85 Simple Tricks for Improving Your Life Today

I was thinking the other day about what I have learned on my travels and from life and thought that I would write a blog post on a few and share them. I hope you enjoy them and put some of them to use as there are some gems that can help anyone improve! :)

1) Say yes more- Life brings about many more opportunities from saying yes.

2) Always remember peoples names

3) Treat others how you would like to be treated

4) Remember your please and thank yous…this will get you a long way.

5) Every time you meet someone new, pretend it is your long lost friend from 10 years ago.

6) Smile more- it costs nothing

7) Dress to impress

8) Floss your teeth

9) Take more photos and videos of everything you do

10) Never lose your temper, leaders are always in control.

11) Surprise friends and loved ones with gifts for no reason

12) Take responsibility for your actions

13) Pursue your dreams, nothing is impossible.

14) The world is a lot smaller than you think.

15) Always look for the positives in every situation

16) Remember to laugh more, a good sense of humour cures most things

17) Expect the best and that is what you normally will get

18) Travel- it broadens your mind more than anything else can

19) Get a mentor in different areas of life so you can learn from them.

20) Create a Bucketlist of things you want to experience before you die, and do them.

21) Follow what you want to do, not what society says you should do

22) Save at least 10% of every paycheck

23) Have goals and write them down so you are accountable to complete them

24) Only read the news headlines, it is all biased anyway

25) Watch Documentaries

26) Read personal development books

27) Take mini-retirements from life instead of waiting to do it when you ‘retire’…do it while you’re young and you still can.

28) Always live in top class places so you have an epic house to come home to

29) During a job interview, at the end when they ask do you have any questions?….ask “Do you have any reservations about not giving me this job?”

30) Life is about people and experiences, not material possessions

31) Feel the fear and do it anyway whatever it maybe.

32) Hug people more when seeing old friends or meeting someone new…everybody loves a hug

33) Go through and donate all the stuff you do not use at least once a year

34) Don’t take your health for granted, you never know when it might get taken away

35) Let people know how you feel about them, life is to short

36) Think big thoughts, relish small pleasures

37) Learn how to read a financial report and manage money

38) Compliment at least 3 people every day

39) Exercise is key to a healthy mind, body and soul

40) Wear a great watch, belt and shoes

41) Tell close ones what you want to happen at your funeral in case anything happens

42) Learn to listen better, opportunity knocks softly sometimes

43) Learn a second language (Spanish or Chinese)

44) Stop watching mindless T.V. and get outside and enjoy the moment

45) Strive for excellence not perfection

46) What other people think of you is none of your business

47) Avoid negative people

48) Be original and different

49) Have good posture, enter a room with purpose and confidence, it gets you many places.

50) Do something kind for strangers and expect nothing in return

51) Show respect for all living things

52) Relax-nothing is as important as it seems

53) Commit yourself to self-improvement

54) Don’t have any regrets, learn from the bad and move on

55) Don’t major in minor things

56) Keep good company and your promises

57) Drink more water.

58) Hire people smarter than you

59) Be modest, a lot was accomplished before you were born

60) Enjoy more sunsets, sunrises and looking at the stars

61) Don’t whinge (complain for the Americans out there)

62) Overnight success usually take about 10 years

63) Have a vision board of the life you want to have

64) Negotiate everything, everything is negotiable

65) Under promise, over deliver

66) Learn to say no when appropriate

67) Success is the ability to lead the lifestyle you want whenever you want with the people who you love and care for.

68) Take 20minute power naps

69) Don’t say you don’t have enough time or are busy, you have exactly the same number of hours per day that were given to Thomas Edison

70) Don’t delay on an idea, take action NOW

71) “Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.” – Mark Twain

72) Be decisive even if it means sometimes you will be wrong

73) Be grateful every day for everything you have

74) Wash your hands more often

75) Attitude is everything, take charge of yours and don’t let someone else choose it for you

76) Begin each day with your favorite music

77) Get your priorities straight

78) Sleep when your dead, get up 30minutes earlier for 1 year and you add seven and one half days to your life

79) Call your family more

80) Read a book a week and you will be 52 books smarter than your friends in one year alone.

