Travel Tips: From 333+ Days of Travel
We are by no means experts. We still don’t know everything (or anything), and we still make mistakes. But, here are some of the most useful things we have learned along the way. You might know some of these, you might not. You might just need a reminder as you plan your next trip. We have broken them up into four categories:
Everyday Tips: Tips that are applicable no matter where you go.
Tech Tips: Self explanatory. How to use technology to help you travel better.
Planning Tips: Tips to consider when planning your trip.
Destination Tips: Tips specific to certain countries or regions.
Everyday Tips
Tips that are applicable no matter where you go.
Always look both ways before crossing the street. It's a good habit, especially if you travel through countries that drive on the opposite side of the road as you, or countries where the one-way road is more of a guideline (looking at you Laos and Vietnam).
Learn your basic phrases. Hello. Goodbye. Thank you. Sorry. Pardon/Excuse me. It’s polite and friendly. Anywhere that’s not Germany or France will think better of you for it.
Trust but verify. Life words but in this context we mean when going somewhere or doing something, trust but verify. There is a lot of info online and everywhere that you can rely on (operating hours, directions, etc.) It’s good practice to verify that info at least once before you travel across town for a specific activity or assume that is the only way to get somewhere.
Check for local holidays. Especially in smaller towns, you could find all businesses closed and you without dinner. You can read our first hand account of this in Mostar, B&H.
Pay in local currency. If you are paying with card, always decline dynamic currency conversion or choose to pay in local currency (NOT USD). Some payment terminals will give you the option to pay in USD vs the local currency. The wording can be tricky from machine to machine but it’s the same basic principle. If you do pay in USD, you are paying a very unfavorable exchange rate for the convenience. Always decline the dynamic currency conversion (same goes for ATM withdrawals). There are 2 places we have been that actually accept (and somewhat covet) USD paper bills, Cambodia and Laos. You just have to make sure your bills are perfect, new, and crisp. Sometimes (but not always) you can get a more favorable rate paying cash in USD in these places, but you will mostly get local currency back in change.
Carry a reusable bag. We never go anywhere without our nanobags. They are small enough to fit in even a small purse or pocket and have more than paid for themselves in convenience and conservation.
Carry a reusable water bottle. Should be a no brainer but…Despite the health benefits of being able to drink water when you want and need…We have seen SO MUCH pollution from plastic water bottles. This is the easiest way to reduce your plastic waste.
Pay for the transit upgrade. Travel days can be hard, if you can pay to improve that experience, do. Obviously don’t overpay but if the difference is a few dollars, don’t question it. When you are hot and tired and cramped, you will wonder why you didn't spend the few extra dollars for the seat upgrade.
Save your drivers info. If you find a reliable driver (taxi, Uber, Bolt, Grab, etc.) save their info. You never know when you might need reliable transportation. Most drivers are more than happy to give you their personal number/info for possible future business. First day in Thailand, in Phuket, our driver from the airport had a very nice vehicle and was super friendly. We asked for his number. A week later, when Ryan was sick and we needed a car instead of a ferry, he came in clutch with our 3 hour drive to Ao Nang.
Location. Location. Location. And we don’t mean the city you are visiting (though we certainly have opinions on good places and bad places to visit). The most important factor we weigh when visiting any city is the area of town you will be staying in. This can make or break a trip. Do some research and pick a part of town that best fits your vibe.
Don’t overpack. We have been on the road for more than 9 months (at the time of writing) with only a 40L Osprey pack and a 25ishL backpack each (plus a packable purse and day pack). Everything we have needed for a year fits in less than 70L of space. Unless you are hiking mount everest or doing some extreme remote backpacking, you will likely be in an area that you will be able to get something if absolutely needed. We have found equally stocked stores to the US in every destination we have been to (except Laos).
