Basic Travel Advice

This is just really basic travel advice that I've realized first-hand the past couple of years.

1. When they say to be at the airport two hours in advance of an international flight, they ain't kidding. Especially if it's a big airport, because chances are, you will have to walk for several minutes to get to the desk to check in and sometimes airports can be disorienting. (Plus, they never post clocks.)

2. Always travel with just a carry-on and a backpack/purse if at all possible. You will save money from having to check a bag--yes, I realize that most international flights allow a free checked bag, but just because you can, doesn't mean you should.

        a. Traveling lighter makes you more jet-set. You can just get off the plane and go. Especially if you are taking a subway and then walking to your destination, you will appreciate traveling light.

        b. Airports can't lose your luggage if all your stuff is with you.

        c. It's less to worry about and you can focus on having a good time.

        d. "But I'm a girl and need a bunch of stuff." No, you don't. I'm a girl and I do it all the time. I have a post coming called "Pack This, Not This" to help you do this. It's totally doable; it just takes planning. I even packed like this for my honeymoon and had enough different outfits for two weeks, plus lingerie.

3. If your trip is to somewhere like Asia or parts of South America where you can buy lots of inexpensive gifts, then and only then travel with a checked bag. Make sure to put something in it on the way there, though. Foreign countries hate to see you come in with an empty checked bag, because they think you are coming for purely commercial gain and not paying export taxes. One thing I do is to pack things that I don't want anymore like clothes, pillows, stuffed animals. . .anything that takes up room. Then I just leave that stuff in the foreign country and then store my carry on inside it until I start buying gifts. Another option is to buy your checked bag in the country you visit; however, why spend money when you don't have to?

 4. When you book your flight and you can't afford first-class, pick your seat(s) as far back in the plane as you can. Most people with crying babies will pick seats near the front. Sometimes, there are even empty seats back there and you can spread out a little. If you are concerned about not getting your food in time, then request a special food option when you book your flight. I have been known to request "low sodium" just so I could get my food fast and have the rest of the time to sleep. This isn't good advice if you have a super-short layover or are rushed to get off the plane as soon as you land.

5. If you happen to get a layover in another country or a city you've never experienced, see if you can book a really long layover (6+ hours). Only do this if you can check ahead of time to see if there is easy transportation from the airport into whatever town is nearby. I have seen Taipei, Doha (Qatar), Hong Kong, Lost Angeles, and Honolulu this way. It's like a mini-vacation, and you don't have to spend money on a hotel! Plus, you get another stamp on your passport if it's another country. Some airports even have packages you can buy where someone takes you around sight-seeing for a fee and gets you back before your flight (I've never done that, though, because I'm cheap). I like to book these on the way back from a trip, because it gives me something to look forward to on the way home from a vacation.

6. This may offend people who don't drink, but it's a really easy and cheap way not to get sick. When you travel to a underdeveloped or developing country, hit up the Duty Free before you leave the airport, and buy a shot-size bottle and a bigger bottle of vodka. When you go out during the day, keep the little bottle in your purse or pocket and take a small swig before each meal. When you get back to your hotel, fill it back up with the bigger bottle. When I have done this, I don't get sick; when I don't do this, I get sick. I've also had doctors prescribe me antibiotics before a trip, but vodka works better for some reason.

7. Check cheaptickets.com and priceline.com for the cheapest ticket, then go to the airline's website that has the lowest fare and see if the ticket is even cheaper on the airline's actual site. This doesn't always work, but I have saved a few hundred dollars this way, every once in awhile.

8. Most travelers know this, but in case you don't: Plane tickets cost the most if you fly out on a weekend. Tuesdays and Thursdays are low fare days. Whether you are flying in or out, try to book on these days, but also play around with various days of the week to come up with the cheapest fare. Also, when actually buying a ticket, you will find that tickets are usually cheaper to purchase on a Tuesday or Wednesday. Monday/Thursday is getting into the weekend and airlines know most people shop for tickets on the weekends.

9. When watching a ticket and all of a sudden it seems to be really low, you should buy it. Airline companies will jack it up the next day once they see people are interested. If no one buys it, it may stay the same or maybe even drop, but that's too big a gamble to risk if you find a good price.

10. If you are a white woman and/or in a group of women, don't even think about traveling to a Muslim country unless you book through a tour group. Yes, it seems less experienced to book a tour, but. . .there is no point in proving your traveling prowess if you end up dead. I'm just being honest. Book through a local tour group, not a British or American group. They are smaller, way cheaper, and know how to deal with their own culture first-hand. Check the news before you start planning to school yourself on any possible tensions beforehand.

11. Bother to read about the culture you visit before you go. So many Americans make us all look bad because they don't care how they dress or speak. Listen, People, not everywhere is America! Look up appropriate gestures, eye contact, and dress. Show some respect! If a culture hates to see women's shoulders, guess what, you're not going to teach them all a lesson by wearing a tank top. Don't be an idiot abroad!

12. Pack one or two protein bars. You never know when you will have to miss a meal.

13. Pack a couple dryer sheets. You aren't guaranteed to have access to a laundry facility, and dryer sheets will help freshen a slightly sweaty jacket better than nothing at all. Febreeze is liquid and impractical for travel. Think of others around you and don't be a gross traveling hippie hobo.

Okay, that's all for now!