12 Tips For Easier Travel

Travel is often a hassle, especially if you are going somewhere very exotic or unusual, but a few simple steps in advance can usually make your travel much easier.

1) Labeling luggage.

It seems so obvious, but label ALL of your luggage, including ALL carry on, before you arrive at the airport. For large bags, have a label both inside, and outside the bag, just in case the outside label gets torn off or damaged.

2) Carry an empty bag.

If you expect to go some place where you will buy a lot of souvenirs, pack light and stuff an empty duffel bag into your larger checked luggage. That way you know you have room to put away anything you buy without having to ship it home.

3) Have all your documents / Well organized wallet.

First of all, if you don’t have an easily concealable wallet, like a belt pouch, get one. It is indispensible when traveling. Also, make sure that you have multiple copies of your passport and, if necessary, visa page. Keep one photocopy in your wallet with your original and one copy in each bag (including carry on) that you have. That way, no matter what happens to your luggage, as long as you have one of your items, you will have a copy of your most important legal documents and identification.

Also, have split between your wallet and another secure location, some travelers checks and credit/bank cards. If possible, get some local money before you arrive. Sometimes this can be difficult, but usually if you have friends who have been to your destination before you, they will have some left over money. Even if it’s only a few dollars, it will likely come in handy. Find out in advance whether travelers checks or credit cards are widely accepted. Some countries will only accept local currency in stores, so you will need to go to an ATM or change your money at a western union or other money changer as soon as you arrive. I highly recommend western union as it gives the best rates. Always make sure any money changer you go to is a valid one, many countries DO have fakes.

Always have enough money in your wallet to last you 2 full days. You never know if something will happen and you won’t be able to get to a money changer or ATM. (This tip is ESPECIALLY useful in places like India.)

4) Check on politics and keep safe!

Yes, most countries (especially the USA) put out warnings against travel in “politically unstable” countries. Most of these warnings can be safely ignored. I, for example, just returned from Nepal. The US has put out official warnings against going there, but really it was great. So don’t discount a location just because a few isolated areas have political unrest. However, any time you are in ANY other country, if you feel there is any chance that you might face troubles, contact your embassy and register with them. Details on how to do so are available in your passport, and you can usually register in advance on line. This also makes it easy for your family or friends to check in on your safety if something happens in the country you are visiting and communication is inhibited.

5) Research your destination’s history, culture and natural wonders in advance!

It is so much more fun going somewhere when you have an idea about what you are going to see and it makes spontaneous planning easier, since you know what to look for. It also means that you might not need a tour guide and will be able to enjoy more destinations at your own pace and just with you and your family or friends!

6) Check with CDC and local laws.

Check to make sure there are no vaccines you need for your destination and check far enough in advance to get them in time. I speak from experience and say waiting too long is a pain… literally. You will probably need more shots if you put them off. CDC (Center for Disease Control) can also tell you if you need to be careful about food or water in your destination. A tip that most people don’t consider: If the water is not safe to drink, it is also not safe to brush your teeth with! If you are going to a country with unsafe water, keep a bottle of clean water right next to the sink so that you remember to use it while brushing your teeth.
It is also a good idea to check up on local laws, especially regarding things like drinking, smoking and drugs. They differ country to country and can be very strict. It is always better to spend 10 minutes looking up before hand than finding out you accidentally broke a law and now need to navigate a foreign legal system.

7) Invest in a guidebook!

I most highly recommend lonely planet for virtually any country, but really, get a guidebook. It will help you better understand local customs, sites, prices et cetera and make it easy for you and your companions to sit around and make plans as to where you should be going.

8) Don’t assume your destination has everything, don’t assume it has nothing.

You don’t need to bring EVERYTHING with you, especially if you are going somewhere for a long period of time. Almost everything can be found somewhere, but (especially if you are going somewhere remote) do realize it may be hard to find. Bring at least a small quantity of necessities with you, such as sun block, bug spray and stuff like that. Even if they do have it locally, you might not go out and buy it first day.

9) Keep your medicine in the prescription bottle!

Many foreign countries have very strict drug laws. Bring medicines with you (you don’t know how available or safe they are in foreign countries) and keep them in their proper, labeled containers. That way if any medicines are in question, you can just pull out your ID to show that it matches the bottle.

10) Research the local customs.

Learn basic greetings, what is taboo, and proper attire. Knowing these few basics will open so many doors! Although most people in most countries will forgive you doing something that might be insulting, as they understand you are a foreigner, if they notice that you are trying to learn their culture, they will likely be more friendly, bargain better with you, and show you more things than you would otherwise get to see! For example, wearing modest clothing and saying the proper greeting in a country like Morocco might get you invited to dinner in a Moroccan family home, while short shorts and a tank top might make you unwelcome.

11) SMILE!

A smile will get you out of so many bad spots! Accidentally do something against the culture? Smile and apologize! Can’t understand the language? Smile and shrug. Trying to bargain? Smile! Believe me when I say a smile will make traveling so much easier.

12) Know yourself, know your travel style.

Make sure you know whether this will be a “spontaneous” trip or a “planned” trip and set this up with your companions. If you are a person who likes to make instantaneous decisions, but your companions like to have a 10 day itinerary, you might need to come to some sort of compromise. This is one of the biggest issues in travel compatibility, so make sure you know what kind of traveler you are.

FINALLY

Keep cheerful. Things will go right, and things will also go wrong. If you can take the mistakes, errors and weird events in stride, you are in for fun and adventure. So just keep cheerful, no matter how weird the going gets!

Author: Sarah Radsky