Istanbul: Day 1: Landing

Yeni Hotel, Istanbul.

Yeni Hostel


Snafu at the Ataturk Airport. Didn't get picked up as arranged, so took a taxi to Yeni Hotel, which agreed - without hesitation - to pay the difference between what the taxi charged me and what I would have paid the hotel. I liked that.

The taxi got lost on the way to the hotel, and I'm glad I gave him the phone number before we took off from the airport so he could call the place on occasion. Plus ask various bystanders.

I also liked that the hotel let me check into my room early. I enjoyed a cup of coffee in the hotel's cozy lounge while I waited. 

And I liked that even before I got into said room, the mgt told me they'd be moving me to a different room for the rest of my stay, as there was construction going on outside my room. A new metro station.


Good wifi. 

Yeni Hotel, Istanbul

Pleasant room, lots of light, although that's a mixed blessing in Istanbul's heat. A floor fan. Decent wardrobe and desk. Blinding white sheets and good bath towel. Good-quality sliders (shoes) for room and bath.

Yeni Hotel, Istanbul

Gigantic shower (the size of a room!) with good hot water, plenty of hooks. Toilet is fine. Sink is outside WC. In fact, the WC and sink were just outside my room, so it was almost like having them en suite.

The hotel/hostel - I get confused about which is it - is owned by two brothers and their two sons. The father-son pairs switch off day-to-day operations, each taking several-day shifts. The hotel is over 100 years old.

Yeni Hotel, Istanbul

There's a spiral staircase with marble steps that are worn in the center edges from so much foot traffic.

Headache 

A dull headache plagued me all day. Bummer.


Money

Before I left Georgia, I contacted my financial institution to notify them I'd be in Turkey and asked that they check things on their end to make sure I wouldn't have any unhappy surprises on my end. I'd read that Turkey has an unfortunate reputation for bank card scams, and U.S. financial institutions get a little nervouse when they see transactions coming out of Turkey.

I went down to an ATM to get some money and damned if I didn't run into a problem. Fortunately, this ATM was just outside its bank, and I went inside and got help from a bank staffer. He made sure I used the machine on the right instead of the left, as apparently the one on the left really didn't like dispensing lira, preferring instead, euros or dollars. Also, it didn't want to give me the amount I requested, so I went for a lower amount. Communication, ATMs, communication, what, do you think we can read your minds when you've got a problem? Just telling me a transaction is not possible "at this time" is unhelpful. Sheesh.

I relieved myself of a hefty wad of Turkish lira for my three-week hotel stay, then after a nap to (hopefully, but unsuccessfully, rid myself of the headache), I ventured out again.

The hotel mgt had already proven itself to me, despite the airport pick-up issue, that it believed it important to keep guests happy, thus I felt relaxed about paying the full amount up front.


Venturing out

Often there's a pull between the "should" of doing something versus the desire to just be in a place. The benefit of being in a place for three weeks is that there's plenty of time for both.

I did go out and poke around. Walked down to the water. Walked through some narrow streets. Had lunch.

Istanbul bride and groom

I saw the same birds one sees in Georgia almost every day: a newly-married couple. In this case, it was a bride and groom at a gas station, and the bride was inserting herself and her immense dress into a small car.

Trams

So far, the biggest cool factor for me are the so-called modern trams. It's difficult for me to tell the difference between the funiculars (I find this word so annoying. Shouldn't this be the name for some sort of waffle cone, really?) and a train and a 'modern' tram, but whatever. The cool thing is they're riding on the street just like a train. On narrow streets. With two tracks, one for each way. With lots of people right, right, right next to them.

Istanbul from Red River Restaurant

Transportation song

Istanbul is a people-moving city. Trams, ferries, taxis, cars, buses, subways, trains, and feet. There are 13 million residents of Istanbul - given the number of tourists I've seen in what is the low season, that's a lot of DNA swirling about.

I wonder if in a million years there won't be a layer of mammalian slough-off, just as there's a layer of paleo-soil from way back. Skin, spit, and other bodily effluvia. We will one day be oil.

This video has the sights and sounds of Istanbul traffic. 

