Lithuania Eastern Europe - How to meet the locals


Hobo Travel Tips Newsletter: Lithuania Eastern Europe - How to meet the locals
Tip: “How to meet the locals” Tip By: Robert Burns Prudenttravel.com
Issue: 179
Location Published From: Marijampole, Lithuania
Issue: 178 -- Latvia - Hostel Life Europe - What is needed

Issue: 180 -- Auschwitz Concentration Camp Poland - Digital Camera


Letters to Editor


TABLE OF CONTENTS

~ NEWSLETTER INFORMATION
~ HOBO TRAVEL QUOTES
How I feel today...
~ HOBO PHOTO GALLERY
This weeks pictures.
~ HOBO DAILY TRAVEL LOG a.k.a. Blog
Travel Blog! A daily web diary of my travels.
http://www.hobotraveler.com/blogger.html
~ HOBO STEW (A Dish of Meat and Vegetables)
Marijampole, Lithuania
Trying to buy a Van, Motor home, or Caravan
~ TODAY’S TRAVEL TIP
“How to meet the locals”
Tip By: Robert Burns
http://www.prudenttravel.com

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~ HOBO TRAVEL QUOTES - Back to top
How I feel today, or a start down
the proverbial travelers path.

Stripped of your ordinary surroundings your friends your daily routines
your refrigerator full of food your closet full of clothes - with all
this taken away you are forced into direct experience. Such direct
experience inevitably makes you aware of who it is that is having the
experience. That's not always comfortable but it is always invigorating.
- Michael Crichton

~ BACKPACKER JARGON

- Tree Huggers
People that hug trees.
A derogatory slam or insult to people that to some travelers seem
in love with the trees, like a tree needs a hug, These people tend to
raise issues and problems where there is little problem.
Maybe the founders of the political correct, X generation.
Best to avoid when traveling because these people are delusional
and believe they can trust all poor people, this can make travel
dangerous.

~ HOBO SLANG

Chow
- Becoming now a common word meaning food.
http://www.hobotraveler.com/hobo.php

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~ HOBO PHOTO GALLERY - Back to top

A lot of photos - The world unedited...

Vilnius Lithuania
http://www.hobotraveler.com/179_23_vilniuslithuania.shtml
Vilnius Lithuania Churches
http://www.hobotraveler.com/179_24_vilniuslithuaniachurches.shtml
Vilnius Lithuania Churches
http://www.hobotraveler.com/179_25_vilniuslithuaniachurches.shtml
Vilnius Lithuania Photos
http://www.hobotraveler.com/179_26_vilniuslithuaniaphotos.shtml
Vilnius Lithuania Hostel
http://www.hobotraveler.com/179_27_vilniuslithuaniahostel.shtml
Vilnius Lithuania Hotel
http://www.hobotraveler.com/179_28_vilniuslithuaniahotel.shtml
Marijampole Lithuania Hotel
http://www.hobotraveler.com/179_29_marijampolelithuaniahotel.shtml
Marijampole Lithuania Vans
http://www.hobotraveler.com/179_30_marijampolelithuaniavans.shtml
Marijampole Lithuania Vans
http://www.hobotraveler.com/179_31_marijampolelithuaniavans.shtml
Lithuania Caravan
http://www.hobotraveler.com/179_32_lithuaniacaravan.shtml
Lithuania Girl
http://www.hobotraveler.com/179_33_lithuaniagirl.shtml
Lithuania Girl
http://www.hobotraveler.com/179_34_lithuaniagirl.shtml

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~ HOBO DAILY TRAVEL LOG - Back to top

Andy's Travel Blog! A daily web diary of my travels.
Daily photos more or less.
http://www.hobotraveler.com/blogger.html

JOBS with HoboTraveler.com
I need help! I am deluged with data, info, typing, graphics.
Work from home, and help travelers.
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~ HOBO STEW (A Dish of Meat and Vegetables) - Back to top

MARIJAMPOLE, LITHUANIA
Trying to buy a Van, Motor Home, or Caravan

I entered Lithuania and went to the Capital Vilnius, then proceeded
west towards the Polish border and stopped in Marijampole, Lithuania.
Tomorrow I leave for Poland, I have no plans however I hope to visit
the Auschwitz Concentration Camp. After Poland, I will west to Czech
Republic, stop look around, then onward towards Stuttgart Germany.
I have heard this is the home of Mercedes Benz. Then I will go north
to Frankfurt, Germany on August 4 for the Wikipedia.org Encyclopedia
Convention.

Marijampole, Lithuania

Walking home from the Internet Café today I realized, Hmm… no bums,
no problems, nobody bothering me, where am I am, and what happened?

It is not normal for me to feel safe and comfortable, I only feel this
way in Indiana, and I have to admit the Baltic, States of Estonia,
Latvia, and Lithuania seem to have one of the highest qualities of
lives on the planet.

