Things to do in NYC

Things to do in NYC

The city of dreams, opportunities, or the lights, or the world's largest. There are endless definitions we can give to New York, but none of them by itself would amount to describe the impression that it causes once you walk its streets. If you're traveling soon to this great city, through this post, we recommend you things to do in New York City, (NYC attractions).

There's nothing you can not do in it. And it is that New York is the metropolis par excellence. Tide of people through its streets, lights and tides of skyscrapers get you in a frenzy that is difficult to discard.

Even if you're already in love with this great city before having walked it for being the scene of hundreds of movies, or even series, that feeling is multiplied by 100 when you meet it. It will make you feel part of their greatness, to be a pawn lost among the endless streets and tall buildings you'll see from the Empire State or the Rockefeller Center.
Ready to be inspired by its beautiful skyline and never ending streets? Do not miss the best of New York, its attractions. Take note!

Places to visit in New York City

Being aware that the list of places to visit in New York can be endless, we have chosen the most characteristic to make contact with the city for a first visit.

1. Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island

Things to do in NYC; Statue of Liberty

To welcome to New York and its attractions what better way to do that knowing its best hostess: the Statue of Liberty. If you go to the Financial District, within walking distance you will find the port where you can catch a ferry to both Ellis Island and the Statue.

First, the boat will leave you at Liberty Island, where you can meet the statue. Just before she appear in front of you, you should stay close to the ends of the island to enjoy the skyline of Manhattan. Undoubtedly, beautiful! It is at this point that you will begin to admire the grandeur of New York!
Moreover, the second stop of the ferry will leave you at Ellis Island, where immigrants from around the world arrived to enter the United States in the early decades of the twentieth century. Of special interest are the original objects of the time, those worn by doctors and police to allow or disallow the entry of newcomers.
The books located in the central hall of the Museum of Ellis Island are also very interesting, you can see the names of all those who came to this new world, the land of opportunity.

Things to do in NYC; Museum of Ellis Island

2. 9/11 Memorial

"No day Shall erase you from the memory of time". This is the phrase that you recieves you at the museum in memory of the victims of the attack of September 11, 2001, the World Trade Center.
A museum filled with images and original objects from that fateful day that will transport you to what was experienced in New York on that day. At the exit, you will witness the two great pools right in the place where the Twin Towers were erected in tribute to the victims of the attack. All are remembered at the edges of the pools, where are written their names.

Things to do in NYC; 9/11 Memorial

3. Top of the Rock at Rockefeller Center

To have a first impact with the grandeur of the landscape of New York, you can not miss a visit to Top of the Rock, located on top of the famous Rockefeller Center building.
Within seconds the lift will be on the terrace of Rockefeller Center, also known as Top of the Rock, and from where you have views of the Empire State Building to an end, and Central Park the other.
You will feel extremely tiny to see from this height the buildings and the streets of New York, where pedestrians are lost in masses.

Things to do in NYC; Top of the Rock at Rockefeller Center

4. MoMa

If you want to learn about one of the most internationally famous museums of contemporary art, we recommend a visit to MoMA, located just steps from 5th Avenue in New York.
If you want free access, on Friday afternoon the access is free, so you just have to wait several minutes and long queues to get in, but quickly forgotten once you enter the museum.

In it, you will see great works like "Les Demoiselles d'Avignon" of Picasso or Pollock's famous painting, "One: Number 31".

What to do in NYC; MoMa Museum

5. Harlem Gospel

When we talk about the gospel and remember the famous churches in which joy and singing are the thread, who do not come to mind films like 'Sister Act'?

If you want to enjoy true religious show, you can not miss a visit to the Salem United Methodist Church in Harlem. Admission to the public is permitted, The only requirement is to be respectful and not take pictures or videos during the religious event, and contribute as far as possible in the offerings to the church.

