Travel tips from me to you
Planning is the key to being prepared for a trip!
Having travelled to nearly 40 countries across the globe, most of which by myself. Many people over the years have asked me for advice on how I plan and organise my time.
Step 1 - The budget
Now the budget is (in my personal opinion) the most important step when travelling. As someone who lives off a monthly budget it can be hard to keep track of expenses and make sure you don’t overspend.
The destination of your travels can also be dependent on your budget. Some countries such as Indonesia and Thailand are budget friendly - but some are not. Islands such as the Maldives for example can be very expensive to stay and visit -but you can enjoy as much as possible if you set yourself a daily/weekly/monthly budget for travelling.
Before reaching a destination I always have the following things in mind
Flights/coach/boat/train/car = for example I myself am currently researching the best way to get from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap. The capital city is not too far away from Siem Reap meaning there are daily flights between the two but - these flights are painfully expensive. There are multiple bus and coach companies which transfer people hourly, every day between the two hotspots for less than half the price of a flight!
Transport to/from airport/coach station/port/train station = this can be tricky to plan especially in remote areas. I’ve been a solo nomad for over 6 months now and one of my biggest worries is how to actually reach my accommodation. For example in Bali, Indonesia there is no public transport but there are apps such as Grab and Gojek (similar to Uber) which can be used instead. In my personal experience planning this may seem small and insignificant but it also reduces the chances of you getting scammed!
Accommodation = one of the most important aspects of a trip. Location, reviews, price, extras and amenities are some key factors to take into consideration. For example you may pay slightly more money to stay closer to a city centre but it could save you money on public transport and taxis!
Daily Meals = eating out can be expensive but trying the local food is a must to experience new culture. From past experience it’s very hard to plan your daily meals which is why I set a daily budget for food. Some days I will sample the local street food and other days I will cook for myself. It all depends on the destination. Another factor to bear in mind is culture differences. Being a vegetarian/vegan/having an intolerance can make it difficult in some countries and can make food/meal prices more expensive.
Transport around destination = this can also play a large factor as some countries in South-East Asia for example do not have public transport. Major cities like Singapore and Kuala Lumpur have a very cheap and easy to use metro system which covers the whole city.
Emergencies = hopefully you’ll never need it but sometimes things can go wrong. I always budget a little extra just in case.
Activities = this is also very dependent on your location. Queenstown in New Zealand for example is world famous for it’s crazy outdoor activities like bungee jumping but - these can be very expensive.
Souvenirs = extra little gifts to bring home are part of the fun of travelling!
Mobile data = now this is also tricky to plan, some countries it is easier to buy the local sim card but e-sims are gaining popularity and I couldn’t recommend them enough! Websites such as Airalo mean you don’t have to take out your own sim card but you can easily top up with more internet when needed.
Travel/health insurance = this is very important and often overlooked. For a nomad like myself I use flexible health insurance such as SafetyWing but of course for a single trip global comparison websites are an awesome way to find one suitable for your needs.
Step 2 - Your itinerary
Some of the best places I have found by accidentally getting lost but for some wandering around in a new country can be very daunting. My worst fear is leaving a country not knowing I missed out on something awesome.
First things first I usually avoid general websites such as TripAdvisor. Instead I search for travel bloggers and use websites like The Crazy Tourist. These days TikTok and Instagram can also provide cool inspiration on where to take photos!
In the past I have made many travel mistakes for sure but a big one for me to learn from was to always check the local website to make sure the hotspot I want to visit is open on a particular day. When I visited New York many years ago I was heartbroken to find out the MoMA museum was undergoing renovation.
Once I have made usually a huge list, I will prioritise which things I must do and see just in case I run out of time or if something happens e.g. flight delay.
Bookmarking places on Google Maps is always my top recommendation when people ask me for tips. From past experience Google maps is more accurate than Apple maps. But main reason I do this is due to the fact you can use Google Maps without internet data. You can even download a map of a certain city to use offline!
Now you have all of your items bookmarked on Google maps it is much easier to see visually how far away/close your hotspots are and where your accommodation is!
Step 3 - Being flexible
Now this might sound like the exact opposite of what I just said but hear me out. Planning and organising is an awesome way to not only stay safe and prepared but also to utilise your time. Of course things can change and plans can be interrupted.
I usually like to stay in a place long enough to give myself time to do everything without rushing. Sometimes you can meet awesome people and do adventures together and sometimes you can stumble across something you never thought you would!
This is a screenshot of my Google Maps for Beijing, I lived there for 3 months so plenty of time to explore!
Street food vendor I stumbled across in Penang, Malaysia
