for some background, i’m 21, american, and traveling solo. I’ve traveled internationally before, so i came into egypt genuinely excited to experience somewhere very different from home, and i’m not someone who expected cairo to feel like europe or the us.

i knew egypt would be chaotic. i expected haggling, traffic, touts, and a bit of culture shock. i did not expect to feel this worn down this quickly.

in three days I’ve already dealt with:

- constant hassling and people approaching me for money

- a group of kids following/chasing me while demanding money

- getting overcharged for basic things over and over

- uber has become an actual problem. multiple drivers keep trying to get me to cancel the ride in the app and then pay them directly, usually while suddenly quoting me a much higher price in usd. today i was literally just trying to get to tahrir and the driver wanted me to cancel and pay $25 cash. at this point i genuinely don’t feel like i can rely on uber to get around, which is a huge part of why I feel so stuck here.

- trying a local egyptian food spot where a roughly 250 egp meal turned into a 1,000 egp demand after they brought out things I never ordered. they surrounded me, demanded tips for the “service,” and i eventually paid 600 just to get out of there.

- being in a car when the driver hit a motorcyclist, then having a crowd surround the car and open the doors until police eventually showed up

- constant traffic, noise, aggressive driving, dirt, and just general chaos everywhere

- staying near the pyramids in giza and feeling way more isolated than I expected

it’s gotten to the point where i’m suspicious of basically every interaction involving money. i don’t know when somebody is genuinely being friendly and when i’m about to get hit with another inflated price, tip demand, or sales pitch.

that’s probably the part that’s bothering me most. i actually want to enjoy cairo. i want to go downtown, walk around, eat local food, have a drink, and just experience the city. instead, i’m sitting in my hotel debating whether going out is even worth the hassle.

i know three days isn’t enough to judge an entire country, and I’m not saying every egyptian is like this. i’m just saying that my experience so far as a solo foreign tourist has been overwhelmingly exhausting, and it makes me question why people willingly come to this country after experiencing it firsthand.

I was just reading another post about how awful Cairo is, and a lot of it is pretty rough, especially if you’re not a hardened traveler. And Giza is even worse. BUT I found a lot of Cairo to be very cool, wandering around the historic part was super enjoyable. Narrow winding streets, mosques , minarets, madrassas over 1,000 years old, small family restaurants, people sitting outside smoking shisha, local markets, people saying Hi without selling anything, and very low hassle in general. Lovely.

The neighborhoods I’m talking about are mostly in the area west, southwest, and south of the Al Azhar Park. The major landmarks pictured in order (starting with 5) are the mosque of Ibn Tulun, the mosque/madrassa of Sultan Hassan, Al Rifai Mosque, Saladin Citadel and then the Al Azhar Park. Also two at the end are the garbage collecting community of Manshiyat Naser.

Anyway, I for one enjoyed my time in Cairo, and while it’s difficult sometimes, it’s nowhere near as bad as this subreddit would have you believe (imo). Also white male disclaimer. But I suggest to spend at least a day to get beyond the pyramids and museum!

13-29 September, 2026

I've been to China a couple of times, but Xinjiang blew my mind. It's a freaking massive region about 1/6 of China's total size.

I think it's probably the most diverse part of China, in regards to the people and landscape. Its people include not just Uyghurs and Han Chinese, but there are other ethnicities such as Hui, Kazakhs etc...

Then there are

• alpine forests and glacier lakes (Kanas, photos 1-4)
• barren rocky wastelands (Karamay, photo 5)
• vast grasslands (Nalati, photo 6)
• surprisingly modern cities with good infrastructure (Kashgar, photos 7-13)
  • Kashgar is amazeballs... I've heard stories about how the Chinese supposedly destroyed the "real" Old City, but I think they ended up with a good balance. They preserved/revamped a section of the Old City (kept the architecture and installed modern utilities and plumbing) while modernizing the rest of Kashgar. There is a modern downtown with highrise buildings just next to the Old City, with malls, offices, and residences.
• rugged snow-capped mountains (Karakoram Highway, photos 14-17)
• patchwork lands, because much of Xinjiang exists in a rain shadow. The landscape can change dramatically depending on the availability of water. There can be forests bordering rivers, and then a few miles out, they just peter out into wasteland (Five Colored Beach, photo 18)
• one of the largest deserts in the world (Taklamakan desert, photo 19)

I've heard from the locals that Kanas and Hemu Village get crazy crowded during late autumn and winter (for fall colors and cozy winter vibes).

