11 TOP PRACTICAL TRAVEL TIPS

Safety, safety, safety! I can’t stress this enough, especially for female solo trekkers. Plan ahead by researching your destination. Look up reviews posted online as a guide but do take them with a grain of salt. That said, there are tons of travel tips out there…so many details to keep track of in prepping for a trip. A checklist of To- Dos will work wonders.

Although this is not a sponsored blog, this post contains affiliate links. I may earn compensation when you click on the links at no additional cost to you.

Note: Due to these unprecedented times during COVID-19, please continue to be safe and take the necessary health precautions, wherever life takes you… 

HERE ARE MY TOP 11 FAVORITE PRACTICAL TRAVEL TIPS 

1) Book hotels, flights and transportation well in advance for the best rates, seasonal rates, special deals and other discounts. 

If joining a guided or escorted tour, do avail of the side excursions as well – this is a must! You will thank me later.

My super favorite escorted tour company is Globus Journeys! This company began more that 90 years ago and still remain family-owned. You will also see its sister companies that do river cruises, budget trips, group tours and vacation packages. Globus can also arrange your flights for you and can include those in your tour package quotes. All you have to do is ask. Bonus! You must join Globus Journeys’ Club for extra savings! Call a Trip Advisor at (866) 755-8581.

Check out this amazing sample Globus tour package called “Oh My Goddess!: Greece By Design.” Jump right into the Itinerary and Meals, Accommodations and more. Do you know that daily buffet breakfasts and a few dinners/lunches are included in every single Globus’ tour package?! Yeah!!

Here is an Globus’ update to international travel returns for 2021. Access it here.

BTW, during connecting flights, make sure you have enough time to run, er, walk from one airport gate to the other. Thus, book connecting flights with ample time in between departure gates. Big international destinations have trains to take you to-and-fro and most of them require lots of walking (exercise, yay!)

2) Research your destinations for places to go, things to do. Consider places with multiple positive reviews for hotels or Airbnb properties, restaurants, parks, etc. These will provide good information about the hosts, neighborhoods, amenities, etal. Explore more sight-seeing locales and consider nightfall schedules, depending on the season and the norm for those locales.

As well, research the monetary exchange rates of your destinations (abroad) and arrange for this early on with your banks. By the way, there are currency exchange kiosks inside the airports. Don’t forget to exchange your money back at the same kiosk, where you did the exchange. Keep the receipt. You’ll need it upon return. Practical tip: Try to spend the coins especially toward the end of your trip abroad. Use them for tips, snacks and so on. Reason: The exchange kiosk at your home airport may not accept the loose change. They will only exchange back the bills.

3) Freebies! Book venues with free Wi-Fi, free breakfasts and free parking as much as possible (yes, some venues charge parking fees). You can touch base with loved ones back via Skype, text or email. 

4) “Noises off!” This is one of my pet peeves at lodgings – noisy guests. I try to book rooms away from the elevators but not too far also that I may have to lug heavy stuff to and from the elevator. Otherwise, pack your earplugs, LOL! 

Side Note: “Noises Off” is actually the title of a play written by Michael Frayn. The movie version has an all-star cast and I saw the local plays mounted by the Repertory Philippines and at my daughter’s elementary school at All Souls, SSF. Hilarious, I loved it!

5) Leave copies of your flight details with family or friends. Print out duplicates of your travel docs and keep in separate locations. As a back-up precaution, email copies to yourself. Just be careful to password-protect your electronic devices. Keep the originals in a safety box provided by the hotel or cruise ship (if available).

6) Carefully plan your wardrobe. Pack lightly, neatly rolling clothes and stacking them in your suitcase for maximum space (army style). Leave lots of room for souvenirs upon your return home. You can group the items by using smaller cases or you can pack an ensemble of clothes that go together, like a pair of pants/skirt and blouse. 

I absolutely organize my luggage to save time and for easy look up. One amazing product that totally rocks it is called packing cubes. They are lightweight, waterproof and come in different sizes, designs and colors to sort out your wardrobe, etc.

Allow layering, depending on the weather. Wear your heaviest clothes and shoes onboard your flight to lighten your luggage weight. Bring a small bag onboard with a change or two of clothes, in case of lost or delayed luggage.