81) Eat 30grams of protein upon waking up

82) Work to live, not live to work

83) There are many more ways to earn money than we are taught at school with the 9-5 routine

84) Go big or go home

85) Find you passion and follow it

5 Must See Places to Visit for Auckland, New Zealand

Auckland city which is also known as the ‘City of Sails’ is the largest and most cosmopolitan city of New Zealand with a population of about 1.4million people. Although it is quite a large city it has a small town vibe to it with everything within access and a friendly feeling to it.

There are plenty of things to do in Auckland for everyone, whether it be sailing across to one of the beautiful islands such as Waiheke or Rangitoto, sailing on the America’s Cup Yacht, going kayaking and fishing or walking or jumping off the tallest building in the southern hemisphere the Skytower, there is fun for everyone.

 

Auckland city from the bridge

 

Below I have listed the top things I recommend to do when visiting Auckland in no particular order! :

1) Island hopping: Take a sailing trip or ferry to Waiheke island for the day and explore the great beaches and secret bays on the island as well as checking out one of the 30 or so Wineries there and sitback and enjoy the views over a glass of wine! Just a 30minute Ferry Ride from Auckland Harbour, it is definitely a great day trip! http://www.fullers.co.nz/

B) Take the ferry to Rangitoto island which is a volcanic island which last erupted 600 years ago, it offers great views at the summit of the island and back towards Auckland and beyond. There is also walking trails, bird-watching and fishing opportunities.

 

2) Check out the Skytower: The largest tower in the Southern Hemisphere at 328metres, the Skytower is an impressive landmark to visit to say the least. Whether it be having dinner at Orbit the revolving restaurant, shooting in the lift to the top of the observation tower to enjoy the 360degree view, taking a SkyWalk on the outside of it or even taking the Skyjump off it! (www.skyjump.co.nz). Definitely worth it on a great day or clear night! Orbit Restaurant: (http://www.skycityauckland.co.nz/Restaurants/Orbit.html)

 

3) Waitakere Ranges: Take a scenic drive to the Waitakere Ranges to see Piha Beach (www.piha.co.nz) amongst others and enjoy the amazing views, great hiking trails and good surf at some of the beaches!

Otherwise a road Trip around the Coromandel is also another great day trip with breath taking sites along the way! Both are great trips! (www.thecoromandel.com)

 

 

4) Popular spots in Auckland: Check out Mission Bay (www.missionbay.co.nz) and St Heliers for a great view of Rangitoto, good cafe culture, and good old Fish and Chips. Also there is the cafes and bars in the Viaduct Harbour and eateries in the Wynyard Quarter (www.waterfrontauckland.co.nz) which is a relatively new area since the Rugby World Cup. For a hike and great views of Auckland check out one of Auckland 49 volcanoes, I would recommend One Tree Hill in Cornwall park which is beautiful and then also Mount Eden.

 

5) Auckland Museum and Art Gallery: Auckland Museum and Art Gallery are both quality places to visit, the Museum is free if you say you live here and allows you to discover the history and culture of New Zealand through a well structured layout. The Art Gallery has the most extensive collection of national and international art in New Zealand with over 15,000 artworks and are currently showing the Degas to Dalí exhibition. www.aucklandmuseum.comwww.aucklandartgallery.com

I hope you enjoy your time in Auckland and some of the great places above and I appreciate any feedback you might have! cheers! :)

Auckland at sunset

Adventure Experience of a lifetime! Mototaxi Junket 2011: Asuncion Paraguay to Cuzco Peru in a Tuk-Tuk.

It all began back in 2007 when our worlds collided through www.couchsurfing.org and Mr Red came to stay in London with Mr Pink and I. We all wanted to go on an adventure as soon as we had no commitments, the world was our oyster and we wanted to do something extreme and out there and we found the site www.theadventurists.com. We then made a pact there and then that we would do an adventure for charity in a Tuk-Tuk somewhere in the World within five years. (For those of you who do not know what a Tuk-Tuk is….please see the picture below that it is basically a shitty motorbike with a sofa on the back not made for adventuring!)

