I love to plan trips, almost as much as making the trip itself. The anxiety of imagining how everything will happen, the search for attractions, for information about the hostels, understand the culture, and how the city works fascinate me. That’s why I have separated some tips on issues that I keep an eye on when planning or even during a trip.
I hope you enjoy it.
1 – THE MORE INFORMATION, THE MORE SECURITY
Knowing the places where you want to go, how to get there, and how much you pay for each tour/attraction avoids almost 100% of the most common scams with tourists.
Travel blogs and videos on youtube are an excellent source of information. Watch and read content from different styles of travelers not only to get an idea of what you want to visit but to know paths, prices and even avoid beginners’ mistakes (even when traveling a lot, when we go to a new place, the challenges are the same).
2 – PUBLIC TRANSPORT
If you are going to a city that has a metro system, prefer to use it as a mode of transport. There’s no mistake. You take a map, either physical or stored on your cell phone, which you can download beforehand, and guide yourself. When you need information, generally, at the main stations, there are security guards and other staff who will assist you. In addition, the fixed price of tickets will protect you from those old scams by taxi drivers.
If you need accessibility, in most metro websites you can check information about which stations have an elevator.
3 – TAXI / UBER
The tip to take a taxi in cities you don’t know is to have internet on your cell phone. For two reasons:
The first one is to keep a known person (even on the other side of the world) informed about your path, and the other one is to check if the driver is going in the right way. If you know that you will not have internet access at the exact moment you are in the car, download a city map in the Google Maps application (so you can use it even when you are offline).
It doesn’t have to be a super internet, just enough to follow the route through your map (even in countries like Sudan I managed to do this) and activate WhatsApp if necessary.
For people with disabilities, in the main cities of the world, there are accessible taxis or you can schedule a transfer to pick you up at the airport, for example, and take you to the hotel, which should already be warned about what you need. When you arrive at the hotel, ask the reception for directions from reliable drivers and companies. Keep in contact with this professional / company and combine everything with them.
In the case of wheelchair users, for example, if you are going to call an uber it is worth sending a message informing the driver that you will need help.
4 – LANGUAGE
Even if you do not speak the language of the country, Google some phrases that you may need on your route. If you have difficulty decorating, write it down on WhatsApp, or record an audio for yourself. Also, go beyond the obvious: don’t just learn “thanks”, “please”, “how are you?”.
If you imagine that you might need to request transport by application, for example, already write down some messages that you may need to write to the driver. With internet access, you can quickly translate an answer. I’ve already sent something like: “I don’t speak ‘your language’, but I would like to tell you that I need help with x, y, z, ok?” and he replied, “ok”. Beautiful.
5 – ACCOMMODATION
Staying in a hostel is an excellent option for those who do not want to be alone, pay cheap, and meet people. For those who want more privacy, single rooms in hostels are a great option. If you are a woman, women’s rooms are also a good choice.
The hostel’s location is essential. Staying in regions close to public transport, in the city center or in tourist places, although sometimes it is a little more expensive, makes us feel safer, and improve our travel quality.
6 – SMALL BAG IS YOUR BEST FRIEND
The rule is: The suitcase is in the hostel. While walking across a city, just keep with you a small backpack to keep things on the way (really small, just to put medicine, handkerchief, something you might need or want to buy throughout the day).
And money? Well, money, card, hostel key, and passport go with me in the money belt, under my pants (there is no safer place). Although many people recommend keeping your passport in the hostel and carrying a copy, in many places I don’t trust enough to leave the most important document of the trip – in addition, you might need the original one. In the most dangerous places I’ve ever been to, I even slept with it.
7 – HEAVY SUITCASE x FREEDOM
It is much more difficult to get around, get on public transport, or even (Gods forbid) scream for help when you need to carry a huge suitcase. So less is more.
Your safety, health, and freedom are better than different looks for Instagram posts. Even in the simplest hostels, it’s common to find laundry services that are much cheaper when compared to the fact that you will need to pay for a taxi because you can’t ride the subway thanks to your heavy suitcase. This is definitely not a smart economy.
In my case, with a disability, a light suitcase also means independence (since I don’t need to ask for help to carry it) and health for my shoulders. Laundry is certainly cheaper than a physiotherapy session.
FINALLY, ARE YOU AFRAID TO TRY?
The best moments of a trip are the discoveries we made along the way and were not in our planning. So allow yourself to get lost in a few moments. You will discover amazing things about the city and about yourself.
Travel troubles will always happen. And I guarantee you these are the stories you will tell your friends at the bar table or to your grandchildren while relaxing in your armchair.
So don’t be wanting everything to be perfect. The best moments of your trip are not in the guides.