This is what I would call a Homogeneous Culture, everyone is the same,
almost all white people, very few minorities and nobody seems to go
to Thailand to find wives. Everyone seems to think they are poor here;
however, the place has to be one of the best values on the planet.

Diversity is interesting and fun, however people that are uniquely
different argue too much. This place is great, everyone actually seems
happy to be living here, sort of like Fort Wayne, Indiana. Many people
that should thank God every day for the great lives they have.

Ok….
Estonia has the most Waste Bins along the road.

Riga, Latvia is in the Top 10 most beautiful girl countries.

Lithuania is half the price, and one of the best
values on the planet for living.

These are the Baltic States, and I would say part of Eastern Europe,
they are located on the eastern Coast of the Baltic Sea, just to
the left of Russia.

What a great place to live, a girl on the bus from Vilnius to Marijampole
read the words in English on my new shirt.

“I Love Lithuania”
“Hmm… But where is it?”

She proceeded to explain that Marijampole is city where they sell many
cars; it is where Russians and the Stan Brothers buy cars from Western Europe.

What are the Stan Brothers?
Http://www.hobotraveler.com/blogger.html xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx FIX THIS xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Makes you wonder? You think they buy all these cars.

OK… Back to the subject, I got all excited and thought what a great
place to buy a Van, Caravan, or Motor Home. I went out a couple of
days and purchased a van, put down a deposit of 250 Litas or about
60 Dollars U.S. to hold and tried my best to close the deal. I went
to the Bank Machine for a couple of days and removed enough money in
Lithuania Litas to pay for the Van.

Cost: 1400 Euros

It was great, a Mercedes Camper Van with a shower, big enough to hold
Five Girl passengers, or Boys if they paid, and life was going to be
perfect. Insurance, I had a translator, I had it all, some guy Robert was
helping me talk, and life was perfect. I get all the way to the end
of the street and I discovered.

I must have temporary permission to live in Lithuania to put the title in my name.

This would take a month, now maybe this is true and maybe I am confused,
however, as best my instincts are working this is the bottom line.
If I went to Vilnius, the capital I could probably get this done, however… life is short.

I had to forfeit my money and learned some lessons, however I am 85
percent ready to try again, and maybe I can make some guidelines for
a tip.

OK… I am ok, I wanted this van, it looked perfect, and if it were the
Traveler Stereotype Volkswagen Van, it would have been perfect.

VILNIUS LITHUANIA

This is a great tourist city, I liked the architecture and the Medieval
atmosphere a lot better than Riga, it is bigger than Tallinn, however
if you want Medieval. Brugge, Belgium is still my top recommendation.

If you want a great Castle, Essaouira, Morocco still in my number one recommendation.

I got in touch with my inner travel child when I put the deposit down on the van.

I felt a freedom; I was thinking how wonderful it would to keep my
backpack, my shirts, and my things all in one place for a few months.
I like to move, I do not like to pack and unpack.

The second little child was a little afraid, what would I do alone, maybe
someone would come up in the night and rob me, and I do feel safe in
Hotels and Hostels. Ok, I feel safe in Hotels; I do not feel safe in Hostels.

What other thoughts… I thought about buying a Sailboat, dreaming about
Caribbean Islands and tropical girls.

So many countries…
So many travel lives…
So many places to see…
So many interesting people on this planet.

I feel sad for the bombing of London, these Terrorist have successfully
hijacked the Islamic Religion, and are out and about doing terrible
things in the name of this God and people.

Life is good, and contrary to all the crap, we see on TV, the world
is getting safer and simpler. We are just hyper aware, we know too
much, I am in a country presently which Russia held hostage for years.
It is a paradise, a place where I would feel good to raise children,
the world is getting safer.

I need to work hard to get myself in a dangerous country.

I will try harder though, maybe Afghanistan, one of the Stan Brothers.

Note, I look too European, I look the same as them.
I decided it was time to get to work and sew on my USA Flags.
I find people become more helpful when they know I am
from the USA and I speak English.

WAKING UP ANGRY
I am frustrated with the people of the world some days, I awoke
this morning angry. My mind has worked all night obviously thinking about
the comparison between Srebrenica, the town in eastern Bosnia and
Herzegovina where they are mourning 10 years after 8000 People
Killed and put in a mass grave.

I went to Iraq 35 days to see what the USA is doing in my name.
I witnessed the genocide graves of 2500 Iraqis murdered by Saddam
Hussein. There is suppose to be over 30 of these sites in Iraq.

75,000 people, that is 75,000 people that was murdered in
Iraq by Saddam Hussein. I witness the 2500 people, I seen
what he did, I am very proud of what the USA and President
George W. Bush is doing in my name.