Leave the toiletries at home. Toiletries take up the MOST space in a bag (not to mention the potential for mess) and often the pure act of travel is going to throw off your curated skin/hair routine anyways. Only take what is absolutely necessary. Most places will have toiletries and even hotel stuff now has gotten a lot better. And I can assure you that some of the items you might find at your destination you might like more than your own (at the very least consider it an opportunity for a souvenir). Of course if it’s for medical purposes this doesn’t apply.
Don’t drink (heavily) the night before travel. Packing and/or traveling hungover is the. Worst. Take it from experience. A glass of wine or a beer or two is fine. Leave it at that.
Read signs. Many times the questions you have can be answered by reading signs. In almost every destination we have been, signs are in English (too) and phones even have live translate if you point your camera at a sign.
Don’t be on your phone in the elevator. We don't just mean don't be on a phone call. We cannot tell you how many people have gotten on an elevator and then been so absorbed in their phone that the door opens at their stop and they dont get off. You would not believe how many times this happens. You can stand 3 minutes without your phone.
We have a set of Travel Questions that we research before we go to a new place so we are familiar with the landscape and know what to look for and be cognizant of.
-
Currency:
What is the currency?
What is the conversion rate (generally)?
Are they more cash friendly or card friendly?
Language: How do you say…
Hello/Goodbye
Yes/No
Thank you
Pardon, Sorry, or Excuse me
Thats the bare minimum, anything else is great too!
Logistics:
What is the public transit situation?
What is the ride share app or taxi situation?
What are the visa requirements?
What is the length of stay situation for visas?
Cultural:
Tipping culture? Included as service charge, expected, not customary?
Meal times? Do they eat early or late? Will things close?
Clothing? How can you respect their cultural norms (no tank tops, shorts, etc.)
Common scams? They happen, best to know about them ahead of time so you can be prepared.
Tech Tips
We have become spoiled with travel technology. It allows so much to be accessible and at our fingertips. We could never imagine not having some of the tech we do now (like how would people ever purchase plane tickets before computers???). Here are some tech tips for travel.
Know your map apps. We stand by our use of Apple Maps most anywhere in Europe. We particularly loved the compatibility with Apple Watch for transit directions and reminders, which means you don’t even have to have your phone out to get real time directions and updates (it even tells you when it's time to get off the bus). Unfortunately Apple Maps is way less reliable (especially for public transit) in most places in Asia so we also use Google Maps (despite it suggesting nonexistent routes on more than one occasion). Believe it or not there are also other map apps out there that can be helpful. Just know what works best for your location
Know your ride share apps. Each area has different apps and availability. The two most widely used worldwide appear to be Bolt (Europe) and Grab (Asia). Price can vary and each area also probably has another local version (and some locations have no ride share apps). It’s important to research these things before so you can download and have the apps ready to go when you land.
Know your booking apps. Booking. Agoda. Airbnb. Direct. Credit Card Portal. There are so many ways to book your accommodations, each with pros and cons. We generally try to book directly as they come with the best benefits (upgrades, better room placement etc.) but as people on a budget sometimes we go with a third party because the discounts are greater. Booking (most common in Europe and the US) and Agoda (most common in Asia) tend to be the most respected and widely used (and they are apparently owned by the same company). We used to use Priceline and Expedia stateside but those do not have the international availability and status. We don’t recommend. Although our credit card portals offer generous points for booking through them, they are generally more expensive so the cost has to be worth it (though we did use their price match guarantee to get more than $100 back once). Finally, we struggle with the use of Airbnb for many reasons. There are some instances though that it just makes more sense. We thankfully have not had an Airbnb horror story yet but we still try to find alternatives where feasible.
Know your camera settings. While the sun is beautifully setting in front of you, it is not the time to play around with your camera settings for the first time.
Travel with a powerbank (in your carry on). Between photos and maps and translations and whatnot you might find yourself running out of juice on your phone. We have a large capacity power bank that we throw in our go bag that we love (it can charge our phones 4-5 times). Mophie also makes one with a built-in cord which is SO handy. We opted for capacity so we have to carry a pesky cord to charge. Weigh your needs. Also note power banks cannot be put in your checked bags, they must be in your carry on.
