Global Travel Made Simple

Welcome to Global Travel Section

This is the new global travel section from award-winning Canadian author A Dawn. It will focus on just about anything and everything to do with travel. As the title suggests, it aims to focus on traveling simply, as well as safely, to a range of popular destinations as well as a few which are off the beaten track. 

There is an old saying that it is better to travel hopefully than to arrive. And, while you understand what Robert Louis Stevenson was getting at when he said it (and what the Taoists were getting at when they said “the journey is the reward”) it is not necessarily accurate. Sure, there is a real enjoyment in the anticipation when you are traveling to somewhere you really want to go, but is the anticipation really better than the arrival and the experience when you are there? That surely depends on how artfully the holiday was sold to you. There are many of us who feel that although Stevenson and the Taoists were entitled to their opinion, the arrival and the holiday are the best bits.

Traveling is something that many of us have a real thirst for. The Germans have a word for it: wanderlust. It is a desire to journey, to explore, to experience something of the world away from your home. Not everybody has it. Some call it “itchy feet”, which seems somehow disparaging. Wanting to travel does not mean that one does not love their home – it just means that we want to visit other places too, and see how people do things in another environment. Is it better there? Not necessarily, but it is interesting, and brings a bit of variety to life. You can never have too much variety, surely?

Of course, both the journey and the holiday can sometimes fail to live up to expectations. As much as we enjoy a break from the norm, sometimes that break can come at the expense of things which we value highly or have simply come to expect. Holidays are mis-sold by people who misunderstand your requirements, or they are rated highly by someone whose taste differs from you. There are pitfalls for even the most experienced traveler because, when it comes down to it, we do not have omniscience and sometimes that “charmingly dilapidated” holiday cottage is actually just derelict. Sometimes “local character” is actually a high crime rate. But as often as not, it can just be a matter of taste.

Whatever one is looking for in a holiday, there will be countless Travel Now Simply1places that compete to offer you the ideal break for your needs. If you want to go skiing, for example, there are countless mountain ranges filled with ski resorts. Will you go to the one that is close to home? Will you go to the one with the global reputation for perfect snow and excellent après-ski? Will you go to the less-heralded, less expensive resort that is off the beaten track but has excellent write-ups wherever you look? There are a lot of choices to make.

Choices like these will be covered on this site. As the title suggests, Travel Now Simply aims to give you tips on how you can take a trip wherever you want to go, at short notice and with a minimum of extra considerations. After all, you go on holiday to relax, so you do not want to add unnecessary stress to the issue. We will feature tips on where to go, what to do while there, how to save money and how to travel safely – and much more besides. Whether you find it better to travel in hope, or to arrive, you will find plenty here to satisfy your wanderlust.

To streamline and minimize blog maintenance, I will be discontinuing maintaining the Travelnowsimply.com website (however, I will still hold the domain). I will gradually move all articles from this site to Ahmed Dawn Dot Com site. In the future, I plan to write more travel articles on this site . This article originally published on the above website on April 27, 2009.

Light Traveler's Travel Checklist

Light Travel Packing List 

First Published: EntrepreneurJourney.com Dec 11, 2011

I love to travel. And I guess it would be hard to find someone who does not like to travel. I am a minimalist person and what I have found out throughout my years of travel experience is that applying a minimalistic approach while you travel does make a difference - a lot of difference. When I travel, my objective is to pack only those things in my bag that are absolutely necessary. There is a day and night difference between carrying negligible-weight luggage and carrying bulky, hard to carry luggage. I have my own list of objects that I must need when I travel. Today, I will share this list with you. 

The Absolutely Can’t Survive Without It List   

- Toothpaste
- Toothbrush
- Mouthwash
- Cotton Swabs
- Floss
- Razor
- Deodorant
- Sunscreen
- Shave Foam
- Soap/Shower Gel
- Shampoo
- Conditioner
- Lotion
- Lip Balm
- Perfume
- Chewing Gum
- Glasses/Sunglasses
- Comb
- An unlocked cheap Smartphone
- Nail Cutter
- Hair Trimmer
- Polo Shirts (2-3 pieces) 
- T-Shirts (2-3 pieces) 
- Pants (2-3 pairs) 
- Underwear (2-3 pieces) 
- Socks (2-3 pairs) 
- Long Sleeve Shirts (1-2 pieces) 
- A packable Raincoat Light Jacket
- A winter Jacket, Scarf, Gloves, etc. (if your destination is a cold country) 
- Shorts/Pajamas (2-3 pairs) 
- A Tablet Computer
- A small Camera
- One Universal Travel Adapter (most of the A/C adaptors are dual voltage compatible these   
  days and you may not need a separate universal power converter) 
- A small Flashlight
- One pair of Light Shoes
- One pair of Light Sandal
- Some OTC Medicines and Accessories (Such as Band-Aids, medicines for pain, nausea,   
vomiting, cold and flu, diarrhoea, heartburn and gas, and so on) 
- Alcohol Wipes/Towelettes
- A few different size Ziploc bags and plastic bags
- Some Cereal Bars
- A mini travel First Aid Kit

