Vaccines and medications might be required for travel, depending on the destination. Uganda and Kenya, for instance, require a yellow fever vaccine before entering.

I was overwhelmed when I pulled up the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's website to figure out what vaccines I needed for Tanzania. Over a dozen vaccines were listed. While some were routine, others were diseases I had never heard of.

To be safe, I met with a travel nurse who researched where I was going and advised me on what I did and didn't need. Altogether, I spent $250 on malaria medication, a Typhoid fever vaccine, and the consultation. That, along with over-the-counter medication, sunscreen, and bug spray, put this unexpected cost closer to $300.

While plenty of destinations require a visa, the cost can vary.

In Tanzania, travelers apply for a yearlong tourist visa, which costs $100. If they're heading to Tanzania's Zanzibar Island, visitors are required to pay another $40 for mandatory travel insurance.

Altogether, I spent $140 just to be able to start my safari vacation.

Whether it's a travel agent or a TikTok video you're referencing for packing advice, the source is bound to mention bringing neutral colors for your trip.

Visitors are encouraged to wear olive, tan, brown, and khaki colors for safaris. They should avoid blues and blacks because they can attract tsetse flies, which can carry a sleeping sickness disease. Meanwhile, bold colors can scare off animals.

While you might have some athletic clothes in this color palette, chances are you'll need to do some shopping for the trip.

For example, I didn't have a neutral-colored sweater or pair of pants for the trip. By the end of my shopping spree, I had spent nearly $150 on clothes — a number I didn't factor into my original budget.

Lodges across the Serengeti typically price their accommodations based on the season. Some lodges have two categories: high season and low season. Others divide prices by peak, mid, and low season.

In the Serengeti, the high season includes June through October and the end of December. During this time, guests can expect to pay more for accommodations.

Depending on the lodge, peak prices cost travelers hundreds of dollars more than low-season prices.

Tanzania is home to a myriad of ecosystems and habitats. The Serengeti is a main draw for tourists, but nearby areas like the Ngorongoro Crater, Lake Manyara National Park, Mount Kilimanjaro, and Zanzibar Island are also popular stops on a Tanzania itinerary.

While many of these areas are short drives or flights away, the costs of road transfers and bush flights can add up if you're visiting multiple areas on vacation.

For example, a flight between Arusha and Zanzibar cost me $75, and a road transfer between two Zanzibar properties was $100. Within the Serengeti, a 30-minute bush flight between two lodges costs $300.

Transfers ended up being a major part of my safari budget, and I hadn't realized they would be so costly when I started planning the trip.

When researching the cost of a lodge or safari accommodation, travelers often see a sticker price for a night at the lodge.

While this price might include game drives, meals, and laundry services, it often doesn't include government levies, taxes, park fees, or conservation fees.

Those fees can add up. For example, I paid $283 in park and camping fees for a two-night stay within the Serengeti. At another lodge, the national park and concession fees were $271 for two nights.

Depending on the length of the trip, an extra $130 a night can quickly add up.

As safari owners and travel agents have previously told Business Insider, these additional activities are worth it.

A guided walk in the bush, for instance, will give travelers a whole new perspective on the ecosystem. They'll see insects, birds, and plants that can't be spotted from a safari vehicle.

Similarly, community visits to learn about the history and culture of the Indigenous populations living in Tanzania offer new perspectives and global connections the average traveler doesn't get every day.

These activities were some of the highlights of my two-week Tanzania trip. While they had payoffs, they also cost extra. For example, I paid $100 for a community visit one day and $60 the next for a guided walk.

Tipping is customary across most of Africa; who you tip and how much you tip can quickly add up.

Meg van Niekerk, a safari planner for Go2Africa, explained that these tips support lodge staff, who often have spouses, parents, and children back home to support as well.

"It's like a blessing," van Niekerk said.

Fortunately, these costs are standardized, so it's something you can budget for ahead of time.

For example, Go2Africa recommends tipping $20 a day for your safari guide, $20 for general hotel staff, $15 for a butler, and $15 for your safari tracker.

There's also bound to be a few more people you didn't factor in — like the driver for a road transfer or a guide for a community visit. I found $100 to be a fair amount to budget per day for tips during my safari.

Van Niekerk added that this is "just a guideline," and travelers can tip more or less depending on their budget and the service they receive.

