Post: #1

For all the seasoned travelers here, what is your proven routine when you are visiting a new city for the weekend? How has it improved your vibe into having fun with other travelers or locals?

Assume that you have just arrived sometime late Friday afternoon (what time is the best to time your arrive assuming cost is not an issue?) and have your own room either in a hotel or a hostel. How do you schedule your dining, drinking, visiting the touristic places, wandering around city and meeting interesting people?

Cheers

Post: #2

Wandering around the city is key, I do this immediately after I arrived.

Post: #3

The first thing I do is go to the grocery store to get enough groceries for a week. There is nothing worse than being hungry in a foreign country at 3 am when you don’t know where to go to get food nor speak their language.

The second thing that i do is I walk a few blocks in every direction to notice landscapes and store names so I don’t get lost in the future. I learned this the hard way in Kiev when I fell down drunk in a subway tunnel, broke my phone, and wandered the streets all night looking for where I live.

The third thing is I find the closest gym and get a membership for the month.

These are the only things that come to mind at the moment.

Post: #4

Friday afternoon is definitely the worst time to arrive, because you dont have time to figure out the best nightlife and logistics. If you have a week I would come on a Monday. If you have less, then your last day should be Monday.

Post: #5

I do as much geographic research as I can before I get to my destination. I've enjoyed reading maps ever since my childhood so it's very natural for me to obtain an understanding of where I'll be and keep mental notes of any places of interest, such as where I'm staying, ATM's, restaurants, and of course any hotspots where women are likely to be.

Post: #6

(12-26-2018 04:33 PM)LINUX Wrote:  The first thing I do is go to the grocery store to get enough groceries for a week. There is nothing worse than being hungry in a foreign country at 3 am when you don’t know where to go to get food nor speak their language.

The second thing that i do is I walk a few blocks in every direction to notice landscapes and store names so I don’t get lost in the future. I learned this the hard way in Kiev when I fell down drunk in a subway tunnel, broke my phone, and wandered the streets all night looking for where I live.

The third thing is I find the closest gym and get a membership for the month.

These are the only things that come to mind at the moment.

Damn, sounds like a rough night. Happened to me about 10 years ago when I was very inexperienced. Blacked out in Tokyo on my first visit. Lost all my money and didn't have a phone. Woke up on the Yamanote line that circles around Tokyo in a drunken stupor. Wandered around asking random Japanese people where to go using the one phrase I knew. Made it back to the hostel around 2pm just when their mandatory cleaning was starting. Was a terrible day.

Post: #7

Bang trip routine :

- Mass message the pipelined girls that I'm here

- Buy a new sim card, create a Tinder with my new phone number.

- Buy groceries. I have an "essential groceries" template on evernote so I can quickly buy all at once without forgetting some classics like the olive oil or the garbage bags.

- Reset the router, change the default passwords : https://youtu.be/9fAnRkJ6N3s

- Logistics pre-arrival : Before arriving I will already have done a logistical map of the city. Open google maps. Search "malls", star the most popular. Search "universities", star the most popular. Search nightlife, star the most popular. If there is a subway/metro I also star every subway station. I cross-reference my findings with rvf datasheets to make sure I mapped all the essentials. Now i have a basic logistic template which will serve as my map for searching airbnb. I also cross-reference with other websites, ususually in big cities there is what I call the "backpacker zone trap" where tons of cheap airbnb results will show up but I must avoid that kind of zone so I make a mental note (eg : nana in BKK). Also I check on google street view the neighborhoods that I like to be sure they are not too noisy. I use tripadvisor restaurant map to superpose it to my logistical map and help me make my choice. Once I made my choice I pin my address on google maps. I also pin in "want to go" on google maps all the accessory logistical points near my chosen address. Coffee shops, supermarkets, gyms...

- Logistics post-arrival : exploration by foot of my territory.

