If you’re planning to travel sometime soon, a few smart travel tips can make your holiday go much more smoothly. Here are some of my top travel tips:
Get up early
If you’re hoping to beat the crowds and the heat, get up at sunrise to get the best photos and avoid hundreds of tourists in your space. You’ll also be able to be the first in line for attractions- saving you hours spent waiting in peak season. You can always take a nap later on in the afternoon and avoid the hottest part of the day before going out to explore when the temperature is cooler.
Take extra cash
You never know when an ATM will decide to eat your card, run out of money, or worse- deduct money from your account but not pay you out the cash. Pickpockets are also everywhere, and it’s easy to lose your wallet or credit card while you’re travelling. For this reason, you should always have some extra cash available. Stash a few hundred dollars but split it up and put it in different places. One of my friends likes to keep a $50 note in her (closed) shoe. Another friend keeps cash in an empty can of deodorant she cut open.
Back it up
These days, backing up your important documents is easier than ever before. I use Dropbox and Google Drive, but you can also use an external hard drive if necessary. Keep digital copies of your birth certificate, driver’s license, passport, travel insurance policies, visas, and receipts for any electronics you have insured.
Shop around
I like to begin comparing flights weeks before I need to buy them. That way, I can get an idea of how much my flight will cost, which airlines I have to choose from, common stopover destinations, and flight times. By keeping an eye on my flights, I was recently able to grab some Webjet cheap flights from London to Washington DC when prices fell by more than a third.
Be open to new experiences
For many long-term travellers, being uncomfortable becomes a source of pride. I always stayed in hostels, would take a bus for 30 hours instead of paying for a flight, and always had to be doing activites once I was on the ground. This all changed after a holiday in Mexico where I laid on the beach with a margarita in my hand, ate delicious meals out, and went scuba diving in Playa Del Carmen. We stayed in an all-inclusive hotel and it was bliss. While I still like to take active holidays, I always keep an eye on Webjet travel packages to see if there’s a chance for me to take a truly relaxing holiday.
