Travel Poll – 50 Queries

I recently ran an instagram travel poll where I posted 50 travel related questions. Around 150 people participated in the travel poll (did I tell you how big I am on social media?) and it was great fun. I promised I would list the final results in one single post and also give my own answers.

While I first thought I should not give any explanation on why I voted a certain way as no one else had the chance, I changed my mind as it may be a good opportunity to kick off a discussion. Please feel free to list your own reasons in the comments section and thank you once again for your participation.

#1 They send you up to Moon for free for five days. You feel extreme nausea for 23.5 hours per day (can’t vomit – no sleep) and still gain 15 pounds but you get to walk on the Moon for 0.5 hours a day. Would you go?

A. Armstrong is overrated %29

B. I`m already there %71

BJ: Taking into the account the fact that I felt nauseous even when typing this question, good luck to me but the offer is too good to turn down.

#2 When traveling abroad, knowing there is a little chance of running into someone I know:

A. I could wear my PJs to be comfy %43

B. Still travel in style %57

BJ: PJs to be comfy – not surprising since I can almost do the same in Istanbul – where I live.

#3 You are in India. Gandhi starts his Salt March (you know what a big deal it will be) and you can walk with him for a week or take your USD 100,000 and keep traveling for long long time. 

A. You are such a materialist %15

B. I love to travel %85

BJ: I would walk with Gandhi as I am still under the influence of my recent trip to New Orleans, Louisiana where the focus of my travel was the slavery period.

#4 Which one do you like best? 

A. Italy  %79

B. France %21

BJ: I like France best as it is from one of those destinations, which does not try hard to please you (does not try at all). You either keep up with its own rules and rhythm or leave. One other country, which gives me a similar feeling is China and I love it.

#5 I sometimes go see movies when I travel:

A. What a waste %47

B. Me too %53

BJ: It is a lot of fun to find those theaters where they show the English language movies with no dubbing and they usually show interesting movies.

#6 Which comparison irritates you the most?

A. Traveler v. Tourist %65

B. Solo v. Group Traveler %35

BJ: Traveler v. tourist – I find it to be very discriminating and discouraging.

#7 Whatever you have planned for the new years eve tonight, would you ditch your plan (and tell your significant other you are too sick to go out) for a two hours long hot air balloon ride over Masai Mara during Great Migration?

A. Yes %65

B. No %35

BJ: Yes, I could give up the next five new years eves as well.

#8 Which type of movies make you want to travel?

A. City of God & Slumdog Millionnaire %33

B. The Beach & Out of Africa %67

BJ: The Beach and Out of Africa – visuals!

#9 Favorite mode of accommodation

A. Hotels %48

B. Airbnb %52

BJ: Definitely hotels and here is why – I don’t like Airbnb

#10 Which one has a more beautiful landscape?

A. Norway %61 

B. Scotland %39

BJ: Norway– feels like first love to me.

#11 I have been to Japan three times but still cannot use chopsticks:

A. Go kill yourself  %45

B. Chopsticks are overrated %55

BJ: I am not proud of this but thank you for not killing me.

#12 I would prefer spending the New Years eve:

A. On a plane flying business class to Kyoto – Japan (for vacation) with champagne being served at every different time zone %32

B. Watching the fireworks in Sydney from a fancy rooftop hotel room reserved for you for the day %68

BJ: Definitely on a plane to Kyoto – don’t they say that it is all about the journey + the anticipation of getting to Japan.

#13 I would quit my job on 2 January 2018 and start traveling the World if I had already saved up:

A. USD 75,000 %47

B. USD 500,000 %53

BJ: USD 75,000 as I would otherwise get too old to get on the road and my career plan has always been long term travel since the day I started working.

#14 People who get to the airport early:

A. Have no life %28

B. I could live in one %72

BJ: I could live in one as airports feel like no mans land to me – such neutral grounds.

#15 Traveling makes me feel smarter:

A. You are delusional %16

B. Same here %84

BJ: It makes me think more.

#16 If both were completely free – I would prefer staying in:

A. A stylish hotel room %51

B. Cozy home with a local family %49

BJ: Stylish hotel room as I like my privacy and I’m sure the local family loves their own.

#17 If they paid you USD 500 for it, would you accept to return from your Sydney trip without seeing the Opera House?

A. Show me the money %45

B. Terrified of the offer %55

BJ: Show me the money as I tend to feel less moved by man-made landmarks and Sydney is much more than the Opera House.

#18 If you had a chance to live in one – which one you would pick?

A. London %62

B. New York City %38

BJ: New York City with its never ending streets.

#19 Which region has the best airlines? (Turkey being the dividing line) 

A. East %66

B. West %34

BJ: Definitely East.

#20 I would want to see Svalbard when there is 24 hours of:

A. Daylight %80

B. Complete Darkness %20

BJ: Complete darkness as I think it would be a stranger experience (and I had the chance to see it under 24 hours of daylight). 

#21 My jetlag is always much worse when I travel West – how about you? 

A. West %58

B. East %42

BJ: Definitely West. It may also have to do with the fact that I am usually a lot more motivated to start exploring right away when I travel East whereas I can get more lazy in West and try less hard to beat the jetlag. 

#22 I do more shopping when I travel:

A. East %45

B. West %55

BJ: West – I always wanted to be someone who would buy cool clothings in Japan but I am – at age 37 – still in my GAP years and I lost hope.

#23 When traveling abroad, do you feel slight shame when you get your coffee from Starbucks (but still can’t help it)?

