While my friends took a year out between school and university to Interrail around Europe or work their way backpacking around the world, I settled for a year in Italy. Although I had a fabulous time, on my return home I wished I had been more adventurous and taken off to see the world. Ever since, travel has been my passion. I love to go places, read about places and look at photos of places. Planet Earth is incredible and I love anyone who has a dream of travelling the world. If this is you and you’re planning the trip of a lifetime, here are my best tips for traveling the world.
1 Reasons
Always pick the right reasons to go. Don’t go just because somebody wants you to. Go for yourself.
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2 Advanced but Flexible
Plan your travels in good time, but also leave room for flexibility for when anything unexpected occurs.
3 Visa Knowledge
Make sure you are clued up on all the visa requirements for the countries that you are visiting; you don’t want to be denied entry!
4 Festivals
Check to see if there are any cool festivals going on in the countries at the same time that you will be visiting. Festivals are always fun!
5 Mystery
Do the necessary research for each country, but leave a little left to mystery for you to discover when you get there.
6 Ask Locals
Don’t always rely on your travel guides. Ask the native locals about great spots to visit.
7 Good Company
It is vital that you really, really, like the people you are travelling with. Nothing worse than an argument in a foreign country!
8 Embrace the Unknown
Be open minded about your travels and learn to embrace all of the weird and wonderful aspects of the places you visit.
9 Hostelling
Go hostelling around the world and you will save money at the same time as meeting loads of cool new people.
10 Check Reviews
Before you book any accommodations, always check out the online reviews to see if the place has a good reputation.
11 Advance Booking
Don’t leave it until the last minute; you are more likely to get great deals for booking in advance.
12 Use Apps
There are a ton of smartphone apps that are designed to make travelling the world an easier experience. Make the most of them!
13 More Time in Fewer Places
Instead of sprinting through as many countries as you can, it might be a better idea to spend longer in fewer places.
14 Smile!
A smile is the universal language of friendliness; it can save you in tricky language situations!
15 Public Transport
Don’t waste cash on expensive cabs. Make the most of public transport like buses and trains.
16 Cycle
Or even better, pay to rent a bicycle and get around on the power of your own two feet!
17 Student Discount
Some student discounts are valid with IDs from any country; it’s always worth a try no matter where you are.
18 Night Life
Don’t tire yourself out too badly adventuring in the day. You need to make the most of the amazing night life in the cities!
19 Photos of Documents
Make sure you have photocopies of any important documents you are carrying, just in case you happen to lose them.
20 Hostel Breakfast
If you can, stay in a hostel that offers breakfast. It’s important to load up on food before a long day of exploring.
21 Realistic Budget
It’s good to set a budget, but don’t be so strict on yourself that you can’t actually have any fun while you are there.
22 Weather Watch
Make sure to check on the weather forecasts so that you know how to pack appropriately.
23 Group Packing
If you are going with friends, avoid overpacking by allotting different things to pack that you can all share. No need for multiples!
24 Over Pack First
Pack absolutely everything to start with, then take unnecessary things out to get to your final amount.
25 Comfortable Shoes
Take at least two pairs of comfy shoes, you are going to be doing more walking than you have ever done before!
26 Local Food
Embrace the local dishes of the countries that you are visiting; eat like a native while you are there!
27 Local Markets
Embrace local culture by visiting the markets to get a taste of what normal life is like for them outside of the tourist spots.
28 Traveler Advice
Seek some advice from travelers who have already been to your destination. It will give a sense of familiarity before you even get there.
29 Train Pass
Make sure to buy train passes. It is often the cheapest and easiest way to get from place to place when traveling.
30 Separate Money
There is always a danger of being pickpocketed when travelling, so separate your money in to different parts of your bag so that it doesn’t all go in one incident.
31 Data Roaming
Make sure you turn off the data roaming on your phone to avoid being charged ridiculous amounts of money by your service provider!
32 S.T.O.P
If you find yourself lost, S.T.O.P. This stands for stop, think, observe and plan.
33 Let It Go
Let go of your inhibitions when you are traveling. It’s a once in a lifetime opportunity!
34 Be Friendly
Be friendly with everybody you meet; you can make friends for life when you are travelling the world.
35 Respect Customs
Always respect the local customs and traditions of wherever you are, especially when it comes to dress code.
36 Social Media
Use social media, firstly to let everybody know that you are safe, and secondly to make them super jealous!
37 But Not Too Much
But don’t let Instagram distract your travels. Make sure you stay in the moment and experience everything first hand rather than through a screen!
38 Be Happy
At the end of the day, do things that make you happy, don’t be pressured in to adventures you don’t want to go on, be yourself and do only what you want to do!
