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!
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| 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.
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| Do not use your travel guide 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
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| Avoid Looking like a Tourist |
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.
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| 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.