A. No – give  me my mocca %44

B. I can’t live with myself %56

BJ: No – give me my mocca (black coffee in my case) – which ever place is there to get a coffee, it is legitimate for me.

#24 Why do you prefer Italy over France? 

A. People %50

B. History %50

BJ: I don`t  but if I did, it would be because of the history and San Peter’s Square in Rome.

#25 To get a direct flight to your destination – would you mind paying extra (up to USD 250)?

A. Crazy? %44

B. Why Not %56

BJ: Why not as direct flights also means more miles in most cases.

#26 Northern Lights are overrated:

A. Easy for you to say %81

B. Shut those lights off %19

BJ: Shut those lights off – probably because I love Scandinavia so much that I cannot stand its overall beauty being overshadowed by the Northern Lights.

#27 Which movie suits you travel style better?

A. Into the Wild %58

B. Sideways %42

BJ: Into the Wild.

#28 I prefer having my breakfast at the hotel:

A. Could not care less %60

B. So convenient %40 

BJ: So convenient – and I get up way too early to find anywhere open outside of the hotel to get breakfast but more importantly coffee.

#29 Why do you prefer London over NYC?

A. More welcoming %27

B. Europe is cooler %73

BJ: I don’t and I also think that NYC is cooler.

#30 I want to see:

A. Lofoten Islands, Norway %62

B. Hokkaido, Japan %38

BJ: Hokkaido nowadays.

#31 In respect to a specific travel destination – it is more fund to do:

A. Pre-trip reading %69 

B. Post-trip reading %31

BJ: Post-trip reading – as post-trip reading makes it much easier to put it all in the context.

#32 I still buy guide books:

A. Have you heard of blogs? %47

B. LP Forever %53

BJ: LP Forever as it saves me time since I am quite used to its style. 

#33 I wish I had talent to document my travels through: 

A. Photography %71

B. Illustration %29

BJ: Illustration as it involves a greater level of creativity.

#34 Which movie hits closer to home for you?

A. Lost in Translation %44

B. Up in the Air %56

BJ: Lost in Translation – probably one of the best movies ever made and so reflective of the traveling experience in Japan.

#35 If you had 3 hours to visit a city during a layover – what would you do?

A. One more city, yay! %74

B. Pour me some wine %26

BJ: Pour me some wine – not because 3 hours is too short of a time but I also love wine a little too much.

#36 To understand if I love a place:

A. I need two days into the trip %63

B. A week after the trip %37

BJ: A week after the trip as it usually takes sometime for all I have seen and experienced to sink in.

#37 When you first started traveling, you thought you were so cool just because:

A. You took the subway %34

B. Skipped the restaurant and ate a sandwich sitting on a bench in a park watching the locals %66

BJ: You took the subway – I still could not move to the sandwich stage.

#38 Now that you are an experienced traveler, you think you are so cool just because:

A. You do Airbnb %38

B. You can even join a tour group and not feel ashamed %62

BJ: Join a tour group and not feel ashamed – whatever it takes and also, I don`t like Airbnb.

#39 Do you always come back from an inspiring trip with a desire to build a new habit? If yes – any success?

A. Man of my word %27

B. Yes – for maybe a day %73

BJ: Yes – for maybe a day. One can dream.

#40 You feel closer to:

A. Robinson Crusoe %43

B. Jack Kerouac %57

BJ: Robinson Crusoe for sure – my childhood hero. I hope someone makes a decent movie out of the book during my lifetime.

#41 Which one would you pick?

A. Free business class tickets for 2 weeks in each of Japan, Australia and Argentina %31

B. Ground and sea travel to any country in the World for 6 months (your starting point being Istanbul) %69

BJ: B – as it would be much more fun to plan the whole trip.

#42 You feel happier: 

A. Right after breakfast when you are about to start exploring %61

B. Sit down for a dinner after a full day of exploring %39

BJ: A – excitement of the day + I am generally much happier person in the mornings.

#43 Life would  be more bearable if there was a ban on the following travel related statement: 

A. We felt like locals %50

B. Getting out of the comfort zone %50

BJ: I will go with the “locals” one as I think it is practically impossible, yet people keep saying it.

#44 Which destination gives you the butterflies?

A. Vietnam %25

B. Iceland %75

BJ: Iceland.

#45 When you travel abroad, the moment you understand that the people sitting at the table next to you speak your native language – you try to: 

A. Remain incognito %75

B. Get eye contact %25

BJ: Remain incognito.

#46 Which TV Show is better? (I had to put this in here even though I know it is not directly travel related).

A. Breaking Bad %68

B. Six Feet Under %32

BJ: Six Feet Under

#47 When on plane, do you try to see less important movies and save the big deal ones for a bigger screen?

A. Christmas Carol in a plane %55

B. Star Wars in a plane %45

BJ: Star Wars in a plane – I cannot fight the urge (not literally though as I have never seen a Star Wars movie in my life)

#48 Traveling makes me feel

A. Opinionated %84

B. Confused %16

BJ: Opinionated – but a little too much sometimes especially right after the trip.

#49 If traveling for a year, you would want to see:

A. 5 countries %30

B. 10 countries %70

BJ: 5 countries in one year – I want to focus on lenghtier trips as it also immensely helps with the photographic output. 

#50 When traveling abroad – it is less cool to use:

A. Hop-on Hop-off Bus %49

B. Taxi %51

BJ: Taxi – as it means that I lost my way.

Thank you for reading through this long travel poll. I hope to publish an updated travel poll soon – the 2020 version!