If you want to become an expert traveler, or even just make sure your future trips all go smoothly and efficiently, there are plenty of ways to transform any travel experience from a merely acceptable one to a great one. Read the below tips to find out how to make your trips effortless and enjoyable.
When traveling by air, if you find that you need to check your bags, make sure you that keep at least a change of clothing with you in your carry-on bag. Then if your luggage accidentally gets lost and the airline has to track it down you’ll at the very least have a clean change of clothes. Even if it takes a day or two to find your luggage and get it for you, you can most likely wash your clothing at your hotel.
To save money when traveling for pleasure, look into swapping homes. Swapping homes saves you a great deal of money that would otherwise be spent on a hotel room. It is also a great deal more comfortable and spacious than your average hotel room. There are several places online that allow you to make house swapping arrangements.
Make sure your house does not look vacant while you are away. Coming home to find that you have been robbed would be a nightmare. If you intend to be gone for a considerable length of time, consider redirecting or having a friend pick up your mail for you.
When you travel, pack lightly and just bring the essentials. The less stuff you have, the better your chances of being able to keep an eye on everything. Try not to pack too many shoes, as this tends to be the heaviest item.
If you’re purchasing souvenirs as gifts while traveling, be creative. You can use a local newspaper as gift wrap to give it a special touch. This works especially well if the newspaper is in a foreign language or has photographs. Other low-cost souvenir gifts, include matchbooks, coasters and clean napkins.
When considering travel insurance for an upcoming trip, be sure to compare rates of providers, not forgetting to check with your credit card companies. Many times they may provide these benefits to you at a cheaper price. They may cover items such as lost luggage or trip cancellation. However, these benefits are not usually found with base-level cards.
If you know you have to fly, do yourself a favor and wear shoes requiring minimal effort to take off. Don’t pick that day to wear your eyelet wingtips with hard-to-tie laces. Women can wear clogs or slip-ons; men should choose a casual shoe style that can be easily slipped on and off with one hand.
A traveler should try to learn some of the language spoken at his or her destination if there is sufficient time to do so. Fluency in any language is difficult to achieve, but any dedicated traveler can get familiar with some useful phrases. Learning a bit of the lingo will enhance the traveler’s experience or even prove helpful in case of unexpected difficulties.
Before you go through airport security, make sure you put the extra change or your car keys in your carry-on. Keeping the line backed up because you have to take change out of every cargo pocket is a nuisance but easily avoidable. With that said, loosen your shoes laces before you get to the bin area so you slide your shoes off.
Next time you’re out on the town and looking to grab a bite, consider chowing down at the nearest Japanese restaurant. Fresh sushi and sashimi are full of protein, very low in fat, and also incredibly delicious. Salmon, for instance, is amazingly rich in vitamin D and omega-3 fatty acids.
Before leaving on an overseas vacation, ensure that there are at least six months from your planned date of travel and when your passport expires. Many airlines will refuse to allow you to board unless you meet this minimum requirement. In other cases, you will not be able to enter your destination country. In any case, it is easier to ‘be safe than sorry.’
When reading reviews of destinations by other travelers, try to identify whether you and the reviewer have the same expectations and circumstances before basing your decision on other travelers’ experiences. One person may give negative reviews due to a lack of kid-friendly features and attractions; if you are traveling without children or on a business trip, such a review would not be particularly useful for you personally.
While they can be bulky to pack, sleeping might be more pleasant on your own pillow. Traveling can mess up your sleep pattern so having your own pillow brings a bit of comfort to a strange location. If you are driving this is easy to do. When flying, try bringing it in your carry on, as you may want to sleep on the flight as well.
Select lightweight luggage that has a pull handle and roller wheels. Making your way through an airport can be a long walk and having lightweight luggage that you can easily pull behind will surely save you some grief. Make sure that it will stand up on its own, so as you are checking in, it will stay stable.
If you are traveling to a country where you do not know the local language, make sure to bring a translator. This is especially important when ordering at a restaurant, asking for directions, or trying to have a conversation with the locals. If you can, try to learn basic words before you leave on your trip.
People who travel for a living learn to use a lot of little tips and tricks, like the ones above, to make sure all their trips are simple, pleasant experiences, whether they’re leaving home for a day or a month. With these insider tips, you’re well on your way to being an expert traveler, too.