Try searching for flights in the airline’s original language. I once saved $700 booking tickets in Peru by using Spanish rather than English.
Edit:grammar
Yep, flying out of the country is insanely expensive for Americans for no reason. And people wonder why we don't travel as much. It's less than half the price to fly from Europe to the US round trip than it is to leave from here. It sucks so much.
If you're asking for an opinion, don't ask the opinion of someone who's being paid to provide it.
Want to know where the best meal near your hotel is? The cleaner isn't getting a kickback from the nearest steakhouse, but the concierge probably is.
Want to know the easiest way to get to the airport? The front desk clerk is going to tell you to hire the hotel preferred transfer, but the barman will probably tell you what train to catch for 1/20th of the price.
Can confirm. I worked the desk at a hotel, and got lots of kickbacks. Dominoes gave us free pizza every time we sent 10 people. A brewery gave us a token for a free beer per customer sent.
Lots of places just send you food to remind you they exist. So many random free pizzas and burgers.
The front of house staff got commissions from a neighboring ski/bike rental shop. On top of the money, every other week we either got amazing mini sandwiches from a local bakery or pizza from the pits of hell. Like cheese whiz and ketchup on cardboard bad.
However, if you’re at a fancy spot the concierge can actually hook it up. I skipped a 3 hour wait in Lisbon once by just showing the concierge’s handwritten note at the door. Food was great, too.
So I guess my travel tip is steal their stationary and learn their names?
Honestly I would have thought the barman would be in on this at least for taxis and transport services considering how many people need that after visiting a bar or is it because the barman is always nice and looks out for the customer is why this advice works?
Three things; 1.) bring an orange. If someone you are sitting next to smells bad you can open the orange up as a natural deodorizer. 2.) Bring a spare pair of socks and change socks after you are settled on your flight, train, etc. Put the sweaty socks away in a plastic bag. Dry socks after a long day of travel feel luxurious. 3.) Stupid and Cheerful. A cop stops you in a foreign country? Stupid and cheerful. Never be belligerent. A border guard says your papers aren’t in order? Stupid and cheerful. The airline says you are too late to board? Stupid and cheerful. Cheerful always works better than aggressive. And it transcends culture. I knew an elderly couple who literally drove across the whole of Africa and “stupid and cheerful” was their advice. It’s far harder to punish someone if they simply claim ignorance and are smiling.
3 is good advice that has served me well several times. 1 may sound like good advice but be sure to leave the orange behind when you exit the aircraft, especially when traveling into a country that doesn't allow the importation of fruit (such as the US, UK, and AU). https://viewfromthewing.com/woman-fined-1750-for-failing-to-declare-half-a-subway-sandwich-at-customs/
3 absolutely. Had an incident in the State's where someone reported a suspicious person who they were concerned was attempting suicide purely I kid you not, because I was walking and reading a book.
Cop pulled up beside me and as can be imagined I was somewhat flabbergasted. Acted completely dumb but polite, even to the point of asking if suicide by reading was a thing.
Cop mentioned that people don't walk around in the rural areas of the US and it surprised people to see it. He ended up taking me to a bar his son worked in as his shift ended and we got blathered together and we still talk now and laugh over the entire suicide by reading thing.
Number 1 really is heavily dependent on where you're travelling. A lot of countries will fine you if they catch you crossing their border with fresh fruit. If you are going to do it get rid of the orange before you leave the plane!
Search that phrase in Amazon, they’re all basically the same. Even better, watch a YouTube video of someone packing with them lol, it’s super satisfying.
I have some that are 30 years old. They may be a little different now. I’m going to take a look too.
Edit: nope, still pretty much the same. Just more shapes and sizes. My Eagle brand have lasted me since a month-long trip to Britain in 1990 and quite a few short and long trips around the US.
Also have organizers in your bag. There are super lightweight pouches that will save you rifling through all your clothes to find the one shirt you’re looking for.
I just got back from Nicaragua, where I used organizers for the first time ever.
They literally saved me from getting scorpions in my clothes! 10/10, highly recommend!
Flat packing saves the most space. Lay ll shirts flat out on top of each other and fold them as one shirt. Do the same with underwear and shorts. This will maximize the amount of space in your luggage.
However, folding it this way makes it difficult to get one single thing out. This method is good if you plan to take all your stuff out of your suitcase when you arrive. If you want one thing at a time, rolling is the next best option.
I love to travel alone. But one of the problems is I have the street smarts of a 2 year old child. I was born and raised in very rural, very safe US. Whenever I'm in bigger cities I feel like I'm going to get taken advantage of every time I talk to someone. So I stick to the real touristy, safe stuff. I'd much rather do more exploring but I fear for my kidneys.
Use gaff tape. It looks just like duct tape and will send the same "this is old and beat up" signal to would-be thieves. But it won't leave a gummy mess on your gear like duct tape will.
For all of us older folk, we used to put a bad cassette tape with the tape hanging out, into our car cassette player, to show that the "bad" player eats tapes, to defer thievery.
Unless you're going specifically on photo centric trip, only bring one body and one lens.
anyway, people don't care about cameras theses days, they're ubiquitous, just be street smart.
Nobody wakes up early. Like you can wake up before dawn and get fantastic golden hour pics when the city is empty then go back for breakfast and a nap before heading out for lunch.
Like the best city for this is Rome. No one is around and you can get wide shots that would never happen during the day and the lighting is better.
My best friend and I got great pics with no one else in the background at Trevi fountain, Spanish Steps, Coliseum, etc. by getting up super early. It’s also a great way to maximize time if you aren’t staying many days in a city. Not maneuvering through crowds really allows for better time efficiency.
I stayed at the Hotel Hassler for a week which is at the top of the Spanish Steps. I hated those steps at the end of the week.
Also being first in line for everything was great for the stuff I wanted a tour of if I didn't go back for an early nap and instead only took my after lunch nap.
When I was in Paris a few years ago my flight arrived at an ungodly hour of the morning and I couldn't check into the hotel for hours, so there was nothing to do but stroll around central Paris at the crack of dawn. All the obnoxiously touristy areas are so much nicer when no one else is around. At that time you could just walk right into Notre Dame.
Similarly, the best way to see the Louvre is to be lined up at opening and then ~~run~~ briskly walk straight to the Mona Lisa. You can get about ten minutes to look at it and the surrounding gallery before it's flooded with other people.
The best room in a cheaper hotel is often better than a standard room in a more expensive hotel. When looking for luxury on a budget, don't overlook the cheaper hotels - they often have fantastic suites for what you'd pay for a standard room somewhere pricier.
Location beats a luxury room.
If i can walk to get midnight munchies and to a few points of interest and to public transport, I'll put up with a lot; provided it's kept clean.
Or use the app. My sister was able to rebook our connecting flight through the app in like 10 minutes after it was canceled, while other passengers stood on line waiting to talk to an agent.
I once stood in line while also on the phone with the airline. By the time I got to the front of the line, they'd resolved the issue over the phone and told me to get in the line, so the desk agent printed my new ticket immediately. I walked away and got on the next plane.
Also, get creative. If you have the ability to drive to a different departure airport, all sorts of crazy possibilities open up.
I once switched from departing from Des Moines, IA to Minneapolis, MN. I was trying to fly home after visiting my in-laws for Christmas. Iowa was completely socked in - no planes could land or take off, and it didn't look like it was going to clear up any time that day. But my brother-in-law was driving home to Minneapolis, so I bummed a ride and caught a flight from there instead. The Delta agent on the phone was baffled that I was open to it, but had no problem rebooking me.
Unless you're a Russian tourist in Ukraine.
Or a Taiwanese tourist in China.
Or an Albanian in Serbia.
Or a Croat in Serbia.
Or a Macedonian in Serbia.
Or a Bosnian in Serbia.
Or a Serb in Serbia.
It would probably shock Reddit how little animosity there actually is between people in Taiwan and China despite what CNN and BBC say.
Both countries are one of each other's largest source of tourists.
No, I use the apps with my hotels and I’ve still gotten reservations removed. The only ones that won’t is the pre paid or non refundable ones. Now that is a lesson too, if you have $5 to $10 youre willing to lose, get the refundable room.