I went down to the water - the Bosphorus - and watched the ferry traffic.

Istanbul, Bosphorus

Vendors sold roasted or boiled corn on the cob, roasted nuts, mussels, fish, and other sundries.

Istanbul, mussels and lemons

I had lunch at the Red River restaurant. Go figure.

Not bad. A cheese/basil wrap.

Istanbul

A shower

The shower. There's something about taking a shower in an immense room that is so luxurious. The feeling, not the room. Plenty of hot water. Nice.


A slide show of Day 1 in Istanbul below:

Georgia: Marina's Guesthouse

Marina's Guesthouse. Fruit festival on the balcony.

I wouldn't normally center a post about a place of lodging, but Marina's in Tbilisi is an exception.

When Kate and Pam came to visit, I'd booked them temporarily into a hostel with the plan to find a place for Kate (who'd stay on for three weeks after Pam left) that was in a neighborhood and had the right vibe ... and, oh yeah, was affordable.

Marina's Guesthouse. Courtyard entrance.

Kate and I checked out a few places, none of which did the trick, but when I revisited airbnb.com, I saw a new listing - Marina's. The moment we walked into Marina's courtyard, I knew it was the one. Marina's son, David, had only just got her onto airbnb.



















David lives in Olathe, Kansas, which is exactly where one of Kate's daughters lives with her family. An immediate bond.

Marina's dolls.

Marina has a wry sense of humor, often self-deprecating. (She likes to say she is the lone peasant among all of the aristocrats in Georgia.) A former costume designer, Marina now creates dolls, some of which are in Tbilisi's Doll Museum. Marina's husband, Nodar, a retired geologist with a charming smile, spends much of his time in Marneuli tending a vineyard and garden. He makes good wine and chacha.







Marina's guesthouse is in the Marjanishvili neighorhood.

During a recent stay, it was chilly and very windy. It was quite satisfactory to lie on the bed and look at the curtain blow into the room.

On the balcony, looking up at Mtatsminda, all you want to do is drink some coffee or tea, read a good book, and, if you feel energetic enough, chat with Marina or other guests. It is an oasis.

Kutaisi, Part 1: Promete Cave

Promete Cave, Kutaisi, Georgia.

This was the weekend to see the caves in Kutaisi!

Sandy and I  made an abortive attempt to see them in March, only to find out they wouldn't be open til April. Then May. Then the end of May.

There are at least three caves near Kutaisi open to the public. Our plan was to see all three: Sataplia, Promete, and Navenakhevi.

We'd received a lead on a new hostel, Hostel Kutaisi, which we planned to use.

Colleagues Marie and Kathy joined us for the weekend.

Promete Cave, Kutaisi, Georgia.

Getting to Kutaisi

Sandy picked up a marshrutka in Gori. Marie, Kathy, and I got one at Didube in Tbilisi. In the process, I discovered a new-to-me WC around the corner of the short strip mall adjacent to the metro entrance. CLEAN! Turkish style, but clean! 20 tetri that one popped into an automated turnstile. I also noticed a cafe that was in the last or second-to-last storefront of the strip.

We left Didube about 9:00 a.m. and arrived in Kutaisi about 12:30. We disembarked across from the McDonald's, Sandy joined us about 10 minutes later, and we enjoyed a bite to eat 'n drink. We hopped on the #1 bus to the old city center. We walked to Hostel Kutaisi, which is about 1 km from the big city-center fountain.

We selected the room with four beds, then agreed to George's request of 20 lari per cave (for our group) to ferry us and wait while we did the tours. We felt this was very worthwhile.

Promete Cave, Kutaisi, Georgia.

Promete Cave

Promete Cave, named after Prometheus, is a long cave - 1 kilometer. It's also got some really kick-ass formations. Ribbons, waterfalls, jellyfish, monsters ...

I regretted that the cave managers opted for multi-colored lights and music inside the cave. Caves are quiet except for the drip of water or the fluttering of bats' wings. That would have been so nice to hear. The almost nothing.

Unfortunately, recent rains had raised the water level inside the cave too high for the boat ride, so we didn't get to do that.

Promete Cave, Kutaisi, Georgia.