Post: #8

Get provisions in.
Walk tour the square mile around accomodation to get lay of the land, vibe and note landmarks.
Develop plan of attack - map out activities for the days ahead
Collect local reading material, paper, tourist info, maps etc
Walk at night to check vibe and safety

Post: #9

Great thread.

(12-26-2018 05:56 PM)RespirationVaginale Wrote:  - Logistics pre-arrival : Before arriving I will already have done a logistical map of the city. Open google maps. Search "malls", star the most popular. Search "universities", star the most popular. Search nightlife, star the most popular. If there is a subway/metro I also star every subway station. I cross-reference my findings with rvf datasheets to make sure I mapped all the essentials. Now i have a basic logistic template which will serve as my map for searching airbnb. I also cross-reference with other websites, ususually in big cities there is what I call the "backpacker zone trap" where tons of cheap airbnb results will show up but I must avoid that kind of zone so I make a mental note (eg : nana in BKK). Also I check on google street view the neighborhoods that I like to be sure they are not too noisy. I use tripadvisor restaurant map to superpose it to my logistical map and help me make my choice. Once I made my choice I pin my address on google maps. I also pin in "want to go" on google maps all the accessory logistical points near my chosen address. Coffee shops, supermarkets, gyms...

- Logistics post-arrival : exploration by foot of my territory.

This is pretty much exactly how I do my logistics too. I star the fuck out of the place in Google Maps with anything and everything I find useful, then drill down and categorize a bit. Then I zoom out and look for clusters of stars -> 90% of the time this correlates with areas I should stay in.

I do give extra weight to RVF threads, if the consensus is to stay in a certain area or avoid a certain area, I will usually follow that advice.

Do not underestimate the importance of logistics. It's the one thing I am willing to invest time and money in and go over budget for. Cough up the extra few bucks for location and convenience, it's worth it every single time.

Some more stuff that comes to mind, in random order:

- I usually take 30 minutes to skim-read the most important RVF threads, take notes of everything I find useful immediately, and download the rest of it to read on the plane journey.

- While figuring out logistics, I tap into my personal network and also RVF to find out if anyone has been there, has lived there or is currently there. I ask them about where to go, if they want to meet up etc.

- It's infinitely easier to arrive at a new place and have someone you already know, and/or a vetted RVF member, welcome you and show you the ropes. I've experienced numerous places around the world without ever having seen the tourist hot spots, instead going into the sticks and experiencing the local way of life with someone I know. It's so much better, especially if that person is red pill.

- I start pipelining about a week in advance, earlier than that seems to have a lower ROI for me.

- When I arrive, I spend about 2 hours scoping out my immediate neighborhood, making it a point to remember landmarks, grocery stores and opening times, bars and anything that could be useful later. I also pick up basic groceries that'll last me for the next couple days.

- If I plan to be at a new place for a longer time, I make it a point to walk the fuck around. I usually walk around my immediate neighborhood all the time. I check out the scene at 7am in the morning, 10am, noon, 3pm, dinner time, late night and even the middle of the night. I make it a point to walk around as much as possible at every random time possible. There is no better way than this to get familiar with how things work and how people live.

Post: #10

(12-26-2018 04:33 PM)LINUX Wrote:  The first thing I do is go to the grocery store to get enough groceries for a week. There is nothing worse than being hungry in a foreign country at 3 am when you don’t know where to go to get food nor speak their language.

The second thing that i do is I walk a few blocks in every direction to notice landscapes and store names so I don’t get lost in the future. I learned this the hard way in Kiev when I fell down drunk in a subway tunnel, broke my phone, and wandered the streets all night looking for where I live.

The third thing is I find the closest gym and get a membership for the month.

These are the only things that come to mind at the moment.

