The Traveler Trade

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The Traveler Trade
Professional traveler, I have no idea what that means, but it may be possible I am one.

I know:
There is no difference between backpacker living on a 15 dollars a day budget and a tourist on a 750 dollar per day budget. Both want to have good value for their money.

There is almost NO correlation between what you pay and quality of the hotel.
--- A tourist is clueless, going on a two week vacation does not give them the ability to judge a room....

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Bangkok Thailand - Southeast Asia
Khao San Road
Saturday, January 5, 2008
Andy of HoboTraveler.com --- Submit Hotel URL
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Ask yourself and think?
- Have you ever gone into a store and purchased something that was priced so cheap, you could not believe it? -

The same thing exists in hotels, but 20 times more often. Many hotels do not know how good they are because lets face it; they do not go and visit the other hotels to know.
Slumming it (Talking about what I pay for room.)
On a Hobo Budget (Talking about Airplane Flights)

Two friends recently proved they really do not understand what I do, and they just do not get it. I am positive I do not trust them to know what a good value is for the buck.

The problem is this
- They believe if you pay more, you get better. -

One of my best room I every had was in Sihanoukville, Cambodia for three dollars per night. I keep thinking about the clean sheets, balcony overlooking the sea.

I stayed in 70 dollar per night hotels in the Caribbean that I would not wish on my worst enemy.

I crack up when I think about the Hilton in the Malate Area of Manila. Gee, they a person to pay the big money to live in a neighborhood full of beggars, bums, and prostitutes, go figure.

I took photos of an apartment Hotel in Anguilla that rented for 2000 dollars per night next to a dump, looking at the side of a hill.

The biggest problem for the average person trying to get a good value is they pre-judge, are snobs, and just plain too lazy.

The never went out looking for the absolutely best value for the buck hotel on the planet. They just accepted what was easy.

The airplane ticket thing was just too stupid, he was just saying, I want you to just pay, make my job easy.

I think the earmark of a Professional Traveler is they will be able to tell you many hints and tips on how to find the one great hotel priced for 10 dollars surrounded by hotels that cost 100. The person can also tell you which rooms are best in the hotel, not just the hotel. I continually sleep in the best room in the hotel, which is stupidly priced the same as the worst.
The hotel am in presently has bed bugs, I am now in a room without bed bugs. This sound funny, but even if I pay 20 times the amount of money, I cannot find the same bundle of services in the Khao San Road area. There is no way to pay more and get the same bundle of services that I need, not you, but me.

The professional traveler keeps searching for great hotels for 15 dollars per night.
Why? Because they know they exist, just have to find it. I know when I find it, I get a normal 100 dollar per night room, for 15 dollars.

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Reader Submitted Comments | Deleted Comments (0)

Anonymous said on Saturday January 5th, 2008 08:07:00 AM

A professional something are a person that earns money from it.So you are a professional traveler! :)

Andy HoboTraveler.com said on Saturday January 5th, 2008 08:15:00 AM

This definition is correct. Yet... I have heard this many times, I have heard travelers say it, and I have heard people call me, or others a professional traveler.So, like I said, I have no idea what it means, it is just a nickname use for a person that has traveled a long time.However, what a pro does represent is someone who is good at it. Many ways to misuse or abuse this small nickname.

Chuck WoW said on Monday January 7th, 2008 01:45:00 AM

what's the name of the $3 hotel in Sihanoukville, Cambodia ? must have been 5 years ago ?

Andy HoboTraveler.com said on Monday January 7th, 2008 02:09:00 AM

This is the problem with the NON - Pro, they just do not look for cheap rooms. At the other end of Khao San behind the Burger King, and behind the Ethos Restaurant back in the corner. Bob stayed in and excellent room for I think 160 Baht. They always exist, I normally pay 200 and have a color TV, but I NEED internet.Photos of the hotel:Da Da Hotel IN SihanoukvilleThis room always exist.