Notwithstanding these quibbles, Promete Cave was very cool. In fact, I think it may have the most diverse formations I've ever seen.

Cost was 6 lari. (The boat ride would have been an additional 7 lari.) This cave, I believe, is closed on Tuesdays, while Sataplia Cave is closed on Mondays. Or the reverse. The upshot is that if someone wants to see both caves in one day, it'll have to happen Wednesday through Sunday.

The slide show:

Svaneti, Part 5: Mestia, Subpart A

Mestia, Svaneti.

Kate, Sandy, Sparrow, and I arrived in Mestia around 10ish a.m.

First impressions

A bit cloudy. Noise from construction. Muddy, gravelly roads from construction and maybe snowmelt. Buildings in various stages of completion. Brand-new hostel on the main square, adjacent to a brand-new tourist office. Small park in the square. Mountains surrounding.

Lodgings

The marshrutka driver who'd brought us up from Zugdidi had attempted to steer us to his (or his employer's) guesthouse, but we weren't in love with its curb appeal and we had him turn around and return us to the town square.

We walked into the government tourist office and asked about a list of guesthouses, to which the rep responded, "Go to the guesthouse your driver suggested. It is a good one."

We explained that we'd already considered and rejected it, thanks. We sought a place with a view and that wasn't too far out of town. We boiled our options to two choices - the new Hostel Seti next door or a guesthouse (I'll call it Zara's) that was in town and had a view. Two of us looked at Seti and then two of us looked at Zara's.

I didn't go inside, but Sparrow and Kate reported that Seti had a nice view, plentiful bathrooms, and everything was very clean and new. Kate and Sandy then walked up to Zara's, about 1/4 mile from the town center, and reported that it had a nice view, spacious rooms with a homey feel, but only one bathroom.

Seti had no meal plan and it was 20 lari per person. The four of us would share a room.

Zara's did have a meal plan and it was 40 lari total per person, 20 for the bed and 10 for each of two meals. We'd sleep two people to a room.

We agreed to go with Zara's and walked to her place.

Mestia, Svaneti. View from guesthouse.

Beautiful view from both an open balcony and an enclosed one. In a country that is still mad for wallpaper, I loved the painted walls, one bedroom in a pristine white, the other in a spring-fresh pink. Sparrow's and my bedroom was huge, with a large dining room table. A couch and two upholstered chairs were grouped around a coffee table.** The windows looked out onto splendid mountain views. Sandy and Kate shared the pink bedroom, which they entered from the open balcony. 

Mestia, Svaneti. One of our guesthouse rooms.

Turned out the food was only so-so. The only bathroom seemed to be shared also with the family, which meant 8 or so people used the same facility. That was a bit of a bummer at times. Plus the water was shut off twice, something that apparently never happens. Who knows.

Mestia, Svaneti. View from guesthouse.

"Zara" was quite pleasant and helpful in sharing information, especially when we needed her assistance in tracking down Kate's camera after our return to Tbilisi. But the reason I'm not sharing her guesthouse name is because of the weirdness that occurred just before we checked out. "Zara" had explained that Svans are proud of the fact that they are "pure," as they don't mix (i.e. marry) with other groups like the rest of the Georgians, as such practices are "bad." Svans are admired, for example, for their white skin and fair hair and eyes.

This was off-putting.

Mestia, Svaneti. View from guesthouse.

A walk around town

Shortly after we arrived at Zara's, it began to rain, and the four of us took it as a sign that we were supposed to just relax, drink some coffee, consume some munchies, and enjoy the view. No feeling guilty for thinking we should go out and explore, hike up a mountain right away, or otherwise do something.

Sometimes we need such reminders.

Kate doesn't need any such reminders. She contentedly opened up a book, stretched out on her bed (which faced a beautiful view through the window), and commenced to reading, fully aware that a nap might ensue.

When the rain stopped, Sandy, Sparrow, and I set to scoping out Mestia.

