Five road-tested travel tips
Whether you’re a spontaneous traveller, or are one that prefers a detailed itinerary, we've compiled five tips for travelling abroad that are simple to do and are set to make your time away easier, making more time for fun!
In the weeks leading up to your trip
Luggage
Packing cubes are your trusted companions for keeping your luggage organised and efficient. Separate your clothing, accessories, and toiletries into designated cubes for easy access without the hassle of rummaging through your suitcase. It’s a simple and cheap addition to your luggage, but a definite gamechanger regardless of whether you're on a short getaway or an extended adventure.
Learn basic phrases
Show respect for the local culture by learning a few key phrases in the native language. Simple greetings like "hello," "thank you," and "please" don’t take too much effort to learn and can often go a long way when conversing with locals. Many of the streaming apps like Spotify have podcasts and audio books specifically dedicated to language, plus programs like Duolingo offer lessons and content suitable for all abilities. Listening to these in the weeks leading up to your trip is a great way to get excited, and if traveling with the family is something everyone can do together.
Having access to your important documents is important.
Before you depart, make sure that you have easy access to any documents you may need, including your travel itinerary, bookings and of course your travel insurance.
Be sure that they're kept somewhere secure, preferably in a cloud-based service that you could access remotely. Think, if you ever lost your bags, purse or wallet, what information and documents would you need to see through your trip or get back home safely?
In the days before you set off
Get your device ready to be offline
Depending on what kind of person you are, spending some time without your phone could either be a delight, or a nerving experience. Many providers offer international roaming; however one solution is to keep your phone on flight mode and to use the Wi-Fi at places like your hotel.
If this is a solution that’d work for you, but you’d still like to easily navigate in a new place, before you set off pre-download the maps of your destination using apps like Google Maps. The same can be said for many of your music or podcast streaming services like Spotify or Amazon Music, ensuring that however connected you choose to be while on holiday, you’ll still have access to the things you need.
Something to do while you’re away, or as soon as you get back
Map your adventure, and make it into a keepsake.
One of the worst things to happen after traveling, is to let yourself forget about the wonderful adventures that you’ve just had. While gift shop items and souvenir trinkets do have their purpose, one great and simple way to remember your trip is to mark it on a map. From there you can pop it in a frame, making a tangible reminder of the places you've explored and the stories you've gathered along the way.
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