We like traveling and we travel as much as we can. So much so that many times we consider ourselves experienced travelers, although sometimes we make small mistakes that complicate the experience. Based on my own rights and wrongs, today I want to tell you these 11 tips that will make your next trip easier.
Get Up Soon
Get up early whenever you can. Getting up at dawn you will have the monuments and cities to yourself and you will be able to enjoy them without crowds. If you like photography, the first hours of light (and the last) are the best since the light is more cinematographic and special.
If you are traveling through a “dangerous” or complicated place, the first hours of the morning are the best. Working people get up early, “criminals” and scammers do not.
Laugh At Yourself
When you travel to new places and places, many times you will feel like a fool. Instead of being embarrassed, laugh at yourself! Don’t be afraid of asking questions, of embarrassing situations, and you definitely don’t take life and its situations so seriously!
Hide Extra Money
Money rules the world (money rules). Always cover your back by saving and hiding money for emergencies in different places in your luggage or your clothes. We recommend that you always carry at least a few hundred euros with you in cash… You could lose your wallet, your credit card could stop working… you never know.
Where to keep the money? Try wearing socks, under the insoles of sneakers, in a toiletry bag, or buy a secret belt.
Interact With Local People
Meeting and starting a conversation with local people is one of the most enriching experiences you can have while traveling… With four basic words that you know of English or the local language, it is more than enough. And if you don’t understand each other with words, with will and mimicry you will understand each other perfectly, as well as have a good time deciphering what the other means.
Learn from those who live in the countries you are visiting. Local people enrich trips more than visits to monuments.
Observe Daily Life
If you really want to feel the heartbeat of the place, we recommend spending a few hours sitting on a bench in a park or on a busy street, just observing the daily life of the place.
Slow down your thoughts and pay attention to the details around you. Analyze smells, colors, human interactions, sounds… It is another type of (active) meditation in which you will become aware of things that until now had gone unnoticed.
Take A Lot Of Photos
Surely you are only going to visit that place or meet that person once in your life. Why not remember them forever through photography? Forget the tourist stigma, take photos and take selfies whenever you want. Amazing photographs are the best memory and the best souvenir.
Just remember that once you have the photo, you have to get out of the lens and enjoy the view and the experience through your own eyes.
There Is Always A Way
Nothing is impossible. If you’re having trouble getting somewhere or doing something, and you really want to do it, don’t give up. You simply have not yet found the best solution or you have not found the right person. Do not listen to those who tell you that it is impossible and that it cannot be done.
Perseverance (or being stubborn) pays off. What is the worst that can happen? Failure is not the end of the world!
Smile And Say Hello!
Do you have problems interacting with other travelers or with local people? Do people seem unfriendly or hostile to you? Maybe it’s your body language! One of the best things you can do is maintain eye contact and smile. If they smile back, say hello in the local language. That way you won’t have a hard time making friends!
Not all people are going to walk away with a smile on their faces… Take the first step and you will see how the world is much friendlier than it seems.
Splurge From Time To Time
If you follow us, you will know that we are big fans of “Low Cost” travel and keeping a good travel budget, as it allows us to travel more and experience the fascinating world we live in. We don’t think it makes sense to waste hard-earned money on things we don’t need at all…
But every rule has its necessary exception. It is good to break the established budget from time to time and treat yourself, such as spending a few days in a good hotel or apartment, going to dinner at a good restaurant, or going out to a party without looking too much into your pocket.
Being Patient Is Important
Don’t worry about things you can’t control. Life is too short to be angry and annoyed all day by everything that happens around you… Have you missed the bus? Nothing happens! There will be another. ATM not working? Nothing happens! It is the perfect excuse to ask the locals for help and get carried away…
Keep An Open Mind
Do not judge the lifestyle of others for the simple fact of being different from yours. Listen to all opinions, especially those with which you disagree. It is even arrogant to assume that your point of view is correct and that other people are wrong. Practice empathy and put yourself in the place of the other.
Welcome, to all the different opportunities, experiences, and people that come your way. Don’t be shy and ask questions. You don’t have to agree, but you’ll be surprised at what you can learn from different points of view and opinions.
You may also be interested in Best places for traveling in Thailand: temples, markets