12 Secrets I Would Tell Any New Traveller
Updated 23-02-2021
1. Don’t Be Scared
Tabel Of Contents:
- Don’t be scared
- Don’t live by your guide book
- Travel slow
- Pack light
- Get travel insurance ( No brainer )
- Bring a phone or two and get a local sim card
- Go with the flow and chill to the max
- Bring some extra money
- Remember everyone is in the same boat
- Be adventurous
- it’s ok to change your mind
- Remember you’re not alone
Fear is a wonderful thing, it keeps you on your toes. I got asked to do some public speaking once and I was practically shaking, the experienced guy who was on before me, saw this and said it’s a strength being afraid, it keeps you thinking and shows you care, just don’t shake too much!
Taking the leap into the unknown is scary, hence this article on 10 things I would tell any new traveler, especially if you are a solo traveler, but remember: you aren’t the first person to travel the world. You aren’t discovering new continents or exploring uncharted territories like James Cook. Below are 10 secrets and 20 rules to live by
There is a well-worn travel trail out there with hidden paths but found walkways. If millions of people can make their way around the world each year, you can too. You’re just as capable as anyone else. After all, you did the hardest part of wanting to travel, deciding to go, and the preparation for traveling the world, which can be a half marathon within itself.
Having the courage to make decisions is the hardest part. Was for me as well as saying goodbye, as deep down I knew that I was possibly opening up a new chapter in my life, which would change my way of thinking and also my future life, possibly losing old friends and gaining new ones!
You’ll make mistakes. Everyone does and I’ve made a few. But that’s part of the experience. That’s what broadens your shoulders and gives you more courage and sentiment of feeling and happiness. There will be lots of people out there to help you. You’ll be shocked at just how helpful and kind people are. Your perspectives will change but you’ll make friends, you’ll survive, and you’ll be overall a better human being for it.
2. Don’t Live by Your Guidebook
Guidebooks are useful for a general overview at first for the planning of a destination or itinerary. No need to take any hard copies nowadays, download the apps, or the ebooks on your kindle.
They’re a great way to learn the basics and get introduced to the cities and countries you plan to visit. But you’ll never find the latest off-the-beaten-path attractions, bars, or restaurants in them. Plus traveling and exploring is what you want and to find your own hidden gems as there are many, it’s a never-ending source of finding new adventures.
You’ve already found a friend in us and where always here just contact us, we’ve been there, know the feelings, stresses, outcomes and what’s more we would love to hear from you!!
For the latest info (as well as insider tips), connect with locals. Use websites like Meetup.com or your travel destinations forums on social media to connect directly with locals and ex-pats so you can get suggestions, advice, and tips to make the most of your trip. Additionally, ask other travelers you meet or the staff at your accommodation.
Talk to the local tourist board as well. It’s a wealth of information that often gets overlooked. Plus it can save you a lot of valuable time, be trusted, and save you money! These are just a few tips that will grow your confidence in our 10 secrets I would tell any new traveler article.
I can feel your enthusiasm and growth of confidence already, please carry on reading or save the page for future and please subscribe for more updates.
3. Travel Slow, We Do Now!
This is something most new long-term travelers learn the hard way (myself included). I know it can be tempting to pack in as many cities and activities as possible. (This is especially true if you only have a few weeks of vacation.) However, if you are venturing for a much longer break or possibly a few years of traveling, gap year, etc.
It isn’t a sprint, it’s a marathon. I burned myself out on doing 6 countries, lost track of the cities, towns and provinces I visited in 12 months and was hospitalized in Sardinia, through just exhaustion. Luckily I’m from the UK and we were still in the EU, as I was foolish enough to let my travel insurance lapse.
But rushing from country to country every month and chasing cities, towns and provinces every few days is just going to leave you exhausted and stressed out. You’ll experience a whirlwind of activity, most of which will remain a blur when you look back on it. Sure, you’ll have some great pictures for social media but is that really why you’re traveling?
