What's the best piece of travel advice you've ever given/received?

Gunnnar · 2014-12-15T00:34:47+00:00

Someone told me that you'll never remember how much that cool thing you want to do cost, but you will always remember the cool thing.

It made sense to me. Thinking back at my trips I can't remember how much any single event was. Going in the Colosseum or eating a nice meal, whatever it may be.

LR5 · 2014-12-15T01:03:32+00:00

Bad experiences make great stories

eilah_tan · 2014-12-15T00:48:22+00:00

[deleted]

messiahwannabe · 2014-12-15T02:53:08+00:00

i actually got this tip from the lonely planet (buried in some random section): if you want to make some local friends, just go to the cafeteria of the biggest university in town. randomly ask a group of friendly looking natives if you can trade lessons/practice in english for some quick lessons in the local language. university students tend to be middle-to-upper class, and therefor generally have no particular agenda to get anything out of you (unlike almost anyone you will meet on the main tourist strip) plus they will be fairly likely to speak decent english - especially the ones who are interested in your offer to teach them english. you'll learn a bit of the local language this way, and 9 times out of 10 someone from the group will volunteer to show you around/take you to a good local restaurant/bar/party/whatever later that night.

i've met a lot of nice people this way!

unkyduck · 2014-12-15T00:40:49+00:00

at least learn the basics of language yes,no,how much,please,thankyou,where's the bathroom?

Photograph your hotel right away, sometimes there's several with the same name...

iamfriedsushi · 2014-12-15T03:46:26+00:00

Lots of great advice here.

A guy once told me in an airport (when traveling to the Middle East) to be careful, but to disregard most of what the BBC/CNN/western media says. He then went on to say that everyone in the world just wants to be treated unconditionally human.

I understood all of this to mean that the locals aren't the government. Tensions are often between governments.

Dario_Sluthammer · 2014-12-15T01:47:13+00:00

If traveling through countries where you don't speak the language, take pictures of your bags before you go. That way if they get lost, you can show the picture to the airline / train attendant rather than trying to remember the local words for "burnt orange with purple highlights duffel bag".

dageshi · 2014-12-15T00:49:27+00:00

Take the train there and the plane back, up until the end of your trip everything is part of the journey at the end you just want to get home.

Scope72 · 2014-12-15T01:19:51+00:00

[deleted]

Gaviero · 2014-12-14T23:52:50+00:00

Travel in the morning. If flights get wacky, you have time to re-book and get to your destination before dark.

Rose1982 · 2014-12-15T02:48:47+00:00

If you're traveling solo and intimidated by it, take 20 or 30 minutes when you get to a new place, sit down with a map and get your bearings. There's no need to rush and you'll feel better about it all.

Trudeau19 · 2014-12-15T00:25:48+00:00

take twice the amount of money and only pack half of what you need.

shayhtfc · 2014-12-15T01:13:49+00:00

Most of the best advice is already here. Here's one that I've found applicable everywhere but especially in France, where shopkeepers are often considered rude.

When you first walk into a shop, look at the shopkeeper, smile, and say hello/bonjour/hola etc., whatever is appropriate. Even if you don't say anything else in their language they will be friendly and helpful I've found.

Thesealiferocks · 2014-12-15T03:07:30+00:00

Embrace that you will never see everything in every city you will visit.

speaks_in_redundancy · 2014-12-15T00:57:24+00:00

A country can have a lot more to offer than just it's capital city.

2014-12-15T03:14:04+00:00

"You are an ambassador of your country and culture." This is what my parents used to tell me while we were living in Europe. Whether you're traveling in someone else's country, or hosting/interacting with someone from another culture, you are going to change the way that they think about your entire culture.

It's an awesome responsibility. You can confirm or change stereotypes with your behavior. I've been blessed to get to live abroad in several countries, and seen this play out numerous times. Currently, I'm in Japan and seeing this play out at my job. I'm doing my best to give everyone I work with a good impression of America - considering that I'm probably the only American that they know. Unfortunately, a lot of my co-workers don't realize that their behavior reinforces or changes the way I think about their entire country. I've also seen the flip-side of this, watching people watch me and realize that I or the group of Americans I'm with are not making good impressions.