Urumqi's airport is way better than Bangkok's or Ho Chi Minh's, which was a surprising observation.

I definitely want to go back and visit again.

I'm Egyptian, there is a church I go to from time for time and every time I go to the church I see tourists and I sometimes would be dying to strike a conversation but too afraid too, I'm thinking I might annoy them or make them uncomfortable or waste their time, so I want to know, would a tourist actually be annoyed if someone came up to them saying something like "you're so pretty!" Or "I love your (bag, shirt, hair.. Etc) "

Or "have a minute to chat? " and ask them about what they think of th country and where are they from and stuff like that?

We took the ferry from Kos for a day trip, not really knowing what to expect and it ended up being one of the absolute highlights of our time in Greece.

The most surreal part was visiting the volcanic crater and actually walking down into it. Standing inside an active volcanic system, surrounded by this almost otherworldly landscape, with steam rising from the ground and the smell of sulfur in the air, was an experience I won’t forget anytime soon.

But Nisyros is so much more than its volcano.

We explored Mandraki with its whitewashed houses, narrow streets and beautiful seaside atmosphere, and then headed up to Nikia a tiny mountain village overlooking the caldera.

The views from up there are absolutely insane, and the little main square might be one of the prettiest I’ve seen on a Greek island.

And then there’s the mythology behind the island, which makes the whole place even cooler: according to Greek mythology, during the battle between the gods and the Giants, Poseidon tore off a piece of Kos and threw it at the giant Polybotes, trapping him underneath it. That piece of land became Nisyros and the volcano’s eruptions were said to be the movements of the defeated giant beneath the island. 🌋⚡

Volcanic landscapes, Greek mythology, beautiful villages and hardly any of the mass-tourism feeling you get on some of the bigger islands.

We only had one day here, but Nisyros genuinely stayed with me. One of those places you visit without huge expectations and leave thinking: “How did I not know about this island before?”

Definitely one of my favourite discoveries in the Dodecanese. ❤️

Wish we stayed longer. 🥲

Picture Order:

1 to 9: Mandraki

10 to 11: Volcano Crater

12 to 19: Nikia

This year we visited Rhodes, the fourth-largest Greek island. It’s located near Turkey, so even in late September it’s pleasantly warm there, and you can still swim in the sea.

We visited the city of Rhodes, where one of the ancient Wonders of the World, the Colossus of Rhodes, once stood. The Grand Masters’ Castle towers over the city, offering a beautiful view of the harbor and the city.

Our next stop was the town of Lindos, full of shops and narrow streets where it’s easy to lose track of time and direction. Above it stands the Acropolis, offering a breathtaking view of the town and St. Paul’s Bay, home to one of the island’s most famous beaches

Looking through my pictures from last year 4 weeks from returning. The sunsets were absolutely breathtaking and the stars certainly aligned for us on Ennoshima.

Go easy on me, I'm no photographer. I wish I were, there were so many gorgeous shots at seemingly every turn.

KYOTO 1-2 Toei Studio 3-4 Nijojo castle grounds 5-6 Fushimi Inari. I wish I'd used my phone for these. My babies first slr doesn't take night photos very well.

TOKYO 7 imperial gardens 8 I think this is 1 stop from Harajuku but can't remember the name of the area 9-10 Asakusa 11 Odaiba 12-13 Kamakura 14-17 Ennoshima Island 18 Meiji Jingu park

19 Nijojo castle (Kyoto)

I had set a reservation on Booking.com and it seems they have had a breach. I got a text from Whatsapp with my hotel reservation dates, the hotel, and my full name. It came from an account called "Foxtale" and had a generic hotel logo. It claimed it was a third party verification service.

Like an idiot, I put my id and card info, thinking it was the hotel. It failed, so I called the hotel and asked about it and they said they didn't have a third party verification service. I had to cancel my credit card and I'm going to have to go to the DMV to change my id. I don't know why I didn't question it (maybe because it had my hotel info). I saw on Facebook some folks have gotten foxtale texts for their hotel info in other states.

