Spring is here! (or about to be here at least….) that means it’s almost summer time and people are making plans for traveling. Definitely exciting! I’ve had a bit of travel experience, and I thought it’d be nice to share some travel tips with everyone. Whether you’ve never left the country, or you’ve racked up a gazillion frequent flier miles, reminders are always good. And most of these tips come from personal experience because nobody’s perfect. Many of these tips apply to people traveling/sightseeing outside of the US, but most of them will help anywhere.
When out in a foreign country, only keep on you what you need. I never carry you’re my whole wallet (there’s really no need for my library card and Target coupons in Jordan…). The only reason to carry your passport is if you’re in a place where being American might save your butt.
Always make at least one photocopy of your passport before you leave. Leave one at home, keep one with you, leave one in your bag… etc. Just don’t put them all in the same place.
Keep money/cards etc in different pockets- whether it's in your bag or in your pants pocket. That way if you get pick pocketed they won't be able to take everything.
Put some form of identification on/in your luggage. (Name, travel plans, contact info). And always check your bag when you get it off the luggage carousel. It's really embarassing grab someone else's bag and have them accuse you of stealing it... and it sucks even more to have someone else grab yours.
If you're lost or need directions for something, a good idea is to go to a hotel to ask. The people at the front desk almost always speak English and they know the area... It's their job.
When going in crowded areas watch your bags and pockets (duh, I know, but a good reminder nonetheless) Always keep a hand on your bag and keep it zipped /buckled/closed.
As far as bags go, I like cross-body ones that are as small as possible. Only carry what you need because it will eventually get heavy, annoying, etc. I’m in love with those little fold-up bags. You can get them everywhere (from Bed, Bath and Beyond to H&M). They are great for souvenirs and stuff that doesn’t fit in your regular bag.
For some reason people have this need to carry around everything they own in backpacks. For sightseeing, I think this is a negative. First of all, it seems to me that a backpack is an ideal way for someone to steal something.... You can't even see your bag! Also keep in mind that larger bags need to be searched when going into monuments and museums… Sometimes they don't even allow them in. If you neeed a backpack keep important stuff in the innermost pockets and try to carry it in front of you on trains/buses. (Maybe I’m just a backpack hater haha)
I read a good tip one time if you're paranoid about losing your camera like I am. I know, it's the pictures you care about more, not the camera. On each memory card make a label with your email address. That way if the card was just lost there is a chance they might be able to send you the pictures.... And hey, maybe the person who stole it will have a change of heart. Ha.
You should definitely check out the blog www.ifoundyourcamera.net if you ever lose your camera. People post pictures from memory cards/cameras they find. You never know when you’ll recognize someone. Imagine helping a friend find a lost memory card :)
In trains and when walking by yourself, especially at night, always stay alert. I know you want to look cool by popping your headphones in and tuning out the world, but it's not safe. You could be having a private Lauryn Hill jam session in your head and not realize someone’s following or it's your stop to get off. If you must have a personal sound track wherever you go at least keep one earbud out so you can kind of hear what’s going on around you.
Watch your money (even more than you normally would). Some of us aren’t used to carrying cash around that much and I have a bad habit of dropping it when I take something out of my pocket. Be careful and keep track of how much you have/spend so you know right away if something's missing.
If you're wearing a coat, the ONLY thing that should be in your outermost pocket is your gloves. (is that gramatically correct?)
If you hear an area is shady, don't take it lightly. Sure, some areas get a bad rep when they aren't really that bad, but usually it's not worth it to find out.... Especially when you don't speak the language, are alone, and/or are completely obvious as a foreigner.
I've found that my iPhone is an awesome tool when traveling, even if I don't have cell service in foreign countries.
I never use currency exchange places to get foreign currency... And I avoid banks if possible. I like withdrawing money straight from ATMs. They usually have a better exchange rate and you don't have to compare anything. People have different preferences, but this is what I always do. Watch for fees though! And it's better to withdraw as much as you can/need. Don't take out a bunch of small amounts. And always try to find a sister bank with the one you have in the U.S (Bank of America is usually easy to figure out)
If you're in a place where you don't know the language, it's a good idea to carry a small phrasebook with you. When you're friend loses her wallet in Paris and you have no idea how to say/pronounce wallet in french (portefeuille btw), it's always nice to have something you can just point to. It may be primitive, but it gets the point across.
I always suggest learning a few phrases in the host language. At least "hello" and "thank you" and "I don't speak ______ "or "English please?". Curse words and slang will usually amuse locals as well.
Some things I always carry with me when being touristy:
Any other tips to add to the list??
Happy Travels :)
When out in a foreign country, only keep on you what you need. I never carry you’re my whole wallet (there’s really no need for my library card and Target coupons in Jordan…). The only reason to carry your passport is if you’re in a place where being American might save your butt.
Always make at least one photocopy of your passport before you leave. Leave one at home, keep one with you, leave one in your bag… etc. Just don’t put them all in the same place.
Keep money/cards etc in different pockets- whether it's in your bag or in your pants pocket. That way if you get pick pocketed they won't be able to take everything.
Put some form of identification on/in your luggage. (Name, travel plans, contact info). And always check your bag when you get it off the luggage carousel. It's really embarassing grab someone else's bag and have them accuse you of stealing it... and it sucks even more to have someone else grab yours.
If you're lost or need directions for something, a good idea is to go to a hotel to ask. The people at the front desk almost always speak English and they know the area... It's their job.
