The roads are in pretty bad condition so expect a slow and bone-jarring ride. But it doesn’t really matter as distances are short – the whole island is only a few kilometers long. From Nusa Lembongan you can easily get to [Read more…]

FacebooktwitterredditpinterestlinkedintumblrmailFacebooktwitterredditpinterestlinkedintumblrmail

Filed Under: Indonesia Tagged With: bali, blue lagoon, cliff jump, devil's tear, dream beach, indonesia, jungutbatu, lembongan island, mushroom beach, nusa ceningan, nusa lembongan, nusa lembongan island, paradise island, scoot fast boat, snorkeling, tamarind beach

May 21, 2015 by Eeva Routio 1 Comment

Surfing Nicaragua: San Juan del Sur Surfing for Beginners

Nicaragua San Juan del Sur Surfing. Image: Eeva Routio.
So obviously he is NOT a beginner. I just didn’t have any pictures of us surfing. Photo: Eeva Routio.

Firstly, just to clarify, there’s actually no surfing in San Juan del Sur, per se. The pretty beach right in town is very sheltered and doesn’t have a break. But San Juan del Sur is where you want to base yourself, and explore the beaches immediately north and south of town. There are beginner-friendly beach breaks less than 5km (3 miles) away, and the many surf shops in San Juan offer lessons, rental boards and transportation at very reasonable prices. It’s a good idea to pop into two or three different surf shops and see which one you feel comfortable with before you sign up for lessons.

It’s not just the beautiful scenery, and the accessibility and affordability of surfing in San Juan del Sur that makes it so great. It’s also kind of nice that there are many (but not too many) other beginners surfers around, and the atmosphere is rather jovial. So there’s no need to feel self-conscious wobbling about on your board.

We stayed in San Juan del Sur for three weeks and dedicated some of that time to learning how to surf. Here’s a bit of a rundown of our experiences.

San Juan del Sur surfing: Playa Remanso

After popping into a few surf shops in town, we ended up going with Moke Huhu Surf School for our first surf lesson. The guys at Moke Huhu are super chilled-out and fun as well as professional. On our first day we headed over to the very beginner-friendly waves of beautiful Playa Remanso about 5km (3 miles) from town. Although we both have tried surfing before we’re VERY much in the beginner category. It was great to take a lesson just as a [Read more…]

FacebooktwitterredditpinterestlinkedintumblrmailFacebooktwitterredditpinterestlinkedintumblrmail

Filed Under: Health and Fitness, Nicaragua Tagged With: beginner surfing, Nicaragua, Nicaragua surfing, playa hermosa, playa remanso, San Juan del Sur, san juan del sur surfing, sting ray, stingray, surf camp, surf school, surfing, surfing in Central America

May 15, 2015 by Steve Owen Leave a Comment

His Packing List – For Long-Term Travel

His packing list. Photo: Eeva RoutioI put too many things in my bag. The thought occurred to me as I dragged my small backpack, my laptop bag and my large backpack, about 20 kilos (or about 44lbs), on wheels through a train station in Paris. And down a cobble brick road. And on the stairs to subways and various accommodations along the way.

When we packed for our career break trip, we thought about everything we might need and put it in the bag. After the first two months, I dropped a few things along the way. After six months, I dropped even more items. What I was left with is what I am going to list below for my packing list so you don’t needlessly haul around things you may or may not need.

If you stick to one region or climate, then you can leave even more out of your list. We were hiking in various parts of the world that required heavier jackets and heavy hiking boots, that you wouldn’t necessarily need in Thailand or Nicaragua.

Our first six months included heavy travel and we were reluctant to do laundry every day (more undies, etc). You may get away with less, including toiletries, if you stay longer in one area like we did in our last six months.

I expect that everyone will have different priorities when it comes to packing for long term travel, so these are only suggestions based on our experience. Hopefully you will find the list helpful.

His packing list – for long-term travel

Footwear:

  • 1 pair of thongs (i.e. flip-flops)
  • 1 pair of Nike Free Trainers – lightweight trainers for walking and gym
  • 1 pair black leather light dress shoes (for dining out with friends)
  • 1 pair of Merrill hiking boots
  • 1 pair of walking sandals (which I lost and haven’t replaced)

Clothing

Shirts: [Read more…]

FacebooktwitterredditpinterestlinkedintumblrmailFacebooktwitterredditpinterestlinkedintumblrmail

Filed Under: Packing List Tagged With: gap year packing list, his packing list, men's packing list, Packing, packing list, packing list for long term travel, packing tips

May 11, 2015 by Eeva Routio 2 Comments

Nicaragua San Juan Del Sur – Things to Do and Sample Prices

Nicaragua San Juan del Sur. Photo: Eeva Routio
San Juan del Sur Beach. Photo: Eeva Routio.
San Juan del Sur – what is it like and what is there to do?

San Juan del Sur is a charming, small coastal town on the Pacific coast of Nicaragua. It has a lively and fun vibe, and it is not yet completely overrun by travelers. BUT we weren’t there in peak season and I think there are moments when it’s getting to the point of complete saturation, as San Juan del Sur is well and truly on the “Gringo trail”.

Even though small, the town center has lots of restaurants and shops geared for tourists. Many expats [Read more…]

FacebooktwitterredditpinterestlinkedintumblrmailFacebooktwitterredditpinterestlinkedintumblrmail

Filed Under: Nicaragua Tagged With: Nicaragua San Juan del Sur, San Juan, San Juan del Sur, San Juan del Sur activities, San Juan del Sur things to do, travel costs

  • 1
  • 2
  • Next Page »

Recent Posts

  • Albanian Alps: Why You Need To Go There NOW
  • What Makes Samara Beach, Costa Rica So Special?
  • Osprey Sojourn Review – Our Trusty Luggage!
  • Traveling On A Budget: 10 Tips For Keeping Your Travel Expenses On Track
  • 9 Tips to Set Your Travel Expectations and Avoid a Disappointing Trip
Albanian Alps. Photo: Eeva Routio.

Albanian Alps: Why You Need To Go There NOW

Albania... Albania? Albanian Alps? If you're like me, your initial thoughts probably are a) where exactly is Albania and … [Read More...]

Follow on Instagram

Archived Posts

  • September 2015
  • July 2015
  • June 2015
  • May 2015
  • April 2015
  • March 2015
  • February 2015
  • May 2014
  • April 2014
  • March 2014

Recent Posts

  • Albanian Alps: Why You Need To Go There NOW
  • What Makes Samara Beach, Costa Rica So Special?
  • Osprey Sojourn Review – Our Trusty Luggage!
  • Traveling On A Budget: 10 Tips For Keeping Your Travel Expenses On Track
  • 9 Tips to Set Your Travel Expectations and Avoid a Disappointing Trip
© Steven Owen, Eeva Routio and Coconut Compass, 2015. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Steven Owen, Eeva Routio and Coconut Compass with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.
  • Home
  • About
  • Blog Posts
  • Planning
  • Travel Tips
  • Things We Carry
  • Health and Fitness
  • Technology
  • Places We Visited

Copyright © 2023 · Executive Pro Theme on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in