You don't become a travel expert by reading, researching or planning. You become an expert by experiencing travel - getting out on the road, seeing the world with new eyes, making mistakes and learning to laugh them off. This approach will serve you better than any roadmap or set of instructions.
Nevertheless, there are a few things I wish I had known when first venturing out into the world. If I could start over now, what would I do differently? Here's my list.
Pack fewer clothes and more money. After struggling to stuff extra clothes into my small carry-on, I learned that I could easily buy solid colour T-shirts that can be layered as needed almost anywhere. Often, it's easier to find a new shirt than to wash an old one. Sometimes it's cheaper, too.
Money, however, shouldn't be spared when packing for a trip. Whatever you expect to spend along the way, take double the amount. After visiting more than 150 countries, I recently made the mistake of not having enough cash to pay for an entry visa into Comoros. It was stressful and entirely unnecessary. Bring more money; you can always redeposit it when you get home if it proves unnecessary.
Keep your receipts. When exchanging money, hang on to the receipt until you've left the country. Once in a while, someone at the airport will want to see proof of all your foreign exchanges. Not being able to show proof is grounds for a fine. Usually, though, this harassment can be resisted. In Angola, they take this to the limit by asking departing travellers to show their wallet for inspection before clearing immigration. (Tip: don't use a wallet in Angola.)
Taxi drivers can be friends or enemies. Most taxi drivers are honest and can help you with all sorts of problems. If you find yourself in an uncertain situation and aren't sure where to turn, ask a driver. Others, however, will drive you in circles in an attempt to ratchet up the fare. Some will lie about knowing your destination just to get you in the car, then drive around asking numerous other drivers at traffic stops until you get on the right road.
The universal rule of taxi haggling for both driver and passenger is that, once both sides agree on a non-metered fare before setting off, neither side can reopen negotiations once you're en route. After the journey has started, you should not try to get a better deal nor should you accept any increase in the fare from the driver.
All airline rules are flexible, no matter what you're told. Persistence and friendliness go a long way. If you're in a situation where you need something changed, ask anyone you can find. Try to get someone on your side - make a friend and they'll often end up pleading your case for you to superiors. In some cases, it's better to call even if you're already at the airport, so keep the airline's phone number stored in your phone in case of problems.
Learn about travel hacking sooner rather than later. A high percentage of business and first-class travellers on many flights are using awards tickets or have been upgraded from economy. Flying in premium cabins can help you in more ways than just being comfortable on long flights, because the tickets can almost always be changed or refunded without penalty. You'll also get to hang out in airline lounges and receive priority treatment - very useful when you need to get in or out of somewhere fast. First class is nice, too, but the difference between first and business is rarely as great as the difference between business and economy.
If stuck, take matters into your own hands. Don't wait for someone else to solve your problem: think ahead. If your flight is cancelled, are there other flights? Is there another airport? How can you get online to look at other options? The first time this happens you may feel terrified, but after a while you'll learn that there's almost always a way out. A good travel disaster - preferably averted at the last-minute, of course - will help you grow in confidence.
Small tips go a long way. You don't have to bribe anyone and you don't always have to tip, but in most parts of the world, even giving something small is appreciated. When in doubt, don't hold back.
Be careful about talking but be open to listening. It's true that you shouldn't openly discuss politics or say anything negative about the country you're visiting. However, just by asking "How are things in ...?" you can usually learn a lot. Inevitably, people will have various complaints and observations. It's helpful to respond to any minor complaints by saying something positive about your impression of the country.
Be flexible ... really. Travellers are often advised to "be flexible", but what does that really mean? Often it comes down to the fact that customs and culture vary considerably around the world. You may hate smoking, for example, but in many parts of the world smoking is still a normal practice. The concept of personal space, something that Westerners tend to value, isn't shared as much in places such as India or Sri Lanka.
