mobiblog

Add a Smart Keyword for Mobissimo OneBox search in Firefox browser and search for airfares from the Address Bar (Location Bar) of Firefox browser.

How to add a Smart Keyword for Mobissimo in Firefox browser?

1. Open Mobissimo OneBox search in Firefox browser. Follow the 'Try our OneBox search' link to access Mobissimo OneBox search.

2. Right-click the mouse button inside the OneBox search box.
Choose 'Add a keyword for this search' from the menu that appears.

Add a 'Smart Keyword' to search for airfares on Mobissimo from the Address Bar (Location Bar) of Firefox browser.

3. An Add Bookmark window opens. Enter information as below.

Add a 'Smart Keyword' bookmark to search Mobissimo from the Address Bar of Firefox browser.

4. Search for airfares on Mobissimo using the smart keyword 'mobi' from the Address Bar of Firefox.

An example: Type mobi bom to blr nov 4-7 and press the 'Enter' key on the keyboard to get airfare search results for a single ticket round trip from Mumbai to Bangalore from Nov. 4-7.

Search airfares on Mobissimo from the Address Bar (Location Bar) of Firefox browser.

Format: mobi From to Destination Date1-Date2

An example: mobi bom to blr nov 4-7

Related Links:

- Install Mobissimo OneBox search plug-in for Firefox browser and search for airfares from within Firefox. If you use Mozilla Firefox browser for surfing the Internet then you can directly search for airfares on Mobissimo from within Firefox by installing Mobissimo's OneBox search plug-in for Firefox.

- Above 'Smart Keyword' search shortcut and OneBox search plug-in is compatible with Firefox browser. Download Firefox. File size: 5.6MB.

- Visit Mobissimo India to search for domestic and international airfares.

Install Mobissimo OneBox search plug-in for Firefox browser and search for airfares from within Firefox. For example: Try BLR to BOM Nov 4-7

If you use Mozilla Firefox browser for surfing the Internet then you can directly search for airfares on Mobissimo from within Firefox by installing Mobissimo's OneBox search plug-in for Firefox.

Click here to install Mobissimo search plug-in for Firefox browser. Re-start Firefox after installing Mobissimo's OneBox search plug-in. You may access Mobissimo's air search by clicking the dropdown box on the top right-hand side of Firefox browser.

Here's the format for searching on Mobissimo from Firefox: From to Destination Month Date1-Date2

For example: Try this search. BLR to BOM Nov 4-7 from the Mobissimo Air Search box in Firefox.

(Note: Compatible with Firefox browser. Download Firefox browser from here File size: 5.6MB).

Visit Mobissimo India to search for domestic and international airfares.

Mobissimo wishes its readers a happy and joyous Eid. Eid Mubarak.

Eid Mubarak!

Take this fun quiz to find out what Asian country should you visit?

Do you like crowds? Do you like to soak in sunshine? Are you an intrepid traveller in search of an experience that takes you across a sub-continent and stays with you for a lifetime? Are you willing to be a part of the hustle and bustle of the festivities of India?

From the splendours of Rajasthan to the sun-soaked beauty of Goa, from the speed of Bombay to the serenity of Himalayas, from the religious towns of India to the IT centers of Bangalore, Hyderabad, and Pune; from tasting rich, creamy, and spicy Mughlai, Punjabi, Kashmiri, and Hyderabadi cuisine to hot and spicy Andhra meals down South. From eating a vada pav (Indian 'potato' burger) in Bombay to romancing in the backwaters of Kerala, from watching a winter sunset in Shimla to a sunrise at Swami Vivekananda Rock Memorial in Kanyakumari.

India is a country that reveals itself in all its beauty provided you have the time, interest, inclination, enthusiasm, and fearlessness to explore it. Expect the unexpected and take it in your stride. There won't be a dull moment, everything will be multi-coloured, and you would have an experience to savour for a lifetime. Take trains to small towns and the beauty of the countryside that unfolds, as the train travels through the hinterland, amazes you. Never read on a train journey that cuts across rural India. Look out the window and feel the beauty of India. You may not get that chance again.

We took the quiz and we got it spot on target regarding which Asian country should we visit. Did you?

You Should Travel to India

You're a passionate, gusty traveller and India's gritty urban centers won't scare you away. Maybe you'll visit the Taj Mahal on a full moon night, eat the best curry of your life, visit 1000-year old temples, watch Bollywood movies, eat street food, shop in the bylanes of old cities, or attend huge street festivals. There won't be a dull moment in your India visit. Happy travelling to India.