What to do in NYC; Harlem Gospel

6. Central Park

It is essential to know the lung of New York: Central Park. This park of 5 km long is one of the biggest of the big city as well as being full of life, visitors and activities to do inside.You can access the memorial mosaic to John Lennon, written in a large round piece with the word "Imagine". If you take a walk in the park, you'll find a lake, a playground and plenty of grass where you can stretch out for the afternoon. At checkout, you can find the 5th Avenue and delve back into the frenzy of New York.

Places to visit in new york; Central Park

7. Times Square

Lights, colors, flashing images and a lot of publicity: is what you'll find in Times Square. The commercial center of New York is presented as a show of big screens and advertising that will not leave you indifferent.

You can sit in Times Square in the area reserved for passersby to admire the comings and goings of cars, tourists and colors that jump off the big screens and crown this famous square.

Things to do in NYC; Time Square

8. Empire State Building

Would New York be the same without the Empire State? In the same way that the Eiffel Tower teach us the majesty of Paris once arrived at its highest point, the Empire State reveals how tiny we are compared to the size of the city.

You will see spectacular views of New York from the Empire State, at any time of day. If you have the City Pass, you can access twice in the same day: one with sunlight and one in the evening, to admire how artificial lights continue to reign in New York also at dusk.

Top 10 things to do in NYC; Empire State Building

9. Brooklyn Bridge

One of the main traffic arteries of New York city is the Brooklyn Bridge, connecting Brooklyn to Manhattan neighborhood, and it has a pedestrian.

Walking through the Brooklyn Bridge let you see the Manhattan skyline and Brooklyn's and take you just 15 minutes to go from side to side.

It is imperative that you visit it at sunset, as the Manhattan views are spectacular.

Top 10 things to do in NYC; Brooklyn Bridge

10. High Line

Strolling near the Hudson River,  this place is a place in New York of curious interest to visit. An old railway line that has been remodeled into a park and offers all kinds of services to pedestrians for a pleasant and quiet time in the city.

In the High Line, you will see from plays in the park, to watching movies outdoors.

Top 10 things to do in NYC; High Line

7 Myths of backpacking

If there is a bad habit that people have when they hear or you talk to them about something they are not familiar with, it is to seek a wrong idea to the issue. Regarding the backpackers, they do not escape the stereotypes that have been pigeonholed by society.

The following myths I will mention does not praise or punish in a extreme way the fact of being a backpacker, but they reinforced false ideas, that is time to clarify:

Myths of backpacking

1- Backpacking is an activity that only young people enjoy.

Myths of backpacking; Old Backpackers

There is a deeply rooted assumption among most travelers, and that is to believe that backpacking around the world is exclusive for young people, in their 20's as only young people is physically suitable  to withstand the bustle of walking in tow with your backpack . While there are a lot of young people traveling to take a vacation from school or college, the fact is that the myth of "youth only" is far from reality.

Starts hit the road and see that you will meet backpackers of all ages, not just young men beetwen 18 to 22 years.  50 years couples, women in their 40s and recently divorced individuals in their 30s who left their jobs and went to travel indefinitely. Even once I met at a hostel a girl and her 62 years father.

You see, the ideal age to backpacking is a mental state and (fortunately) there is no set number that imposes when you go out and meet other people and countries. The phrase "better late than never" comes to demolish this myth, so do not listen those voices repeating that go backpacking is for the young. because they are completely wrong!.

2- You will spend most of the time dirty.

This myth, as absurd as it sounds, is reinforced under the mistaken belief that backpacking is for nomadic hippies, those who bathe every 5 days. It is true that you will have moments where you can not take a shower after a long run (perhaps for lack of water, time or whatever), but most of the time you will have the opportunity to stay neat using the bathroom of your hostel, hotel or wherever you are. As for washing your clothes, should not be a concern because if there is something that abounds in this world are laundries.

3- You will need to take a lot of stuff with you, so you do not miss anything

Myths of backpacking; Heavy Backpacks

I still remember my first trip to Central America when I thought it was best to cram my backpack so that I do not lack of something, but it was a mistake that cost me a pain on the shoulders that I would not wish to anyone. Then, there was the lesson I learned, a long travel is not only about money, but to handle yourself what the few things you take in your backpack.
In my case, I take with me only the necessary when I travel because it is the only alternative to not being overweight. On the other hand, do not worry if you miss something, because thanks to globalization, almost everything is available for sale wherever you go, even on the destination you less imagine.