When going in crowded areas watch your bags and pockets (duh, I know, but a good reminder nonetheless) Always keep a hand on your bag and keep it zipped /buckled/closed.
As far as bags go, I like cross-body ones that are as small as possible. Only carry what you need because it will eventually get heavy, annoying, etc. I’m in love with those little fold-up bags. You can get them everywhere (from Bed, Bath and Beyond to H&M). They are great for souvenirs and stuff that doesn’t fit in your regular bag.
For some reason people have this need to carry around everything they own in backpacks. For sightseeing, I think this is a negative. First of all, it seems to me that a backpack is an ideal way for someone to steal something.... You can't even see your bag! Also keep in mind that larger bags need to be searched when going into monuments and museums… Sometimes they don't even allow them in. If you neeed a backpack keep important stuff in the innermost pockets and try to carry it in front of you on trains/buses. (Maybe I’m just a backpack hater haha)
I read a good tip one time if you're paranoid about losing your camera like I am. I know, it's the pictures you care about more, not the camera. On each memory card make a label with your email address. That way if the card was just lost there is a chance they might be able to send you the pictures.... And hey, maybe the person who stole it will have a change of heart. Ha.
You should definitely check out the blog www.ifoundyourcamera.net if you ever lose your camera. People post pictures from memory cards/cameras they find. You never know when you’ll recognize someone. Imagine helping a friend find a lost memory card :)
In trains and when walking by yourself, especially at night, always stay alert. I know you want to look cool by popping your headphones in and tuning out the world, but it's not safe. You could be having a private Lauryn Hill jam session in your head and not realize someone’s following or it's your stop to get off. If you must have a personal sound track wherever you go at least keep one earbud out so you can kind of hear what’s going on around you.
Watch your money (even more than you normally would). Some of us aren’t used to carrying cash around that much and I have a bad habit of dropping it when I take something out of my pocket. Be careful and keep track of how much you have/spend so you know right away if something's missing.
If you're wearing a coat, the ONLY thing that should be in your outermost pocket is your gloves. (is that gramatically correct?)
If you hear an area is shady, don't take it lightly. Sure, some areas get a bad rep when they aren't really that bad, but usually it's not worth it to find out.... Especially when you don't speak the language, are alone, and/or are completely obvious as a foreigner.
I've found that my iPhone is an awesome tool when traveling, even if I don't have cell service in foreign countries.
- You can use it for the obvious -wifi, ebooks (Borders, of course) music, notes, games, etc.
- You can download apps about the place you're going- language/translation tools, maps (especially of subways and metros), tourist info and walking tours. You'd be surprised how many free apps you can find, especially for popular places
- There is a nifty app that helps you find out where you can find free wifi. It's called .Wi-Fi finder and you can download the wi-fi database so it's available offline.
- If there’s a website that you need or part of a map or something only available when you're online, take a screenshot of it..... (I recommend doing this for hotel/hostel homepages that way you always have contact info) Then you have it all the time in your pictures :)
I never use currency exchange places to get foreign currency... And I avoid banks if possible. I like withdrawing money straight from ATMs. They usually have a better exchange rate and you don't have to compare anything. People have different preferences, but this is what I always do. Watch for fees though! And it's better to withdraw as much as you can/need. Don't take out a bunch of small amounts. And always try to find a sister bank with the one you have in the U.S (Bank of America is usually easy to figure out)
If you're in a place where you don't know the language, it's a good idea to carry a small phrasebook with you. When you're friend loses her wallet in Paris and you have no idea how to say/pronounce wallet in french (portefeuille btw), it's always nice to have something you can just point to. It may be primitive, but it gets the point across.
I always suggest learning a few phrases in the host language. At least "hello" and "thank you" and "I don't speak ______ "or "English please?". Curse words and slang will usually amuse locals as well.
Some things I always carry with me when being touristy:
- Water (most places don't gave ware fountains, and bottled water is usually expensive)
- A scarf/wrap/bandana. I use my hatta for everything- blanket, pillow, shawl, pillowcase, something to sit on, picnic blanket, towel, gag, etc
- Tissue (you never know when there's not going to be toilet paper or napkins)
- A notepad/paper and pen for writing things down
- Candy or something to eat (in case you get grumpy)
- A reading light. This is especially nifty when staying in hostels and your roommate turned off the lights early and you need to find stuff in your bag.
- Gum is also good to have when on airplanes and your ears start popping.
- A MAP!
- I know a guy who wrapped duct tape around his water bottle – awesome idea… you never know when you’ll need duct tape :)
Any other tips to add to the list??
Happy Travels :)
5 comments:
WOW Suzanne you wrote all of that?!
I'm traveling to Italy tomorrow and tis has been great help :)
ur cute
but the best part was the first sentence which made me laugh so hard =) ur like: it's spring time (well it almost is) which means summer time is near =) jumping over seasons here :P haha
have fun!!
and ur blog is really nice :)
I enjoyed reading all of this article!! And had to laugh out loud at some of them (haha).
Thanks for sharing!
I found them really useful and will be taking your advice in future travels =P
Thanks so much for the tips! My husband and I just moved and we'll be traveling a lot in the Mid. East for his work. I def. will keep all of your tips in mind. I actually made him buy me a swingpack because that forces me to put only 2-3 essential things in there. He carries around a backpack...but we only put tissues, snacks, and water bottles in there. Never the important stuff.
good tips! :)
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