10 Tips for the Travel Newbie

Everyone has a first time sometime.

And what's not to like about a little advice to start you off? As a newbie Euro-traveler myself until recently, I'm glad to share a few things I wish I had known (and learned along the way). 

1) Find out about all of the common scams

For example, there's a lot of pickpocketing in Barcelona, people giving out flowers in Italy, and men tying wristbands on tourists in Paris. Avoid them so you don't get tied up in any scam shenanigans!

2) Get cash before you leave

You can get the best exchange rates by submitting a cash order to your bank instead of withdrawing from ATMs abroad or exchanging US dollars at the airport. However, make sure to take precautions to keep your cash safe while traveling. A money belt is a good investment to keep both your extra cash and your passport close to you. They might look tacky, but you'll have a better peace of mind!

3) Pre-search, but don't overplan

Don't pigeonhole yourself into specific plans or attractions: checklist traveling is one of the easiest ways to make a trip a bore. That means skip the bus tours and public transit and walk! Get lost in the streets of [insert awesome city] and be delighted by what you find :)

4) Pack light

Try to stick with only one pair of jeans and a single coat for layering. For girls, bring a few pairs of tights that can be worn underneath jeans on cold days and alone on warmer days. I opted to travel with my laptop, but with smartphones these days, you can go without it. Bring mini shower necessities and lots of socks and underwear so you don't have to skip out on doing fun things just to deal with laundry. Skip the towel: they're too bulky and you can usually rent them at hostels.

5) Find exciting hostels in a central location

Look for hostels with a fun, energetic vibe. If they have some mention of a large lobby bar, music, or student-targeted events (such as bar crawls, tours, etc) in the hostel description, that's a good sign.  It'll greatly facilitate meeting new people, especially if you're traveling alone, and provide a nice hang out spot if you're traveling with friends. Also, make sure it's in the city center! It'll allow you stay out later, give you a place to retreat midday if you need a break, and give you more of a chance to explore to your heart's desire.

6) Especially if you haven't traveled for a while, be careful of tap water

Although it may be certified as safe, your body might not be used to certain minerals or things in the water that natives would naturally be immune to. Go the safe route and stick with bottled water instead, unless you're traveling for longer than a month. In this case, you might just want to bear through the sickness once so you're safe for the rest of your trip and beyond. However, bottled water is a guaranteed way to avoid water poisoning, and it'll make your travels happier times.

7) Stay healthy!

Forreals doh! With all of the excitement of new sights to see and foods to taste, it's easy to forget about eating your fruit and veggies, drinking enough water, and taking breaks. But believe me, you'll burn out quickly if you're not health conscious: the easiest way to ensure healthy habits is to start out each day with a fruit and something energy boosting. Then you can indulge in all of the deliciousness you want throughout the day! And pace yourself. Don't use all your energy in the first few days or hours. Traveling with friends naturally gets you to travel at a good pace, but if you're by yourself or with one other, you need to be more aware of building breaks into your schedule because the lack of human inertia means you might end up traveling at a burnout pace.

8) Preload maps

GPS still works without wifi, so preload a map to your phone and off you go. Google Maps also has a nifty feature called Offline Maps that allows you to save maps and zoom in and out on the streets to get a bearing of where you are.

9) Try traveling alone

It's lonely at first no doubt, but it'll put you outside of your comfort zone and that's when you grow most. It'll also make you appreciate your friends, family, and privileges all the more. Of course, take precautions to stay safe. Don't stay out too far past sundown, consult others about which cities are safest to visit alone, etc. But also have fun! Don't be so concerned that you miss out on a good time abroad :)

10) Make new friends

Traveling and especially living in hostels is the best way to meet people who you normally wouldn't interact with. Talk to them, learn about their lives, and share your own stories with them. It's basically learning about many corners of the world for the price of one! Hostel boarders often come from all nationalities and backgrounds, but often all speak English together since it's the one language most young people have at least a working knowledge of.

So that's it! :) Now go crazy and explore!