Travel Talkers Toastmasters

The theme of the third meeting of Travel Talkers Toastmasters was “Travel on the Cheap.” Our speaker, Vernitta Brown from the BFM Diplomats Toastmasters Club in Nassau, Bahamas, added her low-cost travel tips to her speech, “Why Do We Travel?” Several members of her home club, BFM Diplomats, joined our meeting to hear her speech. Vernitta agreed to include her speech in our blog post about the meeting.

Why Do We Travel?

Travel, the word itself makes us wonder, why do we travel? 

Some of us travel for relaxation. Some for exploration, some for work and some for knowledge. There could be various purposes of traveling from one place to another. Traveling keeps you happy, your body-mind fit, especially adventurous activities such as hiking, river rafting or bungee jumping. Traveling can help us in many ways. It can’t provide a mesmerizing experience. It calms our nerves. Travel helps us learn about the history, the heritage and the culture of a particular place. It might be costly, but it will enrich your experience, relax your mind, and soul. 

Travel, why not travel? Every trip can be the most exciting trip you have ever taken. My first trip was to Orlando, Florida from Nassau, Bahamas. It was a great experience being on a plane looking at beautiful thick clouds. I was excited and could not wait to go shopping and eat delicious food like red lobster. I was hoping to meet new people. My first stop was getting into my hotel room. Next, getting something to eat like lobster– it was so delicious. Then my boss, Mrs. Jones, said she wanted to go to the shopping mall. I couldn’t believe the clothes were so cheap! I shopped until I dropped. I had lots of fun even going to a movie. My day was like a shooting star falling from the sky. After this long day we went back to our hotel to rest. The next day it was time for us to go back home but unfortunately our flight was delayed. So we had to spend another day in the hotel. It was fun traveling with friends. I really enjoyed myself. Next time I would like to visit New York. Traveling is one of the most exciting adventures you can take to experience different cultures.

Travel tips for traveling on the cheap.

Start by creating a list of places you want to visit. Once you have your list, research how much it will cost to get to these places and how long you want to stay. Next create a budget for your trip based on your research and make sure to include an estimate for souvenirs. Now that you know what your trip might cost, start saving up! If you are traveling with friends or family, create a document to share where everyone can track their expenses.

Creating a travel budget will help you save money on your next vacation by following these simple tips. You can easily save hundreds of dollars on your trip. Here are a few pieces of practical advice that anyone can use.

Affordable food.

One of the best ways to save money while traveling is to find affordable food options. Look for local markets where you can buy fresh produce and cooked food. If you’re staying in a hotel, take advantage of the kitchen facilities in your room. And always carry snacks with you in case you get hungry between meals.

Saving money on transportation. 

When traveling, one way to save money is to take advantage of public transportation. If your destination has a good public transportation system, use it as much as possible. Another way to save money on transportation is to walk or bike whenever possible.

Where to stay.

First decide if you want to stay in a hotel, Airbnb or hostel.

Second, research the average price for each option in your destination city.

Third, look for discounts or deals that can help you save money.

Fourth, read reviews to learn what others’ experiences have been like. 

Fifth, book your accommodation in advance to get the best rate possible. 

Sixth, make sure to factor in additional costs like taxes and fees. 

Finally, remember that your travel budget is just one part of your overall vacation budget. Don’t forget to factor in things like fun adventures and souvenirs. This brings me to the end of my travel tips for traveling on the cheap.

Vernitta Brown, October 13, 2022

At our third meeting, Katsuko Higashino was our Destination Master and she gave us clues for a country. First she gave us the dimensions of the country: 2,883 miles long and 31 miles wide at its narrowest point. The other facts she shared with us included; the country borders China on one side, the country’s flag has two colors and is predominantly red, the population of the country exceed 100 million in 2022. She also told us that tourism is one of its major industries with three of its cities ranked in the top 100 most visited cities in the world and it is home to eight UNESCO World Heritage sites. Its climate is monsoonal with distinct wet and dry seasons. If you guessed Vietnam, you are correct!

Travel Topics, conducted by Viji Mahathevan, were on the theme of best destination–best destination for families (the Pocono Mountains in Pennsylvania at Christmas), best destination to be inspired (Belize), best destination for traveling alone (Amsterdam), best destination for interesting food (Vietnam).

Join us for our next meeting on October 20 from 6:30pm to 7:30pm Pacific (-7 UTC). The meeting theme is “I want to go back to. . .” Toastmaster, Helen; Destination Master, Crystal; Speaker, Viji; Travel Topics Master, Vernitta.

Register for the meeting: https://tinyurl.com/TravelTalkersZoomLink

Looking forward to hearing your Travel Stories!

Helen Josephine, Travel Talkers Toastmasters