Get a local SIM card. ESIM, regular SIM, whatever your phone works on, get it. It’s pretty impossible to function without cellular data in this day and age. A prime example is that many places in Europe have QR menus now so at the very least you need it for the menu, and a lot of places even have you order through your phone too now. While almost every place will have WiFi (in Europe) it’s easier to be connected locally at all times.
If you are from the US traveling internationally, chances are your cell plan will work but you might wind up paying a per day or per usage fee or have very spotty signal. A very easy, affordable, and effective way around it is a local SIM. Your phone will have to be unlocked for this option though so is only possible if you can unlock your phone (i.e. you don’t owe any payments on it). If you want more info on this let us know, we have become well versed.
Get off your phone. The number of times we have seen people sitting on a beautiful beach or in other amazing scenic areas mindlessly scrolling through social media is astonishing. Enjoy the moment.
Get familiar with these apps:
WhatsApp
Nomad
Bolt
Grab
NordVPN
Planning Tips
Tips to consider when planning your trip.
Don’t overplan. We have become huge advocates for slow travel. We know most Americans can’t do that…we used to be those people…. Viv has gone from full travel plans and spreadsheets with research to booking flights and ferries 1-2 days in advance.
But even if you only have a limited amount of time, you can still embrace the slow travel mindset. Don’t try to see everything. You won’t be able to or you will have a severely diluted experience. Learn to discern what you want to see (personal) vs. what society/ social media has told you you need to see (peer pressure). Plan based on your personal taste not the peer pressure to see things. It’s totally fine to go to Paris and NOT see the Louvre.
If there are things you really want to do, try to plan them for the front end. You never know when weather, or other logistical challenges might arise that might necessitate you moving something around. If you have planned for it at the end of your trip, there might not be any time to reschedule. We learned this lesson with our hot air balloon attempt in Vang Vieng.
Know your limits: People often try to plan too much in one day. Either you think you will move faster than you actually will (or should to fully enjoy things), or you underestimate the time and/or distance to get from place to place. You might look at a map and think something is walkable..and it might be..but at what cost for your energy level to enjoy the destination and the journey. This is especially true for the Houstonians who usually don’t walk anywhere ever and therefore we can’t judge distance walking very well.
Map it out: With the above in mind, it always helps to actually map the walking (and driving) directions in your map app. This helps you get a sense of how far away something really is and how long something will take to get to. If you aren’t used to walking 5 miles a day and you are trying to walk 2 miles to get to your first stop of the day, you might want to reconsider your transit plan. You don’t have to have the map running while you walk or anything but get an estimate beforehand and plan accordingly. Also, sometimes…especially in Asia (lookin at you KL), there are some paths that are just straight up un-walkable and Google Maps lies so just be prepared. We also found this helpful when planning car journeys in Europe, because your scale for driving can be way off when dealing with different countries. As one of us grew up taking regular drives across Texas to El Paso, driving across most countries in Europe can be faster than it seems.
Buy tickets in advance: (when possible) If you are traveling with specific activities in mind (museums, attractions, etc.) it’s absolutely best to buy tickets for those things in advance (or at the least plan them on the front end of your trip). Some more popular things sell out in advance (sometimes weeks) so it’s best to get the tickets for those things ahead of time and then plan the flexible things around those time constrained activities. We absolutely stumble across museums or activities we don’t purchase in advance but for the more popular things and for your personal “must-do” things, don’t wait.
Shop around: We book local when possible but that doesn’t mean we don’t shop around on GetYourGuide or TripAdvisor to compare prices first and book through them if there are clear advantages. We also peruse tour shops to get a sense of local prices to see what to expect. This helps us judge if something is too expensive and limit getting taken advantage of. One time in Siem Reap we were going to a museum and our tuk tuk driver stopped at a tour shop so we could “purchase” our tickets. Because Ryan had looked up the ticket prices we knew what the tickets cost and therefore were prepared for the situation.
