Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
ing. That is why I recommend starting out in the UK or Ireland because you can always ask
someone if you have a question. If nothing else, it lets you ease into international travel a bit
easier, and it will help build your travel acumen.
Plan ahead to avoid confusion.
It is wise to have your accommodation arranged before
you arrive in each city. This way you'll know exactly where to go the second you step off the
train or plane. I also recommend spending a little time studying how to get to your hostel be-
fore you arrive. If you're familiar with how the public transportation works or what route to
walk, you'll remove much of the stress of traveling. Additionally, planning ahead keeps you
from wandering around aimlessly—which thieves pick up on very quickly.
Take it easy on yourself and relax.
Traveling is stressful. You'll make mistakes. Things will
go wrong. You'll feel defeated at some point. It is natural, and all travelers go through it. I hit a
wall after about three weeks of traveling, but I powered through it and I felt better after having
a few bad days.
I recommend doing something nice for yourself or doing something “normal.” Go see a
movie. Have a bit of retail therapy. Sign up for a cooking class or a wine tasting. It will help
rejuvenate you.
Take a guided tour the first day
. Guided tours are a great way to become familiar with
a city. If you're feeling overwhelmed, take one of those hop-on/hop-off bus tours because it
gives you a good idea how the city is laid out. Then when I'm exploring the city by foot, I have
a little better idea of where I am in relation to the other sights. Another great option is a bike
tour or a walking tour.
Ask people to take your picture.
I have a thousand photos of Europe, but I'm only in about
a dozen of them. I didn't even realize it until I got back home and started looking through my
pictures—I still regret not having more. People are more than willing to take your photo, but
you just have to ask.
Pack light.
The more stuff you drag along with you, the more difficult traveling be-
comes—especially when you're traveling alone.
Safety first.
Use your common sense. It probably isn't the best idea to walk around large
cities at night by yourself. Actually, I've done this many times and never felt unsafe. Just be
sure to stay alert. If something doesn't feel right, then you shouldn't do it. Always walk with
confidence and act like you've done so a million times.
Write down the address of your accommodation.
Always have the name and address of
where you're staying. This is important because it is easy to get lost in many European cit-
ies—their streets don't use the grid system, so finding your way home can be difficult. Plus,
good luck trying to tell your taxi driver to take you to 27 Scheepstimmermanstraat (yes, this
is a real street name).
Arrive to new locations during the day.
Whether it's at a train station or an airport, one
of the most confusing and frustrating moments of traveling is when you first arrive in a new
