Every industry has its own “best practices” — proven rules and standards that guide the industry/market place and the people in it. Travel is no different. There are many “rules to live by” that can help us navigate the unknown world with fewer mistakes.

I have my own golden travel rules and I’ve broken a few in my time:).

Over the past 26 years, I’ve learned a lot of tips and tricks that have helped me thrive when I travel. When I first set out in 1996, I made more mistakes than I can remember through trust, naivety, showing off and the odd too many drinks taking over the brain cells. (Ok, I still make some mistakes.)

And that’s not a bad thing. If you don’t make mistakes, you aren’t trying new things and pushing yourself out of your comfort zone. Plus we seem to learn more by our mistakes, ask any top entrepreneur, would they if he could delete the mistakes he/she had made. Most times they would have said NO, it was a learning curve.

Mistakes are going to happen and bad ones at times. Don’t worry though, just think back in your life! Have you always managed to sort things out even if you’ve been at the bottom? Life’s like that, we always do if we want!

But, over the years, I’ve developed a list of golden rules for travel. These guidelines help me save money, make friends, travel safely, and fit into the local culture/surroundings.

1. Be adventurous – You only live once, life is not a dress rehearsal and remember on average we only have 960 months to live. You’re going to get chances to do wild things you’ve never dreamed of doing when you travel. Don’t hold back. Count to three, say “if they can, so can I,” and take the leap. You didn’t come this far for nothing. Say yes when someone asks you to go rock climbing, Thai dancing, water rafting, or try some of these wonderful trips through our friends at GET YOUR GUIDE.

There’s no one around to judge you. No one cares what you do. No rumors will be spread. Push yourself to do something new and daring at least one.

2. Get a no-fee ATM card – Why give your money to the banks? Get an ATM card that doesn’t charge any fees and use that extra money for more travelling. Over the long term, those 1.5%-2.5% charges really add up. You can find others from your own that offer no-fee accounts — or use a one that is part of the Global ATM Alliance and pay no fees within that network.

This featured page link can show you  (and will give you a list of suggested cards too). Coming soon, where just finding more banks for YOU!

3. Get a rewards credit card – Why pay for travel when you can get it for free? These can earn you anything from products to Airmiles..

You’re already spending the money anyway so why not get rewarded for it?

Travel credit cards come with tons of perks and huge bonuses that can be redeemed for free flights right away. Plus, they get you the best exchange rate on your purchases.

Having one is an absolute must.

4. Always carry backups – Always carry a backup bank and credit card in case one is lost, stolen, or hacked. That way while you are fixing the issue, you still have access to your money. Instead of the problem crippling your trip, it merely is an annoyance. This has happened to me before in Batam, Indonesia and, I can ensure you, you’ll be thankful you followed this advice! Also, always liaise with your bank for where you are travelling, so they don’t block the card! Again they blocked mine when I landed and tried the ATM in Bangkok, that was a nightmare as I had no backup or money changed.

Tip: With social media, most banks have an online presence, mine uses Faceache to a degree, this is ideal for receiving a request form to phone you with the problem as phone calls are expensive as you know phoning abroad and they do! This form of contact practically saved me in Indonesia when I got cloned.

5. Only carry what you need – When you leave to go out for the day, only carry the cash you need and one credit card. You don’t want to get robbed and lose everything. Leave the backups and extra locked back at your place of stay!

6. Join a frequent flier program – if you can – Why not be rewarded for all of those flights you’ll be taking by joining a frequent flier program. That way you’ll earn miles, perks for flying, and free flights. Miles are like money — and you wouldn’t waste money, would you? No! So, sign up for a loyalty program, and collect points. Even if it takes you years to get a free flight, at least you are not being wasteful! Join all airlines, why not, sometimes booking through airlines websites cut the middlemen out.

8. Learn basic phrases – Locals don’t expect you to be an expert in the local language, but learning a few will go a long way to endearing you and making them go the extra mile for you. It will bring a smile to their face that you tried! “Hello,” and “thank you” go a long, long way no matter where you go. Funny enough, I always learn the sentence “How are you,” now I can say it in 7 languages, lol

9. Stay in hostels – Get to know other travelers and experience the communal spirit of traveling by staying in hostels a few times. They aren’t all the dirty party places you see in movies. Most hostels are very clean, offer breakfast, have comfy beds and Wi-Fi, organize events, and know the local area very well. They also aren’t just for young backpackers; you’ll find people of all ages (and even some families) staying there. 

