A long time ago, I wrote a post that featured some travel tips for first-time flyers and referred to that as "part one" in a series. However, I haven't taken time to follow up with part two. This post will serve as a part two of sorts and provide first-time travelers and more experienced travelers with some important travel do's and don'ts to know about!
Do: Travel with something to keep you occupied
What you bring with you will vary depending on your personal interests and mode of transportation. For many people, music and some quality headphones are enough to get through a long flight, bus trip, or train ride. Unless I'm driving, a great playlist usually isn't the sole thing that can get me through a trip. I always had a magazine, book, or crossword puzzles to keep me occupied when I would travel as a kid. To lighten my load, I now keep these same items available on my phone or tablet. Don't forget to make sure your devices are charged and bring a portable charger with you! My new items that I plan to travel with are a pen and notebook. Going old school is a great way to jot down notes without draining my phone battery and I can use those notes to write my blog.
Don't: Assume sleep will get you through the entire trip
Let's face it, some trips last a long time and it's not realistic to plan to sleep the entire journey. Flying across an ocean to another continent? The flight attendants will typically try to get everyone to go to sleep at a certain point in the flight to help reduce jet lag once you arrive at your destination. Going on a road trip? Stops are basically inevitable and more frequent the longer your drive continues, and you might even make plans to take turns driving with your travel buddies. It's hard to just sleep continuously on a trip which is why you should have something to keep you occupied!
Do: Get your passport early
As you may have noticed once international travel began to open up again during the pandemic, it takes a long time to get a passport. The pandemic only made the wait time worse. I've consistently kept my passport up to date since elementary school since I've primarily used it for trips to Canada (and a trip to Europe). I'll eventually get around to writing about my past trips to Canada. For now, I can't emphasize enough to begin the process of obtaining a passport several months before your trip! The process for getting a passport is expensive and time consuming, so the earlier you prepare to get one, the better. Some people choose to use agencies that help expedite the process. Personally, I'm not very familiar with how that works but I do know it is expensive. Don't forget to book an appointment for submitting paperwork and getting passport photos as necessary because those slots fill up quickly!
Don't: Rely solely on "last chance" or "last minute" deals
I know there are several blogs and vlogs out there about how great of a deal making travel arrangements on short notice can be. Yes, it's definitely possible to get a good deal on flights, hotels, event tickets, and other travel expenses by waiting until nearly the last possible second. However, you can also get a solid deal on travel by booking early. For example, I typically plan my trips up to 2 years in advance. This helps with saving up money and it gives me time to thoroughly search for the best prices for the things I want to do for my trips. My money is generally saved up long before my anticipated travel dates, so I can pay for things in full at the best possible price and even get an extra discount for paying in full. I just did this when booking a cruise more that I won't be sailing on for more than a year from now and saved $300-400. I'm the type of person that loves to plan activities in advance, but there's nothing wrong with spontaneous travel if you prefer to do that and can make it work.
Do: Arrive at the airport early
If you're going to catch a flight at any point during your upcoming travel plans, make sure to arrive at the airport early. I go into this in greater detail in my 3 Tips for Navigating Airports post. It's been even more important to arrive early since the start of the pandemic and as more people continue to return to traveling as airport staff and airline crews are reduced. Traditionally, you should plan to arrive at the airport about 2 hours before your domestic flight and roughly 3 hours before your international flight. I recommend tacking on an extra hour to each of those times given the current state of commercial airlines and public airports. This is another reason why you should bring items to help keep you occupied because you might be sitting in the airport for a while –– especially if your flight gets canceled.
Don't: Pack everything in checked luggage
Even before the recent surge in lost luggage, there was always the possibility of luggage being lost when traveling. It happened to me before about 12 years ago and they fortunately found my luggage after a couple of days. I strongly encourage you to split up your items so you have at least 1-2 outfits and your toiletries with you on the plane and anything you can manage not having right away when you land in your checked luggage. I know some people prefer to only have a small purse or backpack or no bags at all when they go through the airport, but I don't recommend it because of the potential for luggage to be lost. If you will be traveling with other people, it's a good idea to put some of each person's belongings in the others' carry-on bag to make sure each person is guaranteed to have the basic necessities arrive at the destination. I highly recommend doing this if you know you will have a layover or transfer during your trip.
Do: Explore money options before traveling abroad
Before you travel to another country, determine how much cash you want to bring and if you need a special debit/credit card. By this point, most people with a debit or credit card should have one with the chip and/or tap feature. If you don't, make sure to get one before you leave because some countries have been requiring it for several years. In general, it's important to be in contact with your bank before traveling abroad because they need to be aware that you will be making purchases in a different country. Your bank can also be your source for obtaining cash in the currency of your destination(s). Depending on your bank, you may find that they have partner institutions that will waive ATM fees if you need to withdraw cash using an ATM of the partner banking institution during your trip. Oh, and make sure to keep an eye on exchange rates for currency so you can get the most out of the exchange with your primary or home currency.
Don't: Travel without doing some basic research on your destination
Are there designated tourists areas? What customs should I be aware of? What options are available for accessibility needs? Will there be holidays or elections when I travel? What is the weather forecast for the duration of my trip? These are the types of questions you should ask yourself when traveling domestic or abroad. I believe most people ask themselves these questions to some degree. However, I also know that not everyone wants to or likes to put that much detail into planning a trip. If you don't want to consider these types of things and more on your own, it may be ideal to consider booking through a travel agent and they can help you with organizing those details. It's hard to over-prepare for a trip but quite easy to under-prepare. Spontaneous travel can be fun, but you don't want to go somewhere without any basic knowledge about your destination. You are a guest and should want to respect the place and people that call that location home while being prepared for your own safety and well-being.
And those are my travel do's and don'ts! I've learned my lesson of not promising a part 2 or 3 to these types of posts. I may consider expanding on this in the future if there's anything else I think of. This post was something I thought of during a conversation about passports with a former co-worker. That being said, there could be a part 2 one day but for now I have other content to write about and share with you soon!
Feel free to leave comments below, tweet (@KimiThoughts), or leave a post/message on Facebook (@KimisTravelThoughts) and share your thoughts on this list or if you plan to use any of the recommendations from this post!