We ran into a self-proclaimed vagabond from - where? Maybe it was the U.S. Or Mexico. Or Poland. It was all a bit vague. But his intent is to be the best photo-journalist in the world, as soon as he bought a really good camera. Or maybe he already has one. And he was on his way to meet someone - a stranger - with whom he'd hike up a mountain from Mestia. At 5:00 p.m. But in the near future, he had an appointment to get smuggled into Syria. And somewhere else, maybe Afghanistan for a chat with the Taliban, I don't remember. But by the way, he'd been robbed just the night before. Or two nights before. And all of his money was stolen and all he had left was 10 lari. He guessed it was because he'd fallen asleep on a park bench in Tbilisi after he got so wasted drinking. But he'd be OK; he always was.

.... So anyway, we continued our walk.


**Wait!!! Look at the photo of that bedroom. There was no coffee table. Just goes to show the unreliablity of memory or so-called eyewitness reports. There would have been a coffee table between the couch and the two chairs in an American setting, so obviously my brain "auto-corrected" my memory. Sheesh.

Tbilisi: Marjanishvili

Marjanishvili is a neighborhood in Tbilisi. It's been undergoing renovation like so much of Georgia.

Tbilisi, Georgia. Marjanishvili.

There's a metro station here. A McDonald's. Several guesthouses or hostels. Numerous tiny fruit and vegetable markets. A Russian Orthodox church. Small, human-scale lanes.

Tbilisi, Georgia. Marjanishvili neighborhood.

Irina's in Marjanishvili. Tbilisi, Georgia.

A few weeks ago, Sandy and I spent Saturday night at Irina's Guesthouse. The hostel takes up a portion of this building - a two-level, maze-like place with many bathrooms, two kitchens, and an assortment of rooms filled with beds and antique furniture. Irina owns the apartment; I think the apartment has belonged to her family since her childhood.

Irina's in Marjanishvili. Tbilisi, Georgia.

Sandy and I enjoyed the exclusive use of a four-bed dormer. We met a trio of Swiss cyclists who've been wheeling around Eurasia since September or October. A Korean family was also in residence; parents and two or three young'ns.

Irina's in Marjanishvili. Tbilisi, Georgia.

Sandy had this intriguing, and a little creepy, sight from her bed.

Chucky? 

Irina's in Marjanishvili. Tbilisi, Georgia.

Cozy kitchen upstairs.

Russian Orthodox Church in Marjanishvili. Tbilisi, Georgia.

 
We went into the Russian Orthodox Church, a breath of artistic fresh air, outside the Georgian Orthodox design norm.

Russian Orthodox Church in Marjanishvili. Tbilisi, Georgia.

This weekend was a milestone in the Lenten season, so there were many worshipers entering the church, sharing or receiving food, lighting candles, getting blessings.

Tbilisi, Georgia. Marjanishvili. Russian Orthodox Church.

Armenia: Yerevan and Thereabouts

Yerevan, Armenia

Kathy and I spent a day walking about Yerevan. It was chilly, but sunny for the most part.

Cascade detail, Yerevan, Armenia

 In comparing Yerevan with Tbilisi:

• Tbilisi is prettier than Yerevan. 
• Where Tbilisi can feel a little closed-in, Yerevan feels open and airy. 
• Tbilisi is hilly. Yerevan is flat. 
• Yerevan: Good customer service. Tbilisi: Very uneven. 
• Tbilisi pavements: Treacherous. Yerevan pavements: Generally in good condition. 
• Tbilisi dogs: Can be a problem, but mostly stay out of your way. Yerevan dogs: Packs seem more prevalent, and I saw some canine-to-human confrontations. 
• Both cities have lots of statues. Tbilisi's tend toward the classical; Yerevan's sculptural art is more diverse.
• Lovely parks and pedestrian walkways in Tbilisi. Yerevan's parks are a little scrubby. 
• Vehicle traffic pays more respect to pedestrians in Yerevan than Tbilisi. 
• More international variety in Yerevan's cafe scene than Tbilisi's. 

 Kathy and I had lunch at a Mexican restaurant. We liked the cool floor. 

We stopped in the Chocolateria near the Cascade:

Yerevan, Armenia. Chocolate.

Yerevan, Armenia. Chocolate. In the raw.

We worked our way up the Cascade, stopping every once in awhile to take in the changing perspectives as we climbed higher.

