“The world is a book, and those who do not travel read only one page.” – Saint Augustine
Discovering new places and jumping into the unknown is a venture all men pursuit. Be it to broaden their horizons, find ourselves or de-stress, travelling is something that we should all try and do more. However, despite all the benefits that our travels may bring, it can be messy.
The world is vast and your time is sparse. Use these 10 travel hacks to make your trips more efficient, so you can enjoy all the memorable moments, a little more.
Table of Contents
Before you fly
1) Private browsing will save you money on travel
A lot of the time, travel websites will save your history from whenever you jump online and check their prices. Enable private browsing or clear your cache to keep prices at bay.
2) Make the most of packing hacks
There are hundreds of packing tips and tricks out there that you can try to make packing more effective. Try these:
- Roll your clothes rather than folding. Not only does this make better use of the space in your case, it also helps reduce the number of wrinkles for when you unpack.
- Line your shirt collars with your belts to keep them crisp whilst travelling.
- Avoid getting dirt on your clothes by putting your shoes in a shower cap.
- Make extra space by packing your underwear in your shoes.
- Protect your razor blades by using a binder clip.
3) Scan your passports and ID
Carrying your passports and IDs with you abroad can be an uncomfortable experience no matter how many zips or pockets your store them behind. Try scanning your important documents such as your TEFL certificate and emailing them to yourself. If you have an iPhone, you can save the attachments in iBooks or as a photo to have offline versions of your important information.
4) Mark your bags as fragile
We’ve all seen the clips of luggage being thrown around at airports. We know you don’t want that happening to you. By marking your suitcase as ‘Fragile’, airport staff are more inclined to put your suitcase on top of the pile.
Yep, that’s right. First case on the conveyor-belt, Gents!
5) Pack one colour scheme
No matter where you go on your travels, you don’t want to limit yourself to set outfits. By packing clothes that are similar colours, you can coordinate your clothes without much effort or mismatching. You can always pick something up if need be whilst you’re over there, too.
6) Avoid unnecessary banking charges
Many holidaymakers make the mistake of waiting to convert their currency last minute. Usually at the airport. By doing this, they subject themselves to lower conversion rates and higher admin fees. But you’re not one of those people. Find yourself a credit card without international charges and try withdrawing money straight from the ATM.
Also, let your bank know you’re travelling, unless you enjoy being bombarded with probing calls and texts.
During the trip
1) Get Wi-Fi passwords by checking comments on FourSquare
If you haven’t been hit by a large phone bill after travelling then you probably know someone who has. Avoid using your cellular data (and potential charges) whenever possible by connecting to Wi-Fi spots as you move around.
2) Use Google Maps offline
Take advantage of when you do have access to the internet. By typing ‘Ok Maps’ into Google Maps on your phone, your current area will be saved for later use to help you navigate your way offline. No more wandering aimlessly as nighttime falls.
3) Buy a portable charger
You never know where the next available socket lies, so pick up a portable charger to keep your juice levels high. You can buy credit-card sized chargers that fit into your wallet, so you no longer have to lug round a big block and wire in your pocket. A handy tip that may very well save your life.
4) On your last day, gather all your loose change and give it to charity/the homeless
Because humanity…
I’d to love to hear your own travelling hacks. Comment below!
