How NOT to get lost

I get lost all the time. I've lived in Manila for 9 years, I still get lost a lot. In my hometown, Angeles City, I only stay on the major roads - for fear of ending up somewhere unfamiliar. I have a poor sense of direction - I frequently make wrong turns, and cannot tell North from South on any given day without a compass.

Now that I am halfway around the world, how do I survive? Mr. self-proclaimed "lost boy" uses a bunch of tools - here are my favorite ones:

1. Lonely Planet - these books are simply amazing! If you're planning to go somewhere unfamiliar, make sure you have one of these in your pocket. They are truly worth their weight in Gold. Need a cheap place to stay? Look it up! Can't decide where to eat? Look it up! It is just a gold mine of information. When I was in Tokyo, I frequently followed their restaurant recommendations. When I told my Japanese officemates where I have been eating, they were very surprised - these places were local favorites. I actually even have the Philippine version - it was written by an Australian who explored our islands extensively. It still lists "Embassy" as the hottest place in town. As they commonly say, it usually takes a foreigner to show people how pretty their own country is.



2. Metro - if you have a palm, ipaq, or any other type smart phone, download this program and install it now. This piece of software has subway, bus, tram, and train maps of almost every city in the world. All you have to do is input the station names in the "To" and "From" fields, and it automatically calculates the shortest route (or the route with the least connections - depending on how your preferences are set) using available public transportation links. I've used this in Amsterdam, Paris, Brussels, Warsaw, Tokyo, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Berlin and a bunch of other cities I can't remember now - this is the single most useful travel tool I've ever used. When I get lost, I just look for the closest bus/tram/subway stop - I can then continue my journey from there. It is so good, I base my cellphone purchasing decisions on whether or not it is compatible with this software.

3. GPS - we've all heard how useful these devices are. Enter the address, and it automatically calculates the shortest route for you. If you make a wrong turn somewhere, it will automatically recalculate the route and set you on your way again. It knows all of the one-way streets, you can ask it to bring you to the nearest parking lot, restroom, gas station, or pub. Some versions even know which streets are clogged with traffic, or which roads are closed. It can even pick your route based on toll fees - showing the cheapest options first. These things are amazing - really, really amazing. Too bad they cost 600 Euros each.



Some people I meet on the road tell me that getting lost is part of the fun. I think its simple a waste of time and energy - why get lost when you can have fun?

Happy travelling!