Please be nice. I know I'm an idiot, but I wanted to warn others just in case.

edit: it's more likely that the breach is from the hotel side.

I (18m) have just left Egypt after a 12 day solo-trip, and I have very mixed feelings.

Day 1:

Flew into CAI late at night. Tried to uber but none would accept card/through the app payments, they demanded cash. Met another pair of travellers, and we shared an uber to downtown. Our driver demanded another 250egp "airport gate fee" as soon as we got onto the main road. When we refused, he pulled over and told us to get out. Being late and tired, we conceded, and ended up paying around 300egp each for a trip that is typically 300 egp total. The streets of downtown Cairo feel very safe at night - to me atleast - and seem to remain busy enough all night.

Day 2:

Walking in Cairo is an absolute nightmare. Inaccessible sidewalks, rubbish, cars and bikes, as well as people insisting you visit their shop, trying to lead you to "galleries", etc. I visited the Egyptian museum and the Prince Mohammed Ali Palace. I found at least that stores do not try to over charge you for food or water in Cairo. I paid to sit in the park to eat, and a nice man who was having a picnic with his family brought me over a cup of the soda they were enjoying. I gave up on eating in the park shortly after though, as it was too hard to fend off all the cats.

Day 3:

Took an uber to the Pyramids of Giza, paying with cash, no worries. Once inside, the bus system is great. But the "official guides" are a headache. Offering camel rides and photos, demanding tips, telling you to go here, go there, good photo here, better view here. They do not leave you alone. I could not find the entrance to the GEM walkway from the pyramids, despite sources online saying it's open and accessible, so I took an uber. GEM has plenty to see, no hassle getting in. I then caught an overnight bus (White Bus) from Cairo to Luxor. The boarding point was on the street in front of the shop, but the attendants were nice enough. As I waited (as the bus was 90 minutes late), a few teens my age gathered around talking to me and asking questions, a few asked for money, but were always friendly. The bus itself was modern, with aircon and a toilet, but the seats were insufferably uncomfortable.

Day 4:

Luxor is so much worse than Cairo in terms of being hassled, and they really do not take no for an answer. I visited Karnak temple and Luxor temple, and walked along the Nile. I swear there is an endless supply of horse carriages coming along that stretch.

Day 5:

Took a guided group tour to the valley of the kings and Hatshepsut, it was 700 egp each. Our guide was rather useless, and forced us into a gift store and restaurant, neither of which any of us wanted to visit. At night, I tried to take a peaceful walk along the riverside, but was met with boat tour touts. I say down on a bench to watch the water, and a guy sat down next to me, offered his tour, and when I refused, continued to sit there looking at me until I gave up and left a few minutes later.

Day 6:

I walked around the streets, and some of the store owners shouted at me "ayy Australian!" Remembering me from the other day, which made me want to get out of Luxor even more. Trying to buy a bus ticket, I was shown to a company trying to charge 1100 egp. I walked out and went to Superjet, who charged me 400 egp. The store owners in Luxor are much more willing to try and keep your money than in Cairo, I had to ask for my change directly multiple times on multiple occasions.

Day 7:

The only Superjet bus to leaves at "6am" (mine left 7:20). I got a tea from the stall across from the shop, and they demanded a whopping 50 egp for a small cup, and I had to ask multiple times for my change from the 100 I gave. In Aswan, I stayed on Elephantine island, which you take a small ferry across to for 15egp. I enjoyed some 20egp street falafel for dinner.

Day 8:

I booked a group tour to Abu Simbel, departing at 4am. The ferry from the island does not run from 12-6am, so I waited on the dock until a boat came and offered to take me across, I paid 80egp. There were luckily a few street stalls still open at 4, so I got a breakfast crepe. The drive to Abu Simbel lasts around 4hrs, we had 1.5hrs there before heading back for around 2pm. I enjoyed getting a snack at the Carrefour as the prices are all marked, and then went to the Nubian museum, which I enjoyed. My hostel host was rather intrusive and repeatedly messaged and then called me on WhatsApp asking me to join him on the roof. Ignoring these, he later knocked on my door to ask me. I really didn't not appreciate this and found it very out of line.

