If there’s one thing you want to avoid during first time travels, it’s learning through experience. Save yourself the heartache of hard-earned knowledge with these expert tips for hassle-free trips.
Plan Well in Advance
Most things in life go better with a little planning, and travel is no exception. Research your trip long before you leave. That way you’ll know which attractions to add to your list and which ones you need to book in advance.
It’s important to set up a realistic budget for your travels and stick to it. This means the more you can save on necessities, the more you’ll have in the pot for entertainment, local dining and shopping.
When you book well in advance, the best cheap domestic flights and accommodation specials are much easier to come by.
Cheap Domestic Flights are the Way to Go
Along with accommodation, your flights are likely to eat into your budget more than anything else. Shopping around for specials and early bird discounts will get you more bang for your buck.
Your time in transit doesn’t need to be an all bells and whistles experience. You’ll be perfectly comfortable and safe on a budget airline between destinations. You don’t need a top of the range vehicle to get from A to B either. Check out these tips for getting the best car hire at the best rates.
Get Out There
If there’s one thing that will really help you during your travels, it’s being friendly. As long as you’re sensible about it, you’ve got nothing to lose by adopting an approachable and open attitude. Talk to people wherever you go – locals and fellow travellers alike. You never know when you may stumble upon a travel guru filled with useful information or find out about some lesser-known but amazing local activity or place.
Don’t be afraid to make the first move, a simple smile can spark a friendship, and even if it doesn’t, you’ll get a much better sense of place if you’re sharing your experiences with others.
Be Brave
You’re already way out of your comfort zone when travelling anyway so you may as well take it to the next level. Do those things that you wouldn’t normally consider at home. Try foods you’ve never heard of before, venture into the unknown, take the hot air balloon trip despite your fear of heights.
When you travel, nobody knows you or has any expectations of you, so you can dance the night away, sleep till noon or hang out on the beach all day with no concern for schedules or commitments.
Be Flexible
The idea of travel is to escape from it all. That means a break from timetables and schedules.
Be prepared to do things on a whim, despite those carefully laid plans. There will be delays, weather-related surprises and fully booked attractions. Take a deep breath and go with the flow. Enjoy your surroundings for a little while longer or use the ‘wasted’ time to take a walk around. You never know what you might discover.
Over-Budget
Unexpected costs are as much a part of travel as delays are. Budget for unforeseen expenses when you’re planning your trip. An emergency fund goes a long way towards getting the best out of your stay. Keep some cash on hand to get out of sticky situations. If you need to take local transport because you’ve missed your bus or train, they likely won’t have card facilities.
It’s impossible to avoid overspending while you’re travelling too. All those extra gelatos can really eat into your budget. Work out how much you’d like to spend on supporting local eateries and shops and then double it. You’ll be so glad you did.
Worrying about finances can destroy your enjoyment and limit how much you get out of your travels. Besides, you didn’t leave home to spend time worrying about money.
Travel Light
We repeat, where you’re going, nobody knows your name. You don’t need to be primped and perfect every day.
Plan a casual mix-and-match wardrobe that’s comfortable and easy to pack, wash and dry. You can use the extra time to enjoy yourself. Pack light, you only need one outfit per day, plus a warm jacket and one outfit if you decide to indulge in a swish evening outing.
More Travel Secrets
Keep reading our blog for all the best inside information on where to go and what to see in South Africa and all over the world. We also feature regular updates on the latest travel news and how to get cheap domestic flights both locally and internationally.
Start planning your next adventure with us today.