Travel is about quality, not quantity. Don’t worry about how much you see. Don’t worry about trying to impress people with the number of countries you’ve visited. Slow down and soak up your destinations. You’ll learn more, enjoy it more, and have a much more memorable experience. We are now experiencing that in lockdown in Penang.
When it comes to travel, less is more. (Plus, traveling slow helps reduce your transportation costs, reduces your accommodation as you can ask for discounts for longer periods or even stay for FREE while pet sitting or house sitting. It’s cheaper to go slow!) Your also gaining more of that countries culture!
4. Pack Light
When I first started traveling I was filling my bags with tons of stuff: boots, shoes and pants, a fleece jacket, too much clothing, and my bodyweight in toiletries. And it all sat in my bag, mostly unused.
Toiletries I use and dump per country apart from my expensive fragrances I was packing for “just in case” and “what if” instead of the reality of my trip and what’s more if I saw a bargain, I would buy more, why buy toothbrushes when most hotels give you free ones. In Cambodia, I was giving most of my toiletries to street children or children that were less fortunate who really needed them and any clothes etc..
So, pack light and buy something new when your there, I now only travel with a 20kg suitcase and backpack for the plane which has my valuables in. I also tend to have a new wardrobe of clothes when I leave countries.
5. Get Travel Insurance
Whether you’re a travel veteran or a brand new backpacker, don’t leave home without making sure you’re protected in case something goes wrong. As we learned during the COVID-19 pandemic, sudden emergencies can come out of nowhere. Though the Malaysian Government have been wonderful on nearly everything, extended visas which at present,
I’ve been an illegal alien for now 9 months and still have two months of amnesty until the RMCO is over at the end of August 2020. They have even mentioned for anyone stranded here that hospital assistance is covered as a lot of insurers were backing out of the policies for the act of untold reasons.
So I’ve blessed with a good lockdown, otherwise, I could have been in some big trouble elsewhere, jumping from country to country due to restrictions. Check out our travel bubbles and corridors article for new borders openings and restrictions
I’ve had my luggage lost, had various expensive equiptment stolen.Broke my ankle in Malaga and a few other things but thats not so bad really as Iv’e been traveling for nearly three decades.
Stuff Does happen, I’ve seen people who need to be airlifted to other countries as the medical assistance wasn’t good enough and much more through making lots of new ex-pat friends, So ensure you’re protected, buy the insurance, it’s a no brainer.
Or you may be starting another GoFundMe page, which isn’t really well-liked from serious people who have followed the golden rules and from people in general as seeing it was your choice to travel the world, why didn’t you insure yourself after you’ve been living the highlife you now want us to bail you out. Things do happen!! Don’t get caught and be embarrassed by it:)
Bring A Phone Or Two if You Have Them (and Get Local SIM Cards)
Having a phone with data means you can contact family and friends, look up directions on the flight websites, make reservations, and contact emergency services if something happens. Download the apps before you take off as preparation.
Use your Google assistant for translation and use it as a trusted friend, it’s also company if you’re alone and nearly 100% voice recognition now. It’s a gadget app that a lot of people don’t use enough. What’s more, it will save you hitting your laptop every two minutes or typing something in. Plus it talks to you, whey heh hence personal travel assistant.
This is our first assignment when entering a country is to buy a sim card, I’ve sim cards for nearly every Asia country including the Maldives. Tip: also buy a local sim card, not a tourist sim card as we did in the Maldives, which was expensive (30 dollars) and only lasted for 14 days, where their local sim card was only two dollars and you could keep topping it up.
Sure, there is free wifi pretty much everywhere these days so buying a local SIM card for data might seem like a waste of money (especially if you’re on a really, really tight budget) but having that immediate access to roaming data can be a lifesaver, and it’s cheaper than roaming charges, much cheaper and now in COVID19 they are asking for a local number to access a few things.