 

 

Four years later I get a phone call from Mr Red while on a mini retirement from life in Brazil and he tells me ‘It is time’, he has awesomely signed us up to an adventure from Asuncion, Paraguay to Cuzco, Peru (Over 3000km more or less) in a Tuk-Tuk or Mototaxi!! We all agree to meet with Mr Pink who was currently in Colombia a month before so we could check it all out, raise the money for Practical action the charity and get our ‘outfits together and have a catchup before the challenge ahead.

 

The Unroute!…3000km more or less ;)

 

A few days before the big day we found some amazing all in one suits from the Bogota black market and instantly bought them as we were looking for outfits that would keep us warm and also allow us to strip down when necessary. On the morning of the big day as we were putting shorts on with our ‘Tellytubby’ outfits we thought why don’t we challenge ourselves and only wear boxer shorts underneath, take our outfit, passports and cards plus Mr Blues outfit who we were meeting in Asuncion, Paraguay and nothing more or less!!

 

 

So it was done, we set sail from Colombia known as ‘The Colours’ (no real names allowed) or the ‘Tellytubbies’ with our few items (see picture above- no maps, no nothing) for Asuncion, Paraguay via Buenos Aires for 8 or so hours for Christmas day and then spent 4 days in Montevideo. On Christmas day eve where one of the colours was robbed with our passports and wallets however he managed to negotiate our passports back and we still had one wallet left so were able to continue! It was meant to be! This was only the beginning of what was to come! haha.

 

The Colours on the front page of the Paraguayan news ;)

I could write a mini book on everything that followed, from tackling security at the airport, hiding each others passports in sick bags and breaching international flight regulations and not getting arrested it as it was Christmas day. Jumping in an immigration booth and stamping each others passports, stopping the streets of Paraguay with Police escort so all the teams can have a curtain raiser to the bigday, jumping across borders illegally with only one of us having an international driving license (wallets stolen). From leaving Paraguay just asking which way North was to Peru as we had no maps, not having any accomodation booked for any nights and choosing to sleep on stone cold floors in the middle off nowhere with pet monkeys in the kitchen. Being on multiple news stations and on the front pages across Colombia, Paraguay, Bolivia and Peru would just be touching the surface of it all!

 

 

So here it is! I think this video produced and edited by Mr Red sums up the adventure fantastically well and gives you a good insight into what it was like. This is the Tuk Tuk adventure we did from Asuncion, Paraguay to Cusco, Peru! One of the most amazing experiences I have done ever with just fancy dress, cards and passports and any items we were given or picked up along the way! :)  I hope your enjoy it and please just click the link below which takes you through to see the video and feel free to leave any comments! :)

 

Auckland Bridge Bungy Jump, New Zealand…Bucketlist tick No. 23. :)

Bungy jumping is one of those activities that has always been high on my list of things that I wanted to do in life. So many people have experienced and enjoyed it and I was given the pleasure of a present from a special someone (thank-you) to do a bungy jump off the worlds first harbour bridge Bungy Jump in Auckland, New Zealand. It was awesome!! :)

A group of about 10 other ‘jumpers’, a handful of spectators and I walked the 10minute bridge climb from the entrance of the bridge and then up to the top which stands at about 43metres high. I was embracing the views which overlook the city and then the fear started to dawn on me a bit more as I got closer and then climbed up into the ‘jump pod’ as they call it that I was actually in the here and now and would shortly be jumping! I looked around and started to see the similar fear on everyones faces and the jump order was read out which goes by the heaviest person first so I was to be jumping about the 4th in line.

 

Having a bit of banter with the instructor...;)

 

My name was called up and I sat in the chair (see picture) to have the harnesses put around my ankles and measured so that my head would dip into the water! I had a bit of banter with the instructor as he told me that this harness looked particularly rusty and he was not sure! ;) With the music blaring I then stepped out towards the edge and stood on the platform, did the mandatory look at all the cameras and smile and pretend you are not scared at all and then I bit the bullet and dive jumped off! :)

 

 ’The Plank’

 

The free fall feeling is amazing as you see the water rapidly coming towards you in a few seconds and then before you know it…SPLASH! your head dips under and out and after 3 bounces you pull the cord on your ankle to allow you to go into a sitting position and then I was hauled back up to the ‘jump pod’.  I was then back 43 metres high still pumped from the experience and back with all the other jumpers and spectators!

