Travel Tips

Every trip makes me redefine my own reasons and ways of traveling based on what I learn and experience.  Still, it's hard to know exactly what to bring or how to plan.  What will I need or want to wear?  Will I get sick or cut up and need a bunch of first aid supplies?  The right credit card, type of luggage, footwear?  Here are a few tips I've learned that some folks may not think about:

1) Bring a good scarf.  Nothing you would care much about if you lost it; I mean "good" in a functional way. Best kind are thin, yet wide (not a knitted winter scarf). You can use a scarf if you get cold, if you want to sit on something on a beach or in some grass, if you want to dress up an outfit, if you want to cover your pants because you sat in chocolate...

2) Make a photocopy of all your cards and IDs that you have in your wallet, and keep it in your suitcase.  That way you always have the necessary numbers on them if they get lost or stolen.


3) Make sure when an airline says it's flying out of Paris, that it's not flying out of "Paris-Beauvais" or some other city FAR outside of the city you're actually aiming for.  Just getting to the airport can easily cost you in time and money.

4) Bring a bike bell.  No joke.  If you rent a bike, which is easy in many cities and a very fun way to sight-see, they most likely won't have a bell on it for you.
Bonus: you can ring it while walking through tough crowds on sidewalks, people will move!  I'll bet people are even conditioned enough that you could use it in a mall or getting through the metro station... who knows, try it!

5) Bring your smartphone or tablet.  This is the last time I use my nifty little netbook on a trip.  I love the battery life and ability to write my blogs, but man am I tired of carrying it and having to open up this little beast when I just need a second of wifi.

6) Travel neck pillows are your friend.  The fatter the better, that way you can use it as a proper pillow in tight situations.

7) The second you book your flight/train/bus ride (or before), read all the luggage allowances and extra costs.  I didn't realize I could not pay for my extra luggage on an Air Berlin flight online if it was within 48 hours of the flight.  That made the price jump from 15 euros online to 70 euros at the airport!  I did get lucky though this time, I whined and the man at the ticket counter was nice enough to let me check it for free. Close call and I will not try that again!  Similarly, if I had realized that Ryan Air requires anything larger than a tiny backpack to be checked and it will cost a minimum of 30 extra euros online in advance, I would have looked for a different airline.  Between that and the long distance airport shuttle, my flight doubled in price.

8) Check out airbnb.com and couchsurfing.com for a different (and possibly less expensive) travel experience.

9) Remember that no matter how much you pay, how long you wait in lines, how irritating all the other tourists are (but not you of course!), or how tired you are... you will definitely look back on this and smile!

Buen Viaje!