Falling down in a subway tunnel because drunk and get a gym membership... I will never understand the point of such trips

To answer the question

- Make sure i know how to reach the apartment and i can reach the owner
- Having prepared all my excursions/trips with transportations etc day per day
- Have put women i ve pipelined in several boxes/categories , based on personalities/level
- First thing I do when free time is to simply walk around . walk in a shop , check every single new things , have an understanding of what district is where and which ones are good/bad

Post-trip , i always try to check on a map where I have been ( especially if i took a bus or a train) , for some reasons , I love to remember names and lines...

Post: #11

It seems that the optimal and recommended way to start off is to have a walk around and get groceries before heading to the accommodation. I think there is more luxury of time if you are staying for a week but if its for a (maybe long) weekend I think a lot of things may have to be planned before arriving.

Pipelining seems to be the way to set up dates but if you are intending to cut down on that online dependency, is there another way? Nobody has mentioned cold approaching and I get that it can be hard, approaching people having just come to a new city to visit after all the travelling. What if its just another city in a country you live in and are familiar with, within the anglosphere for example?

Also how about your timiing to venturing out for having a meal and a drink? When do you guys start heading out and what would be your general plan of action from Friday to Sunday for example in general. Obviously Friday and Saturday nights would be blocked for going out but has it yielded much success for the weekend warrior?

I have been traveling the UK at the moment for a while now and I realize that socializing in hotels/airbnbs or even hostels is not easy if you are travelling solo though you may have the best logistics. Also, I can confirm the forum knowledge that clubs and even some pubs refuse entry to solo guys sober or not, across most major cities in Britain, apparently solo guys are more dangerous than a big group of guys rolling into a night venue here. So, it really looks like nightgame is an uphill climb for very short term visitors if one is here to get the flag along with the doing the touristy things.

I might be doing something wrong so your suggestions and experiences are much appreciated.

Post: #12

My routine is the result of lots of trial and error in unfamiliar cities short on tourists, but can be adapted to basically any city:

I will eat a light meal as soon as I arrive in my apartment, on my feet. Often this is a sandwich, energy bar, banana, water. The meal is solely to refuel the body and give me some energy in case I forget to actually properly eat later. Also serves double duty as protecting me from over-drinking in case I happen to get started extra early.

I buy a SIM card as soon as I have the time. If I have a local contact, I make sure I have their number written down, or input in my phone. I also have the number of a trustworthy taxi company around. I will write my address also on a business card and put it in my wallet/ somewhere within reach.

Believe it or not, I usually try to establish contact with one local-- most often a barista, waiter or bartender at a neighborhood place of decent standard. This generally aids me in making plans for the night, finding out where girls are, having a "fixer" for small tasks--which often times has helped me learn the city really quickly.

If I have the time, I will try to familiarize myself with everything within 10-15 minutes walking distance of the place so I have some familiarity with the neighborhood.

I stock up on snack food, alcohol, cigarettes, and essentials like condoms in case any sort of impromptu party starts at my place. I learned this lesson after way too many late arrivals where I should have taken care of logistical concerns before partying.

Observe the opening hours of nearby bars, convenience stores, fast food joints, and liquor stores. Make observations on local transit points, level of foot traffic, frequency of buses, parked cars on street, etc. Look for taxi stands or popular spots for hailing taxis. This is all for your own safety in case you need to leave your apartment quickly.

Find a map, or load up a map (PDF) on the cell of the area.

I will hide a good portion of my cash in the apartment itself.

Post: #13

I'm going to go off course on the original question and stick to the title because step one for me would be never to go somewhere for just a weekend if I can avoid it and step two would be never arrive on a Friday if I can avoid it.

My routine is to book a place for a week that's central based on my research of the city before hand. Research might be for sightseeing, partying, both or something different but based on what my intentions are will pick a location. Book for the first week to get a feel.

First thing I do anywhere is grab a sim card for the phone. Whether it's translate, maps, uber, whatsapp details or something else, having a sim card has gotten me out of more sticky situations than I can count, most countries it will cost you somewhere around $20 for a month. Just a lifesaver.

