Travel can be an excellent opportunity to expand your horizons and refresh your world-view. It can also backfire on you if you don’t take the time to prepare for the inevitable culture shock, whether your journey is domestic or international. Follow these tips and tricks to get the most out of your travel experience.
Maintain a happy attitude while traveling. Things can get rather tense at airports. Tempers run high. The people who work there often have a hard time of things. Keeping a positive demeanor about you, at least outwardly, will likely improve your experience. A negative attitude will seldom get you anywhere.
If you have plans to travel, the most important preparation you should do is make a checklist of everything you need from toiletries to extra articles of clothing. Before you leave, make sure that all of these items are packed because most likely if you forget something, the gift shops available to you will overcharge for simple things such as toothpaste or shampoo.
Before leaving on a trip, find out and write down the addresses of the American embassies in the countries you’ll be visiting. While the embassy is not a traveler’s aid office, they can help you if your passport is stolen or if you find yourself in some kind of unexpected legal trouble while overseas.
Take along at least one dressy outfit with you when you travel. The more formal clothes are, they harder they are to pack and care for. Nevertheless, making the effort to bring one set of classy duds prepares you to take advantage of unplanned opportunities that may arise on your trip. You don’t want to miss out on a wonderful dinner invitation because you have nothing to wear but shorts!
Always let someone know when you are planning to travel. While unexpected trips and spontaneous travel may seem like a good idea at the time, it is not so great if something goes awry. Letting a friend, family member or neighbor know you will be gone and where you are going is always a good idea. Contact that person as soon as you reach your destination. Let them know when you will be coming home. You will be glad you did.
A traveler should try to learn some of the language spoken at his or her destination if there is sufficient time to do so. Fluency in any language is difficult to achieve, but any dedicated traveler can get familiar with some useful phrases. Learning a bit of the lingo will enhance the traveler’s experience or even prove helpful in case of unexpected difficulties.
If you’re planning on travelling internationally any time soon, make sure you’re prepared for customs inspections and the forms you’ll have to fill out. Have your social security number memorized and keep your passport handy at all times. Find out before you leave your destination what you aren’t allowed to bring home, as your gifts can easily be confiscated.
Look up reviews about hotels you plan to visit, but do not necessarily trust everything that is written. Everyone will have a different experience, so be forgiving of some negative reviews and do not be blinded by overly positive reviews. When trying to find a hotel, one suggestion is to call the hotel and ask the clerk a few simple questions. His customer service skills will often indicate the quality of the hotel.
Tired of the same boring road trip? Next time you have to pack up and go to an out-of-town event, try something different. After you map your main driving route, pick a few random places off the beaten path to stop at along the way. It could be a small mom-and-pop diner, a state park or maybe your first visit to a comic book store. Not only will this break up your drive, you will have added memories to keep forever.
Business travel can seem overwhelming when you are on a budget. If you know you will be traveling for work often, make sure to have your travel plans done in advance. This will include all payments that need to be made while you are away. Planning ahead will help you to not worry the whole time you are gone.
Use creative ways to beat flight baggage fees. Buying a large luggage jacket and a cabin max bag will help you to get the maximum amount of luggage onto the plane without having to pay any extra check-in costs. If you don’t want to invest in any products then consider wearing some of the clothes you want to take with you instead of putting them in your suitcase.
Now the choice is yours, so get out there and enjoy finding new places and people to challenge your preconceptions. Armed with a little extra knowledge now about the experience of traveling, you can expect a few less bumps on the road to your destination. Share this article with friends and family, who may be heading out with you or on journeys of their own.