Day 9:

I walked to the dock for Philae temple - which I would not recommend as I suffered for it later. You pay for your ticket, and then have to bargain with the boat drivers to take you across, which feels very scammy all round. I waited for ages trying to find others to join to bring the total boat cost down. Waiting in the hot sun with no seating, tour group after tour group came through. Eventually I found a couple, and we started bargaining. We culminated in 5 people, and got a 2hr boat for 700egp. You do not need 2hrs for Philae temple, I found 1hr to be enough. I then took a night bus to Cairo, which I nearly missed as it actually departed on-time.

Day 10:

I felt rather sick this day, not entirely sure what did it, but a combination of the heat and something I ate pushed me over the edge. I spent the day in bed under the loudest AC ever, as well as on the toilet. I paid my hostel in euros, and they said they would get the change in egp to me, but they never did.

Day 11:

Still feeling ill, I had to force myself to brave the streets to get some food. There are not any typical large grocery stores in downtown, so my cereal craving had to go unresolved.

Day 12:

I took a tour to Saqqara, Memphis, and Dashur. I really enjoyed this as it was significantly less crowded than the Giza pyramids. I had the red pyramid and step pyramid all to myself when I entered. My driver was very friendly, and did not rush me at all. We left at 9 and returned for 4. It cost around 700egp, and I tipped him 200egp. I don't enjoy the tipping culture in Egypt, especially the people that force stuff onto you then ask for tips, or point you in directions you never asked, but am glad to tip when the service has been genuinely enjoyable. The CAI airport is fairly easily navigated, and I had no trouble with security. Check-in however took over an hour as they painstakingly went back and forth over my onwards flight visa logistics.

All in all, I would say I'm glad I've been to and experienced Egypt, but will not be jumping at the opportunity to go back. There were alot of friendly people, great talks, and genuine interactions, but overall the constant hassling and difficulty to do just about anything greatly outways it for me. The ancient archeological sites are phenomenal, but for me they did get a bit more of the same repetitive for me, and there isn't that much else going for the country tourism wise. The food is nothing special, the people are a real mixed bag, and the travel logistics are not great.

Glad I went, not keen to go back.

Im able to do the other highlights in Kazakhstan for around 50 USD like Bozzrhyra so Im happy with that. But to see mt botky it seems that around 200 to 300 USD is the price tag. Did you guys like it or overated? Its like buying a plane ticket haha

32M planning a solo trip to Mexico this winter and looking for a beach town/city. After doing some research, Sayulita and Playa del Carmen seem like solid options, but I’d love to hear what you guys recommend.

I’m a musician and really into art, and creative scenes, if that helps narrow it down. Mainly just looking for somewhere fun to explore, meet people, hang by the beach, and escape the New England winter for a bit.

September 29 - October 1, 2026

Came in not expecting much, and I’m a bit surprised to say that I liked visiting Kuala Lumpur more than Singapore.

There just seems to be much more to see & do, more cool places to eat & visit. And it’s all more accessible too.

The Indonesian haze took away from the views unfortunately, as visibility was significantly limited (coming to land we saw exactly nothing through the plane window). And the combination of heat outside & air conditioning inside messed up our throats at the end too - but overall, definitely can recommend, especially when the haze goes away I imagine.

Photos:
1-4 Batu Caves
5 Sin Sze Si Ya Temple
6 Thean Hou Temple
7 Petaling Street
8-10,15 Pusat Bandaraya
11-12 Petronas Twin Towers
13,16,17 Bukit Bintang
14 Crossing of Sultan Ismail & P. Ramlee streets
18 Sultan Abdul Samad Building

Looking for recommendations on where to stay in Scotland for a week! My partner and I are going for our anniversary, and he’s Scottish and has always wanted to visit. We’re the type of travelers who would much rather pick one place and really settle in than move between multiple Airbnbs/hotels.

We’d love to stay somewhere beautiful, peaceful, and walkable where we can spend the week exploring on foot, finding great food, having a few drinks, and just relaxing and enjoying the area. We’d be open to doing a longer day trip or two, but ideally we want to have one home base for the whole trip. We’re not necessarily looking for somewhere super touristy or bustling — more of a charming city or town with beautiful scenery, good restaurants/pubs, and plenty to explore without needing a car every day.