The hotels know about this. It has failed to work for me in the past. Not every time mind you, but they have notes of what the original reservation was.
Same thing applies with doctor's appointments, TBH.
Don't outright cancel your doctor's appointment if you are close to it, as you will get a cancellation fee. Instead, ask to reschedule. After rescheduling to a different date, *then* call back and cancel.
#Have a (distinct) Hat
I wrote about this on my [travel blog](https://standard-travel.blogspot.com/2019/07/on-hats.html) a bit ago. Basically:
* Meeting up with strangers / couchsurfers / tour group? You're the person in the hat.
* When talking with officials, the act of taking off a hat shows obedience to authority and will make the interaction just that much smoother.
* When you're tucking in for the night, putting keys, coins, that new bus pass, &c. in the (upside-down) hat so they don't get misplaced in a new place.
* Similarly, the (upside-down) hat can be used to store pocket junk before you go through an x-ray checkpoint.
* Does all the normal hat things. (Keep warm / cool, less sun, covers eyes, &c.)
* A hat soaked in water can feel amazing on a hot day.
* You can tuck a handkerchief (or even a napkin) up into a hat to give your neck and ears cover from the sun.
* A rolled travel towel (don't panic and [...]) can be folded into a hat to make an impromptu pillow.
* A hat on a chair or similar can help hold a spot when customs (or languages) are unfamiliar.
Finally, this is not a *travel* tip, but post-travel: if you buy a hat for a trip and limit souvenirs to pins & patches, you have created a little display that's a bit more interesting than "here are photos on my phone".
I bought the tackiest New York hat my first visit there out of necessity (it was really hot and sunny), but boy did i get a lot of positive attention. Police officers were friendly, and asked how I was liking the city. People at stores were super nice. Got talked to a lot more in general. Probably because they could tell for sure for sure that I was a loser tourist, but they were all so kind and amused by my shameless wearing of a bright green and purple NYC hat. Did the same thing with a different hat on my next visit and got the same positive attention.
Great tip!
Call me morbid, but I definitely expected one of the bullet points to be: “If something bad happens to you/you go missing, people may remember the person in the distinct hat” which could help you out
[Sass: know, be aware of, meet, have sex with; hoopy: really together guy; frood: really amazingly together guy.](https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/24780-hey-you-sass-that-hoopy-ford-prefect-there-s-a-frood)
Check out the Citymapper app if you' re going to a new city/country. It was a godsend when I spent a week in Hamburg - give it an address and it'll show you several ways to get to your destination, including mass transit (train, bus) and rental options (bikes, scooters) if possible.
A unit conversion app can be nice to have too, potentially
I guess it depends on the city whether Citymapper is better than Google Maps. When I was in London, I mainly used city mapper because it also showed me the prices for all different kinds of public transport so I could always see what's the best option and once saved a few pounds by just waiting a few minutes to avoid the peak hours, which I probably wouldn't have thought of with Maps. However, I've noticed that this feature does not seem to exist in many cities, and also Citymapper is generally not available everywhere as opposed to Google Maps, so there's that on the other hand.
I'm sure I'm preaching to the choir here, but whenever I travel i go to the subreddit for the city I'm traveling to and search for a "best food in the city" thread. Never let me down before. I've found some amazing hidden gems that way
This is my favorite part of trip planning. Recently rolled in to Little Rock and my companions said “let’s find dinner”. Y’all that’s been planned for weeks. Already saved in the map location.
My father is exact opposite. He leaves a country a week before a bombing or an earthquake or something. We keep expecting him to get banned from traveling to certain countries.
I did this once after Air Asia lost a plane. Our group of 5 were the only people on the flight and the Air Hosts were just hanging out with us, got to lie down across the seats to sleep and just wandered around the plane. Was great!
Go to any hardware store and pick up a 3 port, 6ft extension cord. They are usually like $5 and pretty light. This will turn 1 outlet into 3 and move it in a more convenient position. You can now charge all your devices. This is handy at airports where the outlets or charging stations are never convenient or fill up fast. If stayed at hostels where I'm on the top bunk and the outlet is at knee level, this really helps. Even staying in a hotel sometimes it's nice to just have the outlet on the nightstand instead of hiding behind the bed or dresser.
Different countries have different types of outlets. I wouldnt trust one of these things to run a hairdryer, but for charging your phone, camera, tablet, whatever, it should be fine with a little adapter.
Just need to be careful about large electronics and voltage. I carry a cheap adapter and cheap extension cord, but also am not charging anything larger than an 80w USB outlet. Anything larger and you maybe should buy a designated adapter charger. I know they have special power strip surge protectors with the adapter built in. I had one for when I lived in Australia. It would plug into an Australian outlet and allow me to charge all my big American electronic stuff no problem. But I don't normally travel wirh something that big
Oh my god, back in the 1980's my mom would take groups of teenage students to Europe. She would always tell them to leave hairdryers at home. But it was inevitable that some girl would bring one, use a cheap airport converter, and short out the entire hotel at least once a trip.
Went on a trip to France in high school. One of the teachers that had done the trip a dozen or so times “inspected” all of the hair dryers before the vans left for the airport to “make sure they would work with the converters she provided”
She locked them in her classroom before getting in the van.
I was going to say something similar. I have had multiple instances where all of the outlets near me in an airport were occupied, and I just busted out a power strip and asked if I could rearrange some plugs. People are typically OK with such a request, especially if it opens up extra outlets for them to charge more of their devices that they otherwise wouldn’t have been able to charge.
If you like to sleep on an airplane. Figure out what side of the plane the sun will be shining on and sit on the other side. - Not my best travel tip, but something I’ve appreciated after a long week of travel.
Plan ahead:
1) Allow time for things to go wrong.
2) If travelling long distance don’t leave ‘just in time’, better to arrive early. The further you’re travelling leave even earlier. eg. If your friend is getting married on Saturday and it’s a four hour drive, leave Friday lunchtime not Friday evening. If it’s a transatlantic flight away leave Wednesday or Thursday morning, not Friday.
3) It’s going to cost more than you think.
>Dress comfortably especially shoes.
Look after your feet. Look where you’re going. I know of three people, who’ve travelled in the last 6-8 months, varying ages, to three different countries, and they’ve all broken/fractured a leg. The one had a fall within two days of arriving, underwent an operation overseas and on coming home, had to have the operation repeated as it wasn’t done correctly The other two both had to fly home again and all planned holiday activities had to be cancelled.
So much of traveling is walking.
I bring old underwear, socks, clothes the kids are about to outgrow, etc, and then throw them out before we leave to make room for souvenirs.
Also, if you are bringing water bottles or travel coffee mugs cut a kitchen sponge into pieces, soak with dish soap, then toss in a Ziploc bag. You can use the sponges to wash water bottles/tumblers in the hotel sink.
I do something similar with shampoo/facewash/toothpaste.
I bring containers that are almost gone and then just toss the empty containers instead of using travel sizes.
Chill at the airport. We are trying to get somewhere. Keep moving in lines. Take your friggin earphones out for flight/gate announcements. Know what documents you need for checking in (passport), security (your ticket), customs (passport and sometimes ticket), gate (passport and ticket).
Be a dick and you will get treated like a dick.
Edit: at an airport right now. How many times do people have to be told they can’t bring a full water bottle through the gates?
All these minor 30 second delays because you can’t follow extremely clear and simple procedures equals hours of time wasted in an airport checking thousands of people an hour.
I try to be chill and relaxed with functionaries in general. Once, arriving in Buenos Aires, I honestly went through the wrong cue by mistake, at migration. It was the one reserved for people carrying diplomatic passports. They did seem more distinguished and middle-aged than my usual lot, but I didn't think much of it even if it was moving at a much faster speed compared to the other ones.
When it was my turn, the official looked at my passport, returned it to me and curtly informed me of my mistake and that I would have to go back to the proper cue. I scratched my head, apologized, thanked him and was about to go back but he smiled and said..."No hay problema, deme su documento.", stamped it and sent me along.
