Post: #1

A few recommendations for building character and experience through travel.

1. Travel overland as much as possible.

2. Travel as slowly as is practical/comfortable.

3. Go where few/no people speak English.

4. Never book accommodation in advance.

5. Don't look at your guidebook too much, get out and explore for
yourself - ask the locals for info. It will be difficult at first with no
English but work at the language.

6. Go to places which are not in the guidebooks.

7. Go for as long as possible

Oh and bang a girl or two - but you knew that, didn't you.

To sum it up - get out of your comfort zone.

Post: #2

Point no. 6 is the most important - see the sights if you want, but hang around in non-tourist areas. Eat like the locals, try to have fun like the locals, blend in a little bit.

Point no. 7 - I would add: for any big city, you need at least a month there to immerse yourself a little bit and get a real feel of how it is to live there.

Point no. 4 - not always the optimal advice. I would argue that you should research and book your accommodation for the first week of a long trip and then move on when you get some feel of the local circumstances.

I would add no. 8 - go off season (unless it's dead empty of course).

Post: #3

Leave the damn smart phone at the hotel for an afternoon and walk around the city and get lost.