4- You will sleep in noisy, dirty and unpleasant places

Backpacking; Hotels

It is normal to think that a backpacker, in order to save money, would spend the night in a dingy room. However, we must be realistic and know that in most cases the cheapest hostels are not the best as far as cleanliness is concerned.

Having said this last,  you do not have to sleep in a pigsty unless you want to. Websites like Tripadvisor or Hostelbookers have an extensive current list of hostels, and reviews wrote by other travelers. These reviews include qualifications in areas such as cleanliness and guest service (just to name a few), so you have no excuse to when looking for a budget accommodation thtat is worth staying.

5- The best way to travel is backpacking

Some backpackers that have some kind of delusion of believing their way of travel is the best of all. Some even go so far as to mock those who travel different from them, which I think is stupid. The truth is that as a backpacker, you will have some advantages such as a lighter luggage, but that is no guarantee that you will have fun. Having a memorable trip or not depends entirely on you and not on your backpack.

6- It is dangerous to backpacking

Those who live believing that the world is full of dangerous people, I remind you that in every country in the world (including yours) we have undesirable people. However, it is important to remember that is only a minority, so do not let that a few malicious people deter you from touring other destinations. On the other hand, lowering our guard is not a good idea, as is not be paranoid about everything, but the best is to learn the recommendations to keep you safe on you travel as possible.
In the end, my personal advice would be do not miss the fun of the trip being worried about your environment.

7- You will have fun every time.

Myths of Backpacking

No doubt,  backpacking has an infinite number of fabulous and enviable moments, but there are situations and circumstances that will test your patience. Whether you go on a night tour of 12 hours by bus and not get any sleep, eating something in the local market and getting ill, passing half of the day finding an accommodation in high season or getting lost in a huge city, are facts that tend to happen and you wil need patience and tolerance will to solve sme of this situations.

Needless to say, not all trips are equal and every backpacker will have different stories to tell, but know that the moments, both good and bad, give you more experience for the future.

If you analyze carefully, most of the myths mentioned in this post are nothing more than stereotypes and misconceptions, which put a false mental image about backpacking. Human beings have a bad habit of putting barriers and not leave his comfort zone when it comes to doing something different.

I hope this post start clearing myths and questions you have!

Travel With Debit / Credit Card? (Best Way to Travel With Money)

If there is a dilemma for most people planning a trip is whether to use a credit / debit card or keep using only cash. The use of these cards as payment when traveling is an issue where many people are reluctant to be part of it. Whether for fear of fraud, fear of relying solely on them or fear a loss, some choose to carry all your cash (which is also a huge risk).

Travel With Debit / Credit Card? (Best Way to Travel With Money)

The truth is that these cards are more useful than you think, as long as they are used judiciously and bearing in mind some concepts of their operation:

• Money from debit cards comes from your bank account and the limit to use will depend on the amount you have on that account. With a credit card, the money that you use is from the bank and they will establish a limit on the quantity you can use, which you have to pay later. Until recently, debit cards were not entirely popular as credit, though more and more establishments (including websites and booking fee) are accepting them equaly. On which card is better, there is no definitive answer and it boils down to which one best suits your way of managing money. as for me, I rather use debit card.

• With a card you must be there ready when a problem (lost, stolen or malfunctioning) happens, so be sure to write down the emergency number from your bank and issuer of the card (Visa, MasterCard and American Express cards are the best known ).

• It does not matter if your card is a credit or debit, you will almost certainly have to pay commissions every time you use it to take money out of your country. You may be charged a small percentage of the amount taken from the cashier or just charge you a fixed fee per transaction. How much is the commission? you should find out with the bank, and keep in mind that this from important factors such as the type of card, the amount you get and the type of issuer of the card (MasterCard or Visa, for example).

