I have a rule of thumb about negative reviews from strangers. I feel like I can sense a tone sometimes that a person is very hard to please, and if I go hunting for their other reviews, I can usually tell right away if I'm correct about that. In which case, I'll disregard.
Your advice about recommendations from friends is on point, though. I'm a camper so if a friend who hates camping but loves luxury hotels is doing the referring, it might not be my kind of trip. Great tips!
IMO, it's preferable to trust travel advice from someone who knows you well (as opposed to casual or social media friends), and to take said advice with a grain of salt.
Thanks for reading and commenting Toni! Yes, take ALL advice with a grain of salt. I agree, it’s better to trust folks who know your likes and dislikes. Preferably someone who’s even traveled with you in the past.
Thank you for reading and the comment Gabi! The post structure has evolved over time so I appreciate the positive feedback. It’s meant to be little travel snacks haha.
So true about referring places to people. A friend was going to Vietnam Nam and we’d spent a month there a few years earlier. Both Paul and I love cities (countryside too) maybe bc we spent much of our lives in San Francisco. Anyway, we both loved Hanoi— its old colonial aspect, buildings. Not the newer Ho Chi Minh City so much. Suggested Hanoi, then halong bay and finally Sa Pa on Chinese border. She doesn’t like cities— I didn’t know that or would have referred her to Hue or Hoi An. So from then on I’m more or less mum with rec’s to people!
Thank you for the comment Jeanine! A month in Vietnam sounds amazing. Sending recs to people can be a let down for both the sender and the receiver at times. I can relate about sending Asia recommendations. A friend asked for some. When they didn’t go where I suggested it hurt a little because it took some time to go through notes for places. I also am a fan of Hanoi!
I have a rule of thumb about negative reviews from strangers. I feel like I can sense a tone sometimes that a person is very hard to please, and if I go hunting for their other reviews, I can usually tell right away if I'm correct about that. In which case, I'll disregard.
Your advice about recommendations from friends is on point, though. I'm a camper so if a friend who hates camping but loves luxury hotels is doing the referring, it might not be my kind of trip. Great tips!
Thank you for reading and commenting Jennie! Absolutely, you have to read the room a bit before taking their travel tips seriously.
Great post!
IMO, it's preferable to trust travel advice from someone who knows you well (as opposed to casual or social media friends), and to take said advice with a grain of salt.
Thanks for reading and commenting Toni! Yes, take ALL advice with a grain of salt. I agree, it’s better to trust folks who know your likes and dislikes. Preferably someone who’s even traveled with you in the past.
I love your post!
It's true that experiences are relative, and I guess it should be like that, so we can discover everything for ourselves.
I love your post structure - so much information on different topics!
Thank you for reading and the comment Gabi! The post structure has evolved over time so I appreciate the positive feedback. It’s meant to be little travel snacks haha.
So true about referring places to people. A friend was going to Vietnam Nam and we’d spent a month there a few years earlier. Both Paul and I love cities (countryside too) maybe bc we spent much of our lives in San Francisco. Anyway, we both loved Hanoi— its old colonial aspect, buildings. Not the newer Ho Chi Minh City so much. Suggested Hanoi, then halong bay and finally Sa Pa on Chinese border. She doesn’t like cities— I didn’t know that or would have referred her to Hue or Hoi An. So from then on I’m more or less mum with rec’s to people!
Thank you for the comment Jeanine! A month in Vietnam sounds amazing. Sending recs to people can be a let down for both the sender and the receiver at times. I can relate about sending Asia recommendations. A friend asked for some. When they didn’t go where I suggested it hurt a little because it took some time to go through notes for places. I also am a fan of Hanoi!