Second thing I do on arrival to wherever I'm staying is walk a few blocks around where I am, head east, then circle my way back to come home from the west. Basically look for landmarks, notable buildings and the like to get oriented, this one is particularly important in places without uber that you have to be able to tell taxi drivers where to go in.

I generally make my plans before hand, it's normally just a list of the things I absolutely want to do, I find this one of the funnest parts of planning a trip so normally pretty thorough, searching for things to do in a city and opening a dozen or so sites and picking what appeals to me and even some that don't that pop up again and again just to get the experience and challenge my personal perceptions, if I haven't done this in advance, which is maybe 1 in 20 times, then I'd get something quick sorted before really trying anything.

Personally I like to find a well recommended walking tour of the city I'm in if there is one. Most cities have them and for $10 or whatever you end up tipping they're a great way to get your bearings in the town, get some local advice, meet some new people, tick off a few of the major sights and work out if you want to come back for more of it, generally it's 2-3 hours for a mountain of information.

After that, just relax back and soak up the culture or party my ass off if that's the intention. If the place I booked is good and available I'll generally extend for a month, if it's not both of these then I find another spot if I like the city and if not I'll move on or book a shorter stay.

Post: #14

It seems like weekend trips and Friday arrivals are not recommended. I am curious as to why that is. Surely there must be some guys who are driving up to Las Vegas or New York City for a long weekend or flying down to Berlin, Krakow or Prague for a couple days off to get away from the corporate world.

In the case of short distance trips of two or three days, which other days of the week have worked well to arrive to a new city?

Also for stocking up on alcohol, what is your go to? Have you found predrinking helpful? I would think beer would probably not appeal to someone you are bringing back for the night.

Post: #15

Over the years I have learned: one night, or one week (7 days including travel days).

Two nights is odd because either the big night out happens on the first one, so what to do on the second? Or Nothing happens in the first night, so the second is under lots of pressure.

Post: #16

(12-28-2018 03:18 PM)Hazaer Wrote:  It seems like weekend trips and Friday arrivals are not recommended. I am curious as to why that is. Surely there must be some guys who are driving up to Las Vegas or New York City for a long weekend or flying down to Berlin, Krakow or Prague for a couple days off to get away from the corporate world.

In the case of short distance trips of two or three days, which other days of the week have worked well to arrive to a new city?

Also for stocking up on alcohol, what is your go to? Have you found predrinking helpful? I would think beer would probably not appeal to someone you are bringing back for the night.

It is very simple and there are usually two simple routes you can go. Champagne, it is a no-brainer, is festive and a bit extravagant, girls especially your higher level girls love champagne or other bubbly. Bottle or two, large or small chilled in the fridge. That really should be choice one, but if it's not possible some sort of wine that's drinkable for women (they think they know more about wine than they usually do, so it is usually just a matter of having a good backstory to the wine which you oftentimes can even make up you have to like many sommeliers do preying on basic human ignorance, or resort to lots of buzzwords/ tasting notes to make some cheap-ass Walmart bottle sound better). Two, second obvious choice is some smooth (presumably) high shelf vodka, including but not limited to Ciroc, Belvedere, Grey Goose etc. These vodkas are all bullshit really, but girls follow the crowd and drink basic-ass labels. I remember one bit of advise I got from a guy who would stockpile high end bottles and then fill with something like Svedka. No girl ever noticed. I don't condone such bait and switch but I think you can usually get away with it on vodka. You accompany your high-end vodka with mixers which can be anything from Mio water flavor (which the anorexic coke-whores are more into), to cranberry juice, orange juice, and other juice/ soda mainstays.