It's a sad that people make and use stereotypes, but it's something that travelers have to live with. It's sad that people will make judgments about entire groups of people based on the behaviors of a few, but it's a fact of life. Consider your behavior and how you come across to people.

iamfriedsushi · 2014-12-15T00:10:41+00:00

Back up ALL your photos regularly. Getting a laptop or camera stolen sucks, losing your photos sucks even more.

TacoExcellence · 2014-12-15T02:19:18+00:00

[deleted]

drunk_kronk · 2014-12-15T05:50:11+00:00

[deleted]

thekingbarron · 2014-12-15T01:29:13+00:00

Get a journal and write in it every day. Reading back on the small sensory details I wrote down (that I normally would have forgotten if not written down that day) helps me go back and put myself in that time and place again.

2014-12-15T04:16:07+00:00

My friends and I just refer to this tip as our non-negotiables; When traveling with a group, have everyone pick 1 thing that they absolutely must do on the trip (or one thing per country, per day, etc. depends on your specific trip). Make sure everyone gets to do their one thing, and then just go with the flow for everything else. Having really high expectations and a large to do list has the potential to leave some people disappointed. However, if everyone only has one non-negotiable, then everything else feels like icing on the cake!

Example: When we went to England, One girl in our group wanted to go to Abbey Road, another person wanted to see a show, another wanted to go to the Harry Potter studio thing, and I wanted to go to Stonehenge. We got all of those things done, and a lot of other things too!

Before we started choosing just one non-negotiable per person, we went to Ireland. One of the people in our group had a list of like 15 things she wanted to do while we were there... for 4 days. We got about half the list done, but she was just disappointed that we missed so much.

Anyway-now before we go on a trip, we spend weeks just figuring out what our non-negotiable is going to be. Really helps build anticipation!

HRRB · 2014-12-15T06:22:13+00:00

Scan or take pictures of your I.D. card, passport, insurance and flight information, and and travel visas you have, and send it to yourself in an email. That way wherever you are in the world, if you lose everything you have, you can still access all your personal documents from anywhere with internet.

ChildhoodRelics · 2014-12-15T00:50:13+00:00

Never give money to child beggars.

Best case scenario, they keep the money and you gave them a disincentive to go to school and better themselves.

Worst case scenario, all or most of the money is taken by their "handler" who then seeks out more children to abuse.

t800rad · 2014-12-15T12:10:46+00:00

I was doing a study abroad in college and completely new to travel. I admit I had a rather narrow view of the world back then, and still had a lot of maturing to do.

Standing there on the streets of Glasgow, admiring the School of Art, my professor at the time came up and said, "you know, if you think about it, how long did it really take you to get here? Eight hours? Eight hours to completely change your life."

Guy read me like a book. But he was right, and I like to think I haven't looked back.

Live_for_Now · 2014-12-15T02:35:35+00:00

Always carry toilet paper.

Sighohbahn · 2014-12-15T03:26:11+00:00

It's ok to be a tourist.

flyinglifeaway · 2014-12-15T02:39:00+00:00

Respect the people and their culture when you go to their country.

chasetravel · 2014-12-15T01:02:13+00:00

As soon as you arrive in a country get a pay-as-you-go/prepaid data sim - they can be pretty cheap, most countries now have great coverage and Google (maps/search/translate) is your best friend when things go wrong. Also handy if you need to call accommodation or a taxi.

SatoriPt1 · 2014-12-15T03:34:54+00:00

While it can be bad to over plan something, under planning is just as bad. You end up wasting time trying to figure out where to stay/eat/etc. instead of just enjoying the destination. One thing I like to do is look up things I want to see/places I want to eat at, mark them in my City Maps 2 Go app, and whenever I'm wandering around somewhere, I can check where I'm at (the app can use GPS without data) and see what restaurant or landmark I'm closest to.

termderd · 2014-12-15T16:12:09+00:00

I'm probably too late to this party, but I haven't seen my favorite trip for international travel.

If you can afford it, RENT A CAR! You would not believe how much more you can see and experience if you have a car. You won't be waiting for schedules for buses, trains and planes. You don't have to cry every time your train passes a gorgeous castle that you'd love to explore.

You always have a place to keep your luggage.

Seeing something on the out skirts of a city is no big deal.