Sure, I knew a few bush flights and tips would impact the overall cost of my first safari, but I didn't know by how much.

Thankfully, conversations with travel agents helped me better understand just how much I could expect to pay for a safari vacation.

While the unexpected costs of a safari felt overwhelming at times, the experience was all worth it.

Van Niekerk put it best when she told me, "It starts with it being a once-in-a-lifetime trip, but you will come back."

Regardless of hidden fees, I don't doubt van Niekerk, and I'm sure I'll be back.

To kick off 2022, I planned a trip to a Colorado ski resort with friends. 

In the weeks before the trip, I debated skiing versus snowboarding. I was unfamiliar with both and determined to take a class. Procrastination got the best of me, and by the time I signed up, all the ski lessons were full. 

Snowboarding classes were still available, so the decision was made for me.

My first day on the slopes was a hilarious disaster. My friends and I didn't pick up the sport as naturally as we had hoped. The day ended up with us walking down a run instead of snowboarding down it.

Even though I didn't finish my first day as a snowboarding pro, I did understand the appeal. It was fun to be challenged by something new and spend the day outdoors. 

The following winter, I headed to Colorado's Winter Park Resort for a work trip.

I planned to take Amtrak's Winter Park Express train to the resort. Once there, I'd spend two days on the slopes. I was itching for another new experience, so I booked a ski lesson one day and tried snowboarding the next day. 

This time, I didn't procrastinate. I booked the ski lesson a few weeks in advance and was eager to compare the two sports. Here are the major differences I noticed.

My first time snowboarding was with a friend who grew up skiing.

As we each stepped into the massive snowboard boots, she exclaimed how comfortable they were. To me, they felt awkward and bulky, but she promised that they were far more comfortable than any pair of ski boots she ever wore.

A year later, I finally understood what she meant. 

The ski boots I wore were coated in a hard plastic shell, which meant my feet didn't have much flexibility inside the shoe. They also had two awkward bumps at the front and back of each boot for ski clips, making it feel like I was never walking on a flat surface. 

Simple tasks like walking downstairs were challenging. Meanwhile, my snowboard boots had a softer and cushier interior and the bottoms were completely flat.

I didn't mind wearing the snowboard boots all day, but I couldn't wait to get out of the ski boots.

One of the biggest differences between the two sports is where your hips and chest face the mountain while you're skiing or snowboarding.

I knew there would be a difference, and I was curious which way I would prefer to face — either straight downward on skis or perpendicular on a snowboard. 

While skiing, my hips and chest were directly facing forward. This allowed me to use my peripheral vision. I could tell if anyone else was coming down the mountain on my left or right.

On the snowboard, however, my hips were perpendicular to the slope. This made looking behind me slightly easier, but I had a larger blind spot on my snowboard that made peripheral sight more uncomfortable.

Of course, neither skiing nor snowboarding gives you complete 360-degree views, but I felt like my vision was overall better on skis — especially as a beginner. 

Between lift lines and catwalks on runs, I had to learn to navigate on flat surfaces while snowboarding and skiing. 

After trying the two, I learned skiers have it way easier.

That's because most skiers, myself included, use poles. With my poles, I could push myself on flat patches and propel myself forward. 

Snowboarders, on the other hand, don't have poles. I needed to prioritize momentum during any flat area, and if I ended up coming to a stop, I needed to unclip my back foot and skate around. 

Skating on a snowboard was utterly exhausting, and after trying skiing, I longed for the ease of poles. 

Before my first snowboarding lesson, I crowdsourced advice and tips.

Every single person told me to prepare to fall. A lot. 

I went into the class expecting my fair share of topples, but I had no idea just how often I would find myself on the ground.

During the four-hour snowboarding class, I fell dozens of times. When I hit the slopes, I was on the ground more than I was standing.

When I went into my skiing lesson, I expected the same number of falls. During the four-house lesson, I didn't fall a single time.

I did attempt a green run later that day and fell a few times, but it still didn't come close to the number of falls I took during my first day of snowboarding.

Another place where I struggled as a beginner snowboarder was getting on and off the ski lifts.

When the lift ends, it doesn't stop moving. Instead, skiers and snowboarders must hop off their seats and ski or snowboard down a slight decline to the start of their run.