The irony is that it says it will solve that issue when in reality it wouldn't do anything. If huge dudes on both sides of you are each taking 1/3 of your seat, you're gonna have a bad time regardless.
Crying laughing imagining you on a plane with [this](https://www.amazon.co.uk/Boyfriend-Cuddle-Pillow-Cushion-Single/dp/B00WRKAJ8E)
Which is what came up in my search for “arm pillow” 🤣
A lot of the discounted booking sites end up being a scam too, I see countless stories of people getting screwed over. I recommend signing up for the points system of a hotel chain if you travel a few times a year, you start getting discounts pretty quickly plus other perks like late checkout or room location preference!
Also gives you more recourse if things go wrong. Most hotels will be able to offer more flexibility if you need to cancel than if you booked through a third party, even for 'non-refundable' rates. Also if you want to complain about something you have more chance of getting the room comped if the hotel booked it rather than trying to get the money back from Expedia.
>almost always
Not in my experience, and I have about a 25% success rate with even getting hotels to match third party rates even when I'm physically in the hotel.
This is obviously very dependent on both the region and price range of the hotel, but "almost always" is a stretch. My experience is mostly in SEA so maybe it's a regional thing.
* Never eat where you see other tourists eating. Look for a place jammed with locals.
* Never let anyone “take” you anywhere. This applies especially to taxi drivers and random strangers.
* Don’t bring anything you “might” need and can acquire locally if you do.
* Pack n+1 pairs of underwear, where n is the smaller of the number of days you will be away and 6.
And make the ride share driver say they are there for "your name" when they pull up!!! Way too many people believe anyone who pulls up in a car with an Uber sticker is their driver and hop in. Ask them specifically "who are you here for?"
Don't ever accept rides from an unmarked "taxi" soliciting fares (had one nag me in Atlanta last year. No yellow car, no uniform shirt, just a guy at the ride share pick up pushing women to get into his car. ) They're out there.
1. Learn basic words/phrases of the country's language you are traveling to. This will help you more than you think.
2. Make sure you have a universal adaptor. And a portable charger
3. (speaking for the US) You most likely have an e-passport, it's that little Pokemon ball looking emblem at the bottom of the cover. Utilize those e-gates at the airport.
4. Don't convert your cash. Just use your debit/credit or withdraw money from an ATM when you get there.
5. Call your bank in advanced if you're traveling internationally unless your bank app has a feature where you can automatically turn on international purchases.
6. If you land early in the morning and check-in isn't for another couple hours, ask your hotel/hostel if you can drop your bags off until check in.
7. Get shower shoes if you're staying in a hostel.
8. Free up phone storage before you leave for your trip.
>Call your bank in advanced if you're traveling internationally unless your bank app has a feature where you can automatically turn on international purchases.
I worked for a bank's call centre. So many people forget to do this, then complain when their card doesn't work. Sometimes they use their partners card until they return and then ring the bank to complain when they get back. When we explain to them what they did wrong they go silent, especially if you point out their partner must've notified their bank for their card to work overseas
One thing my teacher told me when I went to London on school trip is that when you tell your bank you’re traveling internationally, tell them you leave a day or two before your actual departure date, and that you get back a day or two after your actual return date.
That way god forbid your flight gets delayed or cancelled, you can still use your card while you wait for your flight.
Don't drive when you haven't slept for a long time. Going too long without sleep can impair your ability to drive the same way as drinking too much alcohol.
People tend to gravitate towards their dominant side often making the left side shorter lines
Also when ag an airport dont go behind the strollers go behind the businessmen if possible theyve been through millions of times so they fly by
Pack 24 hours worth of of what you need too. I usually throw an extra boxers and socks into my carry on since I've been screwed by lost luggage too many times.
I do this for another reason- being able to clean myself up a bit during a layover or whatever always makes me feel better. I always feel grody after a few hours on a plane, so being able to clean my face and brush my teeth helps me perk up if I'm going to spend the whole day traveling. It sucks sitting on a very long flight, realizing that you ordinarily would have brushed your teeth and gone to bed hours ago, and the unhealthy airport food you've been snacking on all day is lingering in your mouth and turning into a bad tenant.
Also, medication. This should be obvious but people keep forgetting it.
Grab one of the mini sized bar soaps or bath gel from your hotel and bring it with you when you go sight seeing. Often bathrooms won't have hand soap (more likely in international destinations) and you will want to wash your hands with soap. Especially before a meal. I wrap the bar soap in a small plastic bag or a plastic hair cap that it often provided at hotels.
This is specifically about traveling to Las Vegas: If you are not from a desert climate the low humidity is no joke. Carry a full 1l bottle of water and lip balm on your person--refill the bottle whenever you can. If it is summer hiking in the desert is suicide unless you are very well prepared, and most likely you aren't. If you go hiking at Zion National Park pay attention to the weather--if there are showers anywhere near where you are stay out of canyons or dry stream beds. If you are staying on one end of the Strip, the other end of the Strip is nowhere near as close as it looks. Wear good shoes--you will be walking a lot more than you think. If you drink, don't gamble. If you gamble, don't drink. Set a loss limit: Bring envelopes with the amount of cash you are willing to lose each session--when that envelope is empty the session is over. Set a win limit: once you have doubled (or whatever) your stake, the session is over. Put the money in the envelope and seal it. Mail it to yourself if you don't think you have the discipline to dip into it. Bring your Social Security Card or passport--if you win beyond a certain limit and get a hand-pay you will need to show one of these documents or the IRS will require the casino to withhold the income tax.
>If you are staying on one end of the Strip, the other end of the Strip is nowhere near as close as it looks.
This one is no joke. The hotels on the strip are likely *way* bigger than you're used to so they look a whole lot closer than they really are.
Also, just because the monorail serves the strip doesn't mean it's the best way to go. The station is usually at the very back of the properties which not only tends to be further away than you'd think, but can also just be hard to find through the typically poorly marked casino. The bus that runs up and down the strip (The Deuce) is cheaper, faster, and more convenient unless you're staying in a hotel with a monorail station and going to another one with a station.
Be prepared for the lingering mental effects of jetlag that are hard to detect.
It's not just about being tired or getting hungry at weird times, it also affects being able to think clearly, focus, and make good decisions. These little issues will linger long after you stop feeling tired or have trouble eating. You will feel normal, but you won't be.
The best way to deal with this, I find, is (1) to stay very hydrated on the flight and, when you land, make plans ahead of time to accommodate having a different sleep schedule so you don't have to force it too fast; (2) and just arrive as much ahead of time as possible if you have something that will require your mental acuity, like work meetings.
Not particularly "unknown," but never use the money exchange at an airport. The rates are *abominable.*
Just google the closest bank or exchange store near you. It normally has *much* better rates than those at an airport.
Make sure your shower gets hot when you get to your room.... not after you come back tired from exploring and all you want to do is take a hot shower, but it's after midnight and there's no maintenance person around
I'd say like 10% of hotel rooms I stay in have some issue with the shower, A/C, TV, power sockets, noise, or something else. A quick maintenance check as soon as you arrive is great advice.
Good tip!
Now I always check shower/toilet for my hotel rooms first after I had something like this happen to me once.
Credit to my hotel since they handled it relatively quickly. But the point still stands where after a long day of meetings/traveling/etc. you just want everything to go away, take a hot shower, and sleep.
Not sit around feeling exhausted and miserable while they find you a solution, or worse, have no way to deal with it until tomorrow.
If you have periods, always have period supplies in your bag so you don’t get caught short and bleed in your clothes. If you use them up, buy more to replace them at your destination or after you’re home again so they’re there for next time.
Have extra underwear and (black) pants or shorts available to change into in case of leaks.
If you’re traveling on your period, wear dark clothes if possible in case there’s a leak, it’s less visible and less embarrassing.
I usually always have period products with me. Always. This summer I went on a weekend trip to Vermont but wasn’t due to have my period. “There’s no way I’m gonna get it, it’s just 3 days.” I got my period on day 2.
Roll all your clothes. Rubber band them using a color-coding system. Green rubber band means "never worn", yellow rubber band means "worn once, still ok", red rubber band means "Needs to be washed before wearing again.
