Summer’s almost a stone’s throw away. Hello, sandy beaches and sun-kissed skin and tan lines! But before you go giddy about the upcoming change in the scenario or purchase plane tickets, here are some travel hacks you might want to keep up your sleeve for good use.
Basics- Scan your important papers.
Losing your passport in a foreign land is just the beginning of a long nightmare. Better come prepared. Before you leave, scan every travel document that you’ll need such as passports, identification cards, itineraries, and travel insurance, then send these to your own e-mail. This guarantees that you’ll always have a backup copy in the unfortunate circumstance of theft or loss.
- Call your credit card company.
Since you’ll be in and out from another country you want to make sure that using your credit and/or debit cards won’t cause you any trouble. Do not forget to call your credit card company to inform them that you might be using your card in another country. Credit card companies typically associate the use of cards in a different country as a sign of suspicious activity. For a hassle-free travel, it wouldn’t hurt to give them a heads up.
- Roll your clothes.
Roll your clothes instead of folding. This saves space and makes room for other essentials to fit in your luggage. To prevent clothes from wrinkling, wrap them with tissue paper.
- Wrap shoes in shower cap.
Protect clean clothes from the soles of dirty shoes.
- Save room in your luggage and wear your heaviest shoes and heaviest coat on the plane.
- Pack a change of clothes in your hand-carry.
All too often, the airline loses your luggage somewhere along an international flight. If this happens, at least you have a set of extra clothes with you that you can use while your bags are being located.
- Use ATMs instead of airport money changers.
Airport money changers are pricey and don’t always reflect the exact exchange rates. For a cheap and better alternative, just use your card and withdraw money from ATMs. Just keep an eye out for imposed surcharges.
- Do a bit of grocery shopping.
Grab the basics like water and some snacks in stores downtown so that you don’t have to pay for these at the hotel.
- Take only the necessities out of your luggage.
Do not take everything out of your bags once you arrive at your hotel room. Just take out the basic necessities such as toiletries, personal care, and other things that you will be using often. Taking everything out of their bags only makes repacking a nightmare. Plus, you might end up forgetting something on your last day.
- Eat locally as much as possible.
Eating locally lets you taste and experience meals, and isn’t that part of the point on taking a vacation on a different land?
- Blend in.
When going around the city, follow the norm. Don’t try to stand out as much. Your safety could be compromised if you looked too much of a foreigner.
- Collect all of your loose change.
Take all of your coins and give it to the homeless. After all, you won’t be needing these back home. You also get the chance to help someone in need.
- Blend in.
When going around the city, follow the norm. Don’t try to stand out as much. Your safety could be compromised if you looked too much of a foreigner.