For this list, we’re looking at bad advice and tips that are all too commonly repeated in the world of travel.
Number ten, book everything ahead of time.
Proper planning is absolutely essential to a good trip. There’s nothing worse than arriving at an attraction that you’ve been dreaming about, only to discover that you needed to book your time slot. Three months ago. The thing is, after a few disappointments like that, people are too quick to swing in the other direction. Many travelers out there enjoy telling anyone who will listen about how when you treat travel like a battle plan, you. Really can do it all? Well, sure, except for anything spontaneous or in the moment when you book your time down to the hour, there’s no chance to see where life takes you. The answer. Strike a balance. Do your research so you don’t miss out on anything essential, but also leave yourself plenty of wiggle room and free periods of time to seize an opportunity or live out and experience that. No amount of planning could have predicted
9. Roll your clothes, name a packing hack.
And we can guarantee you that we’ve tried it. There’s definitely value to being organized, making a list, and triple checking that you’ve got everything that you need, with the exception of packing cubes. However, most space efficiency hacks like rolling your clothing share a fundamental flaw there, inconvenience rolling up your outfits super tight is satisfying, sure, but only the first time. If you’re on an extended trip, they will see you popping open that suitcase more than once or twice the effort. Every rolling or your clothes each time gets old fast and because the whole point of rolling your clothing is efficiency, chances are that you’ve maxed out your luggage capacity translation. You’ve got no choice but to get that perfect placement every time or that luggage won’t close. The best packing hack. Learn to choose your outfits wisely and bring less.
Number eight skips the travel insurance.
Everyone’s got that friend or family member who loves to rail against the necessity of travel insurance. They’ve traveled the world and never once needed it right, and they’ve saved thousands of dollars by refusing to buy into the concept cool until tragedy strikes and they find themselves owing far more than that because something unexpected occurred while they were abroad. It’s called insurance for a reason. By definition, it’s not supposed to be used. Time you travel. If there were a claim made, every trip coverage would cost a whole lot more, but depending on the health care system of your destination, the money you save by forgoing health insurance for travelers could end up costing you massively. Do the research and you can get a policy that’s actually quite affordable.
Number 7 taking the overnight bus, train or flight is a universal truth, unless you’ve embraced the life of a digital nomad or you’re backpacking for six months, no trip.
As long as such people are always looking for creative ways to maximize their travel time. Pushing this philosophy to its logical extreme. There are many travelers who will recommend that you take an overnight flight or bus between stops on your trip. That way you maximize your daytime hours in both your destination of departure and arrival. The problem with this approach is that it comes at the expense of a good night’s sleep. And when you’re walking around all day as a busy traveler tends to do when abroad, rest is essential. If you’re the type of person who can curl up in a bus or airplane seat and get a full 8 hours more power to you, but the average traveler that overnight trip is likely to ruin your next day.
6, follow the English signage in most popular travel destinations
It’s a pretty safe bet that you can get by only speaking English, but as a general rule or the best experiences are those that haven’t made an overt effort to appeal to an exclusively English speaking demographic. It might be tempting to order with. Is from a restaurant plastered with English signage, but convenience comes at a price and it’s your taste buds that foot. The bill nothing guarantees a bad meal quite like ordering from a tourist menu. And that goes double for the restaurants that explicitly label their menus as such. This extends beyond restaurants as well. The more businesses attempt to cater to tourists, the more generic of an internationally friendly experience they’re likely to deliver. Such businesses typically sacrificed quality. For profit and if you want an authentic and unforgettable experience being willing to put in the effort of struggling with the menu.
Number 5 hostels are dangerous or disgusting.
Those hostel movies really didn’t do these budget accommodations any favors in terms of reputation, but even ignoring that film franchise hostels always seem to struggle in terms of their public image mentioned to friends or family that you intend to stay at a hostel during the trip planning phase. And you’re sure to get some. Push back dirty sheets. Crowded dorm rooms, 24 hour parties, unsavory characters. Welcome to Hostel Bingo where we see just how many tired arguments against hostels you can rack up. Yes, there are hostels out there that check all the aforementioned boxes, but there are also plenty of them that run a tight ship offering travelers an affordable place to stay that is safe, well managed and restful. Also, hostels originally cropped up to meet the needs of younger travellers. Most of them now welcome travelers of all ages.
4 Skip the tourist traps.
Is this your second or third time in Paris then? No, you probably don’t need to go see the Eiffel Tower again, but if it’s your first trip to this city of romance and you’re curious about the landmark, then why not go take a peek? There’s an ever growing divide between tourists and those who consider themselves to be travellers. People are looking for authenticity and a local experience that’s rooted in a destination. Culture as such that there’s been a lot of pushback and stigma attached to seeing the major attractions and big ticket sites in major cities. Yes, the lines are long. The photo OPS are frustratingly repetitive and overdone. The crowds of selfie stick wielding tourists can be overwhelming, but you know what these attractions became world famous for a reason and if that history still appeals to you, don’t let peer pressure or current travel trends make you feel obliged to leave. A iconic site off your itinerary,
3 Avoid the street food
You know this is actually good advice. If you hate your taste buds, yes, the spices and seasonings of a certain culture might be too much for you at first, and unsanitary practices and endemic bugs you haven’t yet been exposed to certainly are a concern. So start slow for the most part. Streetside food vendors depend almost exclusively on word of mouth. To stay afloat, in most places, they aren’t typically held to the same health and safety standards as established brick and mortar restaurants, but their livelihood depends on people trusting them. Street food is typically inexpensive, flavorful, and one of the best ways to immerse yourself in the local culture. Still feeling nervous. Follow the crowd. A food Hawker that can’t seem to drum up any local business. Skip it.
Number two. Don’t travel alone, especially as a woman.
There is no question that women traveling alone need to be more aware and it must be properly, very cautious. That’s a given. But given that reality, chances are that you can actually have a great time traveling alone. If that appeals to you, yes, it can be a bit intimidating to navigate an unfamiliar destination without someone to bounce ideas off of, but it can also be incredibly rewarding. There’s this narrative that solo travelers and women in particular are walking targets, but the reality is. Whether you’re traveling by yourself or in a group, you should always be mindful of your surroundings and risks. Any reasonably popular travel destination, however, with research and planning should be able to be safely navigated by all types of travelers.
Number one, wait to insert excuses from money or work to family, friends, and social engagements.
There’s always going to be an excuse to put off a trip. Life is too complicated for there to ever be a truly perfect time. To drop everything and take off planning a trip with friends or family can be even more challenging because you’re trying to juggle the needs and conflicting schedules of multiple lives at once. The truth of the matter is, however, that if you keep giving in to the excuses and waiting for the perfect time, you’ll realize that a large chunk of your life has passed you by without you ever striking out on that great adventure. People will tell you to wait until the kids are older or to wait another five years until you’re retired, or until after you’ve renovated. There will always be another reason to wait, so why not treat that as the ultimate reason to go?
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