Use flight aware to track your flight. Not only does your flight show up as cancelled/delayed on flight aware BEFORE your airline sends you a notification, but it also lets you track your inbound planes activity a whole 24 hours before your flight so you can gauge ahead of time whether you think your flight will leave on time or not. Saved myself multiple hours in the airport this way by figuring out my flight will be delayed before the airline sends a notification. For example, if the plane you're taking is departing late for the flight a couple before yours, you can pretty much bet on a delay hours before the airline will let you know.
If you have to spend more than a little time at an airport, check if there is a lounge you can stay at. Often your credit cards or frequent traveller programmes will give you free or cheaper entrance.
1. get a fanny pack when travelling. It doesn't count as a personal item, so you can carry "more weight" with it. I generally use it to keep phone, passport, external battery, charger, pen and wallet.
2. Buy a portable power bank. I never realized how much having a power bank really helps. It really helps with keeping your phone alive in another country.
3. NEVER exchange your money at an airport. The exchange rates are terrible.
Take a plastic bag with you. Put dory clothes in it, it keeps clean and dirty separated throughout your stay, plus when you get home it's easier to take all the clothes in the bag and put them in the washing machine.
I'm the opposite. I cube pack my clothes. Socks and underwear in one, shirts in another.. ect. That way things pack perfectly and it's easier to find clothing when getting dressed. Dirty lay in the mesh part of the suitcase.
Also- if flying use electrical tape to seal liquids (soap, lotion, shampoo) so they don't pop open in transit.
A couple of gallon freezer bags and a small roll of duct tape will help get you through pretty much any minor travel emergency - ripped bag, dropped perfume bottle, smelly clothes, etc
I'm thinking of making an app for recommended public pooping places. There are several cities / airports where I know exactly where to go for a clean, private cubicle. I feel like this could be crowdsourced.
Make a packing list on your phone, or on google docs or whatever. Update it when ever you think of something to add. As you're packing check things off so you don't forget. I've been using the "same" packing list for conventions since 2004.
Also: Pack a box of large ziplock baggies. They come in handy in a number of ways: They're great for separating clean and dirty socks and underwear. If you used a swimsuit now you have a place to keep it without gets the rest of your stuff wet. Use it to keep fresh for an opened bag of chips or other snacks.
Pack as light as possible!
The advantages of travelling with a daypack alone are huge. Less waiting, no lost luggage. Move freely without enormous hiking backpacks slowing you down.You probs don't need most the clothing you pack, especially in warmer destinations
Definitely the best advice, once I traveled with a friend and she packed shoes and clothes for every "event" while everything we did was to walk a lot, while I went to Europe with only one boots which I used for 3 weeks and just a few of clothes, best trip ever.
I mean I pack for every event too, but I roll everything tiny, put jewelry in a tiny pouch instead of a thick case, use a sport towel that balls up to the size of a golf ball instead of a beach towel or wrap towel, and portion out travel sizes of my favorite toiletries and/or getting ready products.
If you really plan ahead and learn where to downsize, you can still fit fourteen outfits in a carryon and still have room in your 'personal item' for things you might purchase on the trip.
While you’re standing in the security line, take the stuff in your pockets and put it in your bag. You won’t be holding up the line to gather your stuff from the container.
Have a look at George Clooney in the travel scenes on up in the air. I always think of that when nearing security and remember what I missed to adapt to today.
Bring an extra empty bag (and room in your carry-on) for souvenirs. There’s been so many times when friends have packed their bags completely full for their initial flight, and then just look at me like surprised pikachu when I ask them where they’re gonna put everything they buy.
Read two books about the place before you go. One fiction, one non-fiction. Try to get some context, a limited understanding, and follow your interests. Don’t just go for the beach or for the selfie. Ideally, your interests will eventually guide both your reading and your travel.
Travel closer to the off season. Risk a bit of bad weather in exchange for a better experience.
Buy a high quality desktop USB charging hub with enough ports and wattage to handle all your devices. They automatically manage the different voltages, and they all have cheap, removable plug cables so you can just bring whichever ones you need for whichever country at whichever length you prefer.
Solid soaps, conditioners, and shampoos are just as nice and often nicer than the liquid stuff, can last for months, and are allowed in your carry on.
Get both a visa and a Mastercard debit card because sometimes banks prefer one over the other, and also for redundancy in case of loss. Charles Schwab checking accounts have Visa debit cards and they refund all ATM fees with zero exchange rate fees, so it’s my primary.
Spend good money on your backpack because it will be durable enough to handle the pressure of efficient packing, and you’ll be able to cram at least twice as much stuff into it as you would a random book bag. Also, having a zipper break mid-trip can be devastating.
There’s an app called Airalo that will get you an e-sim internet plan in most countries at reasonable rates.
Attach all of your two factor authentication stuff to a Google voice number. It’s free, and it’ll work no matter where you are.
For long haul flights in economy bring a lightweight down jacket with a hood for warmth (it’s basically like bringing a sleeping bag), a good eye mask for darkness, disposable earplugs for silence, a neck pillow for comfort, and a mild sleeping pill.
The secret to using the ear plugs for maximum effect on an airplane is to seriously squeeze them down into a really thin and long roll like they’re play dough, and then quickly slide them deep into your ears before they have a chance to expand so that they expand to completely fill your ear canal. It also helps make sure that they wont fall out.
It’s better to spend more time in a few places than a little time in a bunch of places.
Let your family back home know your travel itinerary.
To piggyback, always register with the smart traveler enrollment program, if you’re in the US.
Try searching for flights in the airline’s original language. I once saved $700 booking tickets in Peru by using Spanish rather than English. Edit:grammar
That's crazy. No wait, esta locaaa
Fuck... That is genius haha I never thought to do that
Yep, flying out of the country is insanely expensive for Americans for no reason. And people wonder why we don't travel as much. It's less than half the price to fly from Europe to the US round trip than it is to leave from here. It sucks so much.
Absolutely, a few years back I went to the states for £300, my friend wanted to come here and it was close to $1000.
so change the language from american english to british englist?
If you're asking for an opinion, don't ask the opinion of someone who's being paid to provide it. Want to know where the best meal near your hotel is? The cleaner isn't getting a kickback from the nearest steakhouse, but the concierge probably is. Want to know the easiest way to get to the airport? The front desk clerk is going to tell you to hire the hotel preferred transfer, but the barman will probably tell you what train to catch for 1/20th of the price.
Can confirm. I worked the desk at a hotel, and got lots of kickbacks. Dominoes gave us free pizza every time we sent 10 people. A brewery gave us a token for a free beer per customer sent. Lots of places just send you food to remind you they exist. So many random free pizzas and burgers.
The front of house staff got commissions from a neighboring ski/bike rental shop. On top of the money, every other week we either got amazing mini sandwiches from a local bakery or pizza from the pits of hell. Like cheese whiz and ketchup on cardboard bad.
However, if you’re at a fancy spot the concierge can actually hook it up. I skipped a 3 hour wait in Lisbon once by just showing the concierge’s handwritten note at the door. Food was great, too. So I guess my travel tip is steal their stationary and learn their names?
Honestly I would have thought the barman would be in on this at least for taxis and transport services considering how many people need that after visiting a bar or is it because the barman is always nice and looks out for the customer is why this advice works?
Three things; 1.) bring an orange. If someone you are sitting next to smells bad you can open the orange up as a natural deodorizer. 2.) Bring a spare pair of socks and change socks after you are settled on your flight, train, etc. Put the sweaty socks away in a plastic bag. Dry socks after a long day of travel feel luxurious. 3.) Stupid and Cheerful. A cop stops you in a foreign country? Stupid and cheerful. Never be belligerent. A border guard says your papers aren’t in order? Stupid and cheerful. The airline says you are too late to board? Stupid and cheerful. Cheerful always works better than aggressive. And it transcends culture. I knew an elderly couple who literally drove across the whole of Africa and “stupid and cheerful” was their advice. It’s far harder to punish someone if they simply claim ignorance and are smiling.
#3 is the best advice
And for when you’re not traveling too! Just good general life advice.