Pre-drinking is one of my cornerstones of going out, and has been since the hazy nights of college. Almost always in my apartment, park, or a decently cheap patio bar. The apartment is an optimal place if you have female friends or mixed company and it is as simple as a music playlist, and some drinks (it is also a good way to show girls you are social, and have your shit together-- it also helps them feel comfortable in your place if they ever do swing by again). Maybe even a place to smoke, or something of that nature. Parks are great if we are going to be walking or the weather is beautiful. Parks are great places to loosen up and maybe even meet new people, believe it or not. Most girls will not drink beer, and it only resonates with hipster or trashy girls. My only other suggestion would be that you could make mixed drinks, this is a great skill to have, but most opt just to do the simplest thing.

Post: #17

(12-28-2018 05:01 PM)Rushmore Wrote:  Over the years I have learned: one night, or one week (7 days including travel days).

Two nights is odd because either the big night out happens on the first one, so what to do on the second? Or Nothing happens in the first night, so the second is under lots of pressure.

So if its a weekend thing you would just have to book accommodation for a night and go all out. Travel on the Saturday and back on a Sunday to rest before work. Good reasoning for cities close by.

I would suppose for far out places or those with a different culture, it would make sense to make it a week so there would be at least 5 full days in the city.

For the 1 week travel, what is the optimal number of cities you found can do well?

Post: #18

(12-28-2018 05:23 PM)Heuristics Wrote:  

(12-28-2018 03:18 PM)Hazaer Wrote:  It seems like weekend trips and Friday arrivals are not recommended. I am curious as to why that is. Surely there must be some guys who are driving up to Las Vegas or New York City for a long weekend or flying down to Berlin, Krakow or Prague for a couple days off to get away from the corporate world.

In the case of short distance trips of two or three days, which other days of the week have worked well to arrive to a new city?

Also for stocking up on alcohol, what is your go to? Have you found predrinking helpful? I would think beer would probably not appeal to someone you are bringing back for the night.

It is very simple and there are usually two simple routes you can go. Champagne, it is a no-brainer, is festive and a bit extravagant, girls especially your higher level girls love champagne or other bubbly. Bottle or two, large or small chilled in the fridge. That really should be choice one, but if it's not possible some sort of wine that's drinkable for women (they think they know more about wine than they usually do, so it is usually just a matter of having a good backstory to the wine which you oftentimes can even make up you have to like many sommeliers do preying on basic human ignorance, or resort to lots of buzzwords/ tasting notes to make some cheap-ass Walmart bottle sound better). Two, second obvious choice is some smooth (presumably) high shelf vodka, including but not limited to Ciroc, Belvedere, Grey Goose etc. These vodkas are all bullshit really, but girls follow the crowd and drink basic-ass labels. I remember one bit of advise I got from a guy who would stockpile high end bottles and then fill with something like Svedka. No girl ever noticed. I don't condone such bait and switch but I think you can usually get away with it on vodka. You accompany your high-end vodka with mixers which can be anything from Mio water flavor (which the anorexic coke-whores are more into), to cranberry juice, orange juice, and other juice/ soda mainstays.

Pre-drinking is one of my cornerstones of going out, and has been since the hazy nights of college. Almost always in my apartment, park, or a decently cheap patio bar. The apartment is an optimal place if you have female friends or mixed company and it is as simple as a music playlist, and some drinks (it is also a good way to show girls you are social, and have your shit together-- it also helps them feel comfortable in your place if they ever do swing by again). Maybe even a place to smoke, or something of that nature. Parks are great if we are going to be walking or the weather is beautiful. Parks are great places to loosen up and maybe even meet new people, believe it or not. Most girls will not drink beer, and it only resonates with hipster or trashy girls. My only other suggestion would be that you could make mixed drinks, this is a great skill to have, but most opt just to do the simplest thing.

How do you stock up if you are traveling short term, a few days in a hotel and you are moving on? Getting vodka and mixers might be a hassle and there may or may not be secure freezers for your alcohol. Even getting a bottle of wine might be too much. Specially if you are travelling solo, you may not need that much alcohol but want to have some on standby.

Also, for solo traveling has pre-drinking solo affected your vibe or is it better to start drinking at the venue itself?

