50 Years of Travel Tips

One travel technique that has worked very well for me takes place the day before my trip: using a pre-travel prep-and-packing checklist. I created this checklist about 15 years ago and still refine it occasionally. This list has three sections:<p>A) Preparation tasks: Like printing essential travel documents, saving a backup to my mobile phone, buying foreign currency, activating data roaming, etc.<p>B) Packing list: Mine currently has about 30 or so items, covering everything from the very basics, like toothbrush and toothpaste, to the often-overlooked, like reusable ziplock bags, microfibre cloths, etc.<p>C) Last minute checks: These are final tasks to complete just before leaving home. This includes double-checking that passports are packed, non-essential electrical appliances and lamps are switched off, balcony doors are locked, wet waste has been properly disposed of, etc.<p>By the time I step into a taxi or train to the airport, I can fully focus on the journey ahead rather than worrying about forgotten items. After all, this checklist has served me well for the past 15 years. Every item is checked off before I leave home, so as soon as I get into a taxi or train, I can relax, knowing that nothing has been forgotten.

&gt;Crash a wedding. You are not a nuisance; you are the celebrity guest! ... They will usually feel honored. You can offer the newlyweds a small token gift of cash if you want. You will be obliged to dance. Take photos of them; they will take photos of you. It will make your day and theirs. (I’ve crashed a wedding in most of the countries I have visited.)<p>That will only work if a white tourist wedding crashes in a poor country. That will not work if I (as a brown-colored southeast asian) do it.

Lots of great advice here. But..<p>&gt;In many parts of the world today motorcycles play the role of cars. That means you can hire a moto-taxi to take you on the back seat, or to summon a moto-taxi with an uber-like app, or to take a motorcycle tour with a guide doing the driving. In areas where motorcycles dominate they will be ten times more efficient than slowly going by car.<p>I would be extremely wary about this. You are so much more vulnerable on a bike. And you won&#x27;t even be wearing proper protective equipment. Even if they lend you a helmet, it is unlikely to fit properly and don&#x27;t know how many times it has been dropped or involved in a crash. Also the most common injuries to motorcyclists are to the legs, and I doubt they will be lending you boots or biking trousers.<p>No thanks!

The entire 50 years is showing here. Seems like some of these tips are good, and some are awful because they&#x27;re outdated. Don&#x27;t crash random weddings if you&#x27;re not able to pay your way out of trouble. Sketchy plans do result in kidnappings. Truly professional tour guides are wonderful assets that will 10X both your trip and your knowledge in any city.

I travel 300+ days a year for work. For two years I didn’t have a place to live because I was traveling so much. I’ve been doing this for 7 years now.<p>1) use uber, unless public transport works well(Nordic countries, Switzerland).<p>2) lock everything expensive up in the hotel safety box, otherwise eventually your shit will get stolen<p>3) have multiple methods of payment with you, leave one on the hotel.<p>4) I travel mostly with my wife who does not travel light. Most of the advice in the linked article is really general lifestyle advice. I have 100 kilos of luggage in my hotel apartment. If there’s a will, there is a way.

<i>&gt; Getting an inside tour is the ultimate travel treat. How about a factory tour,</i><p>Yes, I&#x27;m glad I did some factory tours in Japan, they were really interesting!<p>Link is to archive.org since JETRO seem to have taken down the site during the pandemic and not put it back up again: <a href="https:&#x2F;&#x2F;web.archive.org&#x2F;web&#x2F;20190407170023&#x2F;jetro.go.jp&#x2F;en&#x2F;ind_tourism&#x2F;" rel="nofollow">https:&#x2F;&#x2F;web.archive.org&#x2F;web&#x2F;20190407170023&#x2F;jetro.go.jp&#x2F;en&#x2F;in...</a>

Fantastic list. Brings back many memories.<p>Regarding the “recharge” vs “engage” trips: If you’re restless like me then you’ll probably feel most recharged after a trip that fully engaged you. Because you can’t think about work when you’re busy navigating your way through a rural and foreign land, speaking with strangers, and straining to learn just enough of a new language to get around.<p>The “laser-back” tip is 100% on point. I came to know this intuitively but I’ve never seen it put into words. One caveat I’d add there is: if it takes &gt;20 hours to get to your first destination, give yourself time and permission to just chill on the first full day there.<p>Also I want to strongly endorse the “carry-on only” tip. More than that, I suggest backpack only. Your options and opportunities for spontaneity increase significantly when you can just swing a backpack ever your shoulder and go. It also forces you to live with less, at least for a time, which in turn teaches you that actually you don’t need all that much to get by. Then you return home and question why you need a closet full of clothes.