Yerevan, Armenia. The Cascade.

Yerevan, Armenia. The Cascade.

Yerevan, Armenia. The Cascade.

This was our room at the Center Hostel:

Center Hostel, Yerevan, Armenia

Center Hostel is in a good location, close to Republic Square. I'm not crazy about its being on the 4th floor, but Suzanne, the hostess, provides a heart to the hostel that makes guests feel they are at home. There's an eat-in kitchen, a cozy living room, free wifi, sunny rooms, and two good bathrooms with hot showers.

I liked what I saw of Envoy Hostel also, with its commodious community room that is on a separate floor from the sleeping rooms, the modern kitchen, friendly and professional staff, and good location. If I were to ding the Envoy at all, it'd be that the sleeping rooms are a little rabbit-warrenish. For example, in one area, there are three small, linked rooms that require inter-room traffic to get in and out. On the other hand, I loved that each bunk had its own tiny set of shelves. Each bunk room also had generous-sized lockers.

Envoy Hostel community room, Yerevan, Armenia

The Envoy Hostel has nailed customer service beautifully. It offers a daily, 2.5 hour walking tour of Yerevan - and anyone can come, regardless of where you're spending the night. Gevorg, one of the Envoy's staff members, was on our marshrutka from Tbilisi to Yerevan. He facilitated our way through customs and helped us get a taxi to the Center Hostel, letting us know what to pay and ensuring the taxi driver knew our destination.

The Envoy Hostel is opening a branch in Tbilisi. I imagine it will set a new standard for hostels in Georgia in regard to customer service and comfort. I also like that it will have a walking tour of Tbilisi, plus offer one-day tours within Georgia as it does in Armenia.    

Kutaisi: This Wasn't in the Brochures!

Sandy, Jennifer, and I were to go to Kutaisi together, but Jennifer was the victim of a fall on ice. She twisted her knee badly enough to ground her in Dmanisi. Both Sandy and I have also fallen on the snow or ice, but we were lucky not to have injured ourselves.

Saturday morning, I took a marshrutka from Rustavi to the Didube station in Tbilisi. Didube is a public transportation hub with a metro stop and local and regional marshrutkas, buses, and taxis.

Didube also has a large bazaar with produce, meat, cheese, spices, clothing, and small household items. Here's a funky little video of the market interior.

A local marshrutka driver kindly escorted me to the line of Kutaisi-bound marshrutkas. I bought two tickets - one for me and one for Sandy, who we'd scoop up alongside the road as we drove by Gori, where she is based. Cost per ticket = 10 lari.

With the help of her hostess, Sandy got a taxi to the locally-known usual spot along the highway to catch marshrutkas, buses, and shared taxis barreling to other Georgian destinations. The pick-up was choreographed via intense (and several) phone conversations between my marshrutka driver's assistant and Sandy's taxi driver. It was slightly stressful for Sandy, as her taxi driver seemed a little obtuse, but it worked out OK, and we plucked her off the road and we were on our way in earnest to Kutaisi.

.... where we got off in a Soviet-style part of the city at a stretch of the muddy, be-rubbled road next to the McDonald's.

We'd denied ourselves our morning coffee or tea to prepare for our marshurtka ride, and we really didn't have a clue how to get to our guesthouse, so we popped into the McDonald's for hot liquid, a bathroom, and some direction. Ran into two TLGers, one placed in Kutaisi and the other visiting from her placement in Svaneti. They gave us the scoop on the bus (#1) to city center, where we'd call the guesthouse for further instructions.

After a relaxing chat and drink, they took off and so did we. Sandy and I made our way across the perilous street and onto the muddy, icy, rubble-filled, flooded street and non-sidewalk. Men appeared at our sides wanting to taxi us to Batumi or other destination. One man in particular kept hanging next to my elbow beseeching me to go somewhere til finally I said, in exasperation, "Ra ginda?" [What do you want?] He put his arms up and backed away. Finally.

When Sandy and I travel together, we can't help but laugh at how reality and our expectations are so off the mark, and this was no exception. As we walked through melt water and icy sludge through a shattered pavement, we could only laugh at how different this scene was from our imaginings of Georgia.