Search for airfares to India on Mobissimo.

Diwali means bright lights, colourful lamps, kaleidoscopic akashkandils (lanterns) lining balconies of most houses, rows of colourful diyas (earthen lamps) burning bright on balcony and window sills, the colours of rangoli (design patterns with finely ground white powder and bright colours) outside homes and Shubh Labh (auspicious profit) stickers on doors, lots of sweets; boxes of mixed mithai (assorted sweets), variety of farsaan (salted snacks), the ubiquitous gifts; online, offline, and SMS greetings; shopping spree from clothes, electronic items, cars, and more to gold and diamonds; Laxmi Pooja at home, in shops, and at work; Muhurat (auspicious time) trading for stockbrokers, and the ubiquitous firecrackers in their numerous forms—rockets swishing through the night skies, colourful phuljadis (sparklers), long and noisy looms that go rat-a-tat tad-thad-tad-thad, anars and zameen chakkars spreading joy with a basket of red, yellow, green, orange, and pink colours; and those all-in-one firecrackers that brighten the night sky with a bloom of rainbow colours.

Festivals are fun with family, relatives, and friends to celebrate with. The more the merrier.

What does Diwali mean to you? What are you doing this Diwali? Have you taken off for a 5-day vacation to Goa, Udaipur, or Pondicherry; or are you enjoying the dhamaal (hustle and bustle) of Diwali at home with family and friends? Share your experiences. Tell us about your Diwali.

Enjoy your vacation and search for your return flight on Mobissimo.

Mobissimo wishes its readers a Happy and Prosperous Diwali.

Lead us from the unreal to real, from fallacy to truth, and from darkness to light. Hope you all have a fabulous Diwali.

May this Diwali brighten your world with warmth, love, happiness, peace, progress, and prosperity. May the sparkle and shine of Diwali carry on for the rest of the year and may each day of the coming new year be as bright, shiny, colourful, glistening, and beautiful as Diwali.

Here's wishing you all a Diwali that's filled with sparkling colours, bright lights, delicious sweets, lots of fireworks, and the joyful company of family, friends, and relatives. Hope you all have a wonderful Diwali.

Image courtesy: 123Greetings and foxwillow on Flickr.

Did you know travel related sales account for over 70% of all e-commerce transactions in India. Isn't that a delightful statistic for online travel marketers looking to sell in India?

Attend the Travel Distribution India 2006 conference on Oct. 25-26 at Hyatt Regency in New Delhi to learn strategies on marketing, pricing, and distributing travel products in India. Be there if you want to sell travel in India—the world's fastest growing online travel market.

According to The Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI) there were 37 million (3.7 crore) Internet users in India in September 2006. This is expected to grow to 42 million by March next year and 52 million by March 2008.

The number of Internet users in India is growing 50% annually as per IAMAI figures, and India's Travel & Tourism economy is expected to grow by 8 percent per year, in real terms, between 2007 and 2016 according to forecasts made by the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC). Read WTTC numbers on India's Travel and Tourism industry. (PDF, File size: 2.3MB).

Request for more information on Travel Distribution India 2006.

Visit Mobissimo India to search for local and global airfares from more than 170+ travel Web sites.

It's holiday time from this weekend (Diwali and Ramzan Eid). Most of us are getting ready to travel. Travelling during festivals is about meeting—family members, relatives, friends, acquaintances; and also holidaying with the festivities around us.

Here's an article plus tutorial on using Mobissimo India to get competitive deals on airfares. Mobissimo makes travel search simple, saves time by searching various Web sites with 1-click, and provides information that is relevant, alongwith the exact price that one needs to pay, without any hidden costs or extra charges.

तो शुरु से शुरुवात कर्ते है। Let's begin at the beginning.

What does Mobissimo do?

Mobissimo is a travel search engine that searches more than 170 travel Web sites, 171 to be exact; across the globe for airfares and hotel accommodation in realtime (instantaneous—as they are shown on the original travel Web sites), and displays the exact rates/fares; including taxes and service fees, as shown on those travel Web sites.

It is a 1-stop platform to search for the most competitive deals on airfares and hotel accomमodation. It provides the travel searcher with search results whose information enables easier and faster travel decision making.

Which travel Web sites does Mobissimo search?