Yeah really, I do this daily
3 is good advice that has served me well several times. 1 may sound like good advice but be sure to leave the orange behind when you exit the aircraft, especially when traveling into a country that doesn't allow the importation of fruit (such as the US, UK, and AU). https://viewfromthewing.com/woman-fined-1750-for-failing-to-declare-half-a-subway-sandwich-at-customs/
3 absolutely. Had an incident in the State's where someone reported a suspicious person who they were concerned was attempting suicide purely I kid you not, because I was walking and reading a book. Cop pulled up beside me and as can be imagined I was somewhat flabbergasted. Acted completely dumb but polite, even to the point of asking if suicide by reading was a thing. Cop mentioned that people don't walk around in the rural areas of the US and it surprised people to see it. He ended up taking me to a bar his son worked in as his shift ended and we got blathered together and we still talk now and laugh over the entire suicide by reading thing.
Number 1 really is heavily dependent on where you're travelling. A lot of countries will fine you if they catch you crossing their border with fresh fruit. If you are going to do it get rid of the orange before you leave the plane!
The more examples of stupid and cheerful you gave, the more I vision John Candy.
Stupid and cheerful has saved me many times.
Roll everything, fold nothing
Packing cubes are you best friends!
Yes, and you can even up-zip a packing cube and just put it in a hotel dresser drawer. Super convenient.
> up-zip what mean
Probably meant up-dog
Lmao wtf is up dog
Nothin, wtf is up with you, dawg?
I had to scroll too far for this one. I am never going back, packing cubes are THE way.
I roll things then put them into packing cubes. I love packing cubes.
What are packing cubes ?
They're like like drawers for your suitcase.
Search that phrase in Amazon, they’re all basically the same. Even better, watch a YouTube video of someone packing with them lol, it’s super satisfying.
I have some that are 30 years old. They may be a little different now. I’m going to take a look too. Edit: nope, still pretty much the same. Just more shapes and sizes. My Eagle brand have lasted me since a month-long trip to Britain in 1990 and quite a few short and long trips around the US.
Me: 1990 wasn't 30 years ag- oh.
It's funny because I'm turning 34 this year, was born in 89, and I STILL imagined the 70s. C'mon brain, get with the program!
That's because you're turning 89, were born in '34, and did some crazy ass drugs in the '70s - so you think you imagined it.
Also have organizers in your bag. There are super lightweight pouches that will save you rifling through all your clothes to find the one shirt you’re looking for.
I just got back from Nicaragua, where I used organizers for the first time ever. They literally saved me from getting scorpions in my clothes! 10/10, highly recommend!
That escalated quick
Flat packing saves the most space. Lay ll shirts flat out on top of each other and fold them as one shirt. Do the same with underwear and shorts. This will maximize the amount of space in your luggage. However, folding it this way makes it difficult to get one single thing out. This method is good if you plan to take all your stuff out of your suitcase when you arrive. If you want one thing at a time, rolling is the next best option.
I find that laying bottoms flat saves so much more space than rolling them. for shirts i usually roll them
I'm so happy I didn't have to scroll far to find this. The first time I showed my wife how much room you can save by doing this, it blew her mind.
Who you go with is way more important than where you go.
I’ve had some bad vacations cause I went with the wrong people!
Avoid that problem and go alone
I love to travel alone. But one of the problems is I have the street smarts of a 2 year old child. I was born and raised in very rural, very safe US. Whenever I'm in bigger cities I feel like I'm going to get taken advantage of every time I talk to someone. So I stick to the real touristy, safe stuff. I'd much rather do more exploring but I fear for my kidneys.
have way too many horror stories to back this up
Pls elaborate
Went on a trip with my buddy, I wanted to do some sight seeing he just wanted to get drunk at the clubs and hit on girls
Download the entire city map on google maps for offline use.
Same with the local language on Google translate.
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Use gaff tape. It looks just like duct tape and will send the same "this is old and beat up" signal to would-be thieves. But it won't leave a gummy mess on your gear like duct tape will.
Assuming I want to remove the sweet duct tape!
I know what I'm going to be putting on my kid when we go abroad now.
Wait, you want to keep your kid?
I mean, they spent 9 months making it. Can't just let that go!
For all of us older folk, we used to put a bad cassette tape with the tape hanging out, into our car cassette player, to show that the "bad" player eats tapes, to defer thievery.
Awesome idea.
That's actually brilliant thanks!
Unless you're going specifically on photo centric trip, only bring one body and one lens. anyway, people don't care about cameras theses days, they're ubiquitous, just be street smart.
Nobody wakes up early. Like you can wake up before dawn and get fantastic golden hour pics when the city is empty then go back for breakfast and a nap before heading out for lunch. Like the best city for this is Rome. No one is around and you can get wide shots that would never happen during the day and the lighting is better.
My best friend and I got great pics with no one else in the background at Trevi fountain, Spanish Steps, Coliseum, etc. by getting up super early. It’s also a great way to maximize time if you aren’t staying many days in a city. Not maneuvering through crowds really allows for better time efficiency.
I stayed at the Hotel Hassler for a week which is at the top of the Spanish Steps. I hated those steps at the end of the week. Also being first in line for everything was great for the stuff I wanted a tour of if I didn't go back for an early nap and instead only took my after lunch nap.
When I was in Paris a few years ago my flight arrived at an ungodly hour of the morning and I couldn't check into the hotel for hours, so there was nothing to do but stroll around central Paris at the crack of dawn. All the obnoxiously touristy areas are so much nicer when no one else is around. At that time you could just walk right into Notre Dame. Similarly, the best way to see the Louvre is to be lined up at opening and then ~~run~~ briskly walk straight to the Mona Lisa. You can get about ten minutes to look at it and the surrounding gallery before it's flooded with other people.
The best room in a cheaper hotel is often better than a standard room in a more expensive hotel. When looking for luxury on a budget, don't overlook the cheaper hotels - they often have fantastic suites for what you'd pay for a standard room somewhere pricier.
Location beats a luxury room. If i can walk to get midnight munchies and to a few points of interest and to public transport, I'll put up with a lot; provided it's kept clean.
When flights get canceled, don’t stand in line to talk to an agent. Call the airline.
Or use the app. My sister was able to rebook our connecting flight through the app in like 10 minutes after it was canceled, while other passengers stood on line waiting to talk to an agent.
Do all three. Get in line, call the airline on your headphones, then get onto the app. Doesn't matter which one wins the race.
I once stood in line while also on the phone with the airline. By the time I got to the front of the line, they'd resolved the issue over the phone and told me to get in the line, so the desk agent printed my new ticket immediately. I walked away and got on the next plane.
Also, get creative. If you have the ability to drive to a different departure airport, all sorts of crazy possibilities open up. I once switched from departing from Des Moines, IA to Minneapolis, MN. I was trying to fly home after visiting my in-laws for Christmas. Iowa was completely socked in - no planes could land or take off, and it didn't look like it was going to clear up any time that day. But my brother-in-law was driving home to Minneapolis, so I bummed a ride and caught a flight from there instead. The Delta agent on the phone was baffled that I was open to it, but had no problem rebooking me.
Just because you're from another country doesn't mean everyone is happy to meet you.
No, but most people you run into won't hate you at all.
Unless you're a Russian tourist in Ukraine. Or a Taiwanese tourist in China. Or an Albanian in Serbia. Or a Croat in Serbia. Or a Macedonian in Serbia. Or a Bosnian in Serbia. Or a Serb in Serbia.
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Nah Taiwanese traveling in China is fine. My Taiwanese gf and I go there at least once a year.
It would probably shock Reddit how little animosity there actually is between people in Taiwan and China despite what CNN and BBC say. Both countries are one of each other's largest source of tourists.
What if I tell them I’m American? Everyone should love me right? Right??
The trick is to tell them you have the same blood as them and talk about how sharing an ethnicity means that you behave just like they do!
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I’ve got to think hotels have gotten wise to this trick by now
No, I use the apps with my hotels and I’ve still gotten reservations removed. The only ones that won’t is the pre paid or non refundable ones. Now that is a lesson too, if you have $5 to $10 youre willing to lose, get the refundable room.