Best of all, in a pinch, you have a place to sleep no matter what. I've missed hotel check ins twice in Europe (often times the check in closes by 10 pm, sometime even 8) don't make it there on time, you're screwed.

It's very easy now a days with GPS to get you around. Being able to drive a stick is a bonus because it will be cheaper and more readily available.

It especially makes sense if you're going with one or two other people as you can divide the cost. Even alone it ended up being pretty reasonable compared to the train.

I just can't express how much even driving from destination to destination still feels like part of the adventure. You just actually see more. You stop at tiny little towns to fill up and walk around. It's just the best. I'd say you get double the vacation. Like I said it might cost almost double if you're alone compared to the train, but you'll get double the experience.

2014-12-15T02:14:53+00:00

[deleted]

thechinesekid · 2014-12-15T01:07:07+00:00

Pack light

grenada19 · 2014-12-15T03:54:55+00:00

Always go to the bathroom before you get on a bus
Always carry toilet paper
Take a travel towel and flip flops

yd512 · 2014-12-15T01:18:23+00:00

Befriend the locals! They'll take you to local spots, not just the touristy places. You'll learn more about their culture, cooking, language, etc. It's a much more authentic experience and maybe you'll have a friend you can visit again.

Frankenlady · 2014-12-15T01:05:17+00:00

[removed]

some_mango · 2014-12-15T02:42:00+00:00

Try never to be in a rush to get out of the airport/train station after a long trip, take your time, grab a water/coffee and figure out the best/safest way to get to your destination. (doesn't always work out though)

Figure out where the grocery store is and use it for your non-fancy meals.

Try carsharing when traveling in europe, it's cheaper and often the drivers normally are looking for someone to chat with on the road. You're the perfect passenger in a lot of ways.

radii314 · 2014-12-15T03:56:55+00:00

don't drink the water and use condoms

Balloonsfor600 · 2014-12-15T05:23:29+00:00

Hard lesson learned: carry a basic first aid kit with you. Bandaid, painkillers, anti diarrhea medicine and some kind of wrap. Have a basic working knowledge of common injuries.

Source: Wife broke her finger at 3:30 AM - as we were trying to catch a bus to the airport on our way home. Made for a long travel day when neither the hotel, nor any airports has any first aid. Finally got her splinted up when we got home 18-20 hours later.

octygen · 2014-12-15T12:47:44+00:00

That 90% of the people in this world live "boring" routine lives. And for every one of them you are a welcome diversion wherever they may be if you are considerate and kind.

I experienced this myself when after meeting a random girl in Japan I was at her parents home for 3 days in a little village called Joyo. This was a day later and completely unplanned. They are now family friends.

cheesaye · 2014-12-15T00:50:03+00:00

just do it

2014-12-15T15:03:22+00:00

Focus on experiencing, not documenting

Daniz64 · 2014-12-15T04:43:59+00:00

Purple lights in a red light district mean a woman with a penis. At least that's what I was told.

2014-12-15T05:31:18+00:00

Pack less.
Make sure your fed and rested or you get crabby

tranquillo_man · 2014-12-15T02:30:00+00:00

Bring baby wipes

SgtBrowncoat · 2014-12-15T06:55:31+00:00

I worked for a summer at a small travel specialty store - mostly selling overpriced luggage and such. A woman came in asking for a power adapter for her trip to Hawaii.

"Ma'am, you don't need a power adapter, Hawaii is part of the United States."

She argued with me and swore up and down that I was wrong, culminating in "What do you know anyway?"

"Well, I did live there for four years."

She still refused to believe me, so I grabbed a random power adapter and sold it to her. "See, I knew you were lying to me! You always need one when you go overseas!"

"Have a nice day, be sure to keep your receipt."

yzerfontein · 2014-12-15T12:50:21+00:00

When you arrive in a new city, make it your first mission to travel to the tallest point and take in the views.

cabpooler · 2014-12-15T00:13:17+00:00

Go. Now. One way.

386-dx · 2014-12-15T05:21:21+00:00

In addition to the golden advice ("Half the clothes, twice the money"), pack clothes that go well together. That way you can wear anything with anything else no matter which ones are dirty. You won't have to carry a lot and worry about how to combine them.

386-dx · 2014-12-15T05:25:42+00:00

Do some research about your destination before and/or during your visit. It's fun to discover and explore as you go along, but it's ridiculous to leave everything to chance and miss some of the best stuff. You will also understand and appreciate them better if you have some background info.