Kutaisi, Georgia - This wasn't in the brochure!

 But we found the right bus and successfully reached the city center.

Next: Walking Down to Town

Taking a Budget Road Trip: Part 2: Lodging

Yesterday, I introduced Part 1: The Basics


Road-trip lodging might include:

• Staying with friends
• Couchsurfing
• Sleeping in the car
• Camping
• Staying in a motel
• Hostels
• Informal B and Bs

All of the above have their advantages and disadvantages. Variables include:

• Money
• Time
• Safety
• Privacy
• General hassle (however you define "hassle" for yourself)
• Sleep needs
• Hygienic needs
• If traveling alone or with others

2007 Road trip - Taos

Staying with friends

On the surface, it may seem like a no-brainer to stay with a friend who lives along your road trip route.

Maybe, maybe not.

Money. Some people are inveterate "over-gifters." These are sweet folks who cannot feel comfortable staying at another's house unless they buy a meal for all household members plus bring a significant gift. If you fall into this category, weigh the actual cost of staying at the friend's house versus a viable lodging alternative. You can always meet the friend for a cup of coffee, which has the added advantage of managing the time variable.

Time.

Time includes planning time. Crashing at a friend's place requires a little or a lot of advance preparation to make sure your schedules mesh. If your itinerary is fluid, it may require numerous contacts with your friend to check back on availability.

Time also includes face time with the friend. Do you just want to get to the friend's house, chat a bit, crash, then get on the road early the next morning? If yes, will that be possible with the friend? Or will you need to invest time socializing late into the night or for a large portion of the following day?

Finally, time includes how long it will take to get to/from your main route and the friend's house. If you've got a friend who lives "in" St. Louis, does this mean s/he's within a few minutes of your route or is she actually 20 miles south of St. Louis, where you'll traverse various highways, then two bumper-to-bumper arterials, til you finally get to that side street where the friend lives? And then repeat it all the next day, hoping to miss the worst of the morning rush? 

2007 Road trip - Grand Canyon

Couchsurfing

Couchsurfing means that you're crashing at a stranger's house, who's agreed to put you up for the night, no charge. (Here are some couchsurfing etiquette tips.)

For those of us who are social creatures, what a terrific concept!  Meeting new people. Getting the insider's view of the city.

It's not for all of us, though. For example, I'm an introvert and I like to be able to escape to my cave. The idea of having to be "on" for an evening or longer with a stranger isn't relaxing for me.

The money and time variables for staying with a friend also apply to couchsurfing.


Safety. Although there are ways to mitigate the safety risk of couchsurfing, your personal risk threshold may just be too low to allow for couchsurfing. In that case, pass on it. A road trip is supposed to be fun, not create stress.

Privacy. Some couchsurfing hosts offer private rooms; some don't. Weigh your privacy needs with what prospective hosts have to offer and the cost of alternative lodging.


General hassle.

Everyone defines "hassle" for themselves. For me, "hassle" would include:

• Complicated, drawn-out negotiations or instructions related to the lodging, whatever the type. 
• Lots of rules.
• Having to deviate too far from my main route to get to the lodging.

So a couchsurfing situation that pushes the above buttons for me - I'd probably take a pass.

Sleep and hygienic needs.

When you're couchsurfing, you're at someone's house, not a hotel. The housekeeping might not meet your tolerance threshold. Maybe the hosts have cats and you're allergic. Or you're not allergic, but the litter box smells. Or the host's place is right next to the airport.

You don't go into a couchsurfing place completely blind, but there are limits to what you know up front.

If traveling with others.

If you're traveling with one or two others, it may be more difficult to couchsurf.

2007 Road trip - Kayenta

Sleeping in the car

Yes, I've done this. On a road trip to the Black Hills. A road trip to Alaska. A road trip in France.  And at least one other trip.

In none of those cases did I plan to sleep in the car. It just worked out that way because:

• We drove so late that we became too tired to drive any further to a hotel; 
• We couldn't find a hotel; 
• The hotel I did find was scarier than the prospect of sleeping in my car; or
• The hotels in the area were just too expensive. 

I will say that I've never just pulled off the road to sleep in my car. Or maybe I did.