A couple of tips from my own experience.<p>-Have a checklist, so you don&#x27;t forget stuff.<p>-Packing cubes make packing a bag much easier.<p>-For long flights with a stopover (e.g. Europe to NZ) you can stay in a transit hotel in the airport terminal. This means you don&#x27;t have to go through immigration, security etc. So much easier than having to travel out to a hotel.<p>-I have found Airalo to be quite good for local data esims.

So many people got enraged enough about one or two tips to comment on them, to the exclusion of all else.<p>Do yourself a favor.<p>Copy paste the article’s text to somewhere you can edit.<p>Delete the tips you don’t agree with.<p>Read the article without them.<p>Now take note of what you do notice.

With over 50 years of travel, the author still does not recognize the unique privilege he is in, and how inappropriate his tips are for most of the population.

&quot;People in other places are not saints. You might get cheated, swindled, or taken advantage of. Paradoxically, the best way to avoid that is to give strangers your trust and treat them well. Being good to them brings out their good. If you are on your best behavior, they will be on their best behavior. And vice versa. To stay safe, smile. Be humble and minimize your ego. I don’t know why that works everywhere in the world—even places with “bad” reputations—but it does.&quot;<p>This just got me! Its so true. That&#x27;s been my experience too.

I noticed their list of travel accomplishments doesn’t seem to include things like “been robbed at gunpoint in South America”, “had passports seized in Southeast Asia”, or “sexually assaulted in an Eastern European hostel”. All of which I’ve experienced.<p>Travel, while fun, can also be very dangerous, especially the further you get from being a wealthy straight white male. Be careful and try to avoid thinking you’re a main character for whom nothing can go wrong.

I don&#x27;t agree with all of this though I do think most of it <i>can</i> be good advice. I did a huge amount of travel, mostly of particular styles, latterly when I was working. Still do a fair bit though I&#x27;m trying to spend less time on flights and more on destinations.<p>The main thing I didn&#x27;t see in there although I may have missed it or it may have been implied is travel light. You can&#x27;t always go with carry-on pack of some sort if you have varied trips, e.g. smart clothing plus hiking kit. But you can probably go lighter than you think. I know I&#x27;m mostly at lightweight travel than I used to be.

&gt; In 53 years of travelling with all kinds of people, I’ve seen absolutely no correlation between where you eat and whether you have intestinal problems, so to maximize the enjoyment of local foods, my rule of thumb is to eat wherever healthy-looking locals eat.<p>An interesting one. Tracks with my experience, although I have far less data. I’ve gotten sick a few times, but not after the sketchy meals that I thought would do it.<p>However, my guide in Nepal warned me not to eat certain things. I always listened to him, and I did not get sick on that trip. He seemed to be speaking from experience guiding other white people.

Say my good man! Why don&#x27;t we visit your mother? We can secure a filial obligation for you and an authentic experience for me! By the way, is your sister getting married anytime soon? I have a small cash token to offer in this regard, I think it will be most welcome!

&gt;... I’ve seen absolutely no correlation between where you eat and whether you have intestinal problems...<p>Add to this one: always make sure your hands are clean before you eat. A little bottle of sanitiser will do wonders for your health in areas with poor sanitation.<p>Otherwise, one tip I would like to add - when in doubt, do as the locals do. Especially useful when you can&#x27;t read signs.