Not everything that relates to flexibility is negative, and that's the beauty of travel: you'll inevitably discover things about the outside world that you wish you had with you at home. As you travel, you'll learn your own lessons - but the more important thing is to be willing to go.
Chris Guillebeau, 33, is the author of The Art of Non-Conformity, published by Penguin. He is on a five-year mission to visit every country in the world, and is currently on number 178.
In numbers: PKK’s money network in Europe
Germany: PKK collectors typically bring in $18 million in cash a year – amount has trebled since 2010
Revolutionary tax: Investigators say about $2 million a year raised from ‘tax collection’ around Marseille
Extortion: Gunman convicted in 2023 of demanding $10,000 from Kurdish businessman in Stockholm
Drug trade: PKK income claimed by Turkish anti-drugs force in 2024 to be as high as $500 million a year
Denmark: PKK one of two terrorist groups along with Iranian separatists ASMLA to raise “two-digit million amounts”
Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners
TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013
Skewed figures
In the village of Mevagissey in southwest England the housing stock has doubled in the last century while the number of residents is half the historic high. The village's Neighbourhood Development Plan states that 26% of homes are holiday retreats. Prices are high, averaging around £300,000, £50,000 more than the Cornish average of £250,000. The local average wage is £15,458.
Formula Middle East Calendar (Formula Regional and Formula 4)
Round 1: January 17-19, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 2: January 22-23, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 3: February 7-9, Dubai Autodrome – Dubai
Round 4: February 14-16, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 5: February 25-27, Jeddah Corniche Circuit – Saudi Arabia
The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young
The smuggler
Eldarir had arrived at JFK in January 2020 with three suitcases, containing goods he valued at $300, when he was directed to a search area.
Officers found 41 gold artefacts among the bags, including amulets from a funerary set which prepared the deceased for the afterlife.
Also found was a cartouche of a Ptolemaic king on a relief that was originally part of a royal building or temple.
The largest single group of items found in Eldarir’s cases were 400 shabtis, or figurines.
Khouli conviction
Khouli smuggled items into the US by making false declarations to customs about the country of origin and value of the items.
According to Immigration and Customs Enforcement, he provided “false provenances which stated that [two] Egyptian antiquities were part of a collection assembled by Khouli's father in Israel in the 1960s” when in fact “Khouli acquired the Egyptian antiquities from other dealers”.
He was sentenced to one year of probation, six months of home confinement and 200 hours of community service in 2012 after admitting buying and smuggling Egyptian antiquities, including coffins, funerary boats and limestone figures.
For sale
A number of other items said to come from the collection of Ezeldeen Taha Eldarir are currently or recently for sale.
Their provenance is described in near identical terms as the British Museum shabti: bought from Salahaddin Sirmali, "authenticated and appraised" by Hossen Rashed, then imported to the US in 1948.
- An Egyptian Mummy mask dating from 700BC-30BC, is on offer for £11,807 ($15,275) online by a seller in Mexico
- A coffin lid dating back to 664BC-332BC was offered for sale by a Colorado-based art dealer, with a starting price of $65,000
- A shabti that was on sale through a Chicago-based coin dealer, dating from 1567BC-1085BC, is up for $1,950
The White Lotus: Season three
Creator: Mike White
Starring: Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Natasha Rothwell
Rating: 4.5/5
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Mia Man’s tips for fermentation
- Start with a simple recipe such as yogurt or sauerkraut
- Keep your hands and kitchen tools clean. Sanitize knives, cutting boards, tongs and storage jars with boiling water before you start.
- Mold is bad: the colour pink is a sign of mold. If yogurt turns pink as it ferments, you need to discard it and start again. For kraut, if you remove the top leaves and see any sign of mold, you should discard the batch.
- Always use clean, closed, airtight lids and containers such as mason jars when fermenting yogurt and kraut. Keep the lid closed to prevent insects and contaminants from getting in.
