6 Golden Travel Tips from My Ten Years of Travel

Travelling is an exciting and fantastic activity. We get to visit new places; meet new people and make unforgettable memories. Moreover, it provides us with peace of mind. With our busy, exhausting and monotonous daily routines, travelling to a new place gives us a much-needed break. Our mind relaxes, and you feel that life is beautiful. Travelling refreshes our mind and body. We feel more energetic and perform well in our studies and work. Furthermore, travelling needs money and money is earned by work. So, travelling also keeps you motivated towards work. 

Although travelling is a thrilling activity, it can also cause you undesired troubles if you are not adequately equipped. Missed buses, foolish behavior, cultural unawareness are some of the mistakes that can get you into a bad situation. There are so many travel guides available online; however, one cannot go through all of them. Besides, there are several tips that we only learn when we are on the road.

It is said that nothing can beat experience. Therefore, I decided to share some travelling tips on the basis of my self-experience. Some of you are experienced travelers, so you can manage your own tours. On the contrary, some of you are beginners and are deciding to initiate your travel journey. Those that learn from the experiences of others rather than learn from their own mistakes are wise. So here are some of my golden travel tips from my ten years of travel. These tips can help you save money, sleep better, meet locals and become a better traveler.

Buy a Small Suitcase and Pack Lightly

It is human nature that when you have big space available, you try to fill it. Likewise, when you purchase a small or light suitcase for your trip, you will pack lightly and take only essential things with you. In the long run, it will also save you money because you will be forced to avoid unnecessary things as you will have no space to keep them. A bag with a baggage capacity of 35/40 liters is enough for travelling. 

Try to pack light. Often, half of the clothes we take with us when travelling remain unused. Sometimes, we get to wear the same shirt for two to three days in a row. Try making a list of essentials and leave behind the extra things. As mentioned above, a small backpack will help you with it.

Remember to Take an Extra Credit Card with You

If your trip goes as planned, it is the ideal scenario. However, keep in mind that mishaps can also occur so try to be prepared for anything that could go wrong. Otherwise, a slight deviation from the plan can turn your dream trip into a nightmare.

I once lost my credit card while travelling. I ran out of cash. Luckily my friend was there with me. He lent me some of his money and saved me from trouble. Things could have gone far worse if I was alone. Therefore, I strongly recommend you to take an extra bank card with you so that you can truly enjoy your trip without any worries.

Travel by Yourself At least Once in Your Lifetime

The joy of travelling solo is inexplicable. You genuinely discover yourself when you travel alone. When you are all on your own, you are more responsible. You manage your personal finances, meet and talk with new people by yourself, handle any undesired situation, and roam around wherever and whenever you want. 

When you take charge of all your duties and face your fears all by yourself, you will feel more and more confident. Your communication skills will improve, and you will discover your hidden strengths. It is rightly said that by travelling you discover your soul.

You can also teach your native language to the locals or any skills you possess like painting or sketching. Volunteering is a great way to discover different cultures and make a difference in the world. There are many teaching courses for volunteership that you could find online, do some research and you’ll surely find one that suits  your skills and interests.

Learn Basic Phrases of the Local Language of Your Destination

It is always beneficial to learn some basic words and phrases like “hello”, “how are you?”, “thank you”, “where is the bathroom?” “goodbye” in the native language of your destination. You will thank me later if you do this. It will improve your communication skills, and you will easily connect with local people.

Never Eat in or Near a Tourist Attraction

Use Google Maps or simple maps to find the best restaurants in the area. Any recommendation from locals can also work. Remember that eating at coffee shops or restaurants near any tourist attraction is usually quite expensive and often the quality of food is also not that great. Therefore, avoid such places and save money wherever you can. 

Visit Historical Places During Lunchtime

With all these years of travelling I have learned that the best time to visit a historical site is at lunchtime during which these places are less crowded. Tour buses with loads of tourists head toward restaurants and cafes at this time; therefore, be a deviation and take advantage of the lunch hour to enjoy historic attractions peacefully.

A Bonus Tip: Make extra copies of your passport and essential documents. Additional copies of your passport and relevant documents will save you in case of theft or robbery. Take a picture of them and email them to yourself.

These are some of the tips and tricks that I learned during my ten years of travelling. If you follow them, they can help you to enjoy the benefits of travelling and save you from unexpected losses.

About the Author:

After graduating in Industrial Engineering in 2007, from day one, Marcel has been working as a freelance writer, digital marketer, and business trainer. He’s very much into foreign cultures and learning languages and enjoys leaving his office for backpacking and hiking trips in the countryside. Together with his team, he blogs about teaching English as a foreign language on https://jimmyesl.com.

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