• Finally, do not travel by paying most of the costs with your card or else you will lose more money from the account in commissions. It would be best to use it only to make payments online and to withdraw cash from an ATM. If you're going to get money from an ATM, try not to do it so often and the withdrawal amount allows you to handle yourself with cash for a while.

Best Way to Travel With Money.

Regardless if you lean more to take money from your credit / debit card or if you prefer to travel loaded with all the cash in your pocket, at the end you have to manage that cash so that you avoid being one of the many victims of theft or loss.

Travel With Debit / Credit Card? (Best Way to Travel With Money)

The following tips are not quite perfect (nothing in this world is), but I'm pretty sure they will reduce any risk of taking money with you:

1. Rule number one and most important of all is to try not to attract attention. Even in the safest destination in the world, there are always people willing to rob you. If you are someone who goes for a walk around looking like a tourist (backpack on the shoulders, camera on the neck, shows money on the street), no doubt you will be targeted by criminals. Start by dressing up without much luxury, keep it handy as locals and don't  hold your wallet in public.

2. When traveling by plane, I suggest you take all your money with you. Losses of luggage in airports are common, and many fail to appear, so better save yourself headaches without even arrived at your destination.

3. Avoid as much as possible to put all the cash in one place of the backpack, but distribute it strategically. They typically hide it in the bottom of the backpack and the rest on any  luggage compartment where you can put a padlock. It also works to hide it inside an objects that are not transparent or even a sock, which serve to fool the eye.

4. When getting outside to sightsee bothers try not to take all your money in your wallet, ther are pants (both short and long) or belts with secret compartments where you can place the amount you will use for the occasion.

5. The best places are those with safes services, option that I 100% recommend to store all kinds of valuables, including money. These safes are usually in your room or at the reception of lodging.

6. Needless to say, not all hotels / hostels are so good with the issue of better security, and many travelers seek them by virtue of being cheap accommodation. As for me, I would pay a little more to have some security in my lodging, to save a few dollars and go uneasy with my belongings.

¿Fear of Travel for the First Time? Get over it Now!

You have decided to undertake a travel to anywhere in the world, and as in any new venture, you get the classic questions that invade your mind when planning it: "What will my new routine is going to be?" "Would I spend too much money in one day? "" What if something bad happens? "" Is this the right thing to do? ".

Fear to Travel?

Fear of Travel

Questions like this are endless, and can become frustrated by not knowing where to start. Experience has taught me that the process of traveling or planning it is not difficult. The tricky part is taking the first step to make the desired trip. It takes lots of encouragement and motivation, and at the time when you more need it is when you come to discourage before the first feeling of insecurity. Some people only need a little push, while others take longer to overcome the uncertainty that appears before a trip.

There is nothing wrong with having a little fear when visiting a new destination. At the end you will realize that you are doing the right thing.

Some of the reasons that most people use to justify their fear of travel are:

• Not having enough money: This is the argument used by many. While it is true that you need money to travel, you do not need a fortune. Tourism enterprises have created the idea that you have to save large amounts of money to Travel. There are many ways to travel without wasting money. One of them, and so far it has worked all out is Couchsurfing.com. With this network it is possible to stay at home of any person, as long as is a member of the service. And the best part is that is completely free and each day it has more followers worldwide. There is also workaway where, for a small annual fee, you can do work in exchange for comfort anywhere in the world. You see, traveling is not a luxury if you do it a priority. If you think that time is now, do it because there is no turning back and then you will regret not having done so.

• Having too many responsibilities: It is said that the more possessions you have, the more control they have over you. Today's world, with so many advances and technologies, have turn too many people to consumerist , tying them to a lot of responsibilities to fulfill, that keep them in the spiral of debt, offices, corporate goals and endless commitments. When you are traveling, your obligations disappear. The only commitments that go with you is the one you are creating along the way.