Mobissimo searches across travel agents, travel consolidators; domestic, LCCs, and international airlines; and international travel suppliers to provide airfares in real-time, that is as it happens and as the airfares are shown on original Web sites, without any hidden fees or charges. It retrieves and displays fares from across 170+ travel Web sites—in realtime, based on the search query and directs the user to the Web site of the ticket provider to book online.

Mobissimo's search results show information on airfares and hotels from different Web sites on a single page that enables users to compare prices and choose the one that best suits their travel needs. The airfares and hotel rates shown on Mobissimo's result page are the same as those shown on the travel Web sites, which means the price that you see is the price that you pay, without any hidden charges or costs.

What's in it for me?

That means instead of visiting tens of different Web sites to check for airfares and flight times, all one needs to do is search on Mobissimo and get results on flight times, airfares from all those ten Web sites on one page itself with links from where you may book tickets with whichever travel Web site/airline you choose.

Let's see it in action.

All right. Let's take an example.

Suppose you want to travel from Bangalore to Delhi on Fri., Oct 20 to celebrate Diwali and return back on Wed., Oct 25, 2006.

Now, instead of searching for airfares on the Web sites of various domestic and low-cost airlines you could directly enter your search query on Mobissimo India and get airfares from all these airlines with a single click.

Follow hyperlink below to view Mobissimo search results for a round-trip from Bangalore to Delhi from Oct 20-25, 2006.

BLR to DEL Oct 20-25, or you may even search as blr to del oct 20-25, or bangalore to delhi oct 20-25.

You may change the currency from the 'Change currency' dropdown box on the left-hand side of the results page.

Fig:1 Use Mobissimo's OneBox Search to search airfares without the hazzle of typing in multiple text boxes, selecting from dropdown boxes, or choosing from pop-ups.

Use Mobissimo's OneBox Search to frame the above search queries. (Select the 'Try our OneBox Search' link from the page that opens to enter your search query, as shown above).

From the search results page, when you see a price that best suits your budget and itinerary; click the 'Select' link; Mobissimo sends you to the Web site from where it found the information and you may book ticket/s from that Web site/airline at the exact price, as shown on Mobissimo.

To summarize the process of searching on Mobissimo:

- Search on Mobissimo.in
- Get instantaneous (real-time, as it happens) results from across 170+ travel Web sites
- You choose what best suits your travel requirements
- Select the link from where you want to book
- Mobissimo directs you to the original Web site
- Book tickets at the exact rates, as they were shown on Mobissimo's search result page.

Bringing it all together

# Visit www.mobissimo.in
# Enter your search terms and submit information
# Within moments view search results from various travel Web sites/airlines
# Choose your preferred result by following the 'Select' hyperlink
# Book ticket/s from the original Web site at the exact fare shown on Mobissimo

Tips for Airfare Searches on Mobissimo:

a. Regular Search

- Visit Mobissimo India at www.mobissimo.in.
- Enter From airport code
- Enter To (Destination) airport code
- Choose date/s
- Pick 'Class' and Type of trip
- Click 'Search'
- View results
- Pick your preferred choice
- Follow 'Select' link
- Visit Web site of travel provider
- Book ticket/s

b. OneBox search

Enter your search query in a single box for swifter searching. Do away with hazzles of selecting from Calendar popups or date dropdowns.
Form the search query as: From (airport) To (airport) Month Date1-Date2
For example: Bom to Hyd Oct 24-29 as shown in Fig:1 above.

c. Power Search

Pick and choose airfares for multiple cities with Power search.
Want airfares from Bangalore to Hyderabad, Bangalore to Chennai, and Bangalore to Pune from Oct 21-25.

From the search query as: From to City1;City2;City3 Month Date1-Date2
Use Mobissimo's Power Search as BOM to HYD;MAA;PNQ Oct 21-25.
Please be patient for the search page to load, as it gets to-and-fro results for three destinations with a single click.

Fig:2 Mobissimo's Power Search finds airfares for multiple destinations with a single click.

d. Activity Search

Interested in visiting Thailand and want to know the popular beaches to visit there?
Try Mobissimo's Activity Search to search for activities to do in specific destinations.

So what's stopping you from heading where you want to go this Diwali? Try searching for your preferred holiday destination, and chances are you would be more than surprised to find the number of flying choices available.

To adapt a popular TV advertisement to Mobissimo India. No one can search just once on Mobissimo India. Once you search, chances are you will return to search again and again.