There is this ladies’ backpack that I’ve been meaning to check out mainly due its USB port feature. It is of good quality filled with pockets inside and out for great organization. It even has a trolley sleeve. And I love its fun colors. I’m such a girl, LOL! This backpack can serve as my carryon bag onboard for my laptop, a change of clothes, and other items. 

BEWARE! One big concern I have with charging my iPhone at public charging stations, say at the airports or coffee shops, is safety. I’ve read that those areas can be hacked, too, nowadays. So, having my own USB port and power banks makes me feel safer and self-reliant.

7) Don’t forget your vitamin supplements, first aid kit and your medications. Bring small sizes of these essentials and, needless to say, of your personal care products as well. This is a necessary step to include in the top best travel tips, obviously. 

As mentioned, you can group your items in smaller cases or bags for easy find when unpacking. Examples are packing meds, clothes, chargers, equipment in separate cases or smaller bags. These bags can be color-coded or made of clear material for easy find. 

Tip: Consider getting an international phone adapters for you phones for trips abroad. Otherwise, your destination hotels have them. Also, you may not have to pack your hair dryers. Most hotels have those now, too. Check their room amenities list.

8) Take lots of photos! Be sure to bring extra memory cards, camera batteries and other (necessary) devices to help you store those lovely memories. Better yet, increase your phone storage plan, a step up. My iPhone storage plan upgrade costs a few dollars only. Call your cell provider to add roaming for overseas trips, only for the duration of your trips. My provider charges me only for the actual calls. Then I cancel this feature once I get home. 

Don’t you just hate it when your iPhone or tablet goes low batt? I discovered this cool gadget – portable charger power banks. They are small and slim enough to fit into your cross-body handbags. Mine comes in very handy as I am an avid photographer wannabe, LOL. 

And oh, do not forget the selfie stick, LOL. I took mine to a trip abroad, which I was at first too self- conscious to use. Once I did though, it became an extended appendage. Selfie sticks are a cool invention. Check out this inexpensive selfie stick here.

Taking photos is one travel tip that is most integral to my top best travel tips for traveling! Fo’ sho’. I just love taking pics mainly to preserve wonderful memories. It also connects me to the nature, people around me…keeping me grounded and grateful.

9) Connect with fellow travelers to develop new friends, avoid boredom & to network as well. Engage in something that you don’t normally do back home. Be open to new, enriching experiences. During one of my escorted tour trips with my Mom, we gravitated to a small group of friends. This can be a fun group to go with to those side trips offered extra in the tour. Do take the side trips, which don’t really cost much. You will be so glad you did. Plus, my fellow female solo trekkers, you’ll feel safer in their company.

10) Relax & savor your meals. This allows time to reflect, unwind, plan the day, catch-up with emails and more. Sure, you can chit-chat with people around you but in a non-hectic way. Don’t forget to try the local cuisines. Drink bottled water instead of tap, unless it’s safe to drink. Bring your refillable bottles to reduce your carbon footprint. It minimizes polluting the environment with plastics, styrofoams, and other pollutants.

11) Start your day early. This is the part that I struggle with (not a morning person, yikes). However, the early bird, indeed, catches the worm.  So much to see, so much to do, so little time! 

Did I mention that one big upside with escorted tours is the early morning daily breakfast buffet offered? Yes, free buffet breakfasts every day of the tour! As mentioned earlier, my family’s favorite travel tour company, Globus Journeys, does an excellent, excellent job! Check out their vacation packages here. (This is not a sponsored post.)

Sidebar: Again, let me stress to you to take the side trips. When doing escorted tours, book as many of the side trips offered, as the schedules permit. There will be free blocks of time during the escorted trips when you can explore on your own. Now is not the time to scrimp, for heaven’s sake. Those side trips don’t cost much anyway so take advantage. You’ll never know if you’ll pass that way again. I just had to throw this travel tip in here, albeit unrelated. Or is it…

P.S. Make a handy list of your emergency contacts and other pertinent info you may need. Have a happy and safe trip!

Friendly suggestion: Take an extra day off work after your trip. Heck, take that day off before that, too, for stress-free packing. You’ll need a vacation from your vacation, LOL.