The most difficult and wearying part of traveling is figuring out who to trust in Southeast Asia. When you are safely at home, you’re comfortable because you trust your surroundings. Your home is your sanctuary, you know which nearby shops and restaurants are good, and your daily routine is familiar.
When traveling, especially in Southeast Asia, all this goes out the window. When staying at a homestay or hostel, will it be clean? When looking for food, how do you find a place that is safe? When traveling around, how do you find something safe and comfortable?
And above all, are you paying a fair price, or the tourist price? How can you be sure that somebody isn’t taking advantage of you?