One thing I didn’t see mention is the utilization of airport lounges. It really helps to relax before boarding.<p>Though in recent years lounges are getting overcrowded.

one tip of the list I can&#x27;t agree more is the www.seat61.com for train ticket, especially if you travel in Europe, where train is the most convenient way to travel between cities&#x2F;nations but man is it such complex system, there are so many different rail companies and lines, this website gives a clear instruction on options, price and where to buy the ticket

I’d add… - Learn to travel light. You don’t need more than ~4 days of clothes - laundry soap exists. Dragging large rollers around old cities is not fun.<p>- Checklists for prep. I have one for plane travel, one for backpacking, and one for travel by RV. Nothing unexpected on any them, but helps me avoid asking myself “did I pack the phone charger?” Or “do I have sunscreen?”<p>- Give yourself options - I like to list out things to do, maybe 4-5 for a location&#x2F;day, but only really plan to do 2-3 of them.<p>- The old adage about no bad weather, only bad clothing is true. And the natural light after an evening rain is usually really nice.

I spent 9 months traveling from Mexico to Buenos Aires with a backpack eighteen years ago. Spent most nights in hostels in shared rooms for a few dollars a night. It was a great experience. Carried a MacBook Pro and a digital Nikon D70. Actually had the first iPhone but hardly used it. Do have a selfie of myself on a bus somewhere in Central America.<p>These days I’m taking more expensive vacations in cheaper countries. You can go to the Caribbean and stay for $2000 a night or go to places like Morocco or Panama on a <i>luxury</i> vacation for 1&#x2F;3 the price.

The “14 days is too many” rings true in my mind. My wife and I did a 2 month road trip several years ago and I distinctly remember around the two week mark we went from having tons of fun to worn out and ready to just go home.<p>The weird part is as we pressed on and got past week 3 I felt like we could be on the road indefinitely and be absolutely happy never returning home. There is def a lull around the end of week 2 for some reason.

These are the best travel tips I&#x27;ve seen anywhere - surprising and unconventional and I can see why each of them would work.

Luggage tipp: Have exactly one, easy to grab main piece at luggage that goes on your back or on wheels. Have at most one tiny extra piece to carry. The second your luggage exceeds three it becomes a massive hassle: You cannot hold on to things, you will lose one piece and your fun trip descends into a disorganized mess.<p>Luggage which clips together like a storage&#x2F;day backpack combo is very valuable for this: Your backpack might be comically large, but you can haul all your stuff with free hands. At your accomodation, you can leave the large bag and continue on your day pack.<p>Free hands are critical when travelling by train or bus, or if you just wanna get a snack and drink.

Prefer <a href="http:&#x2F;&#x2F;web.archive.org&#x2F;web&#x2F;20211126054838&#x2F;https:&#x2F;&#x2F;artoftravel.net&#x2F;" rel="nofollow">http:&#x2F;&#x2F;web.archive.org&#x2F;web&#x2F;20211126054838&#x2F;https:&#x2F;&#x2F;artoftrave...</a>

I would add: learn how to say at least “hello,” and “thank you” in the local language, and a few other phrases. Even if you butcher it, the fact that you tried goes a long long way.

These are very good tips to do just before or just after your trip. Or why not even following weekend:<p>&gt; If you hire a driver, or use a taxi, offer to pay the driver to take you to visit their mother.<p>&gt; Crash a wedding. You are not a nuisance; you are the celebrity guest!<p>The first one specially is likely good option after you leave the airport on the way home. And the second one is good practise to do when you are not on vacation. Find the wedding venues in your local area and hit them.

This is great advice. On his &#x27;laser out&#x27; approach, I often find after travel I am tired and I _really_ don&#x27;t want to spend hours more getting to where I&#x27;m really going, so I usually stop in the city that I landed in.<p>But I have a policy: never go to sleep without going to walk in the city. That is: never land and sleep. _Always_ absorb some of the local environment. Then when your brain knows it&#x27;s somewhere else, then go to sleep.<p>This has worked to varying degrees. I always wake up with the excitement of being somewhere. But once, on my very first trip overseas, I got lost and spent three confused hours very late at night in a dark 2AM-no-one-around city trying to find my way back...<p>...but it sure is a good story now.<p>Which is very much the point of this article&#x27;s advice. It seems to be: optimise for experience and stories.

Tip: your passport does not exist the morning of a trip, even though you packed it the night before. Touch it before leaving the house, and you manifest it into being.<p>This tip is especially important when coupled with another thing I always say: as long ans I have my passport and a credit card, every other forgotten thing is no big deal.