The reason I asked to leave your expensive smartphone at home is because in some countries it may attract the unwanted attention of thieves or robbers. You need an unlocked phone because it lets you buy a SIM card in the destination country to make cheap phone calls if you don’t have Wi-Fi to use Skype. 

The reason I can survive with only 2-3 pairs of all my clothes is because I hand wash my dirty clothes every day and they are ready to wear again the next day. Also, if I think I missed something, I just buy it in my destination country.   

You may not need some items I mentioned here to travel light, or you may need to add some more. Save or print this page and make your own list if it will help. And yes, don’t forget to double-check before you leave to make sure you are not missing anything. Happy traveling! 

Welcome Yahoo Finance Readers!

Ahmed Dawn & Yahoo Finance

Too-good-to-be-true Brim credit card leaves applicants in the dark

Hello, everyone. If you are visiting this site or www.YouTube.com/ADawn after reading the Yahoo Finance article on Brim Credit Card where I provided insights, I welcome you to my sites.

Let me introduce myself a little bit if you are not familiar with me or my sites. My name is Ahmed Dawn, and I am a financial author, YouTuber, and a travel expert. I mainly concentrate on credit cards, rewards points, and my travel experiences on these sites. I have 20+ credit cards and 800+ credit score.

Most likely this is the only place where you will find non-affiliated, unbiased, and honest opinions on credit cards. Utilizing credit cards and travel rewards points, I travel the world flying mainly on business class and staying in expensive hotels for almost free or paying very little.

Please subscribe to my YouTube channel and be a part of this journey.

Thank you.

Ahmed Dawn on Yahoo Canada

Why I Mix Content

Wide Array of Subject

If you are a regular ADJ reader, you have noticed that I write on a variety of topics ranging a wide array of subjects. Although my main niche is Personal Finance, you will stumble on articles, pictures, videos nowhere related to personal finance on ADJ. So far, I have never had any complaints from my readers. However, my friends and readers, who know me personally, always ask why a personal finance site would have a mixture of content on a variety of subjects. Today let me answer that in this post.

So Many Personal Finance Sites, Only a Few worth Reading

There are countless personal finance sites exist these days. All these sites (or majority of them) have something in common - these are for professional investors; hardly will you find something for amateurs or regular persons who are trying to enhance personal finance knowledge to build a secure financial future. All these high-end sites will discuss similar kind of topics such as:

Which stock are paying good dividends

How to perform wash trades in your discount brokerage account

How to make million dollars

Ins and outs of Exchange Traded Funds (ETF)

How to hedge Hedge Funds

Ins and outs of Smith Manoeuvre

I am a personal finance author with both education and work-related finance background. However, sometimes I find it hard to apprehend and absorb these articles. What percentage of population are high-end investors holding dividend paying stocks or performing wash trades in their discount brokerage accounts?

Would You Do Same Stuff Over and Over?

Another thing I have noticed about majority of personal sites is repetition of subjects. They discuss same boring complicated personal finance stuff repeatedly. If you look at a few articles of these sites at a glance, you will see it is the same drink in different bottles. How long you can continue reading the ins and outs of Exchange Traded Funds or Index Funds. May be one year, two years, or five years? You will get tired of it one day, and will look for something simple enough and more related to your daily issues.

Why I Mix Content

The main reason – I don't want you to get bored hearing personal finance and money related issues on a daily basis. I try to balance personal finance and non-personal finance articles (including pictures and video clips) on a weight of 50 by 50 percent, or 40 by 60 percent, or something like that. Most of my non-personal finance articles are very useful and there is something in it for you to learn. Some of them may not be useful all but that's what a blog is about. Let me elaborate this in the next paragraph.

