1. Water bottle and bandaids
Take care of yourself! That means bandaids
for the blisters that you will probably get, as well as walking shoes to
minimize the inevitable blisters. And a water bottle so that you always have
water and then don’t have to pay for it as often. Most cities have plenty of
public fountains that are perfectly clean, so take advantage of it!
2. Use public transportation
I know that some people get nervous when it
comes to navigating public transportation, but it really isn’t that hard. Most
subways are pretty similar, and ticket machines usually have an English option.
If not, find a teller, they can help you out. You save so much money this way,
and you can people watch a little.
3. Buy everything in advance
I know some people don’t book their hostel
or whatever until the last minute, but just do it when you get your plane
ticket. It’s definitely much cheaper that way, and you’ll be much more
organized too.
4. Use sites that compare prices but then book
directly with the hostel
It’s always cheapest to book with the
hostel, but those comparison sites are great to find what hostel to book with.
I used HostelWorld, but there are plenty out there. Just remember to search the
name of your chosen hostel to find their website and book through there.
5. Talk to people!
I am not a people person so this was pretty
hard for me, but you’re travelling to learn about other cultures! Interact with
people! Or hang out in the common area of the hostel and chat with other
travelers, just put yourself out there!
6. Try to learn the local language
It’s super helpful to understand at least a
little of the local language. Even if you only watch a few youtube videos, it
makes everything much easier and at least a little familiar when you step off
the train in the middle of a strange city.
7. Google “free things to do”, that’s how you find
the cheap activities
Literally this is how I would plan my
itinerary. Google this and you’ll probably get a list of quaint parks, amazing
views, free museums, anything could pop up. But don’t search this and you’ll
probably miss it.
8. Take free walking tours
The free walking tours are great! They run
off of tips so the guides try to make them as interesting as possible, and you
get to hear about the city from a local. They also usually include quite a bit
of the history, which isn’t something that you’ll get just from walking around
on your own. Try to tip!
9. Remember that eating is part of the experience
I usually packed some food with me so that
I could pay less on food, but eating is still part of the culture. Save up on a
few meals and then splurge a little on key places, it’s definitely worth it!
10. Pack really light
This probably goes without saying, but only
bring what you need and can carry. You can also always buy things while
traveling, you don’t need to take it all with you. Everything gets much easier
when you have less stuff to drag around, and then sort through every time you
want to find something.
But also have fun! You are on a vacation,
enjoy yourself a little! Try not to be stressing out at every turn!
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