Our endeavour is to change the way India searches for travel information on the Internet; to provide a better and simpler travel searching experience for users from India. We appreciate the support of visitors to Mobissimo India and of the readers of Mobissimo India Blog. We welcome your thoughts, feedback, bouquets, and brickbats. Happy searching on Mobissimo India and happy travelling during the Diwali vacation.

Jet Airways was voted India's best airline at the 17th Annual Awards function of TTG (Travel Trade Gazette) Travel Asia on October 12 in Pattaya, Thailand. Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) was voted the best airport and Zuji, the best online travel agent in Asia-Pacific.

The TTG Travel Asia Award honours the most distinguished travel organizations from among fourteen countries in Asia-Pacific, including China. TTG Asia Media is a leading provider of trade publications for the travel industry, and TTG Asia is a popular travel trade newspaper in Asia-Pacific.

Winners were chosen based on a survey conducted among readers of TTG Asia, and voting by peers in the travel industry.

I'm sharing a collection of travel quotes that I like and travel advice that I try to follow for my journeys.

• When preparing to travel lay out all your clothes and all your money. Then take half the clothes and twice the money.
  ~ Susan Heller
  That's good advice, isn't it?



• I travel a lot; I hate having my life disrupted by routine.
  ~ Caskie Stinnett



• The traveler sees what he sees. The tourist sees what he has come to see.
  ~ G.K. Chesterton



• To travel is to discover that everyone is wrong about other countries.
  ~ Aldous Huxley



• Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.
  ~ Mark Twain



• The most important trip you may take in life is meeting people halfway.
  ~ Henry Boye



• A journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step.
  ~ Lao Tzu



• The World is a book, and those who do not travel read only a page.
  ~ St. Augustine



• I travel not to go anywhere, but to go. I travel for travel's sake. The great affair is to move.
  ~ Robert Louis Stevenson



• A good traveller has no fixed plans, and is not intent on arriving.
  ~ Lao Tzu



• Travel and change of place impart new vigor to the mind.
  ~ Seneca



• If you reject the food, ignore the customs, fear the religion and avoid the people, you might better stay home.
  ~ James Michener



• Two of the greatest gifts we can give our children are roots and wings.
  ~ Hodding Carter



• He who would travel happily must travel light.
  ~ Antoine de St. Exupery



• No matter where you go, there you are.
  ~ Anonymous



• Good company in a journey makes the way seem shorter.
  ~ Izaak Walton



• The journey not the arrival matters.
  ~ T. S. Eliot



• The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes but in having new eyes.
  ~ Marcel Proust



• A person needs at intervals to separate from family and companions and go to new places. One must go without familiars in order to be open to influences, to change.
  ~ Katherine Butler Hathaway



• I have found out that there ain't no surer way to find out whether you like people or hate them than to travel with them.
  ~ Mark Twain



• How beautiful it is to do nothing and then rest afterwards.
  ~ Spanish Proverb

Business etiquette around the world or what do when, where, and in which city.

- Avoid scheduling Friday afternoon meetings during autumn in Atlanta, GA, U.S.A. If you ask for tea, in the months from March and October, it will probably be served over ice; if you want it steaming, you must order hot tea.

- It is best to say exactly what you mean and to keep attempts at humour out of business meetings in Berlin, Germany as Germans can be slow to open up and prefer a division between their public and private lives. Always try to be on time, or early to appointments, and arrange for meetings in advance.

- Business lunch is an important part of life in Brussels, Belgium; which has an abundance of good restaurants. Spare at least two hours for a business lunch and if you are invited to someone’s house for dinner, don't forget to take gifts like flowers, chocolates, or a bottle of good wine.

- Contacts are crucial, stylish attire is the norm, appearance is prized, and your contacts would appreciate being invited to the latest restaurant for lunch in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Plan a visit to Buenos Aires in the months from March to November, as late December to early February can be hot and humid. January is holiday time, as the city shuts down for the Argentine summer.

- Be punctual, stick to mineral water and not wine during lunch; expect modesty, and a strong work ethic in Chicago, IL, U.S.A. And don’t be surprised if meetings are scheduled and start at 8am.

- In Dubai, U.A.E., the weather is a favourite topic of conversation; as is bad driving, and what a wonderful place the city is. The best time to visit Dubai is from December-March to avoid the sweltering summer.

- When receiving a business card in Hong Kong make a show of examining it, then put it into your card case or place it on the table. If possible, carry business cards that are in Chinese on one side and English on the other.

