Why You Should Visit:

1. Masks and costumes like you wouldn't believe. Beautifully dressed men, women, and children take to the streets in works of art that look great on camera, but stun in person.
2. It's this big, amazing celebration and everyone is in on it. There's a palpable buzz and energy radiating through the streets.
3. You can choose to be a spectator, or join in the fun. Oh, and spoiler: everyone wants their photo taken, so don't be too shy to ask the lady with the peacock headdress on if she'll be in one with you.

4. Even during this crazy-busy season, you can get lost, find a quiet street, and escape the crowds for a slice of the 'real' Venice.
5. Perhaps the biggest selling factor, IMO, is that Venice during Carnival feels like this fantasy world, from the age of Casanova that's been dialed back in a time machine, of elaborate galas and star crossed lovers. It's kind of magical.

Why You Should Skip It:

6. The crowds. The people! The lines and hoarding masses that make crossing narrow bridges and visiting top attractions nary impossible are headache inducing.
7. Last minute decisions are out of the question. You'll have to plan ahead and book in advance as rooms fill up fast and prices skyrocket.
8. It's flood season, people. Pack those waders or prepare to duke it out over the last pair of oh-so-stylish, waterproof, neon sock/boots.

9. The city trades in some of its charm for pop up booths in otherwise charming squares,  selling knockoff masquerade attire to junk collecting tourists.
10. Leave the cocktail dress at home and layer up. Cool temps and chilly winds will freeze your knickers off if you're not ready for 'em. It is still winter, after all.

The post 10 Reasons Why You Should Visit (or Skip) The Carnival of Venice appeared first on Camera & Carry On.

1. Skip China. Go to Japan.
2. Plan ahead, but not too much.
3. Whenever someone offers to take your photo, kindly accept, and return the favor.
4. Learn a bit of the language.
5. Sundays are a quiet day in Europe and some cities literally shut down. If you're not ready for it this may catch you off guard, especially when hunger strikes.
6. Pick your favorite booking sites (we like kayak.com, booking.com, and airbnb.com).
7. Try meat on a stick.
8. Plastic bags can save your feet (and socks) when you don't have waterproof shoes.
9. Say yes a few times you might be inclined to say no.
10. Visit fewer places for longer.
11. On a diet? Try to work with it, but don't deprive yourself; that would just miserable.
12. In a busy and unfamiliar place, try not to look clueless.

13. ...But don't be afraid to have fun, act silly, and be yourself.
14. Take lots of pictures, but not 16 of the same, exact shot.
15. A big breakfast and several cups of coffee is a bad idea before a 5 hour hike.
16. Do you really need your computer? If the answer is no, it shouldn't be weighing you down.
17. Map out your hotel before you arrive.
18. Keep the address and phone number for your hotel easily accessible, and in the correct language (e.g. Thai if you're going to Bangkok, so you can hand this over to your cab driver and get there without a hitch).
19. Bottled water is best (or use one of those fancy purifier thingies).
20. Ziplock bags are your friend: perfect for snacks, leaky toiletries, and random junk you just need a tiny bag for.
21. Charge your camera batteries.
22. Backpacking sounds romantic, but let's be realistic. Showing up in a new place without a clue of where to go or stay could mean a full day wasted.
23. Live in the moment.

24. Feeding the monkeys is a big no-no. They bite and steal.
25. The biggest cities are not always the best ones.
26. Check to see if you need a visa for the country you're visiting. Some can take weeks or months to get approval for.
27. Try getting foreign currency from your bank prior to travel (currency exchanges can give poor rates).
28. Sharing an entire lemon Pannetone cake between two of you, on a train, is a good way to make yourself sick.
29. ...Swiss chocolate, on the other hand, is perfect.
30. Bring some basic meds along (tylenol, decongestant, anti-nausea, and cold/flu) as it can be tough to communicate exactly what you need with a pharmacist in a language you don't speak.
31. Like to read? Bring a book. Draw, perhaps? Paper and pencils. Whatever it is, have something to keep you occupied during down time and when you're stuck on a layover.
32. Wear good shoes.
33. If the political climate of a city/country you're visiting has your parents feeling a little uneasy, don't panic and change plans immediately. Do your homework, use your smarts, and then make your decision.
34. Never put items you absolutely need or would be devastated to lose in a checked bag (contacts, glasses, medication, jewelry, cameras, etc.).

