10
Tips For The Beginner Traveler
1) Start somewhere easy
Some places are easier to
travel to than others. If this is your first time out of the country, it might
be worth considering one of the easier destinations over, say 6 weeks on Sri
Lanka or
a quick jaunt up K2.
But hey, if that’s what you want, go for it.
2) Get your phone sorted out
There are few things more
freeing than an unlocked smartphone. If your phone is unlocked you can get,
probably, a local SIM card for cheap high-speed data, wherever you go. Forget
overpriced travel data plans like those from Sprint and Verizon. Local SIM
cards are the way to go.
Unless you have T-Mobile .
Their Simple Choice plans get you unlimited international data in nearly every
country.
3) The right luggage
Buy a smaller bag than you think you might need (more on
this in #5). Personally, I prefer a good travel backpack. Some people like the
hybrid backpack/rolly-bags, but I find them cumbersome. Avoid regular rolly
bags, they’re more trouble than their worth. Big suitcases should be avoided at
all costs (unless you’re going skiing or something and need to bring a lot of
bulky gear).
4) The right gear
I love a good, cheap, travel laptop. A USB battery pack is
invaluable. I love noise cancelling headphones, but they’re probably a luxury for
most people.
5) Pack light
This will be the hardest
thing about travel. There are few harder urges to overcome than overpacking.
“But I might need this!!!” is so common there are industries built around
needless junk and charging you for heavy bags. Aim for 30 pounds, tops, for
everything. If you don’t bring a lot of electronics, aim for under 25. You
don’t more than a week’s worth of clothes. You can do laundry everywhere.
6) Cloud data backup
I had one friend drop her
camera in a taxi and lose 3 weeks’ worth of photos, nearly her entire
multi-country trip through Asia.
Cloud backups are cheap and easy to use. I like Google Photos,
but there are a ton of
other options.
7) Apps for you and your family
Google Translate is the
greatest app for any traveler, by FAR (download languages when you’re on WiFi,
and it will work without a data connection). Google Maps is a close second
(download an area on WiFi, and it too will work without a data connection).
What I also recommend is
hooking your family with apps too, specifically WhatsApp and Instagram (or
Skype or Messenger, etc). Keeping in touch while on the road is key for your
mental health, and theirs. I mention Instagram because it’s easy to use for those
who aren’t too tech savvy, and it allows cross posting to Facebook ,
Twitter and
the like if you don’t usually use Instagram. Tumblr is another easy way to
share photos and info, and I've met several travelers that use that as an easy
way to blog goings on to share with the folks back home.
8) Don’t be afraid of hostels
Hostels aren’t things that
Americans consider. There’s a mistaken perception that they’re dirty, rowdy,
dangerous places. I guess some are, but most of the ones I’ve stayed at in the
two years I’ve been travelling full time are nicer than most hotels.
Review websites like Airbnb and Booking.com give you an idea about a place before you
ever set foot in it. Best of all, they’re a great way to meet new people.
9) Lock your phone
Your phone, and what’s on
it, is probably the most valuable thing you have on you. Phones are easily
replaced. Personal data theft is way worse. Pictures, addresses… how many
banking apps and websites do you have that automatically log you in?
Lock your phone. The swipey
geometry designs may seem great, but after you use them a few times, the screen
will be smudged in the exact shape of your passcode. Numbers and biometrics are
safer.
10) Don't make it easy for
thieves
I met a first-time traveler
from a tiny mid-west town. She walked around London with her iPhone 6 sticking
half out of her back pocket. Theft is rare, but don’t make it easy. Don’t leave your bag on a table at a
sidewalk café. Don’t leave your backback on your back on a crowded train. You’d
be surprised how often I see people not doing these things. There’s nothing
wrong with being a little cautious.
You don’t need to lash your
belongings to your chest with steel cables every time you leave the hostel.
Just, you know, be aware of your surroundings. If someone could casually pick
up something, or pull it out of your hands without any effort, maybe that’s not
the best place for it.
Bonus) Relax
Most people are good. They’ll help if you need it. If you forget something, you can
buy it there. The world is different and the same in ways you can’t imagine.
Get out there and check it out.
