No. 1 Piece of Travelling Advice

[Prawn_86]

What's your number 1 tip/hint/advice for travelling?

[tayser]

Don't get sucked in to what travel agents / travel guides tell you about where to eat - follow the locals, they know better than anyone else.

[Prawn_86]

Don't get sucked in to what travel agents / travel guides tell you about where to eat - follow the locals, they know better than anyone else.

Very true there. We love going to the tiny little market stalls and sampling the local food.

Infinitely better than a 'buffet' westernised breakfast at a hotel.

[Joe Blow]

Don't forget to take a pen with you on any international flight to fill in those damned arrival cards! :mad:

Also, take off your shoes as soon as you get onboard any long haul flight.

Also, if you keep going to the back of the plane to ask for another beer they usually give them to you. Just look thirsty.

[chrissylewis03]

call your bank and let them know you're going overseas!

and get travel insurance, even though they're a bastard it's still better getting some money back from your lost baggage then none!

be adventurous with food, you never know what you could like.

[kennas]

Pack light.

The only things you REALLY must take with you are your ticket, passport and credit card.

Oh, and rum..

[Bronte]

Lol, :)
Pack your clothes etc in a clear plastic bag inside your backpack/suitcase!
This way they stay dry and its much easier to find things.

[chrissylewis03]

if you're booking through a travel agent, make sure you're clear about what country u want to visit not just saying the city. Their are alot of city's with the same names in differant countries.

i know it seems silly but it's happened to too many people! (obviously not any of my clients!!)

[darley]

I would recommend not packing too much. I have traveled places with people who felt the need to bring two huge suitcases full of clothes, or accessories. I don't even know... but the point is all that is unnecessary and a waste of energy.

[Prawn_86]

I would recommend not packing too much. I have traveled places with people who felt the need to bring two huge suitcases full of clothes, or accessories. I don't even know... but the point is all that is unnecessary and a waste of energy.
On a point similar to that i would recommend that you leave at least 1/4 of your bag empty on the way there as you are bound to pick up other clothes plus gifts etc

[chrissylewis03]

ok, i've got one...

if you're planning on visiting all the huge tourist attractions through Europe (the louve etc) you can pre book passes or pre book a tour before you go. otherwise the line up has been known to be up to 5 k's long. so many people have given up on visiting these amazing attractions because they didn't realise this and no matter how touristy they may be, they are definately a must see for first time travellers.

[Prawn_86]

Be open minded. If you are going to look down at everything, then perhaps travelling isn't for you.

[2BAD4U]

if you're booking through a travel agent, make sure you're clear about what country u want to visit not just saying the city. Their are alot of city's with the same names in differant countries.

i know it seems silly but it's happened to too many people! (obviously not any of my clients!!)

LOL!! A mate of mine was going to the US last year and was going to Panama City Beach FLORIDA, family ended up in Panama City in PANAMA.

[Umike]

Don't let local hawkers/taxi drivers deter you from where you want to go or buy.

[benfitz]

My number one tip for travelling... Book your Accommodation through Hostelworld.com

[Prawn_86]

My number one tip for travelling... Book your Accommodation through Hostelworld.com

LOL and i bet you have no association with that site... :rolleyes:

What if it doesnt list the hotels you want? Or what if you dont want to book online? Or what if you book your accomodation as part of a package?

PS - you are welcome to have a link in your sig but any further spam posts will be removed

[white_crane]

Go for a walk around the town/city that you're staying in. You'll get to see the little things that make the world such a diverse place.

[travelheart.eu]

Pack light.

The only things you REALLY must take with you are your ticket, passport and credit card.

Oh, and rum..
Not always useful credit card, check before you go if you'll be able to use it :D

[travelheart.eu]

Don't get sucked in to what travel agents / travel guides tell you about where to eat - follow the locals, they know better than anyone else.

learn about where you are travelling to... and try to learn local language. You'll be able to learn, see and experience more than from englishspeaking (=money seeking) guides, frinds, helpful guys etc.

[buddinghealth]

Read your guide book and do your research before you go and don't be afraid to throw it away and do something completely different when you get there!

[nhowelson]

always bring a lot of credit card if you have, as much as possible use the visa travelmoney to avoid high charges on expenses. and of course dont forget to bring along your camera to capture the beauty of the world.

[nathanblack]

Camera and can do attitude.

Cash, take local currency in small denominations, have $aus or $us to convert, and have multiple atm/credit cards incase one is faulty or not accepted.

take photocopies or scan passport, credit cards, etc. keep them seperate tp the originals incase they are lost or stolen. leave a copy with friend/family in australia.

[LuxTraveller]

Lay out everything you want to take, then take half of it.

Don't jump into a fountain wearing your money belt.

Call your mother once a week so she doesn't worry

[Connorlastair]

Better to carry a first aid kit.. It is very important to take care of our health.
Enjoy your holiday..

[Lindat44]

Immerse yourself into the culture, follow the locals and eat where they eat, see what they see.

[Prawn_86]

Immerse yourself into the culture, follow the locals and eat where they eat, see what they see.
Welcome to ATF Lindat :)

Great advice there, some of the best eateries can be judged by how many locals there are

[BlackEyes]

It's better to ask for the experts before doing something that you don't know if it's right or badly wrong. Also it's better to check what kind of people you're asking.

[clee4956]

how about keeping a copy of the embassy details?

[Prawn_86]

how about keeping a copy of the embassy details?
Great tip. Knowing where the embassy is can save a lot of time/hassle if you ever need to get there in a hurry

[kennas]

Carrying a single card with your name on it and some emergency numbers like home and travel insurance (and maybe embassy) might be helpful.

Not the number 1 piece of advice, but something to do in addition to the number 1 piece of advice.

[Traveller]

Keep a copy of all important information and scanned copies of all important documents in your webmail.

[Noah]

Make sure your passport[/URL] has at least six months validity and carry additional copies of your passport photo with you in case you need a replacement passport while overseas.

Leave a copy of your travel itinerary with someone at home and keep in regular contact with friends and relatives while overseas.

[clee4956]

i saw somewhere that there is something like an online vault that you can store your important information such as scanned copy of passport and stuff
and apparently they can assist in sending copy of it to the embassy or something (i assume that's extra paid service)...when you are in trouble...

i'm thinking of travelling to either south africa or india for the world cup or commonwealth games...so i'm wondering if those services are worth it...
or am i just being overly paranoid?

[Prawn_86]

i saw somewhere that there is something like an online vault that you can store your important information such as scanned copy of passport and stuff
and apparently they can assist in sending copy of it to the embassy or something (i assume that's extra paid service)...when you are in trouble...

i'm thinking of travelling to either south africa or india for the world cup or commonwealth games...so i'm wondering if those services are worth it...
or am i just being overly paranoid?
Sounds like a good idea actually.

Usually i just leave those details with a family member so if i ever lose completely everything i can just call them collect and get them to help but i like the idea. Do you know what the website is?

[Georgi]

When things go pair shaped on the road staying positive is the key as good things always seem to just happen when you need it most