The Essence of a Blog

Blogs connect authors with readers on a personal level, and blogs build lasting relationships. Readers, who are reading ADJ, are interested in connecting my journey with theirs. Now, all aspects of my journey may not be useful to everyone, and that is fine - readers understand that. Sometimes I post video clips, pictures, and articles from my personal life journey. These elements foster a connection between me and my readers, and that's exactly why readers are reading this blog. They are searching for that connection, personal touch, and a relationship – which a non-blog site cannot provide.

I Was Shy and Afraid

I started posting pictures and video clips showing myself just recently. I did not do it before because I was shy and afraid thinking what if I loose my readers once they get to see myself in these videos, pictures? I thought may be it was just little too personal showing myself, or may be I should just post pictures and videos without showing myself. Then one day, I gathered enough courage to post my first video. Then I posted another video after a few days, and I kept posting more and more. I was keeping a sharp eye on my daily visitor and RSS stats. Instead of going down, it kept going up and up. I tested something and I got the results. Readers accepted as I am and they are more comfortable and connected to me than ever before. They know now the person behind ADJ and they have found the rapport they have been missing. That's why they keep coming back and recommending this site to their friends (I get comments from my readers stating someone else recommended this site).

Final Word

I learned something which may sound little too simple but it is very important. Readers love reading a blog and recommending it to their friends when they find these elements in it:

Simplicity – ADJ posts are always written in very simple and spontaneous way.

Honesty – I am what I am. I don't lie about anything and there is nothing to hide.

Arrogancy – There are lots of things I do not know. As I mentioned above, I have difficulty apprehending some of the personal finance sites (both Canadian and American). I write about what I know or at least I tired to know and learn.

Readers are the Lifeblood of ADJ – ADJ is ADJ because of my readers, whether it is first time visitors, or returning visitors. If you are reading this right at this very moment, you are a part of ADJ, and ADJ survives because of you. You read ADJ because of our mutual trust and relationship, because of our connection; not because I know more than you, or I claim that to be true. We all can learn from each other.

When I started this article, I thought it would be a short one; but look what I did! I feel great to let everything out and I know you will appreciate it. I thank you for becoming a part of this blog and hope we will continue our journey in the years to come
First Published: Sep 9, 2008 ADawnJournal.com

My 2010 Cuba Trip and Some Perspectives

Cuba Travel Guide.jpg

Destination Cayo Santa Maria, Cuba

First Published: Jan 22, 2011 EntrepreneurJourney.com

Island Beyond Imaginations

Our China-made, super-sized resort bus was cutting through the pitch-black night along the Atlantic Ocean via a 30-mile man-made Causeway. The Causeway is a road in the middle of the ocean, connecting the island Cayo Santa Maria to the mainland. The Causeway was entirely made from rock and earth, without any concrete foundations. Many bridges were included in the Causeway to keep natural ocean water flow uninterrupted - thus keeping the damage to the Cuban archipelago to a minimum. Once you hit the Causeway, you will have the feeling that it is taking you straight into the ocean. I was pulling my hair (in my mind) for not being able to view this heavenly view in the daytime. However, the night time view had its own charm and meaning.

Barcelo Cayo Santa Maria Resort

The Barcelo Cayo Santa Maria Resort is located on a small island called Cayo Santa Maria, which is situated on the north coast of Cuba. Cayo Santa Maria is 90 minutes away from the Santa Clara airport and connected to the mainland by the 30-mile man-made causeway I just described above. Local Cubans do not have access to this Island. Before entering the Causeway, vehicles have to go through a police checkpoint and a tollbooth. The most fun part of our trip was that our bus did not have to pay the toll because the tollbooth was empty. Our guide said the guard probably went to the town to visit a show, leaving the tollbooth unattended.

We reached the resort just little bit before 12 midnight. Barcelo is a 5-star resort and it is fairly visible the moment you enter it. A very friendly person named Smith put us on a golf cart-like vehicle to take us to our ocean view bungalow. He said we would get lost for the first few days while going around inside the resort without assistance. And he was so right. My nephew and I got lost 3 days in a row many times, reaching various sections within the resort. The most striking part of our bungalow was its ocean view balcony. My nephew and I stayed on the balcony whenever we were inside our suite.

There is not much to tell about the resort itself. Inside the resort, you wont feel like you are in Cuba. It’s no different than living in Canada, except the weather. When it was - 10°C and lots of snow in Canada, we enjoyed 24°C in Cuba. For Canadians, having weather like that in December is like living in heaven.