35. Order a pint in an Irish pub and strike up a conversation with a stranger.
36. A granola bar could save your life. Have one at arm's reach at all times.
37. If your phone is unlocked, pick up a sim card abroad to use your GPS and make emergency calls, especially if you're renting a car.  Most airports sell them.
38. Less is more. Pack smart and light, leaving a little room to pick things up along the way.
39. Do what you find interesting, not what guide books and websites tell you to do.
40. Bring extra memory cards.
41. Use the restroom before you head out. Public toilets can be hard to find, sometimes pretty sketchy, and not always free.
42. Always carry napkins (and hand sanitizer).
43. Embrace the local cuisine, but don't shame yourself for just wanting a burger for a change.
44. Don't let the windows to your soul get lost in photos. Mascara is the one makeup item I always pack.
45. How many Filipino pesos to the US Dollar? Know the currency conversion.

46. Do not order "spicy" in Malaysia, even if you like heat. You will burst into flames.
47. Walk in favor of public transportation as much as possible. You'll see more that way.
48. Smiles are, generally, universal.
49. Wander.
50. Get (a little) lost. Chances are, you'll find your way back, or you will come across someone happy to help with directions. Either way, it'll be an experience.
51. Have patience.
52. Use zip ties to secure zippers (duh!), when carrying your backpack in a crowded area.
53. TSA-friendly locks and luggage cables keep things buttoned up when you need to leave your things behind.
54. Mind your money.
55. Keep track of expenses and stick to the budget (with a small cushion built in for the unexpected).
56. Over-pack underwear.

57. Do something touristy, just once, even if it's not your style.
58. Make sure you're getting on the right train before you board.
59. ...And don't forget to validate your ticket.
60. After 10+ hours on a plane, you'll be thankful you wore those yoga pants and not your skinny jeans.
61. Load up your music player with good tunes.
62. Heading to Switzerland but are plagued with an intolerance to dairy? Better pop a pill to help digest lactose because trying to resist the milky, cheesy goodness is futile.
63. Being fashionable isn't everything, unless you're in Paris. You'll want to look nice but dressing appropriately is key. You don't need heels in Iceland.
64. It's okay to put the camera down now and again.
65. Sit back and observe.
66. You can't see it all, so stop trying to cram everything in.
67. Enjoy yourself and your adventure; hiccups and all (because some of the lowest moments make the best stories).

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Beijing

• Extremely polluted; now I understand all those photos I've seen of people wearing medical masks around China.
• The Forbidden City was really huge and super clean, with like a zillion Chinese tourists.
• Anywhere not touristy is filthy (i.e. 95% of the city).
• The Great Wall was amazing and a hike. Lots of steps, all of them seemingly different heights and widths.
• It was easier than we expected to get away from the crowds at the Great Wall and see the vastness of it.
• I now know why people say you can't get traditional Chinese food in America, because it's awful.  We rarely knew what we were eating, but it was always meaty, greasy, and/or gelatinous.
• There were very few Westerners around.
• If you're blonde, locals may try to get a photo with you... like a character at Disney World.
• Virtually all the locals acted like we were some kind of outcasts.
• They pushed us out of their way, got in our way, talked and laughed about us in Chinese (which was extremely obvious), and never said please/thank you/excuse me.
• Peking duck is amazing!  The cheaper ducks can be a real disappointment, but even the best, most expensive duck is only about $20/person.

Guilin

• Better than Beijing, but still kind of just busy and dirty.
• We took a ride down the Li River in a small raft; that was awesome! It goes through these great looking mountains and is quite peaceful.
• I feel like outside of the big cities there is still a good sense of tranquility.  Note to self: next time, skip every major city in China.
• At the end of the river is the view that is illustrated on the back of the 20¥ note; it's quite a site.
• The food here was equally bad.
• We did find one place that made these peach/strawberry/ice/milk shake things... those were really good.
• There's a great view from the top of Diecai Hill.
• Everyone was always trying to rip us off, especially the taxi drivers.
• The people here were not much nicer than in Beijing.
• Reed Flute Cave seemed super cheesy and over priced, then we went there and found it surprisingly intriguing.