Post: #19

(12-28-2018 06:39 PM)Hazaer Wrote:  

(12-28-2018 05:23 PM)Heuristics Wrote:  

(12-28-2018 03:18 PM)Hazaer Wrote:  It seems like weekend trips and Friday arrivals are not recommended. I am curious as to why that is. Surely there must be some guys who are driving up to Las Vegas or New York City for a long weekend or flying down to Berlin, Krakow or Prague for a couple days off to get away from the corporate world.

In the case of short distance trips of two or three days, which other days of the week have worked well to arrive to a new city?

Also for stocking up on alcohol, what is your go to? Have you found predrinking helpful? I would think beer would probably not appeal to someone you are bringing back for the night.

It is very simple and there are usually two simple routes you can go. Champagne, it is a no-brainer, is festive and a bit extravagant, girls especially your higher level girls love champagne or other bubbly. Bottle or two, large or small chilled in the fridge. That really should be choice one, but if it's not possible some sort of wine that's drinkable for women (they think they know more about wine than they usually do, so it is usually just a matter of having a good backstory to the wine which you oftentimes can even make up you have to like many sommeliers do preying on basic human ignorance, or resort to lots of buzzwords/ tasting notes to make some cheap-ass Walmart bottle sound better). Two, second obvious choice is some smooth (presumably) high shelf vodka, including but not limited to Ciroc, Belvedere, Grey Goose etc. These vodkas are all bullshit really, but girls follow the crowd and drink basic-ass labels. I remember one bit of advise I got from a guy who would stockpile high end bottles and then fill with something like Svedka. No girl ever noticed. I don't condone such bait and switch but I think you can usually get away with it on vodka. You accompany your high-end vodka with mixers which can be anything from Mio water flavor (which the anorexic coke-whores are more into), to cranberry juice, orange juice, and other juice/ soda mainstays.

Pre-drinking is one of my cornerstones of going out, and has been since the hazy nights of college. Almost always in my apartment, park, or a decently cheap patio bar. The apartment is an optimal place if you have female friends or mixed company and it is as simple as a music playlist, and some drinks (it is also a good way to show girls you are social, and have your shit together-- it also helps them feel comfortable in your place if they ever do swing by again). Maybe even a place to smoke, or something of that nature. Parks are great if we are going to be walking or the weather is beautiful. Parks are great places to loosen up and maybe even meet new people, believe it or not. Most girls will not drink beer, and it only resonates with hipster or trashy girls. My only other suggestion would be that you could make mixed drinks, this is a great skill to have, but most opt just to do the simplest thing.

How do you stock up if you are traveling short term, a few days in a hotel and you are moving on? Getting vodka and mixers might be a hassle and there may or may not be secure freezers for your alcohol. Even getting a bottle of wine might be too much. Specially if you are travelling solo, you may not need that much alcohol but want to have some on standby.

Also, for solo traveling has pre-drinking solo affected your vibe or is it better to start drinking at the venue itself?

It's just two at most bottles of champagne or one regular-sized vodka bottle. If you're time pressed you go to the supermarket and get champagne which supermarkets almost everywhere have. Yeah you may have to go to the bottle shop for vodka but usually not to hard to find. If so, pickup at the airport on the way in, from your home country, or when you get to airport but before you walk out. Many times its discounted. If train is your method of transportation at many central train stations you will at least find wine, or beer, in some places liquor is sold too. Mixers are something that in a pinch you will find in the hotel, vending machine, or convenience store in walking distance.

I roll a lot of time with buddies when traveling. So pre-drinking is what we do as soon as we're settled. Alone yeah it may be more anti-social, but you just put yourself in a place where you can meet people and you get off to a good start even before you night has really begun. If you're staying at a hostel that's also a great place to pregame and find potential wings. Find a beautiful spot to post up, and see where it takes you. Especially roofs, balconies, or parks.