Let me describe the ocean a bit. The ocean and the beach are very different in Cayo Santa Maria than anything else I have seen before. Crystal blue sparkling ocean waters and immaculate pristine white sandy beaches make Cayo Santa Maria a place beyond imagination. The sands are white, very fine and smooth. When you walk on the beach, it feels very smooth. This area was designated a Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO.

Deep Inside Cuba

Our Jeep Safari excursion into a Cuban village gave me an opportunity to experience the real Cuba I was waiting for. During this day trip, I tried to talk to as many people as possible to get a feeling of what it’s like to live in Cuba. The whole system upon which Cuban society and economy are based on seemed to be complicated to me. I was unable to understand many simple things, such as how the system works, even why it works, how the government keeps track of everything considering there is no modern technology available. Once you read the following insights, you will realise what I mean.

My Insights and Some FAQs On Cuba

Here are some points based on my trip, talking to both Cubans and non-Cubans, and doing some research. I may not be right on every point - I am just presenting whatever I have perceived so far. This is my feeling: to get a good grasp of how things are done in Cuba, someone will have to stay and live there with local Cubans for at least one year.

  • Cuba was the first country in the Caribbean with which Canada established a diplomatic mission.
  • Following the Cuban 1959 revolution, Canada and Mexico were the only two countries in the hemisphere that did not break relations with Cuba.
  • Canada is Cuba's largest source of tourists.
  • When the Soviet Bloc was diminished, Cuba faced a severe economic crisis and financial hardship. Canada came forward to help Cuba at that time on a massive scale (unparalleled by any other countries) both economically and technologically.
  • Cuba has two currencies: CUC (The Cuban Convertible Peso) and CUP (The Cuban Peso). CUC is the currency for foreigners and CUP is for Cubans. While I was in Cuba, 1 Canadian $ bought 0.80 CUC and 1 CUB was around 24 CUP.
  • In Cuba, the government owns everything. Let’s say you have a cow - this cow is the government’s property, not yours. The milk you get from the cow will have to go to government - you can’t consume it or keep it.
  • Every Cuban is supplied with a ration card and basic necessities are provided by the government.
  • A doctor, general labourer, or a chemist would earn almost the same in Cuba. It is a common practise for many professionals to give up their jobs and drive taxis or sell products in the market.
  • Cubans are not allowed to talk to foreigners or ride in the same vehicle (non-public transit). However, foreigners can use public transit.
  • Cubans are prohibited from using the Internet, foreign TV channels, books, magazines, etc. I did not see any newspapers or magazines anywhere; in towns, in the resort, or even at the airport.
  • Health care and education are free in Cuba and Cubans have equal access to them.
  • Crime rate is very low in Cuba and the lowest among other South American countries. I noticed people leaving doors open in towns/villages and girls were walking on the street at midnight. This is not a common scene in other 3rd world countries.

What’s The Best Part of Cuban Society?

Health care, education, and basic necessities are taken care by the government for everyone. Unlike many 3rd world countries, at least people are not dying out of poverty. The low crime rate is also worth mentioning.

What’s The Worst Part of Cuban Society?

All others, except the above. Cubans cannot start a business and make money like anywhere else on Earth. Cubans are not allowed to leave the country and they are not even allowed to leave their own province. There is no freedom whatsoever.

Changes On The Horizon?

Just recently, Raul Castro has relaxed some regulations to encourage privatization on a limited scale. For example, farmers now can obtain tools and lands to produce crops, the general population can have cell phones and open small private operations like barber shops and taxi services, etc.

A Brief Pause on The Airport Tarmac - The Final Word

On my day of return, after passing the Cuban immigration and on my way to the plane, I got out of the line and paused for a brief moment and stood on the airport tarmac - looking at the Santa Maria Airport on my left and my plane on my right. I am privileged to go anywhere on Earth. For Cubans, going to a different country is like a dream that will never come true. All those moments that gave me new perspectives on life were passing quickly through my brain; like the genuine happiness I saw after giving toothpaste to someone in the resort (I literally had tears in my eyes), the immaculate gratefulness I observed when I gave my maid the equivalent of one week’s salary as a tip, how utterly surprised the help-desk person was after finding out that my watch was worth more than his one-year salary … I came back to reality all of a sudden. Airport personnel were calling me to board the plane - it was about to leave.