Again, ski poles were a major advantage in this situation. When I got off a lift on skis, I felt sturdy and confident. I never fell.

Getting off a lift on a snowboard, however, seemed like a skill within itself. I had to keep my balance while pushing off the lift. The result was fall after fall.

On my first day of snowboarding, I didn't successfully get off one single lift without falling. Meanwhile, I navigated lifts easily on my first day of skiing. 

Before trying skiing and snowboarding, I didn't realize how hard the sports would be on my body.

After snowboarding, my wrists were aching from falling forward onto my hands all day.

My calves were also not prepared for snowboarding. While on a snowboard, you use the toeside and heelside edge of the board to turn. After many toeside turns, my calves burned.

Skiing was also a hard workout. "Pizza-ing," which is when you point your skis into a triangle to stop, can strain your knees. That's the technique I was taught, and by the end of my first day on skis, my knees were sore from all the "pizza-ing."

Either way, my body was exhausted by the end of my first day on both a snowboard and skis.

My biggest concern with learning how to ski and snowboard was learning how to stop.

If I wanted to do either of the sports safely and comfortably, I knew I needed to be confident in my ability to brake quickly and effectively.

Luckily, this skill took little time to learn on a snowboard. With my board perpendicular to the slope, I could put downward pressure on my heels and immediately stop. While I wasn't able to get down mountains on my first snowboarding day, I was able to feel comfortable stopping.

This wasn't the case for skiing. Anytime I picked up any speed, my "pizza-ing" maneuver wasn't strong enough to slow me down. Instead, I spent my first day stopping by intentionally falling over. 

I'm sure it's a skill I could learn on skis, but the confidence I had with stopping on snowboards was enough to stick with that sport instead. 

After two winters in Colorado, I imagine I've heard the phrase close to a hundred times from friends. And I've recited it nearly as much to others.

That's because after trying both, I'm starting to understand why it's said so often.

While my first day on a snowboard last year was disastrous, my second day went much smoother. By the end of day two, I could get down blue runs, and after about five days, I felt confident navigating on the heelside and toeside edges of the board.

I'm not quite as confident yet with skiing. I've skied only one day, and although I fell far less than I did snowboarding, keeping my feet perfectly parallel seems like a skill that would take months, if not years, to master.

The two sports have their pros and cons.

Since I've spent more time on a snowboard overall, I'm sticking with that for now. I'm aiming to master using my toeside edge, and my fingers are crossed that I'll be on black runs sooner rather than later.

"Home Alone 2: Lost in New York" is a John Hughes and Chris Columbus collaboration following the first "Home Alone" movie, which took place in the Chicago suburbs. 

In "Home Alone 2," Kevin McCallister, played by Macaulay Culkin, is heading out for the holidays with his family. After a series of mistakes, McCallister ends up on the wrong plane — it's flying to NYC instead of Miami, where the rest of his family is headed.

Once he lands, McCallister explores the city solo and eventually runs into Harry and Marv, the same bad guys from the first movie, played by Joe Pesci and Daniel Stern.

The movie was released in 1992. More than 30 years later, many of the scenes look similar to NYC today.

"Home Alone 2" is filled with plenty of famous — and not so famous — New York destinations. 

I rewatched the classic Christmas movie to see how the film holds up to reality. 

After mistaking a man in a tan jacket for his father, McCallister arrives in NYC with the cityscape on full display in the background.

Initially feeling defeated, McCallister quickly realizes that a solo trip to New York City could be a fun adventure.

Maybe it's because I'm always in a frantic rush to get to the airport on time, but the views from LaGuardia Airport's windows have yet to impress me as they did in the movie. 

After the shock and worry of what just happened, McCallister decides to make the most of his stay in NYC.

Fortunately, he has his father's carry-on bag, complete with his dad's credit card, cash, and a Polaroid camera.

He hails a cab and crosses into Manhattan, where his adventure begins. 

In the movie, McCallister rides in a now-outdated taxi. Today, most taxis are modern cars, although they've kept their iconic yellow color. 

When it comes to the Ed Koch Queensboro Bridge, it hasn't changed. The only difference I spotted is that in 2010, "Ed Koch" was added to the front of the bridge's title after former Mayor Edward I. Koch.