Don’t stay glued to it, as you are missing life. I was on a bus once going through some spectacular scenery In Thailand and nearly everyone on the bus was on Facebook or Wechat talking and just missing what they had come to see.
Also if you’re staying in a hostel, it’s now very annoying as in the middle of the night phone lights are on and people tapping away on their phones. Even though I’m not much of a hostel person as I like privacy, that really put me off as I went to a few great ones expecting conversation and not being woke up all night by someone else’s selfishness.
7. Go with the Flow. Chill to the Max!
When every day is planned out and there are timetables to follow, you’ll get stressed. Very stressed! You’ll rush around and be unhappy if there are any glitches in your well-curated schedules and there will be hiccups, every time without questions. And glitches. And all kinds of inconveniences, both major and minor. Life on the road doesn’t always go as planned — which is both fun and frustrating.
Make it fun, laff at the hardship, and pat yourself on the back for overcoming and learning a new way of life and defeating the obstacles. The above picture was when I woke up in a river in my guesthouse. Clothes soaked, ruined, the money needed drying out, passport damaged, I wasn’t going anywhere fast. But the experience was in the picture above.
When you plan too much, there’s no room to experience the happy accidents of travel. There’s no room for spontaneous choice, for incorporating new information and advice that you learn.
When making your plan, make sure that it’s flexible. Learn to go with the flow and not beat yourself up. I’m a great believer in fate and things may happen for a reason. Plan one or two activities and let the rest of the day happen. It’ll be a more enjoyable and less stressful experience. You’ll be surprised by what happens. Be flexible. Let life unfold the way it should.
8. Bring Some Extra Money
Travel doesn’t have to be expensive, take the Maldives for example, I bet you’re thinking its really expensive, not at all, in fact, it’s relatively cheap if you plan it, you just don’t stay in a resort which is focused on luxury.
You still can find luxury though, remember you are sharing the same things, the Indian ocean, Just not the accommodation! but you still need to create a budget that means your needs. The secret to long-term travel is smart money management.
Ist of all, bring a second ATM card, we use our bank card for our main account and a Transferwise account for sending money online from our bank to this account, thus giving us a safety net:) Just in case our main card gets blocked/stolen/lost, got the T-Shirt for that in the Vietnam airport when I had too many beers and forgot the pin number ( 3 chances ).
Try getting that unblocked, a nightmare abroad. Can’t access money or pay for things, little cash left. No quick access to cash. Alarm bells!! Flying out! Nooooo. Plus the Transferwise account is FREE, easy to set up online, and FREE for the first $230 spendage per month and international transfers are very cheap and very fast. What’s more, the account updates your phone every time your card is used, so you can keep on top of your finances.
However, always overestimate the amount you need. You never know what might come up on the road. After all, you didn’t spend all that time saving every penny and staying home to skip those once in a lifetime activities? Maybe you want to try bungee jumping or you discover an amazing restaurant you can’t pass up. Or maybe you meet some cool people and decide to scrap your plan altogether and live a different lifestyle what you had planned.
No matter how well you plan, something can always come up that will throw your budget out of synch.
9. Remember Everyone is in the Same Boat
It takes courage to talk to strangers when you’re new to travel, especially if you’re an introvert/shy/private person. What do you say? Can you just invite people to join you?
What if you end up alone? These are all questions I had when I first started traveling. The good news? Everyone is in the same boat. All around you are other solo travelers looking for friends. They want to meet new people too. Just pick the right ones as you would do at home.
It mostly just comes down to saying “hello” and taking that first step. Everything else will fall into place after that. You have nothing to lose and, in the process — this is how you’ll get over your shyness, make new friends, and get better at conversation and enjoy different perspectives of life from what you are accustomed to.
10. Be Adventurous
The only time we grow is when we’re outside of our comfort zones. And travel is about growth. That doesn’t mean you need to do dangerous things, but it does mean you need to push yourself beyond what you’re used to.