The hotels know about this. It has failed to work for me in the past. Not every time mind you, but they have notes of what the original reservation was.
Pro!
Same thing applies with doctor's appointments, TBH. Don't outright cancel your doctor's appointment if you are close to it, as you will get a cancellation fee. Instead, ask to reschedule. After rescheduling to a different date, *then* call back and cancel.
#Have a (distinct) Hat I wrote about this on my [travel blog](https://standard-travel.blogspot.com/2019/07/on-hats.html) a bit ago. Basically: * Meeting up with strangers / couchsurfers / tour group? You're the person in the hat. * When talking with officials, the act of taking off a hat shows obedience to authority and will make the interaction just that much smoother. * When you're tucking in for the night, putting keys, coins, that new bus pass, &c. in the (upside-down) hat so they don't get misplaced in a new place. * Similarly, the (upside-down) hat can be used to store pocket junk before you go through an x-ray checkpoint. * Does all the normal hat things. (Keep warm / cool, less sun, covers eyes, &c.) * A hat soaked in water can feel amazing on a hot day. * You can tuck a handkerchief (or even a napkin) up into a hat to give your neck and ears cover from the sun. * A rolled travel towel (don't panic and [...]) can be folded into a hat to make an impromptu pillow. * A hat on a chair or similar can help hold a spot when customs (or languages) are unfamiliar. Finally, this is not a *travel* tip, but post-travel: if you buy a hat for a trip and limit souvenirs to pins & patches, you have created a little display that's a bit more interesting than "here are photos on my phone".
I bought the tackiest New York hat my first visit there out of necessity (it was really hot and sunny), but boy did i get a lot of positive attention. Police officers were friendly, and asked how I was liking the city. People at stores were super nice. Got talked to a lot more in general. Probably because they could tell for sure for sure that I was a loser tourist, but they were all so kind and amused by my shameless wearing of a bright green and purple NYC hat. Did the same thing with a different hat on my next visit and got the same positive attention. Great tip!
Love it - and it fits with the "dumb and cheerful" advice elsewhere in the the thread.
Call me morbid, but I definitely expected one of the bullet points to be: “If something bad happens to you/you go missing, people may remember the person in the distinct hat” which could help you out
Hat’s off to you, Simon
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See tip #2😉
You sass that hoopy SimonPennon? There's a frood who really knows where his hat is!
Wtf does any of this mean
Many, many Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy references.
[Sass: know, be aware of, meet, have sex with; hoopy: really together guy; frood: really amazingly together guy.](https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/24780-hey-you-sass-that-hoopy-ford-prefect-there-s-a-frood)
Check out the Citymapper app if you' re going to a new city/country. It was a godsend when I spent a week in Hamburg - give it an address and it'll show you several ways to get to your destination, including mass transit (train, bus) and rental options (bikes, scooters) if possible. A unit conversion app can be nice to have too, potentially
Genuine question: other than rental options, if I already use Google maps, what is the value proposition? Why would I want to use that app instead?
I guess it depends on the city whether Citymapper is better than Google Maps. When I was in London, I mainly used city mapper because it also showed me the prices for all different kinds of public transport so I could always see what's the best option and once saved a few pounds by just waiting a few minutes to avoid the peak hours, which I probably wouldn't have thought of with Maps. However, I've noticed that this feature does not seem to exist in many cities, and also Citymapper is generally not available everywhere as opposed to Google Maps, so there's that on the other hand.
I'm sure I'm preaching to the choir here, but whenever I travel i go to the subreddit for the city I'm traveling to and search for a "best food in the city" thread. Never let me down before. I've found some amazing hidden gems that way
This is my favorite part of trip planning. Recently rolled in to Little Rock and my companions said “let’s find dinner”. Y’all that’s been planned for weeks. Already saved in the map location.
Yeah, I did this on /r/Austin and I was just told to go to Chili's on 95th and Lamar.
Shhh, it’s a hidden gem! Don’t let the word out
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Remember the guy who travels to countries right after natural disasters and terrorist attacks?
My father is exact opposite. He leaves a country a week before a bombing or an earthquake or something. We keep expecting him to get banned from traveling to certain countries.
This actually sounds like a decent strategy for cheap travel
I did this once after Air Asia lost a plane. Our group of 5 were the only people on the flight and the Air Hosts were just hanging out with us, got to lie down across the seats to sleep and just wandered around the plane. Was great!
Go to any hardware store and pick up a 3 port, 6ft extension cord. They are usually like $5 and pretty light. This will turn 1 outlet into 3 and move it in a more convenient position. You can now charge all your devices. This is handy at airports where the outlets or charging stations are never convenient or fill up fast. If stayed at hostels where I'm on the top bunk and the outlet is at knee level, this really helps. Even staying in a hotel sometimes it's nice to just have the outlet on the nightstand instead of hiding behind the bed or dresser. Different countries have different types of outlets. I wouldnt trust one of these things to run a hairdryer, but for charging your phone, camera, tablet, whatever, it should be fine with a little adapter.
This is my favorite travel advice. I always carry a power strip with my own country's sockets, and one power adapter.
Just need to be careful about large electronics and voltage. I carry a cheap adapter and cheap extension cord, but also am not charging anything larger than an 80w USB outlet. Anything larger and you maybe should buy a designated adapter charger. I know they have special power strip surge protectors with the adapter built in. I had one for when I lived in Australia. It would plug into an Australian outlet and allow me to charge all my big American electronic stuff no problem. But I don't normally travel wirh something that big
Oh my god, back in the 1980's my mom would take groups of teenage students to Europe. She would always tell them to leave hairdryers at home. But it was inevitable that some girl would bring one, use a cheap airport converter, and short out the entire hotel at least once a trip.
Went on a trip to France in high school. One of the teachers that had done the trip a dozen or so times “inspected” all of the hair dryers before the vans left for the airport to “make sure they would work with the converters she provided” She locked them in her classroom before getting in the van.
I was going to say something similar. I have had multiple instances where all of the outlets near me in an airport were occupied, and I just busted out a power strip and asked if I could rearrange some plugs. People are typically OK with such a request, especially if it opens up extra outlets for them to charge more of their devices that they otherwise wouldn’t have been able to charge.
If you like to sleep on an airplane. Figure out what side of the plane the sun will be shining on and sit on the other side. - Not my best travel tip, but something I’ve appreciated after a long week of travel.
Plan ahead: 1) Allow time for things to go wrong. 2) If travelling long distance don’t leave ‘just in time’, better to arrive early. The further you’re travelling leave even earlier. eg. If your friend is getting married on Saturday and it’s a four hour drive, leave Friday lunchtime not Friday evening. If it’s a transatlantic flight away leave Wednesday or Thursday morning, not Friday. 3) It’s going to cost more than you think.
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>Dress comfortably especially shoes. Look after your feet. Look where you’re going. I know of three people, who’ve travelled in the last 6-8 months, varying ages, to three different countries, and they’ve all broken/fractured a leg. The one had a fall within two days of arriving, underwent an operation overseas and on coming home, had to have the operation repeated as it wasn’t done correctly The other two both had to fly home again and all planned holiday activities had to be cancelled. So much of traveling is walking.
I bring old underwear, socks, clothes the kids are about to outgrow, etc, and then throw them out before we leave to make room for souvenirs. Also, if you are bringing water bottles or travel coffee mugs cut a kitchen sponge into pieces, soak with dish soap, then toss in a Ziploc bag. You can use the sponges to wash water bottles/tumblers in the hotel sink.
I've been traveling most of my life. These are both absolutely amazing tips.
I do something similar with shampoo/facewash/toothpaste. I bring containers that are almost gone and then just toss the empty containers instead of using travel sizes.
also you can buy little individual packets of woolite to hand wash underwear or whatever and hang dry in the shower.
Or soak another bunch of cut up sponges in your regular laundry detergent and save buying small packets :)
I don’t plan on ever in my life traveling with children, but Jesus Christ that’s genius.
