Bring your camera.
It doesn’t have to be an expensive camera with all the bells and whistles. You can even get great shots with a disposable camera.
You never know when you’ll see a hilarious sign, odd landmark or spectacular sunset, so have your camera at the ready.
When traveling in countries where you don’t speak the language, always have a notepad and pen handy to help you communicate with others.
Written communication is clearer than spoken communication when there is a language barrier to overcome. The French train ticket agent might not understand what you are saying, but when you write your destination on a piece of paper, there will be no problem.
Offer the notepad to those with whom you are interacting in addition to using it yourself. Your Balinese taxi cab driver will be happy to confirm that he heard your hotel name correctly.
Cruise lines are notorious for unlimited food and fun, but what’s not unlimited? Drinks.
Beverages are pushed more than anything else on a cruise, and of course, the bill can add up quickly — especially after seven days of alcoholic indulgence.
One way to bypass this system is to fill some water bottles with some of your favorite spirits, throw it in your checked luggage, and there you go — potentially hundreds of dollars saved. With mixers on the ship usually being incredibly cheap, just go to the bar, order a can of tonic, and your mixed drink will cost you about 50 cents, instead of 6 bucks.
Be sure your luggage has your identification inside, along with your i.d. tag on the outside. (External tags can sometimes become separated from your bag.)
When I travel on long tours, I have a 2-sided information sheet pinned to the inside of checked bags. One side has contact info (usually the address and phone number of someone back home who knows how to reach me). The other side has my itinerary.
If my luggage is lost en route, there’s a better chance of locating me during my adventure, helping ensure that my bags don’t make it home before I do.
Venue-hopping is a great way to sample the cuisine and make any city your dining amusement park. How to “venue-hop”? Simple!