2014-12-15T07:08:18+00:00

This is specifically for the airport, but it's stuff I wish everyone knew.

Before you even leave your house hotel, the only thing you need in your pockets is an ID/passport, cash, and/or a credit card. That's it. Everything else, watch/phone/belt/wallet/jewelry/etc is in my carryon bag. This way you don't have to spend five minutes holding up the line while you take everything off/out as you stand at the xray machine.
Take your computer out while you're standing in line for security. Another thing you won't have to do at the xray machine.
Once you get through the metal detector, pick your stuff up and carry it away from the xray machine. Every airport in the world has benches and tables no more than ten feet away from the conveyor belt. Pick up your stuff and carry it there. The #1 thing that makes security lines take so long is people standing there at the belt putting everything back on/in.
When it comes to dealing with desk agents, you catch more flies with honey than you do with vinegar. Be friendly, be patient, be polite. These people get yelled at all day long by a-holes who think they're the most important person in the world, they are usually grateful when someone is nice to them. Same is true of flight attendants.
Make every effort to check in online the day before. It makes the whole process at the airport that much easier.
This is my preference, but just check the bag. I hate when I can't find room in any overhead bins for my small backpack because everyone has carried on their giant rolling bags and garment bags. We're all allotted 1/3 of a bin. The entirety of your carryon luggage should fit in that. This will also make the boarding process way faster.

If everyone followed these simple rules, air travel would go soooooo much smoother.

jeanlebon · 2014-12-15T13:35:59+00:00

Travel off season: cheaper and easier.

squeevey · 2014-12-15T14:05:48+00:00

Book your tickets first, figure out the rest after.

tuckskeffington · 2014-12-15T14:13:09+00:00

Never eat pâté from a vending machine.

witoldc · 2014-12-15T16:16:35+00:00

Money solves almost all problems and makes travel a lot more fun. Save up.

Anonymoustard · 2014-12-15T00:54:40+00:00

No check-in luggage.

leviathan235 · 2014-12-15T05:07:46+00:00

I've always found that it's a good idea to ask any random locals where their favorite restaurant is. This way, not only will it flatter them that their opinion is valued by someone, but also you get to have (likely) inexpensive and local cuisine. I'm sure most people here know that though.

thesauce25 · 2014-12-15T05:52:57+00:00

Wear merino wool, even if it's a hot climate. Keeps you cool and comfortable, plus you can wear it a bunch of times in between washings and it still smells great.

daqua99 · 2014-12-15T16:06:13+00:00

I can't pick just one piece of advice...

Don't rush/try to do too much.

You might be able to do a highlights tour on your own in Paris for two days, but if you're spending $2000+ on flights, you may as well do things properly and actually take in the culture and learn a bit as well. If you're gonna do something, do it properly.

Also, I now think of travelling between cities as a wasted day. Go to fewer places, but do them more thoroughly.

Work your flights efficiently

Personal thing. I did Sydney-LA-Toronto, and it was 36 hours door-to-door for me (I had a stupid 8 hour layover in LA). Similar thing was done on the way home (Rome-London-Singapore-Sydney). Next time I'll be adding a day break in there, I spent like 4 days in Toronto trying to get over the jetlag.

Eat before you get on a plane (especially for long-haul flights

I was on a BA flight, NY-London. Luckily I ate beforehand, because we took off and heard that there was no hot food as the electronic system was screwed and they didn't have enough power for the ovens

Ingey · 2014-12-15T18:08:53+00:00

"No matter how busy, you always have time to say Hello." - French rail ticket clerk.

spunky_sheets · 2014-12-15T00:43:12+00:00

Not exactly advice, but as I was putting together a gross schedule one friend said "no offense, but I hope you get over there and this all falls to shit" (meaning that it would be more fun to not have any schedule to try to follow).

Lambaline · 2014-12-15T03:34:24+00:00

If flying, take a second pair of clothes and whatever toiletries you need in case your plane gets delayed and they put you in a hotel for the night or they loose your luggage. I learned this the hard way

chasetravel · 2014-12-15T00:54:16+00:00

Aim to arrive in a new city near the start or middle of the day - nothing is worse than getting delayed and ending up arriving near midnight

wescoe23 · 2014-12-15T02:39:13+00:00

bring lots of socks

Blugentoo2therevenge · 2014-12-15T04:55:22+00:00

Use a new toothbrush while on a trip and throw it away as soon as you get home. Never felt flu like after traveling again.

