At long last, Yosemite

We left behind the chilly Bay Area for the warm valley early in the morning; after a stop for coffee, we arrived in Yosemite Valley. After $30 USD, we were in and cruising along the national park of my dreams.

Back in the bay

After exactly two years I came back to the Bay Area. We stayed in Pacifica and that first night was very interesting to say the least - but our Airbnb host was very welcoming and made us feel right at home. It was also around 9 to 12 degrees Celcius in the evening and only 18 degrees in the day - it was quite the chilly greeting compared to the 25-30 degree weather of L.A.

Trying to find parking was a disaster. When we finally found a place, we grabbed some Philz and headed to see the SFMoMA.

Tokyo; the city of efficiency

Our overwhelming takeaways from our Asia trip was definitely that everything was more efficient, more technologically advanced, and just made so much more sense than back home. Also, we don't know how they did it, but Tokyo has mastered the art of the egg. Every single egg we had here, no matter how it was made, was just perfection.



Starting off with a toilet. As it was around 12am when we landed, I was bleary-eyed when I headed to the airport washroom and was greeted with a talking toilet that also played music to hide the sound of your wee. I must say I found the music more embarrassing than helpful and thankfully was able to find the button to shut it off.



First order of business: convenience store food at Family Mart.

Cruising down Highway 1

Coastal highways and salty ocean air.

We began the drive from Los Angeles to the Bay Area bright and early. We passed by Malibu and got a quick pick-me-up from Coffee Bean (loved their hot Thai tea!).

Seoul searching

I can't make a post about Seoul without some sort of pun - believe me, I tried.
It's been about a year and a half since my time in South Korea, but I haven't forgot about it and even while I was there I was already awaiting my next visit.

We lived by the Dongdaemun Design Plaza, in a small apartment that barely fit us three, but was modern, clean, and had an accessible rooftop.

City of lost angels

I know that's not what L.A. means but there is something about that phrase that I love.

Our west coast adventure began with a flight to LAX in the early morning. We stopped by In-N-Out as our first stop and I sorry to say I still don't understand the hype...

Afterwards, we headed to Santa Monica for the some gnarly waves.

Travelling with Airbnb

Budgeting for a trip is one of the most important things that help me stay on track and prepare well for my vacation. That being said, accommodations can greatly affect your trip, by being one of the largest necessary expenses, as well as affecting the time, travel expenses, and food choices.

Ever since I have began planning my own trips, I have always used Airbnb when looking for a place to stay. From the Bay Area to Tokyo, I have stayed in five different places and have learned many things from my experiences.

Why I Chose Airbnb

The honest, overruling reason is it is budget-friendly. There are so many options out there to fit many different price points, and many factors can be controlled, such as sharing or booking the entire house.

While staying at hotels and motels are nice for the convenience and the service, I find it emphasizes the fact that you are visiting. Staying at a hosted location allows you to experience life from a more local perspective - you take the same transit, eat at the same restaurants, and live in residential areas. I’ve stayed in a variety of different places, from shared houses to having the entire apartment, and consider it one of my top choices that I would recommend to everyone.

Pros

• fits a wide range of budgets
• can experience living from a local perspective
• often includes many amenities such as a full kitchen and laundry
• can meet fellow travellers/locals
• good for longer stays and many hosts offer discounts for longer bookings

Cons

• communication with hosts can be tricky
• may share house with many other guests
• locations can be harder to find

What to know beforehand

1) The early bird catches the best deal

As with most things, the earlier you book, the better selection you will have. There are so many amazing places for amazing prices, but they often get snatched up very quickly.

2) Communicate with your host

The most important item to discuss with your host before booking the place is to confirm the check-in and check-out times, how to pick up keys if needed, and clear directions on how to find the place. Many hosts are flexible and are willing to accommodate, and some send a package to their guests with house rules, WiFi passwords, maps, and with local restaurant or shopping recommendations. Another tip to remember would be to ask what is provided - while many hosts provide toiletries, kitchen utensils, and even snacks and drinks, some may not so it is best to be prepared.

3) Pictures can be deceiving

Of course the pictures provided will be taken in optimal conditions, so the house may not be as neat and new as the photos. I generally have found pictures to be a pretty accurate representation, but I make sure to check my expectations. My hosts have always been very good with providing clean sheets and towels for our use, which helps greatly with comfort.

4) Referral links!

If someone you know has an account, ask them to send you a referral link before you sign up. They allow you to save about $30 CAD on your next booking!

What to do during your stay

1) Be respectful of people's houses and clean up after yourself

Visiting a new country may expose you to things you take for granted back home - for example, when we were in San Francisco, one of our hosts had a sign asking that we be conservative with our water usage when possible, as the state of California was experiencing a drought. We had noticed all the dried grass and soil during our first few days, so I appreciated being given the opportunity to make reduce the impact of our stay in small ways.

Unlike hotels, there is not usually cleaning services during your stay so you will need to clean up after yourselves. The best way to show your appreciation is always to be respectful of other people's houses, and make sure to leave everything as you found it. Cleaning up is not usually a requirement but I generally like to put everything back as closely to how we found it.

2) Don’t be afraid to reach out to your host

If you encounter any problems during your stay, don’t hesitate to contact your host. You may do this through Airbnb, but often hosts will leave you a phone number or email to ensure a quicker reply. When we were in Seoul, we were completely baffled as to how to sort the trash, as their system was completely different than our own. Unfortunately, sometimes there are language barriers, and in our case we did ended up trying our best by observing how the rest of the building separated their trash (and a bit of googling).

Ultimately, the choice boils down to your comfort level in using hosting sites such as Airbnb. They are definitely not everyone’s cup of tea, but for me, the pros vastly outweigh the cons and I will continue to view it as one of my top choices when looking for accommodation.