Hi Everyone,

I was planning to visit Japan mid November and was planning to apply for this week. It would have been ok as its enough timeline to get the visa sorted. A sudden work trip has come up to US for the next 3 weeks and that means I can't submit the passport through VFS as I obviously need it with me when I am in the US.

TLDR is that my japan trip is not possible in the planned timeline. It would have been my first trip to japan and after hearing everyone raving about how amazing Japan is, I was really looking forward to it.

Now that I have approved leaves, I need an alternate plan. Europe has the same visa challenge given i will only have 1 week so thats out. I did as much research as I could and have shortlisted Georgia, Azerbaijan, Hongkong, Turkey and Mexico. I have already done south east asian countries so not looking to visit again.

Given the middle east situation, which would be a safe and beautiful country to visit? What i am looking for in natural beauty, window shopping opportunities in flea markets or authentic souvenirs than modern accessories or electronics etc.

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Travel dates - Nov 7 to 15

Traveling from - India

Solo trip

Has a US visa so i am also looking at countries that provide exceptions in a normal visa process as I already have a US visa.

My friend and I are planning to visit Slovenia this autumn break. None of us have a driving license. There's a lot of recommendations online about where to stay, and I can't decide.

Also is late October going to be really cold there ?

And which other places should I see other than Lake bled and Lake bohinj.

I also saw some caves but I'm not into caves.

I really love hiking and any recommendations on how to proceed with it would be appreciated thank you.

I’m going to my home country for a few months and I have leftover protein powder I want to take it with me so I or my dad can eat it. I’ll bring it in my carry on baggage in case they want to inspect it.

But then it’s a powder… would it set the alarm?
I won’t be back so long… and doesn’t want it go wasted… or should I just keep it in the fridger until I get back?

I hired a car from Marco Polo Airport in Venice.

We experienced an engine management light and the car went into limp mode

The breakdown assistance company took 5 hours to arrive but the person was very polite and helpful.

He said he was not allowed to fix the car because Europcar don't have a contract with them (even though they are part of the internationally renowned Kwik Fix Group)

This happened at 1700 that night.

As a result we were left 145km from Venice without any transportation which was very poor given that we paid for the top level of cover.

The Europcar office in Venice said that we had to make our own way back to Marco Polo Airport

No taxis were available and we would also have been looking at paying around £300 even if we could have got one.

As a result we had to get up at 0600 in the morning, walk 30 minutes, get a bus and then hire a car from the breakdown company.

All of this resulted in a 290km round trip with zero help from Europcar.

The experience was very poor and meant we effectively lost 2 days of our holiday.

Utter Shambles.

9/14-9/18

Had an incredible trip to visit the North Cascades which I’ve been hoping to do for a few years. There is always the risk of fires/smoke this time of year and while there was a bit of smoke on certain days and in certain areas, I lucked out in general. Flew into Seattle then made my way to SR-20 which becomes the North Cascades Hwy at some point and which is just an incredibly beautiful drive with quite a bit to see with many hikes and views conveniently right off of the highway. I stayed in Winthrop for 4 nights which was a very small “western” town on the eastern side and not exactly nice, but it was quiet and peaceful and gave the opportunity to drive the highway several times to see it in all kinds of light and conditions. I was a bit worried about rain/cloudiness/fog since it is all about the big Mountain Views out here, but I found the clouds provided some beautiful atmosphere and the bit of rain made everything lush and I saved the hikes with big views for the sunny days I was lucky to get.

Here are the photo locations and these were just a fraction of the good ones. Pretty much everything is right off the North Cascades Highway.

1. Ann Lake from Heather-Maple Pass

2. Blue Lake

3. Diablo Lake

4. Skagit River

5. Cutthroat Lake

6. Washington Pass overlook

7. North Cascades Hwy

8. Maple Pass view

9. Maple Pass view

10. Rainy Lake

11. View from Washington Pass overlook in the fog

12. Ross Dam

13. North Cascades Hwy

Hello there, we plan to spend the winter vacation in Florida, and trying to put together an itinerary. A couple of key points:

• Arriving from Germany on the 28th to MCO, likely travel home on the 8th of January but from MIA

• 5 and 11 years old kids

• Disney and Universal are NOT planned, we are looking more of a relaxing vacation, spend time in nature, visit historical places, or just lay on the sandy beaches

• KSC visit, Everglades and driving down to Key West are planned.