• Traveling can be dangerous: Since there has always been violence, and no country escapes it, but it has decreased the number of travelers in the world? No! Each year many more people are involved in travel, and still others have made it a lifestyle. If you read the newspapers of many countries you will see that most of the violence has links with settling of scores, wars or drug smuggling. Very few crimes directed at tourists. Nor do I mean it can not happen. As a precaution, it does not hurt to follow your own instincts and safety tips of local people when visiting a new area, to avoid situations that put your life at risk.

• Difficulty adapting to the changing routine Of a trip: This may be one of the major impediments and to get used to the constant changes that arise on a trip is not something you learn by reading. To reduce a travel from two months to four weeks because you feel the desire to return home is not the best thing you can do. It is understandable that people not accustomed to travel feel eager to return home, but cancelind a travel that way, it's not a very smart thing in my opinion. You will never know if you lose the best part of your travel, and all for fear of the unexpected. Knowing to adapt to new situations will help you in facing new challenges in life.

If you look at the fears that I have raised, you will notice that everything stems from the perception of how you see things. Many will agree with the idea that traveling is just to have fun and have fun, but also takes work know how to behave, both socially and economically, in a foreign country. Travel the world it does not have to be a stressful fun. Only requires initiative and a great change of mentality towards the world.

9 Things You Should Not Do When Traveling Alone

People who have travel blogs spend most of the time writing about those attractions that everyone should visit, or things you should to do in a particular destination. From this perspective, nobody usually mention the things you should not do in a trip on your own.

When Traveling Alone for the first time, you tend to make many mistakes that are only corrected with experience. If you've never been backpacking abroad and want to do it at some point, I give you 9 suggestions of what you should not do if you want to get the most out of your adventure (the same also applies if you are traveling in a group).

Traveling Alon; what NOT to do!

9 Things You Should Not Do When Traveling Alone

1- Do not use your travel guide all the time.
There is nothing wrong with visiting a country and buy a travel guide to be informed regarding accommodation, sightseeing, maps and other things the destination in question can offer to the tourist. The problem is when your whole itinerary is based in what the guide says, without giving room for improvisation.

Do not forget that the information in the guide, like a calendar, becomes obsolete in a matter of months or weeks. Having said that, do not be surprised that most of the prices of hostels and restaurants have already changed.


2. Do not leave home without travel insurance.
The expense involved in having a travel insurance seem absurd at first, but as I always say: you never know what acident can happen along the way, so better safe than sorry.

If you fall ill or end up with a major injury, you obviously have to stop the trip, but even worse is spending your trip money to get medical assistence. when you're better, surely much of your money has been gone in medical expenses, and you will have no choice but to return home frustrated to live such an experience.

Chances are good that you buy a travel insurance and you never use it (if you are lucky enough). However, if the unexpected happens at least you will be covered and won't be so worried about the cost. For my part, I use World Nomads every time I go abroad, and if you want to dig deeper into the subject, you should look at this post.

Do not use your travel guide all the time

3- Stop saying "yes" all the time.
When arriving at a new place, it is normal to be so amazed by the experience that some people tend to say yes to many situations they face on the journey. A common example is when you're on the street and a salesman comes up to you, and in order not to look bad, you agree to his request. The same applies for example for beggars.

Another example, you filed conversation with a group of backpackers in a hostel and they were so nice. The next day you met them, they invite you to go to a place where the cost is way out of your budget, but you do not care and you'll spend extra money to adventure with them. Although the idea of ​​leaving with your new friends is tempting, sometimes following the crowd might not be the best idea.
True, no one forces you to make a decision that you do not want when you travel, but it is easy to get carried away by the pressure of the moment, something that must learn to control and to say no when you think it's necessary.