Samurai911 · 2014-12-15T09:46:50+00:00

Always choose to do what you will remember 10 years from now - It cuts out all the confusion about what to do next, immediately...

penis_berry_crunch · 2014-12-15T12:50:04+00:00

BIT... Buy it there. Pack less, especially if going from cold to warm and unsure of what you may need when you arrive. Buy cheap, disposable items rather than packing heavy.

Do not do this if going to a resort in a remote area. You will get killed on $45 sun screen.

Gaddaim · 2014-12-15T12:59:19+00:00

Bring twice the money and half the clothes you initially planned to

TProphet69 · 2014-12-16T08:56:32+00:00

Stay out of jail, and stay out of gun battles. In particular, stay out of jail in Armenia and stay out of gun battles in the Golden Triangle. And if you find yourself in Pyongyang asked to bow to a statue, bow to the fucking statue.

This is the best piece of travel advice I've given. Take it to heart. :)

mahler004 · 2014-12-16T22:19:19+00:00

I'm way too late for this thread, but anyway.

If you're at a very popular museum, and there's a popular piece of artwork you want to see, get early and go to that artwork first, you'll have it all to yourself (or at least mostly.) For example, in the Louvre, the Mona Lisa early in the day (9ish) is not crowded at all. At 11, there was a crowd going back to the back of the room (it's a big room.)

It's a good idea to get in early to popular museums so you're not waiting in line for hours.

RunNickRun · 2014-12-15T00:49:52+00:00

Don't be afraid to try new things.

I think this is a simple piece of advice but that's what travel is really all about, isn't it? New experiences.

food_monster · 2014-12-15T04:40:50+00:00

Don't overplan. Leave room for things you discover along the way.

RoostasTowel · 2014-12-15T06:01:32+00:00

Get a job on a cruise ship. 5 years, 50 countries.

pakinrhymes · 2014-12-15T11:55:44+00:00

It's all about the people.

2014-12-15T13:24:50+00:00

If you're renting a car, take a picture of the car with the number plate in it. When I got my car towed in Montenegro I had never been so relieved to have taken a picture of the car!

msprang · 2014-12-15T14:04:41+00:00

Always learn the local phrase for "where's the bathroom?"

2014-12-15T14:08:12+00:00

Don't ever book the earliest available flight, especially if you are unfamiliar with the airport. That's how you end up at an airport 4 hours early when they don't even open until an hour before the flight that may or may not have been cancelled, when the security checks alone take over an hour and the desks aren't manned until after opening anyway.

Source: I booked all early morning flights for a vacation in Europe. Craziness ensued.

lissit · 2014-12-15T03:24:10+00:00

dont' skimp out on travelers insurance

eilah_tan · 2014-12-15T02:02:51+00:00

don't prepare too much. it's scary to go travelling and not knowing what exactly you're going to be doing and where you'll go and stay, but try to keep everything flexible. put down some things that you'd like to visit, but keep space to fit in new things, to visit places other people on the road recommend you that you never thought of. those will be the best places you'll visit.

also; DON'T (I repeat; DON'T) book local travels in advance (like local busses). especially when you're going to third world countries, those kind of "buspasses" will be 8 times more expensive to book in your home country from going through so many middlemen, and you will figure everything out just as easily once you get there (+ it will tie you down again to a fixed route)

nix831 · 2014-12-15T05:36:23+00:00

I kept a pack of very cheap cigarettes and a bottle opener on me when I was around.

That way I had a way to give a local/hobo/officer a cigarette, and they'd be more likely to help me. Or at least chat.

The lighter for the same reason, plus it can also open beer bottles which is also good.

Brickie78 · 2014-12-15T08:56:26+00:00

Even if you're only going somewhere for a day or two, try and learn at least "Do you speak English" and basic things like please and thank you in the local lingo.

Even if you massacre it, people will generally recognise you've made the effort - especially if it's something difficult and/or unusual for foreigners to know, like Hungarian or Mongolian.


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