 

Pumped for life! :)

Overall it was a massive adrenalin rush that I would recommend anyone to do! :) Get out there and embrace this experience! You will not regret it! (http://www.bungy.co.nz/auckland-bridge)

 

Awesome view back onto the city!

The Epic Bucketlist you have to see…Things to do before I die :)

I have always talked about creating a bucketlist of the things I want to do in life and places I want to visit. I have watched the film with Morgan Freeman and Jack Nicholson and heard other people talking about boxes to tick on their life list.

I then decided on the 6th of June 2011 that I was going to write one there and then, I stayed in one night and it took me 6 hours or so to think up and scroll though things that I want to do in my life. I chose to only put down things I have not done so far and this year I am going to tick at least 15 of them and report on each experience! :)

I came up with the following list which I have laminated on my wall so I get to look at it every morning and help me to work towards each one. I hope you enjoy it and that it inspires you to write one for yourself! (No.48) :)

 

Adventure 2011- Asuncion, Paraguay to Cusco, Peru in a Mototaxi.

 

  1. Travel all around the world
    • All the countries in the world (192).
  2. Become fluent in a language-Spanish or Portuguese.
  3. Try out a new profession in a different field.
  4. Achieve your ideal shape- 82kg and ripped as hell. (TICK)
  5. Do a photo shoot when the above is achieved. (TICK)
  6. Run a marathon (London) under 4 hours.
  7. Run a half marathon.
  8. Run 5km under 18mins again.
  9. Run an adventure race each year (off road).
  10. Go Wake-boarding. 
  11. Sailing.
  12. Windsurfing. 
  13. Kite-surfing. 
  14. Ride a jet ski.
  15. Go skiing.
  16. Go water skiing.
  17. Pursue your passion.
  18. Start your own business doing something you love.
  19. Successful businesses doubling profits every year.
  20. Achieve financial abundance with your passion.
  21. Setup a charity.
  22. Be a mentor to someone. (TICK)
  23. Go Bungee jumping, (TICK)
  24. Skydiving.
  25. Parachuting. 
  26. Paragliding. 
  27. Hang-gliding.
  28. Ice climbing.
  29. Make a difference in someone’s life. (TICK)
  30. Perform a kind deed to at least 5 strangers without expecting anything in return.
  31. Fly in a hot-air balloon (across a country).
  32. Plant your own tree and watch it grow.
  33. Grow your own Vegtables.
  34. Do public speaking in front of 10,000 people.
  35. Get a complete makeover (change everything, from your hair style, hair color, image, clothes) and get a different look:  one which you would never have thought of trying.
  36. Learn wine appreciation.
  37. Learn to Salsa Dance.
  38. Learn to Tango.
  39. Learn Ballroom dancing.
  40. Learn a martial art.
  41. Win a lucky draw.
  42. Go swimming with dolphins.
  43. Act in a film (self production or otherwise).
  44. Get featured on another TV/radio/print/newspapers for an achievement you are proud of. (addition to loose women). (TICK- NZ Mens prostate calender 2013)
  45. Create your dream home- Snooker room/Man cave.
  46. Go deep into the heart of Mother Nature. Go trekking in a rainforest for a few weeks; Amazon).
  47. Read a book on a subject you’d never have thought of reading. (TICK)
  48. Tell at least 10 people about your bucket list and encourage them to do the same. (TICK)
  49. Fly first class.
  50. Join mile high club.
  51. Have dinner with someone you had only dreamed of meeting.
  52. Be invited to speak overseas.
  53. Ride a gondola in Venice.
  54. Witness an eclipse.
  55. Visit all 50 US states.
  56. Complete the Ironman Triathlon.
  57. Enter a bike race.
  58. Explore Antarctica.
  59. Sail off out in the sea for a week.
  60. Take a bike tour through wine country.
  61. Enter a bike race.
  62. Throw a big party for everyone I know.
  63. Participate in a regatta (boat race).