Know who to pay: When joining a tour, booking something through your hotel, or otherwise participating in an organized activity it’s best to clarify who you should pay? Should you pay the driver directly or the hotel? Should you pre-pay with card or cash on arrival? This can save you headaches and potentially lost $ by clarifying this on the front end. Shout out to our driver to and from Kuang Si falls in Laos who, instead of accepting the equivalent of $30 USD Ryan tried to hand him, told us to pay our Accommodation, teaching us this valuable lesson.
Travel days are travel days: It can be a 12 hr flight or a 90 min train, travel days are travel days. Don’t underestimate it. We don’t plan for anything additional on travel days. No last minute sights before we leave or rushing to tours when we arrive. Our only goal for the day is to get from point A to point B. We know we can afford to spend the extra day and if you only have 10 days vacation you might be reluctant, but trust us, keeping it chill on travel days will save you in the long run.
Think outside the box. We as travelers have to stop going to the same 20 destinations around the world. It is creating travel chaos, overcrowding, and overtourism nightmares for locals and tourists alike. Learn about lesser known locations. You can often get the same vibe and experience as the well known places for a much better value. Love London, try Manchester. Love Paris, try any other city in the world (seriously though, not just because we didn’t love Paris but because SO MANY cities “model” their architecture off Paris either through emulation on colonialization).
Destination Tips
Tips specific to certain countries or regions.
In Spain: Plan around the Spanish siesta. Things really do close and you can be out of luck if you are out looking for food or things to do. Side note, in Asia when it's hot and humid all day everyday, things slow way down during the hottest parts of the day when people are staying out of the sun.
In Germany: Only cross the street with the walk sign. Unlike most other places, Germans largely will not cross the street until the walk sign indicates, even if there are no cars or trains coming. It’s a social etiquette thing.
In Germany: Save your recyclables. Save your plastic, aluminum and (some) glass bottles. At grocery stores they have reverse vending machines where you input your recyclables and they will tally them and issue you a receipt which you can redeem for $$$. It is very nominal (.08 for glass and .25 for aluminum and plastic) and not all glass or plastics are accepted, but it’s a great incentive. Also, you might see people digging through the trash all around Germany. They are looking for these recyclables to turn in. If you are not going to return your recyclables, do them a favor and put the recyclables to the side of the bin so they can easily retrieve them.
In Europe: Try not to eat in the main tourist areas. The quality and price is generally not worth it. Go one street over and you will have a much better experience.
In Vietnam: Go out between 11am and 4pm to avoid the most crowds. Most locals and or Vietnamese tourists avoid the sun like the plague during the day. It is quiet, calm, and chill during the day. 5:00am-10:00am and 4:00pm onwards can be bonkers.
In Asia: Know your temple attire. For temples in Asia, women are not allowed to enter with shorts/skirts/short dresses, or tank tops/revealing tops (why you see viv in long skirts or pants in almost every temple photo). In some cases, men also need to have their knees covered. Some temples MIGHT have communal coverups you can put on to enter but it’s best to either dress appropriately if you know you are going to a temple, or carry a scarf or cover up that can be used as a skirt/shawl in a pinch. Please be respectful.
In Asia: Carry tissues and/or napkins with you. Many restaurants only give you very tiny and unhelpful napkins or we have even seen a place charge for a fancy wet wipe. Also many restrooms/WCs/comfort rooms/toilets don’t have toilet paper (or have it at the entrance for you to grab what you need).
Anywhere: If you are staying for a while (10 days+), consider staggering your accommodations. We have done this several places and we stand by it. Yes you might have to check out one place and kill time to check in another but we have gotten to see totally different sides to cities by not staying in one place. It allows us to get to know places better and see different vibes and people.
Anywhere: Don’t take anything from a vendor who says they want to give you something “free”. This is the most common scam we have seen executed everywhere. Vendors will see an opening with a friendly tourist and before you know it they have put something in (or on your hand in the case of henna tattoos in Marrakech) “for free” because they like you… then they demand money.