This guy is proud enough of his tips that he&#x27;s sharing it. God help the person who sits next to him on any of his trips.<p>&gt; If you hire a driver, or use a taxi, offer to pay the driver to take you to visit their mother. They will ordinarily jump at the chance.<p>This is deluded.<p>&gt; They fulfill their filial duty and you will get easy entry into a local’s home, and a very high chance to taste some home cooking.<p>Oh I see, he&#x27;s probably traveling in a very poor country.<p>&gt; Crash a wedding.<p>What? No. That&#x27;s rude.<p>&gt; You are not a nuisance; you are the celebrity guest!<p>Oh I see, probably a white person from a rich country traveling in a poor country.<p>&gt; They will usually feel honored.<p>I stopped reading and CTRF-F for primae noctis. Disappointed. He had me going.

I like his list of recommendations for apps and websites. Are there any other recommendations?<p>FlightAware<p>Google Maps and Translate<p>Booking.com<p>Seat61.com

I’ve been travelling the world most of my life. I think I can at least partially attribute my survival thus far to never having asked a taxi driver if I can meet his mother.

Great read but I must say I completely disagree with:<p>&quot;the best way to avoid [[getting cheated&#x2F;swindled]] is to give strangers your trust and treat them well. Being good to them brings out their good. If you are on your best behavior, they will be on their best behavior.&quot;<p>As someone who&#x27;s lived in London for 20 years, if you trust and treat everyone well you will lose all of your money, your watch, and phone. Unfortunately, those looking to cheat you out of something have become extremely common and totally remorseless!<p>I get that the author is probably referring to locals but these days it&#x27;s impossible to tell who&#x27;s a local trying to be kind and who&#x27;s trying to distract you to reach into your bag.<p>Maybe I&#x27;m being unnecessarily pessimistic about strangers but i guess that&#x27;s what London does to you haha

&gt; If you hire a driver, or use a taxi, offer to pay the driver to take you to visit their mother.<p>Uhh, I really can&#x27;t imagine this one working well in a Western country.

Anyone got tips when traveling with kids?

Plenty of great advice that, in its essence, is: &quot;Be water, my friend.&quot;

&gt; If you hire a driver, or use a taxi, offer to pay the driver to take you to visit their mother. They will ordinarily jump at the chance. They fulfill their filial duty and you will get easy entry into a local’s home, and a very high chance to taste some home cooking. Mother, driver, and you leave happy. This trick rarely fails.<p>Wow. What a creep. No thank you.<p>&gt; When visiting a foreign city for the first time, take a street food tour. Depending on the region, the tour will include food carts, food trucks, food courts, or smaller eateries. It will last a few hours, and the cost will include the food. You’ll get some of the best food available, and usually the host will also deliver a great introduction to the culture. Google “street food tour for city X.”<p>No, you will get the mid eateries that pay tour guides to bring tourists. They pay tour guides because the locals know not to go there.

Here are mine - go and do something that excites you, whatever it is. Also, be respectful of the local culture and have common sense, et voila.<p>Whatever you do...<p><pre><code> &gt; Crash a wedding. You are not a nuisance; you are the celebrity guest! </code></pre> I stopped reading here. PLEASE don&#x27;t do this. It&#x27;s extremely disrespectful.

&gt; Crash a wedding. You are not a nuisance; you are the celebrity guest!<p>Urgh. Really?

Am I the &quot;odd man out&quot; for not wanting to travel, and not enjoying it when I do?

Wow, that&#x27;s actually a really good list.<p>I&#x27;d add if a journalist has done it, you can do it. Search HN for you location (which also has most of Atlas Obscura in it)

Lots to disagree about like<p>&gt; The list of most coveted cities to visit have one striking thing in common—they are pedestrian centric.<p>if your coveted places are mostly in Europe&#x2F;Japan. Los Angeles, Chiang Mai (or any city in most SEA) etc are the opposite of pedestrian centric. Do you like multi hour walks in heat among pollution and traffic or stray dogs to get to a nice coffeeshop? Yeah. Public transport is broken and literally everybody who lives there uses personal transport.<p>(He then goes to contradict himself and recommend unsafe moto taxi)