- Public transport is not an option in Johannesburg, South Africa. Don’t expect to find taxis roaming the streets, as they must be booked in advance. Business is conducted while getting to know each other over beer and rugby, or in a corporate box at a cricket match glancing at the day's latest business stories from Business Day or Financial Mail.

- The strongest relationships are forged after work in London, U.K.; be that in a pub or at an informal evening meal. When in a pub, do not expect table service, except if you are seated in the restaurant area. Breakfast meetings are rare, and a business lunch can mean discussing work over sandwich and coffee.

- You will never go wrong with a business suit, but don't be surprised if you're the only one wearing one in Los Angeles, CA, U.S.A. Expect to be punctual for appointments, although traffic on the freeway can be an acceptable excuse for being late.

- Family life is important and questions about someone’s family are appreciated, as are invitations to restaurants in Mexico City, Mexico. Social drinking is common, as are googWork on developing good relationships with business clients before expecting anything else.

- Person-to-person contact goes a long way in Italy. Ask your contacts about their children, spouses, pets, recent holidays and the like. Dress and overall appearance are important and never refuse an offer of a coffee or a glass of wine in Milan, Italy. Take care when ordering coffee after a meal. Go for an espresso and not a cappuccino.

- Toasts are a big deal in Moscow. It is well worth preparing a few well-chosen English phrases for toasting to business in Moscow, Russia. If Russian friends invite you over, take an odd number of flowers, or a large box of chocolates. Many Russians think it rude to accept something the first time it is offered. On an evening out with business associates, always offer several times to top up glasses, re-fill plates, and so on. Pay attention to your clothing. Russians dress as well as they can afford to, and rarely turn up looking too casual or scruffy.

- Allow ample time if you need to travel across Mumbai for a meeting. Getting from the north to the south of Mumbai (Bombay), can take as long as two hours at any time of the day. Breakfast meetings are rare in India. A working day tends to start around 9:30am-10am. Business lunches are leisurely and if you have invited someone to lunch or dinner, enquire about their eating habits before ordering meat. The favourite topics of conversation are food, sport, politics, and family. Little work gets done when a major cricket match is on in Mumbai (Bombay), India.

- Business lunches tend to be dominated by work matters and not on the food and drink in NYC. No matter how poor the service in bars and restaurants, always leave something. Don't be offended if someone appears confrontational, as it is not personal in New York City, NY, U.S.A. The pace of business can be frantic, so prepare yourself for breakfast meetings at 7am.

- To refuse wine at lunch would be permissible, but seen as slightly odd in Paris, France. To refuse wine at a dinner could be considered rude.

- It is important to start and end appointments on time and be generous with your contacts in San Francisco, CA, U.S.A.

- During a business meeting in Sao Paulo, Brazil avoid putting your briefcase or handbag on the ground, as local suspicion holds that your money may run away. Local people would appreciate your efforts to converse with them in Portuguese.

- Business cards are swapped at breakneck speed. On receiving one, use both hands and read it immediately. Be sure to offer yours in return in Shanghai, China. Language is the biggest challenge for foreign visitors to Shanghai—most locals know just a handful of English words. Carry an English to Chinese phrasebook for easier communication.

- Business in Singapore expects a high degree of courtesy. Assertiveness is seen as rude, modesty is appreciated and achievements are downplayed in Singapore.

- Australians have a dry, laconic sense of humour. Go with the flow of conversation and avoid taking jokes in bad taste, Mate. Be prepared to talk about wine and sports during business conversations in Sydney, Australia.

- The exchange of business cards is a ritual and pauses in conversation are an important part of communication in Tokyo, Japan. Always keep business cards with you at all times, and be ready to give out when necessary—to be without a business card, meishi, at a meeting is a disaster. If someone gives you their meishi and you do not return the gesture, you are signalling that you are not interested in pursuing the relationship. During meetings, keep the card in front of you; putting it away is a signal that the meeting is over. Don’t ponder over sudden silences, as pauses in conversation are an important part of communication in Japan. Don’t raise your voice. Speak a bit more slowly than you would normally do.

- Toronto, Canada is a work-oriented city with breakfast and morning meetings normal. Breakfast and morning meetings are common, and business lunches tend to be dry in Toronto, Canada.

- Israel is an informal society. Ask straight questions and give straight answers. Don’t expect to spend much time on small talk before getting down to business. Don't be surprised to see senior business associates dressed in casual wear in Tel Aviv, Israel.

- Anything other than a white or pale blue shirt on a man is a bold statement in Washington, DC; U.S.A.