In one case, my brother and I drove into an empty campground in France and slept in the car there. It was scary, though. The trees were leafless and had been topped. They looked like headless creatures. A fog permeated the grounds. It was a veritable vampire attractant.


In at least two other cases, I slept in well-lit interstate rest areas. The advantage of a rest area is flush toilets and potable water. Plus I've found there is sufficient incoming/outgoing traffic to ensure I'm not alone for long ... 'course, that's a potential disadvantage, as well. 

In this roadtripamerica thread are suggestions for other possibles: truck-stop parking lots, hospital parking lots, and hotel parking lots. Not saying they're good suggestions, just suggestions. An excellent resource I gleaned from this thread was Free Campsites, which points you to free campsites (including the parking lots of some stores, where you could car-sleep) all over the U.S.

(Awhile back, I wrote about Glenn Campbell (not that Glenn Campbell) at Homeless by Choice and his lodging strategy at "Walmart Motels," which is sort of a cross between sleeping in your car and camping.)  

Money. Like staying with friends and couchsurfing, car sleeping saves money. For many, perhaps most of us, however, other variables outweigh the $$$ savings.

Time. General hassle. Extremely economical in time and hassle. Pull in, sleep, pull out. No advance planning. No socializing.

Safety.  Concerns about safety may rule this option out for many travelers. If you're traveling with someone else, you may be more comfortable with it.

Privacy. Another disadvantage of sleeping in your car. There really is no privacy when you're sleeping in your vehicle, unless you have a vehicle in which you can cover the windows. To achieve privacy, you can pull your vehicle over to a secluded area that draws no traffic, but that may also make you more vulnerable to attack.
 
Sleep needs. If I'm sleeping in my car, I'm likely to have a lighter sleep than if I were in a more traditional place.

Hygienic needs. If I'm at a rest area, I can wash my face and brush my teeth, use a flush toilet, and wash my hands with soap.  If I sleep in a place with no facilities, then I will still do OK, because I will have packed a jug of water and at least waterless soap and have a washcloth and hand towel. And toilet paper. Good to go. I don't want to do that every day, but once in awhile, no problem.

Traveling with others. Sleeping in the car is definitely safer when traveling with someone else versus traveling solo.

2008 Road trip - Monument Valley

Camping

Money.

If I camp, it's likely I'll pay less than $20 for a campsite per night. That assumes non-electric sites, which is a vanishing category in many campgrounds. (On the other hand, camping in some Bureau of Land Management and other lands is free!) The longer my road trip is, the more attractive camping becomes in my lodging plan.

Free Campsites directs visitors to free campsites all over the U.S.

Time. Assuming tent camping, it takes time to set up and break camp. It may take considerable time to drive from your main route to the campground, up to an hour, depending not only on distance, but road conditions. (Driving a switchback up a mountain is slow work even on a well-paved road.) Checking in takes time. Selecting a campsite takes time.

Safety. Assuming you're in a campground, and you don't do something completely stupid, like rub yourself with ground beef before you turn in for the night in bear country, camping is very safe.

Privacy. With some exception, privacy not much of a concern, unless you've got the rare situation of loud neighbors.

General hassle. It takes time to set up and break down camp, which is why I generally don't camp unless I'll be in the same place for at least two nights. Unless you really go bare bones on the camping bit (sleeping in your car and not cooking), there's a hassle in that you have to pack more gear that takes up more space in your vehicle - a tent, sleeping bag(s), cook stove, gas, lantern, etc.

Sleep needs. If you awaken with each noise outside your tent thinking it might be a bear or a mountain lion or a Deliverance-style local or snake, then you might have a more relaxed time in a motel.  You want to have fun on your trip - not feel anxious. 

Hygienic needs. There may or may not be showers. Or flush toilets. You'll need to have a water container and your own soap.

Traveling alone or with others. Whether alone or with a companion, it's pretty hard to beat the good time of poking a fire with a stick. I've camped alone and I felt safe. Most of the time. (One time an idiot camp host scared me with his story of coyotes invading a camper's tent the night before I arrived.)