4- Avoid Looking like a Tourist
If there is one thing that a tourist must avoid is to look like one. It sounds contradictory to say this, but from the moment you go out and have that look of the visitor with the camera in the neck and Lonely Planet in one hand, you're targeted by thieves who will wait to steal you at the first chance

Not that it is wrong to take a picture on a walk or take the map to locate your position, but everything have to be done with discretion to not to attract attention on the street. Another thing that helps is to dress like locals, allowing you to pass unnoticed

Avoid Looking like a Tourist

5- Avoid changing money at the airport
People say that changing currency at an airport is most recommended for those who arrive to a new destination. While the airport site security is excellent and the chances of receiving counterfeit bills are zero, the truth is that the amount you recieve is lower than other places. Sometimes you need to change at airports because the circumstances warrant and have no choice but it is more convinient to change your currency at a bank or exchange house.

With regard to the exchange, do not change in the first house you come across, but visit several (is usual to find different local exchange in the city center) so you can compare and so choose the place where you get a better transaction effect.


6- Do not book too fast
It is understandable that after choosing a date for traveling, you want to make reservations for lodging, flights and tours to get all set. However, this is how you spend more money because you do not give room for patience.

What I want to say with this? It turns out that the more you look, the best you find, you will have more chances of finding god deals with the airlines (the Act applies to cruises travel). If possible, sign up for the mailing list of airlines that go to your destination so you're aware of in case you have some discount.  Abour agencies tours, go to several and compare prices before you choose one which costs go hand in hand with your budget.


7- Try not to use your camera too much to enjoy the moment
I remember when I was on a tour of the Colca Valley and got to the canyon where the condors are flying over the area, moving from one end of the mountain to another. At the first chance, I pulled out my camera and spent a good while photographing and filming them, playing with the zoom to get the best possible shots of the birds. However, I had a hard truth in my mind, which led me to turn off the camera and just to see these huge birds soaring over the vast canyon of more than 3,000 meters deep.

You may have the world's best camera and capture perfect images, but this will never replace enjoy the time with your own eyes.

8- Do not plan too much
It is said that the best things in life happen without being planned, and is no exception when you're traveling. In my personal opinion, the grace of a trip is to develop yourself in the atmosphere of uncertainty, anything can happen, and planning every aspect of your trip greatly limits the freedom to do whatever you want.

I do not mean that planning is a bad decision, and certainly there are times you have to do it to achieve a purpose (take a train or how to react in an emergency), but do not sacrifice the best of your travel by going strictly planned.

Do not let the clock control you

9. Do not let the clock control you
If there is a compelling reason why one out of travel is to escape the routine, including the routine of  keep tracking of time. When you are traveler, you decide at what time to get up, go to meet, go to sleep, what book to read, anyway. You are the master of your schedule, so you do not fall into anxiety watching the clock all the time like you have a hurry.

Avoiding each of the points I mentioned you will save more money, have more time on your side and look more cautious, resulting in a better travel experience. If you're used to some of the practices that I described in this post, remember that it takes time and an initial effort to change, so do not give up and persevere.

Tips for Traveling Alone

You are the kind of person who has never traveled alone in his life, but suddenly you want to do it. The first thing you have to do is to chose the destination (or destinations) you are going to attend. Then, you start saving money, while making all possible inquiries about your Journey.

Read Also; 9 Things You Should Not Do When Traveling Alone

Solo Travel Tips

Tips for Traveling Alone 

As is your first trip, you want at all cost, to find a companion to follow you on your adventure. You start asking any friend that you came across (friends, neighbors, relatives, etc.), but it turns out that some of them can not or just do not want to. Even some of them will tell you it is a good idea and encouraged you to go, but then they end up changing their minds.

Since no one wanted to go, you stay in a mental crossroads on sticking to the plan of traveling alone or cancel it. If you are one of those who give up quickly, I recommend you to not cancel your travel plans for any reason.

As I have often traveled alone, backpacking, I can tell that when one goes on a trip alone, the chance to run into other travelers (whether traveling in groups or alone) on the road are many. So whether you head to tour Europe for two months or go to Australia for a year, there is always someone willing to accompany you at some point in your journey, even to drink a beer.

In fact, finding travel companions is not that complicated when you are traveling, because every person, that is alone in a foreign country, at some point,  needs company, this allows you to create a connection between these people who walk in the same situation.

