Having done a bit of traveling both for business and pleasure, I’ve had quite a number of “note to self” moments when encountering a less than ideal situation or seeing a nifty approach to traveling from people I meet along the way. Ask any traveler. One of the simple pleasures of a trip is sharing stories and travel tips with new friends. So here it goes. Like the many who have shared this with me, let me share some tips with you!
Here are 7 of my favorite tips for a hassle-free vacay:
You don’t want to have to go – “Sorry, can you try this one?”
MONEY. While the best things in life are free, your money situation should be sorted out before you step out of the door. Compute and assess your cash needs a few days before your flight. Make sure you have enough local and foreign currency. How much is enough? Do your research. Look for travel taxes and transport rates, as well as allowable cash on hand at the immigration. This information can be found online. Also, give your credit card company an idea of where you will be traveling. You don’t want to find out that they’ve blocked it when you really need it. At the end of each destination, figure out how much cash you will need to move forward to the next, and use the rest to pay you hotel balance with. This is easier than exchanging currencies from one to another.
Have free time? Why not jump on a train to a great adventure!
ITINERARY. Don’t be afraid to go on a side trip. Expand your horizon by trying to fit in more activities in your plans. If given some free time, check for trips that you can squeeze in online. A friend of mine went on a big trip to Europe, and seem to be having quite an adventure! GoEuro gives easy comparison of trains, buses and flights in the UK, Spain, and more. I like this site in particular because it provides up to date information on transportation. Best of all – they calculate total travel time, taking into account such things as travel to the airport and check-in times as well. Spur of the moment weekend to Madrid? No problem! As long as you have your free time figured out, you can enjoy a trip or two!
DOCUMENTS. Apart from having original documents on hand, screenshot everything and save it to a cloud travel folder. I screenshot and take a picture of everything (except financial docs, let’s be smart here) – itineraries, flight bookings, ID’s, even calling cards of hotels I stay in and people I meet. Save them all in one cloud folder that can be accessed offline and will sync online automatically. This saves me from scrambling to find a hotspot to check my itinerary or bringing a bunch of papers everywhere. Keep your devices charged and link them to the same cloud so that you can use your actual documents as a last resort. Just make sure to put a security pin on each and every device!
HEALTH. Have a medicine basics kit – apart from a handy first aid kit, carrying some Advil, Nyquil, and Imodium won’t hurt. While there are drugstores everywhere, you will save yourself some translation pains and awkward charades if you have these packed. Inform your physician where you are going so you can be prescribed the right medicine to carry with you. Consider getting travel insurance. Heaven forbid you’d ever need it, but better prepared than sorry.
COMMUNICATIONS. This one is quite simple but often neglected. I went on a trip to HK with my bestfriend a year back, and went home mortified to find out that my phone bill skyrocketed! Make sure your Data roaming was either arranged prior to leaving the country or turned off completely. Transmitting data overseas can cost a fortune! Wi-Fi is available in most areas, and in places where it’s not… save the instaposting for later. Have an extra phone for long trips so you can carry it with you everywhere and switch sims when moving from one country to another.
FASHION. My biggest fashion tip of all – pack neutrals. This will save you a lot of space because you can mix and match everything, and it would look good in casual afternoon or in a more business affair. And when packing? Roll, don’t fold.
BAGGAGE. Have locks on your bags, and a distinctive tag is a very affordable investment that can save you a lot of trouble at the airport baggage conveyer. This tag should contain your name, your address, and your next destination. Avoid bringing valuables, and if you are carrying them, put them in your hand carry. A lot of airports can’t guarantee the condition of your baggage. For an extra level of confidence, pack your carryon bag expecting the worst. Extra underwear can take you give you leagues of relief in case your checked bags take a flight to another country by mistake. Trust me, I’ve been there.
Pinworthy quote!
Do you have any tips you want to share? Comment below or tweet me @mscareergirl!
Photo Credit:
Free Digital Photos by David Castillo Dominici
Free Digital Photos by Witthaya Phonsawat
Katharinah of Polyvore