This is what he is stopping are people so blind they cannot
see that Srebrenica should be stopped. That is what the
USA in Iraq is doing, stopping the murders, and the loss
of USA boys is worth the cost.
http://www.hobotraveler.com/122_07baghdad04.shtml
http://www.hobotraveler.com/122_07baghdad05.shtml
http://www.hobotraveler.com/122_07baghdad06.shtml

Many reading this are so jaded, they believe I am making
up and creating lies to make money. I wish you would unsubscribe
now, you are evil and mean spirited, the link is at bottom.
I do not need you in my world,

I do not want your friendship, I really do not care if you like me.
I do this letter and make a web site to help people travel
sometimes it makes me happy, and sometimes I am sad.
I enjoy my life as I wish and do as I wish.

The goal of these newsletters, the blog, and posting all
of these photos is to explain my little Hobo Travel World.
To make money with the website so I can continue
to travel the world and witness the good and bad in
all of us.

Life is Good

Today’s tip
“How to meet the locals”
Tip By: Robert Burns
http://www.prudenttravel.com

Just another day in Paradise!
PLAN YOUR ESCAPE...
Be a Hobo, and leave your mark.
X
Hobotraveler.com was HERE!

Life is good.
The Hobotraveler.com


Article written by Andy the Hobotraveler.com
On year 8 of Hobo trip around the world.
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~ TODAY’S TRAVEL TIPS - Back to top

“How to meet the locals”

Tip By: Robert Burns
http://www.prudenttravel.com

A local is defined as a person who resides in a particular country. He or
she is familiar with the culture and customs of that country and has lived
there for most, if not all, of their life. A tour guide would not fit this
category since a tour guide is usually there to quickly run you through the
major tourist sites, make commissions by taking you to the “good shops” and
whisking you back to the hotel on the bus. You will get a much richer and
rewarding experience by going out on your own and meeting true locals, which
would be anyone that doesn’t work in the tourism industry. My best travel
memories are the friends I have made along the way--both other travelers and
local residents.

By meeting and making friends with the locals you gain the best all-around
cultural experiences, find out about all of the great places to see (other
than tourist attractions), and see local delights that most other travelers
and tourists will never know exist. These experiences will most likely
become the most memorable and exciting parts of your travels. You can take
pictures and share these memories with friends and family. Everyone I know
asks me to tell them a story of my travel experiences and I usually start
with a time that I spent time with a local or traveler from a different
country.

Meeting the local people in any given town is not as difficult as it may
seem on the surface. Knowing the correct foreign language is helpful, but
not always a requirement. As you travel, you must get away from the main
streets and tourist spots. Your next task is to look for places that appear
to have the local people all around. Good places to start are local open-air
markets, “Mom and Pop” stores, bars, cafes, and restaurants. Once you have
located a nice gathering of locals you have to be somewhat extroverted and
try to start conversation with someone. A good way to do this is to ask
about local food, good places to eat, or something that most travelers would
not know about (for example, a historically significant site, castle, house,
etc). I meet a very nice, middle-aged married couple in a small restaurant
in the Alsace region of France who helped me to decipher some of the menu
items and make recommendations. We immediately began conversing about all
sorts of things.

In return for the information you can offer a small gift from your hometown
(like a magnet, key chain, pin, or sticker that has your hometown’s name on
it). It is important that you NEVER give them money. If you give someone
money, you are encouraging pan-handling and you could make them feel like a
servant instead of a friend. Most locals would appreciate a more personal
gift anyway. I was shocked at the couple’s willingness to help and I bought
them a dessert for their kindness. We ended up staying late for drinks and
sharing stories for 4 hours. This was one of my fondest memories from that
2-week trip.

This method is not 100% effective and do not expect everyone to like you
because you are a foreigner, but you will be surprised how hospitable locals
can be once they feel comfortable enough to open up to you. You may end up
with a free meal, a free place to stay, or even a lifetime friendship. At
the very least, you will get some interaction with the locals and learn
valuable people skills. You will also learn more about the local culture.
They also are interested in hearing about your culture and customs. I now
send letters and postcards to the married couple in France and they have
invited me to stay with them the next time I am in the area. I have made
friends for life and that is one of my most valuable possessions.

This strategy works best if you are traveling alone. A married or dating
couple may have a slight disadvantage, but if only one person is approaching
a local then introducing their better half after you have broken the ice can
avoid this problem. Larges groups will be mostly unsuccessful in meeting
locals unless you break apart and explore on your own. Meeting the locals
will make your travels much easier and a lot more fun that just going to
museums and tourist sites. Give it a try for yourself and see! I was part of
a group of 4 when I meet the married couple in France. It usually happens
when you least expect it!

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Article written by Robert Burns
The Prudent Traveler
Check out my website:
http://www.prudenttravel.com
Please contact me thru the above
website if you wish to republish
this article in any form.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Thanx Robert, hope we hear a lot from you
in the future.
Andy of HoboTraveler.com

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"Thank you, Lord, for thinkin'
'bout me. I'm alive and doin' fine."
I’m alive and doing fine.‘
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Issue: 178 -- Latvia - Hostel Life Europe - What is needed

Issue: 180 -- Auschwitz Concentration Camp Poland - Digital Camera