20 Travel Tips From a Travel Blogger

During all my years when I’ve traveled and visit places around the world, I’ve learned different things, both when I’ve traveled alone but also when I traveled with other people. Now I want to share my best travel tips to you and hope it can make your trip easier next time!

This is my 20 Travel Tips!

These are my Top 20 Travel tips:

1. Extra set of clothes in your hand luggage

Always pack an extra set of outfit in your hand luggage. So many times I’ve spilled on my blouse, or wanted to change when I arrived but I haven’t got my suitcase, I have always thanked myself (LOUD!) that I packed an extra set of clothes in my hand luggage! Put down an extra toothbrush, deodorant and a set of outfit, for example a shirt / blouse / pants / dress / underwear / swimwear / sweater.

2. Learn how to manage your jet lag

In this post you can read about my tips how to avoid Jetlag. Drink plenty of water, avoid coffee and alcohol and try to stay awake as long as possible at your final destination.

3. Learn how to pack properly

I have learned and shared with you my packing tips before. Roll your clothes, it will take least space and they don’t get wrinkled. If you also have clothes that don’t wrinkle at all, it´s perfect! Pack just 1 pair of jeans, I promise- you don’t need more!

4. Always buy return tickets

Whether it is a flight ticket, train-bus ticket, or anything else that you know you’re going to and back, always buy a roundtrip ticket. You save money on it!

5. Spread out your money

When you change money and get cash in your hand, divide them into smaller piles (equal in every pile) and put in different places.

Tips: In addition to what you have in your wallet, have a pile hidden in your toilet bag and one pile in your passport, for example.

6. Pack some snacks

Whether if you are flying, out on a day trip or in the hotel room, always pack down some snacks. I usually buy some “travel candy” and having in my hand luggage. Partly because it is nice to have some candy when you are flying, just like when you go to the cinema but it has happened that I don’t know when I get food the next time. For everyone’s comfort, it is good to pack a bar, some nuts or something else.

7. Be nice

You never know who you run into, so be always nice and give a smile. You might be upgraded on your flight and hotel because you are nice to the staff or you may receive a job offer because you met the right person you were nice to in the elevator. You never know what you can get back by showing some kindness, so give a smile and be friendly. You never know what you will get back in the long run!

8. Dare to ask

If there is anything I have learned during my travels is to ask. Ask others if they could take pictures of you, or where you are on the map or ask for advice for the best restaurant. I have almost never received a no when I asked for help. Dare to ask, the worst you can get is a no and then you will ask someone else. The probability that you get no twice in a row is very small.

9. Back up

A nightmare for me as a travel blogger is to get rid of all my pictures I have taken during my travels, especially if I’m away for a long period and have thousands of photos I don’t want to get rid of. My best tip is to store them in the cloud (online backup). Have a backup in Dropbox, iCloud, or something like that instead of an external hard drive.

10. Add extra in your budget

I have always exceeded my budget when I travel, ALWAYS. I think I put it at a reasonable level, but it has turned out that I do begrudge me when I’m traveling. It has happened that I made excursions I didn’t think of. To experience the adventure things I may not counted on, I have been able to do them just because I’ve learned to have an extra budget aside. Money that is not really there, but that I use in case something similar situation emerges, or if I get robbed, I know I have back up money to survive and that on a separate account!

11. Take the business card from your hotel

So many times it has saved me having a business card from my hotel in my pocket / purse / wallet to show to the taxi driver. Sure, you can photograph a map where you live or take a print screen from your mobile on Google maps but if you run out of batteries, what do you do? 🙂 Having a business card from your hotel is my best tips!

12. Laundry

Try to plan a little in advance what you will take with you so you don’t panic like me and don’t know what to pack. Always wash before you pack, it is much easier to know what to pack then. In addition, you don’t want to laundry your things the first you have to do when you arrive to a new place 😉

13. Wet wipes

I always take a few extra wipes if they give it out on the flight, otherwise I ask for some wet wipes. I always need them when I’m flying, but not otherwise. Some pieces is enough for me, I never buy a package before departure, but one tip is to do that if you know you are using them more often than me.

14. Proper suitcase

Last summer I bought a proper suitcase which you can read more about here. Having a good, stable and hard suitcase cost a little more but may be worth it in the end. I was tired of my suitcase that broke most of the time, one lock was always broken up when I got it on the luggage belt or something inside had broken. Personally I think that Samsonite suitcases is the best suitcase for me, the design and functionality suits me and my traveling. Switch to a proper suitcase!

15. Sneakers

If there is anything I have learned to love when I am traveling nowadays, is to wear sneakers. Previously, I have not thought about it. It has never suited to my outfit I had and it has felt awkward to walk around in sneakers. Don’t know if it’s because I grew older, or if it’s because I learned how nice and comfortable it is to discover places with sneakers. I don’t get as tired in my feets and nowadays I don’t care how they look like. Today there are lots of different sneakers to choose from and I have found both stylish, lightweight and super comfortable Nike shoes that I always have with me on my travels!

16. Notebook

Every day, I always carry with me a small notebook in my purse. Specially when I travel it has never been so filled with information, impressions, and to do lists that when I fly. Write down what you have in your mind at once, otherwise you have forgotten it. It happened to me several times and nowadays I have learned to write everything down in my little notebook. I always get a lot of inspiration for my travel blog when I’m flying. If I one day don’t know what to write here on my blog, I know that it is just to get on an airplane! 🙂

17. Halve your packing

I’m learning every time how I should pack my suitcase, even today I’m still  learning. Before I always packed everything I wanted with me, which was several pieces of luggage. Nowadays I have learned which ones are my favorite clothes and what I use most of the time, depending on the type of the trip. My tip is to pack what you want in your suitcase and then halve all content. You will not need everything, I promise. “Less is more”! 😉

18. Don´t have too high expectations

I have always had very high expectations of my travels, always. I fantasized how places looks after Googled it or seen pictures in books at the places where I’m going. But sometimes it is not always as expected. I have begun to realize that more and more nowadays. Example, you can’t decide what the weather will be at your place. Sometimes it will be clouds or rain. But surely this is not the whole world, right? Try to be positive- you are on an adventure! 😀

19. Don´t book to much things

Don’t book all days with activities on your trip. From personal experience, it will be too stressful and you can not really relax and take the days as they come. Nowadays I book only if it is something special that needs to be pre-booked or I’ll take the days as they come. Obviously, I have a list of what I want to see and do, but now I try to split them up on each day and prioritize the most important. You also need to enjoy your trip and maybe do something spontaneous! I’m trying to teach me that even today, because I am an expert in creating lists 😉 You can always come back again.

20. Travel insurance

Last but not least, you should have a travel insurance when you are traveling. I can highly recommend that! It is usually included today in your MasterCard or VISA card. Check with your bank or card provider what is included. You may need it when you least expect it!

This is my best travel tips I can give to you. Do you have some other tips, please let me know!

Happy Travels!
// Charlotte