Rules for Travel That I Swear By
Travel is something so personal, so particular to the individual, that it might seem weird to think about rules for travel. Certainly you should take trips that work for you, but over lots of different types of travel – backpacking, luxury, weekend getaways, & everything in between – I have honed my own travel savvy guidelines for making the most of any trip:
The first time you see something you like, buy it. It sounds simple enough, but in the moment of traveling, I often succumb to wondering if the price will be better if I wait and find the item somewhere else or if I’ll find something I like more later. Overwhelmingly, any time I didn’t buy something I liked, I went on to regret it (like that oil and vinegar holder shaped like a bunch of grapes in Siena, Italy that I didn’t buy). Often you won’t see something again, or the next version will be pricier, which is how this became one of my top rules for travel. You’ll save yourself a lot of stress if you just buy something you want, when you see it first.
Keep expectations low. I don’t mean to be a downer here, and you don’t always have to assume the worst case scenario, but when traveling it doesn’t hurt to do a bit of contingency planning. Or at least keep expectations minimal. Either an experience will meet your low expectations . . . or you’ll end up pleasantly surprised, like I did at the Al Alam Palace in Muscat, Oman (pictured above). When you have high hopes going into the unknown, it often results in disappointment, while starting off with low expectations often results in surprise and delight!
Minimize the number of different places you sleep. It’s always nicer to have a home base for a few consecutive nights than packing up all your stuff and checking out each morning. On my recent 8-night trip to Belize, I only stayed in 2 different places (San Ignacio & Placencia) and loved using these spots as jumping off points for excursions and exploring during the day. That said, sometimes you do have several consecutive single nights to accommodate your itinerary, and the rules for travel go out the window. But when this happens, I try to pad it on either side with multiple nights somewhere, which helps avoid extra re-packing and maximizes travel time each day.
Pay attention to (and follow!) local norms. Really take in your surroundings and how the local people behave. This can be anything from how to order at the neighborhood coffee shop to how people ride public transportation. And an important one in many places with basic sewage systems – in the bathroom, when you notice a trash bin filled with toilet paper, it means that the toilet paper shouldn’t be flushed, and you should follow suit.
Crowd source all street directions. Definitely don’t assume that because you asked a local how to get somewhere, that you got accurate information. First of all, in some cultures people never say they don’t know something, so you might be getting directions from someone completely clueless. But even if not, a local can be mistaken or confused about where you’re heading. If I’m turned around, I’ll ask one person for directions that I start following, but maybe a minute later I’ll ask someone else, and again a few minutes later. If you talk to enough people, you’ll be pointed the right way!
Look like you have nothing of value. I’m not really a backpacker anymore most times that I travel, but I sure look like one most of the time. Pickpockets and the like are always sizing people up based on appearances, so I try to look like I own nothing worth stealing. Although I flew Emirates First to Sri Lanka (thanks, free upgrade!), I took my large backpack as my suitcase, which meant that when the 1st class car was sold out, I was able to take the 2nd class train cars within the country without being a target. And on my recent trip around Asia, Australia, and the Middle East, I traveled with my old, shredding, barely-white-anymore cloth purse. Even though I had a fair bit of cash on me at the outset, no one even showed remote interest in my ratty handbag, which is just the way I like it.
Be aware of your surroundings. This is one of my top rules for travel. It’s easy to get caught up in sightseeing, but it is at the most incredible sights that people are likely to prey on tourists. Enjoy your travels, but don’t do it at the expense of a bit of travel savvy. There’s a lot you can tell about a place just by observing, so make it a point to consciously check out the area around you as you go, and trust your gut instincts if something doesn’t feel right. It doesn’t need to be logical, but only stick around the areas where you feel comfortable.
Take calculated risks. No matter how you travel, or how much you plan out ahead of time, you’ll inevitably end up in situations where you’ll need to trust someone. Like that time my friend and I left our bags behind to swim to the island of Bled in Slovenia. Or on my recent Belize trip when I brought my valuables to a local waterfall for the day, fairly certain that it would be small enough I could easily watch my things, and that they’d be safer with me than left unattended at my guesthouse. Be cautious, but caution doesn’t mean taking *no* risks.
Pack as if you will have to carry your luggage up and down stairs by yourself. Because let’s be real, often you will. Even in decently fancy places, there is not always an elevator and the bellhop may not be nearby when you arrive or leave. And there have been countless times in airports that I’ve boarded outside where you have to climb up and down the stairs yourself. If you can’t carry your luggage, you’ve packed too much!
READ MORE: Why the Best Packing Strategy is to Pack as Poorly as Possible
If you have the opportunity to take an earlier bus or train, do it! Transportation can be unpredictable and you never know what might happen if you wait. I’ve passed on the opportunity to take an earlier mostly empty bus, only to find myself later elbowing hordes of people to catch the next bus that arrives, already overcrowded. Even if you’ve pre-booked a ticket for later transportation, you can often ride sooner for no extra cost if you just ask.
Corollary: Transit time always takes longer than you think, so plan accordingly. Even at home, buses and trains and planes don’t always arrive on time. And in foreign countries, you usually have no idea how reliable transportation is until after you arrive. Plan your itinerary to allow for some buffer time between connections, to ensure you don’t miss a key transfer.
Say yes to the unexpected! Some of my best travel experiences have been when I took a leap of faith and yes to something outside of my comfort zone, like having a local we had just met guide me and my sister through a cave in Oman. Or putting complete faith in a restaurant owner to serve me a mix of the best dishes, without asking about the price. Still not convinced? Read the book Yes Man, one of my Top Books to Inspire Travel, about all the adventures you’ll have if you say yes more.
Do you follow any of the same ‘rules for travel’? Are there other rules that guide your travel? I’d love to hear them!
Like this post? ‘Pin it’ for later.