2007 Road trip - Las Vegas, NM

Staying in a motel

I have a different standard for a motel where I'll stay only one night versus one I'll stay in for multiple nights. For one night, I can overlook charmlessness in exchange for cost savings.

A good budget motel has:

• Clean bed;
• Floor that I feel is clean enough to walk on barefoot;  
• Clean bathroom; 
• Shower that works; 
• TV that works; 
• Free wireless; 
• Coffeemaker in the room; 
• Secure door and windows; 
• Air conditioner that works; and 
• An ice machine somewhere on the premises. 

I don't care about the decor or how dated it is. I also don't care if it has a free breakfast, although sometimes this is nice.

General motel tips:
 
I prefer locally-owned, non-chain motels, but those aren't always available or within my road trip budget.

Generally-reliable chain motels. Super 8 and Fairfield Inn (Marriott) are generally reliable cost- and quality-wise. I particularly favor Super 8s because they have free wireless, a microwave, and small fridge. Plus a free breakfast (but see note below).

Motel 6s seem to be OK if they are brand new; otherwise, my experience hasn't been good with them - they emit a sort of dodgy vibe. Motels like Days Inn and similar class - generally budget-friendly, but erratic in quality.

I do find it helpful to stop by a state's "welcome center" rest area to pick up the motel coupon books. Then I call the motel while I'm on the road to reserve a room for that night.

"Free" breakfast. Given a choice between a $50 hotel room without a "free" breakfast and a $60 or higher motel with, I'll select the $50 motel. The vast majority of time, the "free" breakfast is unsatisfying or unhealthy. I do better having breakfast out of my small cooler or by stopping at a restaurant and getting exactly what I want for the same or less than the "free" breakfast. Another thing to consider is that if you intend to get back on the road before 6:00 a.m., that "free" breakfast won't even be set up yet.

Discounts. In most cases, the AAA, AARP, and government discount rates are the same. Sometimes the government (or military) rates are lower.  If you don't belong to at least one of these sectors, join one.

Frequent sleeper plans. If you travel frequently for work, become a "frequent sleeper" member of one or two hotel chains with a large "family" of hotel brands. Both Marriott and Hilton have a nice continuum of budget through upscale brands. You do especially well if you usually stay at the higher-end brand for work and then use your free-stay points on the economical brands in the "family" during vacation road trips.

Be willing to do some footwork. When I swing into a town that has several motels, I'll gravitate to the one I think will meet all of my criteria first. But if the price is too high, I won't hesitate to hop back in the car and check out the other motels.  (If I had a smart phone with really fast and easy web access, I'd sit in the parking lot and do my checking around by phone.)

Security. If I'm by myself, I usually ask for a room on the second floor.

Money. On a road trip, budget motel means $70 or less to me. I strive for $50. Sometimes I can't get under $70, but usually I can.

Time. Other than sleeping in your vehicle, a motel stay is the most economical of your time. Other than check-in, there's no set up, and you leave as early as you want the next morning.

Safety. Lock your door. Lock your windows (if they open at all). Other than that, really, the vast majority of motels are entirely safe.

General hassle. Sleep needs. Hygienic needs. Not usually issues.


Traveling alone or with others. Pretty much, two travel cheaply as one when it comes to motel stays. If you share a household, this is a neutral factor. Otherwise, it's a cost savings for you as individuals, since you can split the cost.

Hostels

A hostel is a form of lodging that:

• Is less expensive than a motel;
• Has some form of shared space, such as the sleeping room (i.e. dorm), bathrooms, kitchen, or living areas.
• One generally finds in locations that draw high tourist traffic, whether that's an urban (NYC) or rural setting (i.e. the Abominable Snowmansion near Taos).

Other than the above features, I wouldn't want to pigeonhole all hostels as serving a particular age, socio-economic, educational, cultural or travel-style demographic.

Check them out! Here are websites that list hostels:

Hostels.com
Hostelworld
Hostelling International

Informal B and Bs

Airbnb is ... well, here's what Airbnb says about itself:  "Rent nightly from real people in 15,263 cities in 184 countries."  This video explains more:

Up next: Part 3: Food and Drink

 
Go to the Taking a Budget Road Trip page.