What a lovely initiative that plays to an existing behaviour trend. Would be great to see more businesses adopting this approach. My only query would be what if we were to put the donation tins in the bathroom to remove that final hurdle for people. Nail them down obviously, it is London!! Overall though it’s nice to know you can spend a penny for good in the big smoke these days.

Over the festive period this year it was the simplest of innovations (and I use this word loosely) that caught my eye. A simple tweak to a well used festive product to radically improve the user experience. I’ll make a disclaimer now that I may be a couple of years behind on this but New Zealand hasn’t yet taken note. Listen up NZ it’s about time you started adding lines to the back of wrapping paper! Oh yes, a simple squared grid printed on the back so you can cut straight. So simple, so effective!

Living this customer experience again and again has highlighted two things for me. Firstly how surprising a travellers needs can be, personal needs that could only be identified by talking to people. My number one personal need: somewhere to put my glasses at night! A problem solved by the inclusion of a simple shelf on the wall next to top bunks!

Secondly I have observed how basic a persons needs can be. You might think creating a lovely cosy social area and maintaining a buzzing bar will be enough but god forbid you put your plug sockets in the wrong place and all this effort and beanbag selection becomes meaningless!

Which brings me to my number one tip for anyone looking to open a backpacker hostel. If you don’t have the drive to actually talk to travellers, live the experience and understand the needs of your customer first hand then just bank this one simple learning. A plug socket inside a lockable box by each bed, with a small self on top. It’s a simple fact that the modern day traveller will prioritise safe charging of their iphone over the comfort of their mattress or the colour of the beanbags!

And with this final observation I am heading home. The travel based overstating will end for now but regular life thoughts will continue.

Bolivia had a traffic problem! It has to be acknowledged that when wandering around La Paz you often find yourself fearing for your life! Enter the zebras. Cheery soles in costume who roam the streets with the goal of helping people to safely cross the street. And not just children, the zebras are everyone’s friends (they even give out free hugs if you ask nicely).

The initiative has been so successful it has now been rolled out across additional Bolivian cities. Let’s face it, who can fail to respect a waving human sized zebra, even grumpy morning 4×4 drivers can’t say no to that!

My first introduction to this mentality was while riding the death road in La Paz. On one of our many scheduled stops along the pre gavel tarmac introduction road we pulled up at a row of roadside restaurants. Our guide cheerfully explained that a few years ago someone opened a restaurant for truck drivers here. Soon after 25 other people opened exactly the same restaurant serving the same food to the same people!

Probably the most notable example of the ‘buffet mentality’ is the souvenir shopping experience of Bolivia. Rather than finding a niche and specialising in a particular handicraft, Bolivia has collectively decided what it’s specialities are and everyone sells all these items. The result, entire streets with shops that are exactly the same!

The final, and most recent example is the small town of Uyuni, famed as the entry point to the salt flats tour, Bolivia’s biggest tourist attraction. Uyuni was obviously once a small unassuming town before tourism descended on its inhabitants. The notable ‘buffet mentality’ of Uyuni is pizza restaurants! So many it is actually difficult to find something other than pizza to have for dinner!

Now while I admire Bolivia’s recent growth under their current president, investment in tourist infrastructure playing a big part in this, I have to question if the next step might be to break the mould. The cookie cutter approach goes so far but imagine if specialisms, niches and interesting new ventures were encouraged.

When you are traveling, aside from restaurants, the most prolific ‘tipping events’ tend to be tours.

Now being from the north it is not exactly in my DNA to tip. Also, being British, means broaching the subject of money falls into the ‘awkward and potentially impolite’ bucket which makes me shake a little and display ‘nervous Brit’ symptoms. Usually such fever resulting in absolutely no action being taken.

Having said all this, when I experience truly great service I believe it deserves a reward. So imagine my confusion when I am faced with a different method of tip collection every time. So far it has been as overt as an actual ceremony to deliver tips, right down to no obvious mention followed by the expectation of a dollar filled handshake.

