If you’re going travelling soon, congrats! Perhaps for business, perhaps for pleasure, perhaps both at the same time. Everyone should take the time to see the world at some point in their lives.
That said, it does take a lot of planning to get things right. Making a thorough checklist helps, though you’ll often find that once you get to your destination, there are things you’ve forgotten or haven’t thought of.
Not to worry, though – this article is here to help. Here are 10 practical tips for a smooth trip!
1. Don’t be too rigid
Most points in this list will be about things you can do to make your trip easier by planning ahead, but it’s also important to note that you shouldn’t try to plan everything out. There’s a lot to be said for embracing spontaneity on a trip, and trying to mitigate all mishaps and dial your time in perfectly never ends well.
Use the methods below to help you, but try not to be too rigid in the way you plan things.
2. Utlilize luggage storage solutions
Sometimes, you’ll find yourself between places as you travel to your final destination. It can often be the case that you need to spend over a day in a given place before continuing on, and while some people find this annoying, it’s the perfect opportunity to explore somewhere new.
That being said, you won’t be properly prepared for a day trip given the amount of luggage you’ll be carrying, and this is where luggage storage solutions come in handy. For example, if you were spending time in The Golden City, Radical Storage San Francisco offers a convenient, safe space to store your luggage while you go exploring, giving you the freedom you need to enjoy your day to the full.
3. The importance of smart packing
There’s a lot to consider when it comes to packing your case, and it can be tough to nail down. As much as possible, try to reduce the amount you take with you, as it’ll only weigh you down. It’s highly likely you don’t need anywhere near as much as you think you do, and forgoing the large suitcase for a medium-sized one will make navigating the airport and reaching your destination much less stressful.
Cover your essentials first, and be very selective about what clothes you take. You should also consider leaving your ‘must-have’ pieces of tech at home; do you really need your Nintendo Switch? Or can you manage with only your phone?
4. Get travel insurance
As exciting as travel can be, things do go wrong from time to time. From losing your luggage (which is less of an issue if you don’t take so much in the first place) to medical issues, travel insurance has your back.
Make sure you review each policy carefully to make sure it covers everything you need, but at the same time, don’t feel you have to pay extortionate amounts to include everything – be realistic in your approach.
5. Buy a high-quality water bottle
While you might think this to be a minor point, it’s more important than you think. During long periods of travelling to your destination, or when you’re doing a lot of walking once you get there, you’ll always want to be mindful of your fluid consumption.
Get yourself a large, high-quality water bottle, and keep it sufficiently topped up throughout the day. You should also take some snacks with you – pieces of fruit and energy/protein bars are ideal here.
6. Take care to avoid scams
Scams are a major issue for tourists, no matter where you’re going. There will always be individuals who, unfortunately, prey on your ignorance and unfamiliarity with the area to con you out of your money or steal your belongings, so it’s key to remain alert at all times.
Only use taxi services that are known to be reputable companies, avoid anyone trying to sell you something on the street, and always keep your pockets zipped.
7. Consider using a multi-currency travel card
Managing your money can be one of the biggest challenges associated with traveling, given the fact that most countries you’re traveling to will use different currencies from the one you’re accustomed to. Multi-currency travel cards negate this issue, enabling you to split your money into multiple currencies at once. Everything is usually managed quickly and easily from a mobile app.
This is particularly useful if you’re travelling to multiple countries in a short space of time.
8. Avoid public WiFi
Where you can, you should avoid connecting to public WiFi hotspots. These connections are generally considered far less secure than the ones you’d use at home; they don’t have the same rigid security measures in place, which results in prime opportunities for hackers to sit on the network and potentially steal your information.
Make sure you have a good data plan, and use that for all internet usage.
9. Don’t deviate from tourist locations
While you should certainly explore where you can, in unfamiliar places, it’s best not to deviate from the main tourist locations. Venturing off outside populated areas is risky, especially when you don’t know the area.
If you do want to head out of town, be sure to choose a reputable guide to accompany you and go as part of a group with other tourists.
10. Choose your accommodation wisely
Your accommodation, whether it’s a hotel, Airbnb, or something else, will be your safe haven for the time being, so you want to make sure you’ve picked somewhere appropriate.
Spend plenty of time reading reviews from other visitors, and cross-reference whichever place you’re looking at against your own itinerary. You should also take care to ensure the place is in close proximity to the center of town so that you don’t have to travel far.
Wrapping up
While the above list doesn’t contain absolutely everything you’ll need to think about, it should have you covered for the most part – just do your research, organize properly, and keep your safety in mind at all times. Best of luck on your travels!