Here is a list of many places in the world via Airbnb

10. Use tourist boards – Local tourist offices are a wealth of knowledge. When you get to a new destination, they often have tons of discounts not found anywhere else. Remember charm and manners do work!

11. Try new foods – Culture is often best experienced through food. Don’t be afraid to try new things. Get out of your comfort zone and experiment. You might actually like it (those fried cockroaches in Thailand were delicious and chewy!).

12. Be flexible with your plans – Freedom by George Micheal. R.I.P Mr. Panayiotou.

This will make your travels a lot more stress-free.

13. Pack light – Take it from a former over-packer: you never need half the stuff you take. Put everything you think you need in a pile and then remove half of it. The lighter you travel, the easier you travel. Plus you get to beat the dreaded over 20kg airport free baggage allowance at times.

14. Take extra money – Something always happens that you never planned for that will cost you extra money. I never thought I would fly last-minute to the Maldives, Always take extra money just in case. You may not need it, but you don’t want to be without a little extra when something bad happens. Also a great back-up plan, just in case.

15. Get lost – Meander through a new city without a map. Get lost — because, in the end, you aren’t really getting lost, you’re just discovering new experiences. So put down the map and wander. Eventually, you’ll find your way or use Mr google to find your home. I always tend to look at a skyline feature close by to where I’m staying.

16. Call home – Your parents miss you. Don’t forget to call and say hello, social media makes it much easier now.

17. Get a smartphone — It will be easier to stay in touch with friends (and call home), meet up with other travellers, and contact residences with a phone. SIM cards and prepaid phones are cheap, so there’s no excuse not to stay connected.

But don’t be glued to your phone. I see too many people hooked on their phone these days. But it is still a good idea to carry one for emergencies, especially when they are so accessible and affordable now.

18. Travel slow – You’re not doing a sprint, you’re hopefully on a marathon. I know you want to get a lot in with your limited time, but you see a lot more when you see a lot less. Travel slow and experience each place. Don’t race from train station to station; that will set you up for a stressful, unenjoyable time. With travel, less is more.

19. Live somewhere once – Stop at least once. Get to know a place. Learn the language. Make local friends. Explore. Become the local and a real sense of what it’s like to be an outsider. I often do this when I need a base, a break from constantly travelling. At present, my base is in Penang, Malaysia.

Plus, living a foreign place and surviving will help you gain a lot of confidence.

20. Taxis – Use Grab or another local cheap booking company like Grab, there’s usually more than one in most cities. Book by App, this is a safe way of knowing which car you got in and out of and is usually efficient. Be wary if the car turns up and its a different car. They are usually using another car or a brother, uncle using the same grab account etc.. So your not totally legit I would think if you have an accident, as Grab would not cover you for not getting the right vehicle. I fully understand their relatives are just trying to make a living but you come first, remember!

21. Buy travel insurance – You never know what could happen on the road — but something always does. I’ve had to deal with lost baggage, broken gear, delayed flights, and even pretty bad injuries, Malaga, I broke my leg playing football on the beach. Without travel insurance, I would have not only had to pay out of pocket for these expenses but I would have been left to navigate them alone.

22. Bring basic first-aid – Cuts and scrapes happen, and you can get what you need almost anywhere in the world, but it’s still good to carry bandages, antibacterial cream, and some hydrocortisone cream in your first aid kit just in case. Also, carry duct tape — you’ll never know when it’ll come in handy.

23. Take photos of your friends – Years from now, you’ll want to look back at your younger self and see all the people who changed your life. Nostalgia can be a wonderful thing. Make sure you take photos of your friends. You’ll want them later.I even do this with most Grab drivers as I will put in a montage soon (Grab drivers around the world.)Yes I know I’m a bit mental, maybe travelling made me:)

And finally, the most important tip of them all….

960 months on average ( you will only know this if you have fully read the above:).

Lifes not a dress rehearsal

If Nike can do it, so can you!

So get out there and have some fun!

You deserve it.