With so much travel advice swimming around on the internet, blogs and even from friends and relatives who’ve trekked around the world, it’s easy to get bogged down trying to remember every piece of good advice you’ve heard. Bringing it back to basics, here are some simple yet practical tips every traveller should remember.
- Phone numbers – It may seem old fashioned, but you should record any that you think you might need while you’re away, just in case you can’t get access to the internet or a computer in a time of need. Your country’s embassy in the country you’ll be travelling to, local emergency numbers, and contact details of people you’ll be travelling or staying with are a good place to start. Since most people having an iPhone or smart phone, there’s no excuse not to have these lists of important phone numbers already stored.
- Keep track of your valuables – It may seem like an obvious one, but there are plenty of unusual but effective ways to keep things like your iPhone and camera safe. Take a photo of you holding up a piece of paper or cardboard with your phone number on it as the first photo on your memory card, and ‘protect’ it. That way, if anyone finds your camera, they’ll know who it belongs to. Just hope that an honest person or airport employee finds it before anyone else does…
- iPhone apps– We know, it’s a bit clichéd, but there are some fun iPhone apps out. From planning out travel arrangements, to booking those flights to Sydney you keep talking about, to checking flight times and managing your international credit cards, these apps can be really useful while on the road. Plus its always fun translating tricky road signs into your own language! Check out a list of the most useful iPhone travel apps.
- It’s ok to be a tight arse – You’ve scoured the internet to find the best cheap airfares to save you some money, but the budgeting shouldn’t stop there. If you’re travelling on a budget, there are heaps of travel tips to help you save money in unexpected ways. Just be sure you’re willing to wash your underwear in the sink, eat a meal consisting of bread dipped in anything runnier than bread at least a few times a week, and read countless blogs and travel websites on fun and free things to do in any country.
Author: Marina Pliatsikas writes for cheapflights.com, head there for all the best flight deals.
Thanks to Marina Pliatsikas for today’s guest post. If you are interested in guest posting with IShouldLogOff, email us at info [at] ishouldlogoff.com. Thanks!
Chloe says
The tip about phone numbers is so true. I had all of mine in my phone, and backed up in an address book with all the address info I needed as well when I went on my RTW trip. Saved my butt more than once, I can tell you 😉
p.s. ‘bread dipped in anything runnier than bread’ – who’s the Dylan Moran fan, then? 😛
Jillian says
@Cathy- Love the BandAid trick. I seem to always get blisters!
@Mark- #10 made me laugh! Bringing two wallets is a great idea, we separated our financial instruments (cash/cards/etc..) but I’m surprised how many people don’t!
@Chloe- First of all, I love your blog name! Writing things down, or keeping them electronically in a separate list (like in an email) is really helpful. I used to write down the name/address and phone of our hostel/hotel on a separate piece of paper, that way I didn’t have to show someone our itouch or walk around with a big guidebook while we were searching for it!
Mark Kennet says
OK, I am a few years older than most of this blog’s readers, so maybe mine aren’t relevant for all of you, but here goes anyway.
1. Take a photocopy of your passport. Take several photocopies, actually, and store a scan on your computer if you take one. You never know.
2. Take a backpacker’s water filter anywhere where the water isn’t trustworthy. If the public water isn’t trustworthy, then the bottled water isn’t either. Brand reputation in the third world just does NOT have the same meaning as it does in the first world. Plus, all those bottles contribute to pollution.
3. Take a hotpot in the voltage of the country you are visiting, and also (if you are as much a coffee addict as I am) a backpacker’s espresso maker and some ground beans. The hotpot is good for boiling water, not only for coffee but for ramen noodles or any other simple comfort food you might want.
4. Eat vegetarian – it’s safer. Yes, you can catch those nasties from fruits and veggies, but there are fewer of them.
5. Bose or other noise-cancelling earphones are great for long plane trips.
6. Take a neck-brace pillow for the plane. Your neck will thank you when you get off a 16-hour flight – yes, even if you are flying business class.
7. Money belt.
8. Unlocked GSM cell phone.
9. Take two wallets, one with all your credit cards, ATM cards, and most of your money that you will leave in your lock box in the hotel; and the other to carry local currency and maybe ONE credit card or ATM card on the street.
10. Don’t wear a suit when hailing a taxi on the street.
11. Don’t forget sunscreen and insect repellant.
All the above are based on long, long experience. Use them as you wish.
Cathy Sweeney says
Lots of great tips! I’ll add this one –
Band-aid friction block stick — awesome for preventing and treating blisters.