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The Good

• Perhaps this goes without saying, but The Great Wall is really what makes the trip worth it (see more details on our journey to the ancient structure here). It’s just what you’d imagine -- only better. Layers of mountains lay the foundation for the wall, snaking and writhing its way into the distance... It's pretty breathtaking; literally and figuratively. 10 minutes in and we were feelin' the burn. My increasingly toned derriere and legs thank the wall for the workout.
• Jingshan Park (Coal Hill Park) has a peak with a nice pavilion set hundreds of steps above ground level, with an absolutely amazing view of the forbidden city and surround. Down below is a really lovely green space where locals gather to play games, enjoy tai chi, and get down with their bad selves. Don't believe me? Check out this foxy thang.

• Dirt cheap street food (not to be confused with street meat, see The WTF below). Our first morning in Beijing, we noticed a queue for a window selling hot and ready-to-eat food just steps from our hotel. We got in line and pointed to the fried doughy thing that looked tasty, but not too interesting, handed our 2¥ ($0.33) over and went on our merry way. Bites in, we knew we’d found our go-to breakfast spot (it turned out to be a savory dough, similar to pizza, stuffed with chopped peppers and ham). We also tried a fried crepe/egg thing with scallions, bean paste, and fried dough in the center, all rolled together in this great little package. It's called a Jian Bing, and it was just 6¥.
• The subway is easy to follow, cheap at just 2¥ per ride with unlimited transfers, and quite clean. We’ve heard Shanghai’s got a pretty good setup, but from what we’ve seen this rivals many a subway we’ve been to in terms of overall niceness. ::cough:: New York ::cough::
• Beijing BBQ is the shiznit. Grill for the table (uh, awesome) and really tasty, marinated beef that isn’t unidentifiably scary? Sign me up. Wish we had gotten it sooner because frankly, we had no idea how good it would be and we probably would have made it a staple, but it was a nice way to finish out our last night there.

The Bad

• The air is heavily polluted and often smells of burning something or other. I read that coal is often used for heat and energy, so… that explains that. After just a few days I caught a pretty decent head cold, and I blame the rotten air for that.
• Even when you think you’ve escaped the smog of city air by stepping inside, you’re pretty much guaranteed the person next to you will light up a cigarette. In a non-smoking area. Next to a “No Smoking” sign. While you are eating.
• Toilets, for a number of reasons, are to be feared. I shall spare the details, but know that balance is involved and you will likely need to provide your own TP. The same goes for napkins. None. Nada. They don't exist.
• The push for tourism within China is huge. The only travel ads you see are to get the Chinese to travel around more of China. Because of this, major attractions, such as the Forbidden City, are spotless. Why is this under The Bad? Well, even though there are countless workers at all hours of the day keeping these Chinese treasures picture perfect, turn the corner and you're likely to find a heap of rubble or trash piled sky high and no one really seems to care.
• No more swishing water around from the sink. Tap water = bad = liquid garbage… so brushing your teeth is more of an ‘experience’ using boiled or bottled water.
• Restricted internet access means no Facebook, Twitter, many “.com” sites, and painfully slow loading time for just about anything that’s not created in and monitored by the Chinese government.

The WTF

• Watch your step and beware of flying loogies! People of all ages and genders are known to spit any and everywhere. I'm pretty sure my facial expression could be described as 'utter disgust' for 97.325% of the time.
• Back to the meat! The Chinese will eat up pretty much every part of any animal. I know this is a cultural thing, but as an American I have to put this under The WTF. Just be careful what you order. Simply ordering "chicken" does not necessarily (or usually) mean breast/leg/thigh/etc. There's a good chance you're ordering a part you'd never find on a menu in the western world.
• It seems children under the age of 4 don’t wear real pants. By that I mean, the crotch is either completely open, zippered, or flap style for potty ease. But that’s not all, folks! We have seen on several occasions a mother assisting her child so that they can, ehm, relieve themselves on the sidewalk.
• Both in and outside restaurants, waiting patrons pass the time by eating away at sunflower seeds. Like parrots snacking away, the ground becomes littered with mounds of shells and debris.
• Scooters, cyclists, and small cars, are no strangers to the sidewalk. Incessant honks over my shoulder kept me on my toes and ready to dive out of the way at a moment's notice. Being a pedestrian is not exactly a passive role.
• Chinese people WILL cut you in line, or try to at all cost.  And no, they won't be discrete or slick about it. Prepare to be shoved, pushed, and basically moved out of the way.

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