- It is common for people to arrive early for an appointment and wait to avoid being late in Zurich, Switzerland.

Read more business etiquette and travel tips from the Cities Guide section of The Economist.

The traveller sees what he sees, the tourist sees what he has come to see.
~ G.K. Chesterton

Be a traveller, not a business visitor, and see the world in its splendour. Mobissimo wishes you happy business travelling.

Do you have business-related travel experiences to share? Let us know.

India's domestic airline industry continues to grow at a dramatic pace with local flight frequency up 46% and demand for domestic Low-Cost Carrier (LCC) travel up by a whopping 254% according to aviation industry analysts OAG Worldwide Ltd., in their Oct '06 Quarterly Airline Traffic Statistics report (PDF: 80KB) that provides a snapshot of airline activity around the world collated from more than 1000 scheduled airlines to give an overview of anticipated airline travel demand.

The frequency of International airlines operating to/from India is up 14% with a 16% increase in seats, but domestic market is where the real action is with a 46% increase in the frequency of flights and a 49% rise in the number of seats.

The frequency of flights of low-cost carriers operating to/from India is up 54% with a 56% increase in seats, and LCCs operating within India have added 278% more seats than they were lat this time last year.

China shows rapidly expanding growth in its low-cost domestic airline market with a 466% increase in the frequency of flights as compared to last year. Read more about OAG's global airline traffic statistics.

India's newest low-cost carrier IndiGo Airlines today said it plans to serve 30 cities across the country with a fleet of 40 A320s by 2010.

IndiGo Airlines would add an Airbus A320, the fourth in its fleet, later this week. This would enable them to provide flights to three new destinations; Mumbai (Bombay), Nagpur, and Vadodara (Baroda); through its network that now spans across 11 cities. Continue reading about IndiGo's plans.

Try Mobissimo's OneBox Search, a faster way, to find airfares without filling-in search forms or selecting dates from dropdown boxes.

An Economic Times news report states that Air India Express, a low-cost subsidiary of Air India, which operates flights to the Gulf region has posted a net profit of Rs. 20 million for the year ending March 2006.

This is a rare instance of an Indian LCC—Low Cost Carrier reversing the trend of being in the red and it seems to be a promising sign of good times to come for Indian LCCs, although Jet Airways' CEO Wolfgang Prock-Schauer would have a different perspective with his view that low cost airlines don't exist in India, per se, because there isn't a substantial cost differential between full service carriers and low cost carriers, and Indian aviation passengers prefer the full service model.

Travelling is the best way of learning and experiencing life in different parts of the world.

Brazilian author Paulo Coelho, popular the world over for bestsellers like The Alchemist and Eleven Minutes, shares his thoughts on lessons learnt while Travelling Differently in an article in his latest book Like the Flowing River, which is a thought-provoking collection of musings, reflections, and short stories.

An extract from Paulo Coelho's lessons on Travelling Differently from the book Like the Flowing River.

1. Avoid museums: If you're in a foreign city, isn't it far more interesting to go in search of the present than the past? It's just that people feel obliged to go to museums because they learned as children that travelling was about seeking that kind of culture. ... you need to know what you want to see there, otherwise you will leave with a sense of having seen a few really fundamental things, but can't remember what they were.



2. Hang out in bars: Bars are the places where life in the city reveals itself, not in museums. ... places where ordinary people go, have a drink, ponder the weather, and are always ready for a chat. ... you cannot judge the beauty of a particular path just by looking at the gate.



3. Be open: The best tour guide is someone who lives in the place, knows everything about it, is proud of his or her city, but does not work for any agency.



4. Don't travel in groups: Travel alone or with your spouse or a few close friends. It will be harder work, but only in this way can you truly leave your country behind. Travelling with a group is a way of being in a foreign country while speaking your mother tongue, doing whatever the leader of the flock tells you to do, and taking more interest in group gossip than the place you are visiting.



5. Don't compare: Don't compare anything—prices, standards of hygiene, quality of life, means of transport, nothing! ... Your aim is to find out how other people live, what they can teach you, how they deal with reality and with the extraordinary.



6. Understand that everyone understands you: Even if you don't speak the language, don't be afraid.



7. Don't buy too much: Spend money on things you won't need to carry.



8. Don't try to see the world in a month: It is far better to stay in a city for four or five days than to visit five cities in a week.



9. A journey is an adventure: ... wander the streets ... experience the freedom of looking for something—quite what you don't know.