  64. Drive a speedboat.
  65. Go trekking in amazon.
  66. Go on a cruise.
  67. Go tubing.
  68. Go deep sea fishing.
  69. Go deer hunting.
  70. Go alligator hunting.
  71. Go bear hunting.
  72. Dive with sharks.
  73. Hunt grouse in Scotland.
  74. Ride a horse without a saddle.
  75. Try fencing.
  76. Fire AK47 and other major guns.
  77. Scuba dive in the top 5 scuba diving destinations in the world.
  78. Do a polar bear swim.
  79. Ride in a hot air balloon.
  80. Travel by seaplane.
  81. Go Fire Walking.
  82. Go On a Cross-country Motorcycle Trip.
  83. Go rally driving.
  84. Go rock climbing outdoors.
  85. Participate in The Rickshaw Run.
  86. Climb Mount Kilimanjaro.
  87. Climb Everest.
  88. Ride on the Orient Express.
  89. Ride the Trans-Siberian Railway.
  90. Ride a dune buggy in the desert.
  91. Ride largest roller coaster in the world.
  92. Experience weightlessness.
  93. Go Zorbing.
  94. Go dirt biking.
  95. Go into space. 
  96. Go whale-watching.
  97. See a platypus.
  98. See gorillas in the wild in Uganda.
  99. See a Wild Panther.
  100. See a Wild Jaguar.
  101. See a Pinta Island Tortoise.
  102. See a Jarvin rhino!!
  103. See a Wild Polar Bear.
  104. Hold a preying mantis. (TICKED)
  105. Ride an elephant.
  106. Mush a dog sled..
  107. 50 Non-fiction Adventure Books (http://artofmanliness.com/2009/06/29/50-non-fiction-adventure-books/).
  108. Read The 100 Greatest Adventure Books of All Time (http://thegreatestbooks.org/lists/17).
  109. Visit: Victoria Falls (between Zambia and Zimbabwe).
  110. The Galapagos Islands, Ecuador. (Pinta tortoise).
  111. The Northern Lights (the Aurora Borealis), polar regions.
  112. Uluru (also referred to as Ayers Rock), Australia.
  113. Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming.
  114. The Sahara Desert (camp out there under the stars).
  115. The Serengeti, Tanzania (Safari- See the Big 5).
  116. The Patagonia grasslands, Argentina.
  117. Nazcar lines, Peru.
  118. The Statues of Easter Island, Chile.
  119. The Pyramids of Giza, Egypt. (Ride a camel there).
  120. Visit the 7 new wonders of the world! : 1) Machu Picchu, Peru.
  121. 2) The Colisseum in Rome. (TICK)
  122. 3) Petra, Jordan.
  123. 4) Christ Redeemer, Brazil. (TICK)
  124. 5) The Great Wall of China.
  125. 6) Chichen Itza, Mexico.
  126. 7) The Taj Mahal, India.
  127. Visit the The Leaning Tower of Pisa.
  128. Visit The Panama Canal.
  129. Visit all 7 continents.
  130. Visit Auschwitz.
  131. Visit Angkor Wat.
  132. Visit the Imperial Palace, Tokyo.
  133. Go to a Brazilian Carnival (Salvador or Rio).
  134. Go to Glastonberry.
  135. Go to Burning man.
  136. Go to an ice bar. (TICK)
  137. Go to the airport and get the first flight out of there. 
  138. Learn astronomy.
  139. Learn to brew beer.
  140. Read every book your favorite author has written. (Paulo Coelho- TICK)
  141. Read 100 books I want to read.
  142. Watch 100 greatest movies.
  143. Watch every movie that has won an Academy Award Winners for Best Picture.
  144. Watch a sumo wrestling match in Japan.
  145. Attend one of Anthony Robbins’ weekend events.
  146. Acquire persuasion skills.
  147. Go to one of Steve Pavlina’s Weekend Workshops in Las Vegas.
  148. Get Certified as a Financial Planner.
  149. Get certified in NLP.
  150. Meet and shake hands with Richard Branson.
  151. Meet your favorite author (Paulo Coelho).
  152. Meet Tim Ferriss.
  153. Meet the Dalai Lama.
  154. Find out about my family history.
  155. Become a Reiki Master.
  156. Have a past life regression. 
  157. Attend Halloween at the playboy mansion.
  158. Get out of debt.
  159. Create a financial strategy.
  160. Invest in real estate.
  161. Invest in commodities, such as gold and silver.
  162. Become a millionaire.
  163. Create multiple streams of passive income.
  164. Have all of the insurance that you need to protect yourself from risk.