These scenes go by quickly as McCallister visits neighborhoods and iconic spots sprinkled across the entire island.

The movie takes place during the holiday season. I was surprised there weren't more people in the background of this scene, which takes place in Midtown Manhattan, a neighborhood that is typically bustling with tourist activity.

Come wintertime, Radio City Music Hall typically teems with people eager to spot a Rockettes performance. 

The short scene features McCallister crossing paths with a Santa on stilts outside the Empire Diner.

The diner at 210 10th Avenue in New York's Chelsea neighborhood opened in 1976. 

Since then, the diner has closed and reopened a few times with new owners. Today, it's led by executive chef Jestin Feggan. 

The diner looks the same as it did in the movie, but behind it is a colorful mural painted by Eduardo Kobra. The mural features Frida Kahlo, Andy Warhol, Keith Haring, and Jean-Michel Basquiat.

Quong Yuen Shing & Co. on Mott Street opened in 1891 in the heart of Chinatown and sold everything from salted duck eggs to medicinal herbs.

In the "Home Alone 2" script, it also sold firecrackers, which McCallister stuffs into his backpack as he exits the store. 

In the mid-1980s, the store received a new name, 32 Mott Street General Store, and in 2003, it closed in the aftermath of September 11, 2001, The New York Times reported.

While visitors can no longer stop at this specific spot, they can head to Chinatown in Lower Manhattan to explore its history and discover delicious eats.

McCallister looks out into the water and spots the Statue of Liberty. Surprisingly, this will be the only time we see this iconic landmark in the two-hour movie. 

The Battery, a 22-acre public park, is one of my favorite parks in Manhattan thanks to its water and greenery. 

For the most part, I think the movie gets it right. By that, I mean that the Statue of Liberty is far enough to need binoculars for a close-up view. However, you'll have to bring your own since the coin-operated ones no longer exist in the park.

The World Trade Center was comprised of seven buildings. McCallister makes his way up 110 stories to view the city from one of the Twin Towers.

On September 11, 2001, both Twin Towers collapsed in a terrorist attack, destroying the observation deck McCallister visits.

The closest thing to McCallister's view today is the One World Observatory.

The experience is 102 stories high, compared to McCallister's 110 stories. It's also enclosed, unlike the Twin Towers' outdoor observation deck.

This scene is Harry and Marv's entrance to the movie. The two have escaped from prison and are spotted in New York in the back of a fish delivery truck. They've traveled to NYC to steal money. 

The fish market is portrayed as a bustling place in the movie. 

Today, the fish market is entirely different than the one pictured in "Home Alone 2."

Opened in 1822, the market existed at South Street Seaport for over a hundred years. In 2005, it moved to an enclosed space in the Bronx.

Tourists and buyers arrive early — the market opens at 2 a.m. on most days.

While it might look drastically different from the movie, I can guarantee it has the same smell.

The Pigeon Lady will become an essential character later in the movie, but upon their first encounter, she scares McCallister.

McCallister runs away and heads to The Plaza Hotel, aka "New York's most exciting hotel experience," which is how McCallister refers to it while reciting a commercial he watched in the movie.

Standing in the southeast corner of Central Park, visitors can get a complete picture of the famous building. 

Its exterior hasn't changed much. The iconic hotel is still one of New York's most famous hotels. It was built in 1907, and in 1969, it was designated an official landmark by the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission. 

The statue points McCallister in the direction of the hotel.

The general is known for helping Argentina, Chile, and Peru gain independence from the Spanish, according to NYC Parks.

Today, it looks the same as it did in the movie and can be spotted at Central Park South and Avenue of the Americas.

Once McCallister finally makes it to the hotel, he explores the extravagant lobby. It's decorated for the holiday season, and pots are filled with poinsettias.

In the lobby, McCallister runs into Donald Trump, who is playing himself — the owner of The Plaza Hotel. As Business Insider previously reported, Trump, who no longer owns the hotel, insisted on having a cameo in the film. 

Later in the scene, McCallister uses a fake voice to call and make a reservation for a suite. 

McCallister enjoys the hotel's pool and orders an ultimate room service experience.

Since 1992, the hotel has updated some of its interior and offerings, but the essence and luxury of the experience remain the same.