You can come across someone in the hostel where you stay, or seek other travelers couchsurfing, or in the crowded popular bars or at any other corner of the city. The point is that there are always people around you with whom you can have a good time, even if you're the most shy person.

Many people do not care if they travel alone or accompanied, but for the people who do care, Let me tell you that it is important to take the first step to overcome the fear. As an anecdote, I made my first trip alone through Central America (Belize, Honduras, El Salvador and Nicaragua) in 2010.

Previously I traveled to Miami, Costa Rica and Guatemala, but with company. In the case of Central America, I did not know anyone in any of the countries I visited. Without too much thinking, I threw myself into the adventure, and so far I do not regret it..

Even though I did not got a travel companion to travel the same route I had in mind, I met a lot people in every town, city or beach where I visited. Some of them still good friends.

The Experience as you go on your travel will not be like mine, but suffice to take control of the situation and initiate a conversation to have someone on your side. Do not let fear stop you from traveling alone to see the world. Just take the first step and you will see that it is not as difficult as you think.

If you had the chance to have traveled alone, how was your experience?

30 Tips for Traveling Abroad

In life if you want to be an expert in something, you need experience, and is no exception when one seeks to be an accomplished traveler. Like any other activity you do, during the first few times, you go wrong a lot. Even later, when you think you've learned a lot, after some time traveling, you will still wandering like a good human being you are.

From taking the collective bus by mistake or carelesly paying over the odds, to say a comment considered culturally taboo because of our ignorance, and any tiny mistake, mistakes along the way and learning  is what you need to become more skilful a traveler.

Having this last concept clear and explained, I would like you to benefit from the following list I have compiled, where I mention 30 tips to prepare yourself for your next travel, regardless of the country or region you visit.

30 Travel Tips

1- Travel alone at least once in your life.
Not that it's bad to have a company at your side, but there will be times when you'd rather walk alone, either to resolve a situation by yourself or just want to enjoy your own space for a while.

2- Do not forget to have extra copies of your important documents
If for any reason you lose your passport, having a copy of this document becomes a kind of life saver. And do not just take copies on paper, scan and store everything on your smartphone, laptop or on your USB drive.

3- Take an extra credit / debit card and emergency cash with you.
It never hurts to have a backup in case of a lost or stolen money. You do not want an accident of this type to occur and not been prepared to confront it.

4- Take a backpack with you
They are very efficient when you want to take excursions or short walks, and after that take only what is needed and leave the rest on your big backpack.

5- Sometimes it is good to walk with no fixed address
The ideal way to explore a city (or town) is to go aimlessly and discovering all on its own. Try not to wander into an area of risk to your safety, so ask local if you're not sure about the place you travel.

6- Do not be afraid to use a map
There are many backpackers who do not like the idea of using a map that makes them look like tourists, but if there is something worse than that, is to get lost due to the stubbornness of not wanting a map to locate yourself properly.

7- Consider working while traveling
Everyone decides whether to work or not when traveling, but it would be more sensible if you intend to keep on the road for quite a while. The options for making money are many, so take your time finding work that best conform to your personality.

8- Avoid fanny packs if possible
In my own opinion, I think walking with a fanny pack (in other countries is known as baby sling) is attracting the attention of thieves, which relate the image to wealthy tourists. Although there are some models that can be used inside your trousers, they are often uncomfortable after walking with them for a while.

9. Always carry a small (or maybe two) lock.
They are very useful in the hostels, that always have lockers to store your backpack. For convenience, chose the type of lock you can open by combinations of numbers and not keys.

10- Less is better when it comes to the backpack
People who has never traveled think they have to pack half of the closet in his luggage, but nothing is worse than that. What you load is what you'll use all the time that last your travel, and the last thing you want for your back and shoulders is suffer from excess of weight.

11- Divide the cash you have in your possession
Instead of putting everything in one place, divide and hide it in secret compartments in your bag, which are not visible to the eyes of the people.