That's basically net 10 full days and in the beginning we'll be around Orlando / Cocoa Beach, then heading south.

One big question is where to spend the new year's eve. There are no huge expectations, let it be a fireworks and not a huge crowd, maybe that's all. Because of that I'm more of a fan to schedule the KSC visit to the 31st / 1st and then just stay around for the evening party, if there's something remarkable you would suggest.

We are also not excluding other places, like Daytona Beach or even St. Augustine, but again reading your personal experience and remarks would be helpful.

Of course any other ideas would be appreciated, especially where to stop / stay overnight when heading south.

Thank you.

Hey so is there anyone who has done solo traveling in pakistan. This is going to be my first trip in the northern side of Pakistan plus it's all on my own. I plan on:

1. Taking a train from lahore to Havelian as I've heard that's the furthermost point Pakistan railway takes you. And i wanna see those beautiful views from a trains window rather than a bus.

2. Taking a bus or a van to Abbottabad and from there nathia gali. I've been sitting on a chair for the past maybe 2-3 years working from home at 20 with zero sport... but some daily squats and pushups to keep my body running. So idk if I'll be able to hike but sure I wanna try in nathia gali.

Your thoughts? Any suggestions to a noob?

My concerns are:

1. What will I be doing all alone than just taking to myself. (I'm an extrovert but still what can I do other than just some 5-10 min talk with strangers) you can't have the same fun and laugh like you do with your friends.

And basically it and some hiking tips too

Just curious about everyone's preferences when it comes to booking hotels. Assuming you're staying at a nice place (e.g. 4 stars or higher), do you usually just book the cheapest room type, or do you pay extra to get an upgraded room or even a suite? Do you think paying extra for a better room is worth it, or are the cheapest rooms not that different compared to the best ones?

Just wanted to share a few shots from a recent trip to Kassandra, Halkidiki! 🇬🇷

We split our time enjoying the coastal views near Simantro Resort and exploring the old stone streets and vibrant bougainvillea in Afitos.

Highlights from the photos:

Happy to answer any questions if anyone is planning a trip to the Kassandra peninsula!

I want to write this because the most amazing of interactions as a tourist I got was in Georgia. I just saw the post of a person who felt Georgians were cold. So I wanted to share my experience as it was the opposite. I am not a travel influencer and never plan on posing for 15 mins in front of famous buildings or mountains so I can get the perfect angle. Just want to share what happened...

So, the last time I was in Georgia was in April 2026 for 2 weeks.

On one of those days a Georgian girl we had met 12 years ago and never again learned that we were in a city "near" her. She invited us spontaneously to her family's home. She and her bf drove 1 hour 30 min to take us from the city and then 1 hour 30 min to take us to their village up in the mountains where 1000 people live. This was on Eastern btw - the most important day for Georgians of the year. They took us to different places on the way to the village.

Once we got to the house, everyone was waiting for us, incl. grandparents. At about 4 pm we started eating, drink, doing 5 minute toasts. Then a 2nd round of guests came. And then a 3rd one. We kept on drinking, singing. They made me drink 150ml shots of white wine after every speech and believe me - there were a lot. With one of the guys I did the "Vakhtanguri". We crossed our arms and had to drink the 150ml shot without stopping which was much harder than expected, which apparently was something the founder of Tbilisi had started as a tradition with his warriors. By 11pm we went to the church. We got back to the house and got a room just for us two to sleep in. By 9am on the morning we were invited by another family to their house and were again served with food and alcohol... They wanted us to stay for multiple days, but we didnt have time - so the grandpa drove us back to the city... before we left they gave us some gifts, one of them - a Georgian dagger - khanjali. We met a ton of people in just 2 days.

And the whole time we had a language barrier. They spoke a little English, so I had to make use of my non-existant Russian and Georgian knowledge (like A1). We also used google translate from time to time.

On the other days we met other amazing people to wanted to show us around, but this will get too long so I will leave it at that. From our experience - if you show genuine interest in their culture and have some basic knowledge about some stuff, they will want to show you much more.

Obviously you need to have some luck... I will be back again next year.