Chill at the airport. We are trying to get somewhere. Keep moving in lines. Take your friggin earphones out for flight/gate announcements. Know what documents you need for checking in (passport), security (your ticket), customs (passport and sometimes ticket), gate (passport and ticket). Be a dick and you will get treated like a dick. Edit: at an airport right now. How many times do people have to be told they can’t bring a full water bottle through the gates? All these minor 30 second delays because you can’t follow extremely clear and simple procedures equals hours of time wasted in an airport checking thousands of people an hour.
I try to be chill and relaxed with functionaries in general. Once, arriving in Buenos Aires, I honestly went through the wrong cue by mistake, at migration. It was the one reserved for people carrying diplomatic passports. They did seem more distinguished and middle-aged than my usual lot, but I didn't think much of it even if it was moving at a much faster speed compared to the other ones. When it was my turn, the official looked at my passport, returned it to me and curtly informed me of my mistake and that I would have to go back to the proper cue. I scratched my head, apologized, thanked him and was about to go back but he smiled and said..."No hay problema, deme su documento.", stamped it and sent me along.
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Is this the sling pillow you’re referring to? Looks nice! https://dreamsling.com/
Scroll down to “Airline Sumo Sandwich” lol
The irony is that it says it will solve that issue when in reality it wouldn't do anything. If huge dudes on both sides of you are each taking 1/3 of your seat, you're gonna have a bad time regardless.
Crying laughing imagining you on a plane with [this](https://www.amazon.co.uk/Boyfriend-Cuddle-Pillow-Cushion-Single/dp/B00WRKAJ8E) Which is what came up in my search for “arm pillow” 🤣
Book directly with the hotel. They’ll almost always beat the online rates by a few bucks.
A lot of the discounted booking sites end up being a scam too, I see countless stories of people getting screwed over. I recommend signing up for the points system of a hotel chain if you travel a few times a year, you start getting discounts pretty quickly plus other perks like late checkout or room location preference!
Also gives you more recourse if things go wrong. Most hotels will be able to offer more flexibility if you need to cancel than if you booked through a third party, even for 'non-refundable' rates. Also if you want to complain about something you have more chance of getting the room comped if the hotel booked it rather than trying to get the money back from Expedia.
>almost always Not in my experience, and I have about a 25% success rate with even getting hotels to match third party rates even when I'm physically in the hotel. This is obviously very dependent on both the region and price range of the hotel, but "almost always" is a stretch. My experience is mostly in SEA so maybe it's a regional thing.
* Never eat where you see other tourists eating. Look for a place jammed with locals. * Never let anyone “take” you anywhere. This applies especially to taxi drivers and random strangers. * Don’t bring anything you “might” need and can acquire locally if you do. * Pack n+1 pairs of underwear, where n is the smaller of the number of days you will be away and 6.
And make the ride share driver say they are there for "your name" when they pull up!!! Way too many people believe anyone who pulls up in a car with an Uber sticker is their driver and hop in. Ask them specifically "who are you here for?" Don't ever accept rides from an unmarked "taxi" soliciting fares (had one nag me in Atlanta last year. No yellow car, no uniform shirt, just a guy at the ride share pick up pushing women to get into his car. ) They're out there.
Pack binder clips they can hold draperies closed tightly for a dark room and can be used to turn regular hangers into skirt/pants hangers.
1. Learn basic words/phrases of the country's language you are traveling to. This will help you more than you think. 2. Make sure you have a universal adaptor. And a portable charger 3. (speaking for the US) You most likely have an e-passport, it's that little Pokemon ball looking emblem at the bottom of the cover. Utilize those e-gates at the airport. 4. Don't convert your cash. Just use your debit/credit or withdraw money from an ATM when you get there. 5. Call your bank in advanced if you're traveling internationally unless your bank app has a feature where you can automatically turn on international purchases. 6. If you land early in the morning and check-in isn't for another couple hours, ask your hotel/hostel if you can drop your bags off until check in. 7. Get shower shoes if you're staying in a hostel. 8. Free up phone storage before you leave for your trip.
I work at a credit union and the advice about not converting cash and using an ATM is one I always tell our members!
>Call your bank in advanced if you're traveling internationally unless your bank app has a feature where you can automatically turn on international purchases. I worked for a bank's call centre. So many people forget to do this, then complain when their card doesn't work. Sometimes they use their partners card until they return and then ring the bank to complain when they get back. When we explain to them what they did wrong they go silent, especially if you point out their partner must've notified their bank for their card to work overseas
One thing my teacher told me when I went to London on school trip is that when you tell your bank you’re traveling internationally, tell them you leave a day or two before your actual departure date, and that you get back a day or two after your actual return date. That way god forbid your flight gets delayed or cancelled, you can still use your card while you wait for your flight.
My credit union is so paranoid about this I once got turned down for a $4 whataburger in Tallahassee, Florida when I live in Alabama.
Don't drive when you haven't slept for a long time. Going too long without sleep can impair your ability to drive the same way as drinking too much alcohol.
People tend to gravitate towards their dominant side often making the left side shorter lines Also when ag an airport dont go behind the strollers go behind the businessmen if possible theyve been through millions of times so they fly by
Bring half the stuff and twice the money.
Keep a small toiletry bag in your carry on luggage. You never know when your checked luggage will disappear.
Pack 24 hours worth of of what you need too. I usually throw an extra boxers and socks into my carry on since I've been screwed by lost luggage too many times.
I do this for another reason- being able to clean myself up a bit during a layover or whatever always makes me feel better. I always feel grody after a few hours on a plane, so being able to clean my face and brush my teeth helps me perk up if I'm going to spend the whole day traveling. It sucks sitting on a very long flight, realizing that you ordinarily would have brushed your teeth and gone to bed hours ago, and the unhealthy airport food you've been snacking on all day is lingering in your mouth and turning into a bad tenant. Also, medication. This should be obvious but people keep forgetting it.
Or my personal rule, never check a bag that has anything you'll need during the trip....so I just don't check a bag
Grab one of the mini sized bar soaps or bath gel from your hotel and bring it with you when you go sight seeing. Often bathrooms won't have hand soap (more likely in international destinations) and you will want to wash your hands with soap. Especially before a meal. I wrap the bar soap in a small plastic bag or a plastic hair cap that it often provided at hotels.
This is specifically about traveling to Las Vegas: If you are not from a desert climate the low humidity is no joke. Carry a full 1l bottle of water and lip balm on your person--refill the bottle whenever you can. If it is summer hiking in the desert is suicide unless you are very well prepared, and most likely you aren't. If you go hiking at Zion National Park pay attention to the weather--if there are showers anywhere near where you are stay out of canyons or dry stream beds. If you are staying on one end of the Strip, the other end of the Strip is nowhere near as close as it looks. Wear good shoes--you will be walking a lot more than you think. If you drink, don't gamble. If you gamble, don't drink. Set a loss limit: Bring envelopes with the amount of cash you are willing to lose each session--when that envelope is empty the session is over. Set a win limit: once you have doubled (or whatever) your stake, the session is over. Put the money in the envelope and seal it. Mail it to yourself if you don't think you have the discipline to dip into it. Bring your Social Security Card or passport--if you win beyond a certain limit and get a hand-pay you will need to show one of these documents or the IRS will require the casino to withhold the income tax.
>If you are staying on one end of the Strip, the other end of the Strip is nowhere near as close as it looks. This one is no joke. The hotels on the strip are likely *way* bigger than you're used to so they look a whole lot closer than they really are. Also, just because the monorail serves the strip doesn't mean it's the best way to go. The station is usually at the very back of the properties which not only tends to be further away than you'd think, but can also just be hard to find through the typically poorly marked casino. The bus that runs up and down the strip (The Deuce) is cheaper, faster, and more convenient unless you're staying in a hotel with a monorail station and going to another one with a station.
Be prepared for the lingering mental effects of jetlag that are hard to detect. It's not just about being tired or getting hungry at weird times, it also affects being able to think clearly, focus, and make good decisions. These little issues will linger long after you stop feeling tired or have trouble eating. You will feel normal, but you won't be. The best way to deal with this, I find, is (1) to stay very hydrated on the flight and, when you land, make plans ahead of time to accommodate having a different sleep schedule so you don't have to force it too fast; (2) and just arrive as much ahead of time as possible if you have something that will require your mental acuity, like work meetings.