My guess is that it's much more expensive compared to when McCallister would've stayed. According to the hotel's website, rooms are priced between $1,000 and $33,000 for a night this January. 

This scene is where the duo gets the idea to rob a toy store. 

I've watched plenty of children — and adults — take a tumble at Wollman Rink.

The ice skating rink opened in 1950. Each November, it opens to the public for skating. In the summer, the area is a popular pickball court location.  

Here, McCallister sets foot into a store brimming with stuffed animals, musical instruments, and toys for all ages.

Lonely Planet said that Duncan's Toy Chest is based on the real New York City toy store, FAO Schwarz.

The actual store wasn't used for filming. Instead, filming took place in Chicago, with exterior shots from Chicago's historic The Rookery and interior scenes filmed in The Uptown Theater, The Sun reported.

I've stopped at FAO Schwarz once or twice and spotted the same joy and excitement depicted in the film.

However, many physical elements have changed. The store temporarily closed in 2015 and moved locations, and in 2018, it reopened at 30 Rockefeller Plaza. 

In the time since the movie came out, many of the store's current toys are different from the ones seen in the movie.  

As McCallister hops into the back of a horse-drawn carriage to escape Harry and Marv, the audience learns that this isn't the first, and likely won't be the last time McCallister visits the famous park.

In fact, McCallister wanders through Central Park a handful of times throughout the film. It's where McCallister spots the Plaza Hotel, stows away in a horse-drawn carriage, and befriends the Pigeon Lady. 

Throughout the film, McCallister is spotted across Manhattan's largest park. 

Yes, people still feed pigeons, and horse-drawn carriages still exist. 

As with any film shot decades ago, things will look different, but the crowds, and lack thereof, remain true.

I've explored areas of the 840-acre park that are both eerily quiet and swarmed with people. Overall, the film's depiction of the park is pretty accurate, based on my experience. 

McCallister makes his way to Times Square, which has some of the heaviest foot traffic in all of NYC.

I find Times Square to typically be pure chaos with crowds of tourists, business people, and performers filling the streets.

I was surprised to see it so empty in the movie. 

At the end of the movie, McCallister reunites with his mother in the plaza, who flew to New York to search for her son.

In the movie, the plaza is entirely empty. 

During my first winter in New York, I thought it would be fun to celebrate the holiday season by admiring the city's lights, window displays, and music, but I instantly regretted visiting Rockefeller Plaza.

The plaza was packed, and I remember having to push my way through the crowds to catch a glimpse of the tree. 

In fact, I doubt the plaza is ever as empty as it is in "Home Alone 2." 

While I'm glad I checked it off my bucket list, I have no desire to go back.

There's no place like NYC, especially during the holidays.

Watching "Home Alone 2: Lost in New York" is still a reminder of the magic the city has each winter, no matter how much has changed since the movie came out. 

My bags weighed 31 pounds the night before my trip. Most of the small-plane bush flights I was about to board had weight restrictions of 33 pounds.

If I wanted any souvenirs, I'd be tight for space. I eyed what I could leave behind and initially considered ditching the pair of binoculars I had packed.

Ultimately, I took out a few pairs of shorts instead, a choice I'm thrilled I made. It's not guaranteed that your safari lodge will have binoculars for guests, but having a pair enhances the entire experience.

Sure, I got close to lions and elephants from my safari vehicle, but a pair of binoculars could showcase details — like whisker patterns, bird feathers, and skin textures — that I couldn't see from the car.

For future trips, I'll be investing in an even nicer pair — and making sure there's enough room in my bag.

A few days before my trip, I spoke with Meg van Niekerk to discuss my trip's final details. As a safari expert for Go2Africa, van Niekerk knows just what people need for a safari trip.

"Leave your perfume at home," she said. "Your DEET cream becomes your safari perfume."

DEET is the active ingredient in most bug sprays, so van Niekerk stressed that I should pack bug spray and sunscreen for my trip.

I was glad I did. The Serengeti sun was harsh, and even on shorter safari drives, I could feel my face burning. Meanwhile, bug spray gave me some added reassurance against malaria.

While some lodges provide bug spray and sunscreen, I was glad I didn't rely on others and packed my own.

Before spending a week in the Serengeti, I pictured long days in the sun, afternoons driving down dusty roads, arid climates, and sweat.