Hiking, sky diving, eating new foods, camping, sailing, hitchhiking ( never needed to do this so far but met many people who have, not because they’re skint, mainly through wanting to try a different challenge etc.)
Taking a risk looks like a bad thing, but it usually is the what-if scenario. What if the boat capsizes etc. What if’s never really happen unless your thoughts are, what if I jump off this 100ft cliff into this lake without checking things out first!
Everyone has different interests and tolerance levels. Push yours. It may be scary and uncomfortable at the time, but you’ll be glad you did it later. Another game-changer for you:)
Challenge yourself. Try new things. You’ll walk away more self-confident.
11. It’s Ok to Change Your Mind
If you hate a city, leave and go to another one. If you don’t enjoy the tour your on, cancel it early. And if you really love the place you’re visiting, change your plans and stay longer. We have many times, Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, Malaysia, Maldives should have been 2 weeks, stayed for 5, and visited more islands as we found it to be cheaper than expected.
You’re the captain on your own ship. Never forget that! Don’t let anyone inform you otherwise.
Finally 12. Remember, You’re Not Alone
Wherever you go, there is a network of travelers who will be your friends, give you advice or tips, and help you out. They will guide you, point you in the right direction, and be your mentors.You aren’t out there on your own and never will be, we’re here for you as a start.
I know you’re nervous about heading out into the unknown. It’s human nature to worry and that’s not a weakness in itself but a strength!. But, if you remember these words of wisdom. ” You’re not alone, the world is full of friends waiting to get to know you”.
You’ll go into this with the right mindset and able to avoid rookie mistakes. So take a deep breath, relax, and enjoy your trip! Life is not a dress rehearsal, you only get one shot!
Book Your Trip, It’s Now Or Never: Logistical Tips and Tricks
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Book Your Flight
Find a cheap flight by using Skyscanner or Last Minute.com. They are my two favorite search engines because they search for websites and airlines around the globe, and again they haven’t let me down, that’s why we associate with them.
Book Your Accommodation
You can book your apartment/homestay/guesthouse with AirBnB, we use these all the time and have never been let down, in fact as mentioned above, while in hospital in Italy, the company refunded us as we didn’t have chance to cancel our future booking until a fortnight later. We also have a $38 off offer for first-timers
Tripadvisor Don’t just take our word for it, see what the reviewers say. Have your own footsoldiers already on the ground, giving you their thoughts. Remember, some businesses have been known to inflate their own reviews, however, this is easily noticeable as per seeing written reviews in different languages, Translate them with Google, and different reviewers using different grammar/mistakes. The cheats usually write in English only and have the same grammar/mistakes, as they don’t know any different!
Booking.com as they have the largest inventory as they consistently return the cheapest rates for guesthouses and hotels.
If you love animals, why not try pet sitting or housesitting with Trustedhousesitters. It’s a small cost to sign up to but again we’ve used these and saved hundreds over the years, plus living locally rather than as a tourist.
Computer We use a VPN express for these reasons when traveling and when we’re at home. 1) Avoid price discrimination based on location. 2) Protect your online privacy. 3) Keep your info safe from third parties, don’t be vulnerable to cybercrime and snooping, especially on public Wi-Fi. 4) All your internet traffic is fully encrypted, and ExpressVPN keeps no activity or connection logs.
Your shared IP address cannot be used to link you to any online activity. 5) Defeat censorship in certain countries on certain website channels. 6) High-speed connectivity and finally, a great price for peace of mind, which can be used on all devices from $6.69 P.M
If you love animals, why not try pet sitting or housesitting with Trustedhousesitters. It’s a small cost to sign up to but again we’ve used these and saved hundreds over the years, plus living locally rather than as a tourist.
Don’t Forget Travel Insurance
Travel insurance will protect you against illness, injury, theft, and cancellations. It’s comprehensive protection in case anything goes wrong. I never go on a trip without it, as I’ve had to use it many times in the past. I’ve been using World Nomads for several years now. My favorite companies that offer the best service and value are:
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