Now Americans may take this in their stride, reading the handshake situations and delivering heartfelt ceremony speeches, however us Brits are much more comfortable with a nervously places cap in the middle of the table and a subtly humorous hint. Thank you Red Cap walking tour for getting the balance right.

Colombia has a well established public transport network with everything from rickety old mini vans to upmarket coaches. It was on one such rickety mini van that I began to notice it wasn’t just people that were being transported.

I loved the fact that people would put their trust in the ‘conductor’ to carry items from A to B for them, negating the need to actually ride the bus there and back. I saw a debt being settled and forgotten lunches being dropped off but my favourite had to be the delivery of a new tyre.

And I thank the network myself for the safe return of my runaway Icebreaker merino tank top!

This observation got me thinking about brand loyalty. In a world where the trend for anti consumerism is growing, where more and more people are looking for alternatives to big brand products and services, I began to wonder if there may be exceptions to this commercial abstinence.

Could it be that being in an unfamiliar country, in a vulnerable situation, is the true test for a consumers’ commitment to the cause. In this context brands are symbols of familiarity and reliability; beacons of trust. When pitched against a shelf of unknown product brands, the ‘big brands’ we try so hard to find friendly alternatives to at home are suddenly transformed into a welcoming port in a storm. All previous wrongs are forgiven as the anti consumerist breathes a sigh of relief and, after looking over their shoulder a couple of times, throws the lemsip capsules into their basket with a quiet sense of glee!

While most in South America also subscribe to a standard system it’s interesting to observe when the mould is broken and wonder why.

While I was in Lima a friend and I attended a high end Asian/Peruvian fusion restaurant during restaurant week. Finding ourselves very much in ‘voucher shun’ territory, due to the purchase of a restaurant week deal, the three hours it took to have dinner provided us amble time to observe their rather unorthodox serving system.

We observed that wait staff would have one of two roles, a ‘server’ or a ‘bringer’ as we affectionately named them over our dumplings. It appeared that certain staff were only permitted to take food so far and rather than placing plates on tables in front of hungry patrons, they would pass them to other staff member who had earned their serving stripes.

The system seemed to require twice as many staff and be twice an inefficient due to constant hunting for a free ‘server’! You have to wonder what led to this being hailed as the system of choice but it seemed to very much e their thing.

The customer personas of the South American traveller trail so far are as follows

The Sheep

These travellers roam in packs of high numbers. A pair won’t do, there is strength in numbers! The sheep believes an experience is not a true experience unless it is shared, the social aspect of traveling being their primary driver. What does the sheep hope to get from traveling: Friends for life!

Organised Annie

Annie spent months planning her trip. Despite the fact she knows full well the beauty is in the unexpected, she still can’t help booking a flight here and a bus there – just to get her started. What does Organised Annie hope to get from traveling: An ability to embrace the unknown.

Elizabeth Gilbert

Following suit from Eat, Pray, Love, these Gilbert wannabes have set out to ‘find themselves’. With a healthy balance of quiet contemplation and comfort zone contorting experiences, these travellers are on a one man/woman mission to reinvent themselves from the inside out. What do thy hope to get from travelling: Enlightening experiences.

The Virgin

Their parents thought they were joking when they said they were quitting their job and going traveling – a part of them thought it was a bit I a joke too. But here they are, out in the big wide world. Social skills are unpolished, clothes occasionally just slightly too unwashed! What do we hope they will get from traveling: A real understanding and appreciation for other humans!

The Adventurist

Adrenalin is their fuel. They didn’t come here to lie by a pool and contemplate their existence. They came to climb things, drive things, see things, experience the activities a new continent has to offer. What do they hope to get from traveling: One hell of a buzz.

Houdini

Life hasn’t been kind. Recent turmoil has suggested an escape from reality could be just what is needed right now. Time to readjust the compass away from emotional triggers. Contact with home is minimal as they like the idea of running away… just for a while. What do they hope to get from travelling: I hope their faith in people is restored with a couple of chance meetings.