Thankfully, I was smart enough to check the region's weather, where lows dipped into the 50s.

As someone who hates the cold, I knew I'd need more than the tank tops and T-shirts I originally planned to pack.

For this trip, I made sure I had a sweater, puffer vest, lightweight button-downs, tank tops, T-shirts, shorts, pants, and rain gear.

I was thrilled I had options throughout the trip. Mornings and evenings in the bush are chilly, afternoons are scorching, and some afternoon showers also hit.

Having a variety of clothes for all temperatures and weather was key to being comfortable.

Packing layers was key to my successful safari wardrobe, but surprisingly, I didn't wear any of the light, long-sleeved shirts I packed.

That's because the temperatures changed drastically in the Serengeti. When it was chilly in the mornings, I needed heavier layers like jackets and sweaters. When the sun finally came up, it got hot quickly. Instead of wanting a tight, long-sleeved layer, I opted for looser button-downs.

Next time, I'd skip packing base layers altogether.

Everything I saw, read, and heard leading up to my safari trip emphasized the need to pack neutral colors.

Olives, tans, browns, and khakis were good. Blues and blacks were a no-go since those colors attract tsetse flies, which carry a sleeping sickness disease.

Meanwhile, bright colors can alarm and scare off animals.

As someone whose wardrobe consists of 80% black clothing, discovering this was a major stressor, and I ended up on a shopping spree before my trip.

But when I spoke to van Niekerk right before my trip, she reassured me that safari attire is much more casual and flexible than I had read online.

Her advice is to pack what you already own. Don't stress too much if you don't have a complete khaki-colored wardrobe. Instead, prioritize neutrals where you can. She added that you don't need to avoid colors completely.

Besides a walking safari, there was never a time when I felt like the color of my clothing would have impacted my trip or animal viewing. By the end, I regretted buying clothes I might not wear again.

"This might change your whole packing list, but I actually take a lot of dresses," van Niekerk said. "You want to be comfortable."

As we chatted via video, I eyed my packed bag. It was stuffed with hiking pants, sweat-wicking athletic shirts, and hefty khaki cargo pants.

My focus had been on packing clothes for the outdoors, but van Niekerk reminded me that much of a safari vacation involves a lot of lounging — you're often sitting in a safari vehicle or hanging at a lodge.

"People are dressing like they're rangers going into a park. You're on vacation," she said.

After our call, I swapped a few pairs of pants for a dress and squeezed in a pair of sandals. I'm glad I did.

While I did need closed-toe shoes for a walking safari, there were days when I only wore sandals. The same goes for my clothing. I did need some pieces designed for hiking, but most of the time, I could prioritize comfort.

If I were to pack again, I'd listen to van Niekerk even more with a packing list full of dresses and comfy clothes.

Tipping is the norm across most of Africa.

Travel agents and outlets like Go2Africa have outlined the standards of what to tip, so figuring out the currency and how much cash to bring wasn't difficult.

What I didn't know is that people prefer (and sometimes require) new, undamaged dollars.

When I landed in Tanzania and went to pay for my first taxi ride, the driver refused my $10 bill — it had a small tear in the middle.

For the rest of the trip, I sorted out my nicest dollars to give to lodge staff, safari guides, butlers, and drivers. When I landed in Uganda for the second portion of my trip, the guidelines were clear, "Please be aware that only post-2006 US Dollar bills are acceptable. Bills should be in excellent condition with no tears, stains or markings," my safari outfitters website said.

Next time, I'd make sure my bank was giving me new money for tips.

Thankfully, the lodges I stayed at had almost everything I needed. Most had reusable water bottles, bug spray, and sunscreen ready.

There were just a few small items I wish I had packed.

For example, I would have loved to have a reusable plastic straw. Safaris are bumpy rides, which means drinking out of a water bottle's open mouth was nearly impossible. A reusable straw would've allowed me to drink while we were on the move.

There were also a few times I used public restrooms — at airstrips and park entrances — where there wasn't toilet paper. A pack of tissues would've solved that problem.

The safari experience was much more casual than I anticipated.

Between the clothing and lodges stocking necessities, it was hard to make any significant packing mistakes.

For a future safari, I'll prioritize comfy clothes, packing new money, and having a reusable straw handy.