  165. Hire an accountant and a tax attorney to make sure you’re taking advantage of all available tax breaks.
  166. Open a Swiss or Panamanian bank account.
  167. Spend a week at a 5-star spa.
  168. Stay at the Ice Hotel in Sweden.
  169. Gamble at Monte Carlo, Monaco.
  170. Drive a Lamborghini or a Ferrari.
  171. Spend a week on Necker Island (Richard Branson’s island).
  172. Create a tradition of getting together with your extended family for a barbecue once a year.
  173. Spend 1 month in a Buddhist monastery.
  174. Make a documentary film.
  175. Become a life coach.
  176. Own an internet business.
  177. Start my own blog and website. (TICK)
  178. Write and publish a best selling book.
  179. Write a travel book.
  180. Write a book on something that means a lot to you.
  181. Write your memoir and entire life for generations to read.
  182. Audition for a commercial. (TICK)
  183. Be on the cover of big magazine (one step up from uni cover).
  184. Be a spectator at some TED Talks.
  185. Go to the The Cannes Film Festival.
  186. Go to: A Rodeo.
  187. Rugby world cup game (All blacks Rugby world cup final)- TICKED
  188. Football WC game.
  189. NFL game (superbowl).
  190. NHL game .
  191. Kentucky derby.
  192. Basketball.
  193. Daytona 500.
  194. Formula 1.
  195. Baseball.
  196. Watch 100m and 800m Mens Olympic final.
  197. UFC in Vegas.
  198. World boxing heavyweight fight.
  199. Cook a roast from scratch. (TICK)
  200. Get your palms read.
  201. Get a tarot card reading.
  202. See a psychic.
  203. Get hypnotized.
  204. Get your Chakras aligned.
  205. Have a specialist read your aura.
  206. Sit on a jury.
  207. Attend a Murder Mystery Dinner.
  208. Crash a wedding.
  209. Have portrait painted.
  210. Live in Asia for a year.
  211. Visit Texas and stay on a cowboy ranch. 
  212. Get a second passport (Brazilian).
  213. Holiday/escape on a desert island.
  214. Spend the night in an underwater hotel.
  215. Float in the dead sea.
  216. Watch a meteor shower.
  217. Stand on the equator.
  218. Go on week long fishing trip.
  219. Go snowmobiling.
  220. Go to a Greek wedding.
  221. Go to a red carpet premiere.
  222. Go to a Broadway Play.
  223. Go on one adventure every year.
  224. Go Jet Boating. (TICK)
  225. Read a new book a week for the rest of my life.
  226. Own a bar.
  227. Help my family out financially.
  228. Own a large aquarium with exotic fish.
  229. Participate in a Flash-mob.
  230. Attend cooking classes.
  231. Be an amazing speaker and presenter.
  232. Own luxury car- Aston Martin DB9/Range rover.
  233. Own an awesome tree house for my quiet time.
  234. Be an epic role model to everyone I meet.
  235. Master Quantum Reading.
  236. Cruise on a super yacht. (TICK)
  237. Watch a NASA launch.
  238. Continue doing/studying Personal development for the rest of my life (seminars etc).
  239. Have a PA, chef, masseuse, personal trainer.
  240. Have an awesome bar at my house.
  241. Learn how to make cocktails- Master the Hickey cocktail. (TICK)
  242. Have a swimming pool.
  243. Have jacuzzi at my house. (TICK)
  244. Be coached by a world famous coach.
  245. Master yoga and do at least once a week.
  246. Do a spiritual retreat every two years.
  247. Live with a remote tribe somewhere in the world. 
  248. Live in the Canadian mountains with limited supplies and fend for yourself for a month.
  249. Pay for a strangers groceries.
  250. Celebrate NYE in a different country for the rest of my life.
  251. Travel around the world anytime I want.
  252. Take a mini retirement every year to achieve some of these goals.
  253. Drive a Tank.
  254. Share a dream with somebody. (TICK)
  255. Go to a Silent Disco.
  256. Do a Canyon Swing.
  257. Play Bowls. (TICK)
  258. Stay in an Igloo Hotel.
  259. Stay in a Treehouse. (TICK)
  260. Fly a MIG.
  261. Play Frisbee Golf (TICK)
  262. Complete Bucket list. :)

