My friend Gillian at One Giant Step, challenged us in a blog challenge to reveal our Three Travel Secrets. So, here are three things that Amy and I have learned about travel.
Secret #1) Essential Gear: If we were to provide one recommended piece of gear that might not be so obvious for long-term travel we would say to be sure to bring a dry bag. With its waterproof properties, a dry bag is essential. Its uses go well beyond keeping important stuff like laptops and cameras dry. We carry three dry bags with us. The two smaller ones are great for protecting our laptop and 
camera while traveling between destinations and also work great as beach and day bags. The larger, 20-liter bag is the most versatile. Its primary function is as a way to pack all of our liquids in our packs to ensure that if the bottles open they do not create a mess. One of the best uses for this large dry bag, however, is for laundry. When traveling for extended periods it is often necessary to do your laundry by hand. Several attempts at doing laundry in our washroom sinks resulted in clothing that was only sort of clean and in a very messy and wet washroom. So we took to using the waterproof properties of the dry bag to do laundry. Simply add dirty clothes, laundry soap, and hot water. Seal up the bag and shake vigorously for 10-15 minutes. After a good agitation, drain the dirty water and refill the bag with clean hot water for a rinse “cycle.” Not only do your clothes get much, much cleaner than hand washing in the sink, your washroom will not be a sopping wet mess.
Secret #2) Lodging Hidden Gem: Lodging in Turkey can be a bit pricey, with many double en-suite rooms costing over $50. This is especially true in the bigger cities. One of the best values we found while in Turkey for
lodging was the White Garden Pansion in Antalya. At $34 per night for a double en-suite room with A/C this was an affordable and attractive lodging option. Located in the heart of the old city, it is quite an easy walk to all of the tourist attractions. The best part may have been the breakfast buffet included in the price of the room. Most places we stayed in Turkey included a typical Turkish breakfast of a hardboiled egg, bread, processed cheese wedge, olives, cucumber and tomato. While quite good, the spread at White Garden put all the rest of them to shame. With real feta and Gruyere cheeses, fresh fruit including pomegranate, and cereal it was a great and filling start to the day. A final plus for this hotel is that the breakfast is served in a beautiful interior garden courtyard. White Garden Pansion is a corner of tranquility within the busy streets of the old city.
Contact Information: White Garden Pansion, Kaleici Kilicasian mah., Hesapci gecidi No 9, Antalya, Turkey; +90 242 241 9115, whitegardenantalya@yahoo.com
Secret #3) Best Pad Thai in Bangkok: Street food in Bangkok can be a little overwhelming for many Western 
tourists. Many of the stalls and carts 
have food that is unfamiliar with unique aromas wafting from them. But do not let that prevent you from partaking in one of the absolute best and most delicious parts of Thailand. We found a vendor that is a short three-minute walk from the entrance to the Grand Palace, one of the key tourist stops in Bangkok. Simply head towards the Chang River Taxi Pier when leaving the Grand Palace and before you reach the pier, in the center aisle, in front of the 7-11, you will find two ladies selling Pad Thai and Phad-See-Eew for only 40B ($1.20). Ordering one each makes for a filling and delicious lunch for two. Made to order, they were the most beautifully plated and delicious Thai noodle dishes we had while in Bangkok.
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I LOVE the laundry idea – you guys are ingenious!! The White Garden Pension is definitely a great place…we stayed there too and could not believe the amazing deal it was. I loved ALL the street food I tried in Bangkok but will definitely seek out your recommendation when we return! Thanks for taking part AND for the great tips!! Cheers, Gillian
Fab travel secrets, thanks for sharing!