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The rules on fostering in the UAE
A foster couple or family must:
- be Muslim, Emirati and be residing in the UAE
- not be younger than 25 years old
- not have been convicted of offences or crimes involving moral turpitude
- be free of infectious diseases or psychological and mental disorders
- have the ability to support its members and the foster child financially
- undertake to treat and raise the child in a proper manner and take care of his or her health and well-being
- A single, divorced or widowed Muslim Emirati female, residing in the UAE may apply to foster a child if she is at least 30 years old and able to support the child financially
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Specs
Engine: Dual-motor all-wheel-drive electric
Range: Up to 610km
Power: 905hp
Torque: 985Nm
Price: From Dh439,000
Available: Now
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Recent winners
2002 Giselle Khoury (Colombia)
2004 Nathalie Nasralla (France)
2005 Catherine Abboud (Oceania)
2007 Grace Bijjani (Mexico)
2008 Carina El-Keddissi (Brazil)
2009 Sara Mansour (Brazil)
2010 Daniella Rahme (Australia)
2011 Maria Farah (Canada)
2012 Cynthia Moukarzel (Kuwait)
2013 Layla Yarak (Australia)
2014 Lia Saad (UAE)
2015 Cynthia Farah (Australia)
2016 Yosmely Massaad (Venezuela)
2017 Dima Safi (Ivory Coast)
2018 Rachel Younan (Australia)
BLACK%20ADAM
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Monster
Directed by: Anthony Mandler
Starring: Kelvin Harrison Jr., John David Washington
3/5
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Brief scores:
Toss: Pakhtunkhwa Zalmi, chose to field
Environment Agency: 193-3 (20 ov)
Ikhlaq 76 not out, Khaliya 58, Ahsan 55
Pakhtunkhwa Zalmi: 194-2 (18.3 ov)
Afridi 95 not out, Sajid 55, Rizwan 36 not out
Result: Pakhtunkhwa won by 8 wickets
THE BIO:
Sabri Razouk, 74
Athlete and fitness trainer
Married, father of six
Favourite exercise: Bench press
Must-eat weekly meal: Steak with beans, carrots, broccoli, crust and corn
Power drink: A glass of yoghurt
Role model: Any good man
THE SIXTH SENSE
Starring: Bruce Willis, Toni Collette, Hayley Joel Osment
Director: M. Night Shyamalan
Rating: 5/5
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Pathaan
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RESULT
Esperance de Tunis 1 Guadalajara 1
(Esperance won 6-5 on penalties)
Esperance: Belaili 38’
Guadalajara: Sandoval 5’
Winners
Best Men's Player of the Year: Kylian Mbappe (PSG)
Maradona Award for Best Goal Scorer of the Year: Robert Lewandowski (Bayern Munich)
TikTok Fans’ Player of the Year: Robert Lewandowski
Top Goal Scorer of All Time: Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester United)
Best Women's Player of the Year: Alexia Putellas (Barcelona)
Best Men's Club of the Year: Chelsea
Best Women's Club of the Year: Barcelona
Best Defender of the Year: Leonardo Bonucci (Juventus/Italy)
Best Goalkeeper of the Year: Gianluigi Donnarumma (PSG/Italy)
Best Coach of the Year: Roberto Mancini (Italy)
Best National Team of the Year: Italy
Best Agent of the Year: Federico Pastorello
Best Sporting Director of the Year: Txiki Begiristain (Manchester City)
Player Career Award: Ronaldinho
How it works
1) The liquid nanoclay is a mixture of water and clay that aims to convert desert land to fertile ground
2) Instead of water draining straight through the sand, it apparently helps the soil retain water
3) One application is said to last five years
4) The cost of treatment per hectare (2.4 acres) of desert varies from $7,000 to $10,000 per hectare
Election pledges on migration
CDU: "Now is the time to control the German borders and enforce strict border rejections"
SPD: "Border closures and blanket rejections at internal borders contradict the spirit of a common area of freedom"