 

 

‘How to succeed when visiting or moving to a new city with these 5 essential steps’.

So here it is! My first ever blogpost! :) I tried to think of what I get asked the most having moved to and lived in 7 different cities and 6 countries for an extensive period (minimum 6 months). I notice that people always tell me that when they enter a new city to visit or move to they struggle to meet new people as they do not know anyone, know the best places to see, stay or go out to.

 

For my first blogpost I have chosen ‘ How to succeed when visiting or moving to a new city with these 5 easy steps’. This is usually the process I use when entering a new city. I hope you enjoy it and I appreciate any comments or feedback that you have or steps that maybe work for you! :)

 

1) Accommodation and meeting new people: Use www.couchsurfing.org (separate article to come), couchsurfing is a hospitality exchange and social networking service which has over 3million people worldwide. It allows you to stay with local people for free at their home and get to experience what their life and culture is all about in that city. I have met over 500 people through this and have had some great experiences. If staying with somebody is not your cup of tea it is also a great way to meet new people and possibly attend the weekly meetup of that city. This way you can meet people who are locals in the city who would know the hidden spots and share stories and information on things to do and see. At the same time you get to meet other visitors like you from all regions of life, if you hit it off with someone you can arrange a future catchup for a beverage, or possibly a roadtrip to another region of the country you are in. I usually email 10 people when entering a city and meet with them first as this gives you many open doors to meeting many more new people in your first week or two.

 

2) Accommodation: If you are not using couchsurfing then you naturally have the choice of hotels, hostels (hostelbookers.com) and other hospitality exchanges such as (www.hospitalityclub.org). Also there are sites such as www.mindmyhouse.com or www.airbnb.com. Mind my house enables you to stay at a persons house and you look after it for free while they are away and for a small join up fee it is certainly worth it, while www.airbnb.com is where you pay somebody for the use of their bed and breakfast for as many nights you agree to and make a payment through the site at the end. Woofing is an option here as well where you work in exchange for accommodation; a lot of people of all ages participate in this.

 

3) Meeting people: Sign up to meetup.com and join all the groups that you have an interest in (e.g. personal development/sports/hiking/going out/dancing) and go to at least two of those during your first few weeks.That exposes you to another 10-20 people depending on the size of the group. I have used meetup.com in 4 different counties and have met some awesome people who I still keep in touch with until this day.

 

4) Social scene: Go to localist.com of that city and get a list of all the best bars and restaurants in town which are then rated by the people of that city. Make sure you visit 5-10 of them and randomly introduce yourself to the bartender or groups of people, tell them you are new to  the city and are looking to make some new friends, and you will be sure  to pick up some new tips of things you are looking do there. Use sites such as www.tripadvisor.com and www.virtualtourist.com which gives the views, ratings and thoughts of people who have visited the city that you are in and lists in order the popularity of each activity or site in that city.

 

5) Longer term stays: If staying for a while in the city then look to join a few clubs which you have an interest in (e.g. sports club, Latin club, languages club) even if you do not play the sport or hobby however have a slight interest in it you can still join the social scene that happens after the games or events. This creates a level of camaraderie which makes it easier to find the things you might possibly need for a longer stay in a new city (e.g. job, house, gym membership, etc).

 

Enjoy your visit or move to your new city! :)