Whenever it is time to travel to a new destination, there are certain things that every traveler worries about. Be it the difficulty of communication, getting lost and losing some valuable things, missing flights or getting sick. These situations are common amongst travelers and they can be difficult to anticipate. However, with these seven travel tips for first time travelers, situations like these can be easily avoided with proper planning and preparation.
1. Don’t Over Prepare
Koh Phi Phi, Thailand (Phi Phi Island)
It is important to know about the place that you are going. The culture, tradition and norms in that country may differ from what you are used to and it is important to respect them. However, when it comes to details, itineraries and schedules; don’t obsess over them too much. A big part of traveling is the benefit of having to think on your feet, re-adjust, adapt and plan new things. It is sometimes better to just go and experience what a place has to offer. Try to have a flexible schedule that would give you the chance to stay longer at a place that you really like.
Khao Lak, Thailand
2. Don’t rush/try to do too much or everything.
There are so many things to see and do in each country that it is difficult not to put all of them on your bucket list. However, it is better to first accept that you can’t see and do everything in an afternoon. Unless you stay in one place for a long time, you should try to manage your expectations. If you only have 2 days in Paris try to figure out the places that you really want to see and thoroughly try to enjoy it. Don’t rush from one site to another spending most of your time on public transport only to spend a few seconds looking at the Mona Lisa. It is better to experience everything of a few places than something of many places.
Visp, Switzerland
3. Be a Smart and Connected Traveler
The internet is everywhere nowadays. People don’t bring thick lonely planet books just to find a restaurant or look for their hotels. It has now become easier and faster to look up information online. So as a first time traveler technology can be your best friend. Save some basic maps of the area in your phone before you leave. Go to Google maps, find some decent views, and then just do a screen shot. You might not have reliable data access and as long as your phone has power, you’ll be able to find the place you’re going. Also these days websites like Google Maps tends to keep caches of maps for much longer than in the past.
Matterhorn, Switzerland
4. Pack Smart and Be Safe
This next travel tip is something I often forget to follow myself. We all tend to over pack. We come up with situations where we have to think of what to wear and immediately grab that beautiful dress or those gorgeous shoes that would complement it. When this happens, stop and pause. Think about what you are packing. If you can buy these things in the country that you are going to, then don’t pack it. Why do would you want to spend days carrying it around on the off chance you might need it one day just to save a few dollars? Budget yourself a hundred or so dollars for things that MAY be needed, but aren’t worth packing yourself. Try to pack dark and light clothes which are flexible enough to be worn on a day of exploring temples or a night of bar hopping. Your happiness on the trip is inversely proportional to how much weight you are carrying in your bag.
Prepare for emergencies by carrying a basic first aid kit with you. Have some band-aids, painkillers, anti-diarrhea medicine and other medicine that may be useful for that region of the world. Also have a basic working knowledge of common injuries just incase!
Pushkar, India
5. Be Brave and Sociable with the Locals
There is danger in everywhere you go and we always have to be careful, but it pays to disregard some of what the western media says about a country. Everyone in the world just wants to be treated in a humane fashion so most of the tensions aren’t with the locals but often between governments.
With this in mind, make friends with the locals. Try to at least learn the basics of the language to communicate things like saying please, thank you, how much and where’s the bathroom? Another way to do this is to go the place where locals generally gather like the biggest university in town and randomly ask friendly natives if you can trade lessons/practice in English in exchange for their own native language. You’ll learn a bit of the local language this way, and 9 times out of 10 someone from the group will volunteer to show you around/take you to a good local restaurant/bar/party later that night.
Guided Tour in Rome
6. Be Willing To Connect with other Travelers
Traveling alone is great. It challenges you to connect with the locals and other travelers. It forces you to chat and get to know other people with similar interests.
However, if traveling with someone else, make sure they are also compatible with you. Do they like to walk all day, or would they rather sit and observe? Do they want every minute planned out, or would they rather not have anything planned at all and just see what happens? Then…will these answers drive you crazy if they aren’t the same answers you’d give? Some beautiful places can become more fun or become annoying because of a mismatch between traveling companions.
Munnar Kerala, India
7. Enjoy the Experience and Forget the Cost
The best things in life are free. However, traveling costs money and needs time. Experts say that people are happier when they spend money on experiences rather than material things. So when traveling, if you really want to experience something but you know costs more than you are expecting to spend. Go for it!
I was once told that you wouldn’t remember how much an experience costs, but you’ll always remember the feeling that that experience gave you. Some moments occur only once in a lifetime, and you wouldn’t want to miss out on that.
Did you enjoy these 7 travel tips for first time travelers? If you have your own travel tips to suggest, please let us know in the comments below!
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