12- When flying, book seats that are as close to the exit
This is so you can get out quickly of the plane and so you can get faster to the inmigration que. The same applies to travel by bus or boat carrying many passengers.

13- Learn the basics of the native language
Whether it's Russian, Japanese, Italian or the language it was, local people will appreciate the effort you make to speak their language, it doesn't matter if it is a bit or a lot.

14- Consider Couchsurfing.com
While hostels are one of the cheapest alternatives for lodging, with Cochsurfing the cost of accommodation is reduced to zero since you star in local houses.

15- Do not get used to always eat on the street
Even in very low-cost countries, over time you will see that if you eat too much in the street, your money is slowly running out. You save more if you cook your own food or if you eat at the home of strangers using the social network Meal Sharing.

16- Take pictures of your luggage before reaching the airport
If you lose your bag, it will be easier for the airline personnel to identify your backpack with a photo on your phone.

17. Patience becomes your best ally
During a travel it is easy to lose your temper or do anything hasty when things do not go your way, even about little things. In this kind of situations is the best time to be patience and know that whatever you do, everything will work as expected in the right time.

18- Buy a pen and notepad
Constantly you are going to run into all kinds of information you'll want to note, which will help you at the time or later. For me, it is more practical to write on paper to write down everything in the cellphone, although it will depend on each individual.

19. Respect the local culture
No doubt this has to be one of the most important tips to follow in the list. What may be strange for you, for others it is the opposite, and it is these small differences that you must respect if you want to be respected equally.

20- Do not leave without your travel insurance
It sounds contradictory to purchase a travel insurance and give it no use at all, but that would be ideal. If you had an accident and your medical expenses require heavy expenses, the insurance will be your shelter. Do not overlook the phrase "prevention is better than cure".

21- Take a tour of the local tourist office
The tourist office staff is fully aware of everything that happens in the city and its surroundings. They can help naming you the different events, celebrations and activities that occur throughout the year.

22. Have some malice
Most of the people you'll encounter have good intentions and are people we end up sharing a dinner or a beer in a bar. There are also those who take advantage of your good will, but I do not say this to  distrust others, but to have some malice to distinguish the good from the bad.

23- Don't get hurt by spending more money for a little more comfort
When traveling as a backpacker, you think you have to pay as little as possible to save money, which is logical, but if it turns out that paying a little more can get you a comfort that you think are going to enjoy, have no compunction about incurring that expense. After all, that is the point, right? to enjoy!.

24- Save your photos on an external memory
Many make the careless to leave your photos in the camera memory without making a backup of these. Imagine your camera disappears and with it more than a thousand your travel photos; It is to die for. So take precautions and keep each of your photos on a USB memory. In my case, I use Dropbox, a free virtual space that can access an Internet connection.

25- Do not plan too much
Leave your trip to flow naturally without much planning overdo, because this will be less stressful than moving with a very rigid agenda.

26. Bring a small first aid kit
Get wit you, medication to help you combat the symptoms of dizziness, diarrhea, fever and headaches. Remember also have bandages, antibacterial cream, gauze bandages and sterilized for small cuts and scrapes.

27. Explore the central market of the destination you visit
This is one of the places where you will learn more about the culinary customs of a country, since the food is aimed to local tastes. Worth going if you plan to taste other than what you eat at home meals.

28. Take a coat, even if it is summer
Logically, you go with warm clothes if traveling in winter, but in summer we tend to believe it is not essential to wear a garment that shelters. However, there will be situations where it is otherwise, as when the air conditioning of  bus is over cold or a overnight in mountainous regions.

29. Take advantage of frequent flyer programs
If you fly often with a particular airline or alliance of airlines (SkyTeam, OneWorld and Star Alliance are partnerships that currently exist), you'll earn miles and use them for free flights and other benefits such as discounts and awards of all kinds .

30- Get up early
Unless you are very tired because yesterday you were very active, it is advisable to get up early to have more time.

What did you think of the list of tips in this post? Do you think I left out any other tips? Let me know with a comment on the bottom, and feel free to share this post if you like.