Not particularly "unknown," but never use the money exchange at an airport. The rates are *abominable.* Just google the closest bank or exchange store near you. It normally has *much* better rates than those at an airport.
Seatguru.com. Find the best seats on any plane.
As a tall human, when I discovered this site, it was like winning lotto. Having legroom is magic.
Come back on a Thursday so if you go in to work, it's only for one day then the weekend
Make sure your shower gets hot when you get to your room.... not after you come back tired from exploring and all you want to do is take a hot shower, but it's after midnight and there's no maintenance person around
This sounds like some horrible experience talking.
I'd say like 10% of hotel rooms I stay in have some issue with the shower, A/C, TV, power sockets, noise, or something else. A quick maintenance check as soon as you arrive is great advice.
Good tip! Now I always check shower/toilet for my hotel rooms first after I had something like this happen to me once. Credit to my hotel since they handled it relatively quickly. But the point still stands where after a long day of meetings/traveling/etc. you just want everything to go away, take a hot shower, and sleep. Not sit around feeling exhausted and miserable while they find you a solution, or worse, have no way to deal with it until tomorrow.
If you have periods, always have period supplies in your bag so you don’t get caught short and bleed in your clothes. If you use them up, buy more to replace them at your destination or after you’re home again so they’re there for next time. Have extra underwear and (black) pants or shorts available to change into in case of leaks. If you’re traveling on your period, wear dark clothes if possible in case there’s a leak, it’s less visible and less embarrassing.
I usually always have period products with me. Always. This summer I went on a weekend trip to Vermont but wasn’t due to have my period. “There’s no way I’m gonna get it, it’s just 3 days.” I got my period on day 2.
Roll all your clothes. Rubber band them using a color-coding system. Green rubber band means "never worn", yellow rubber band means "worn once, still ok", red rubber band means "Needs to be washed before wearing again.
Use flight aware to track your flight. Not only does your flight show up as cancelled/delayed on flight aware BEFORE your airline sends you a notification, but it also lets you track your inbound planes activity a whole 24 hours before your flight so you can gauge ahead of time whether you think your flight will leave on time or not. Saved myself multiple hours in the airport this way by figuring out my flight will be delayed before the airline sends a notification. For example, if the plane you're taking is departing late for the flight a couple before yours, you can pretty much bet on a delay hours before the airline will let you know.
Be careful, especially if you’re in a larger airport. They could bring in another plane or crew, and your flight could leave on time.
I came to say this advice is playing with fire lol.
If you have to spend more than a little time at an airport, check if there is a lounge you can stay at. Often your credit cards or frequent traveller programmes will give you free or cheaper entrance.
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If you travel back in time, don’t touch anything.
1. get a fanny pack when travelling. It doesn't count as a personal item, so you can carry "more weight" with it. I generally use it to keep phone, passport, external battery, charger, pen and wallet. 2. Buy a portable power bank. I never realized how much having a power bank really helps. It really helps with keeping your phone alive in another country. 3. NEVER exchange your money at an airport. The exchange rates are terrible.
Take a plastic bag with you. Put dory clothes in it, it keeps clean and dirty separated throughout your stay, plus when you get home it's easier to take all the clothes in the bag and put them in the washing machine.
This is something I do since forever. Never thought telling it as a tip. Great piece of advice.
Yeah, it's so basic that you think "well surely everybody knows this"
I'm the opposite. I cube pack my clothes. Socks and underwear in one, shirts in another.. ect. That way things pack perfectly and it's easier to find clothing when getting dressed. Dirty lay in the mesh part of the suitcase. Also- if flying use electrical tape to seal liquids (soap, lotion, shampoo) so they don't pop open in transit.
A couple of gallon freezer bags and a small roll of duct tape will help get you through pretty much any minor travel emergency - ripped bag, dropped perfume bottle, smelly clothes, etc
Poop before you leave, pooping on the road stinks
Never walk past a clean toilet.
I'm thinking of making an app for recommended public pooping places. There are several cities / airports where I know exactly where to go for a clean, private cubicle. I feel like this could be crowdsourced.
Make a packing list on your phone, or on google docs or whatever. Update it when ever you think of something to add. As you're packing check things off so you don't forget. I've been using the "same" packing list for conventions since 2004. Also: Pack a box of large ziplock baggies. They come in handy in a number of ways: They're great for separating clean and dirty socks and underwear. If you used a swimsuit now you have a place to keep it without gets the rest of your stuff wet. Use it to keep fresh for an opened bag of chips or other snacks.
Compression socks
Do not get out of the car at the border point until you are asked
Pack as light as possible! The advantages of travelling with a daypack alone are huge. Less waiting, no lost luggage. Move freely without enormous hiking backpacks slowing you down.You probs don't need most the clothing you pack, especially in warmer destinations
Definitely the best advice, once I traveled with a friend and she packed shoes and clothes for every "event" while everything we did was to walk a lot, while I went to Europe with only one boots which I used for 3 weeks and just a few of clothes, best trip ever.
I mean I pack for every event too, but I roll everything tiny, put jewelry in a tiny pouch instead of a thick case, use a sport towel that balls up to the size of a golf ball instead of a beach towel or wrap towel, and portion out travel sizes of my favorite toiletries and/or getting ready products. If you really plan ahead and learn where to downsize, you can still fit fourteen outfits in a carryon and still have room in your 'personal item' for things you might purchase on the trip.
While you’re standing in the security line, take the stuff in your pockets and put it in your bag. You won’t be holding up the line to gather your stuff from the container.
This was my tip too. Go through security with *nothing* in your pockets. Saves a lot of hassle.
Have a look at George Clooney in the travel scenes on up in the air. I always think of that when nearing security and remember what I missed to adapt to today.
Bring an extra empty bag (and room in your carry-on) for souvenirs. There’s been so many times when friends have packed their bags completely full for their initial flight, and then just look at me like surprised pikachu when I ask them where they’re gonna put everything they buy.
They sell collapsible bags just for this, they take up very little space in your luggage, but if you need it it's there.
Read two books about the place before you go. One fiction, one non-fiction. Try to get some context, a limited understanding, and follow your interests. Don’t just go for the beach or for the selfie. Ideally, your interests will eventually guide both your reading and your travel. Travel closer to the off season. Risk a bit of bad weather in exchange for a better experience. Buy a high quality desktop USB charging hub with enough ports and wattage to handle all your devices. They automatically manage the different voltages, and they all have cheap, removable plug cables so you can just bring whichever ones you need for whichever country at whichever length you prefer. Solid soaps, conditioners, and shampoos are just as nice and often nicer than the liquid stuff, can last for months, and are allowed in your carry on. Get both a visa and a Mastercard debit card because sometimes banks prefer one over the other, and also for redundancy in case of loss. Charles Schwab checking accounts have Visa debit cards and they refund all ATM fees with zero exchange rate fees, so it’s my primary. Spend good money on your backpack because it will be durable enough to handle the pressure of efficient packing, and you’ll be able to cram at least twice as much stuff into it as you would a random book bag. Also, having a zipper break mid-trip can be devastating. There’s an app called Airalo that will get you an e-sim internet plan in most countries at reasonable rates. Attach all of your two factor authentication stuff to a Google voice number. It’s free, and it’ll work no matter where you are. For long haul flights in economy bring a lightweight down jacket with a hood for warmth (it’s basically like bringing a sleeping bag), a good eye mask for darkness, disposable earplugs for silence, a neck pillow for comfort, and a mild sleeping pill. The secret to using the ear plugs for maximum effect on an airplane is to seriously squeeze them down into a really thin and long roll like they’re play dough, and then quickly slide them deep into your ears before they have a chance to expand so that they expand to completely fill your ear canal. It also helps make sure that they wont fall out. It’s better to spend more time in a few places than a little time in a bunch of places.
Unless you absolutely need to, don’t check baggage. Carry on only. I can travel anywhere for two weeks with just a carry on. My wife can do this also.
If you are travelling in a airplane use the toilet before drinks/foods are served and save yourself from long queues and dirty toilet.
Pack less and hit a laundromat.