How to get the most out of your trip

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

For those for whom it is more important to bring a sea of positive emotions from a trip than a fridge magnet.

Independent travelers prefer to save time, effort and money. But they can get plenty of impressions from the trip. I would like it to be only positive emotions. I think my tips will help you make a special trip out of any trip.

In preparation

1. Find more information

Spend a few hours on the Internet looking for the information you need. Read reviews of places you want to stay, attractions you want to visit. Review the most negative and most positive ones. The truth is somewhere in between.

2. Choose your home wisely

If you book a hotel through well-known sites, you should pay attention to its location. Sometimes it is better to pay a little more for housing in the center than for a hostel on the outskirts than spending a lot of money and time on the road every time.

You know better what is more important to you: the included breakfast, 24-hour reception or the presence of a refrigerator in the room.

When I was in Kuala Lumpur for the first time, I certainly wanted the Twin Towers to be visible from my window. I do not remember the price of that room, but I remember the feeling of boundless happiness that this view from the window gave me. And in Tehran, a cozy room in the center of the capital cost mere pennies - due to the lack of a European bathroom.

3. Collect only what you need

Do not take very valuable things with you. Clothes are comfortable and light, food is non-perishable, medicines are effective and not prohibited in the country you are traveling to.

I have a habit of taking clothes on a trip, which are no longer a pity to part with, and as they get dirty, just leave them at the hotel for disposal. In developing countries, my T-shirts and jeans will find new owners, in others they will be handed over to recycling centers. I pamper myself with new things. Cool, but inexpensive. Each photo has a new bow!

During a trip

1. Fix

Record your thoughts, impressions, funny words from the local language, take pictures and shoot videos. Listen, watch, collect tastes and smells. I do not take pictures on the first day after the flight / move and I never process my pictures! Therefore, I am not nervous about the not very fresh appearance during the acclimatization period, and I know for sure in which country I got burned or recovered from local delicacies.

I photograph everything at once. It's better to delete unnecessary pictures later than to miss something incredibly funny, amazing or strange.

For example, I have a photograph of an Israeli police officer trying to detain my husband for suspicious behavior. The family photo archive also contains pictures of places that no longer exist on Earth: the Legzira arch in Morocco, Syrian Palmyra.

2. Forget about iconic landmarks

It is unlikely that a generally recognized landmark of any country or city in your photographs will look different from all other inhabitants of the planet who captured it. You can choose from the whole variety of wonderful places only those that you personally need! For me, the most desirable places to visit in Istanbul are the Museum of Modern Art and the staircase with colorful steps nearby.

3. Do not try to embrace the immensity

Create a travel itinerary according to your taste, a trip plan according to your desire and a schedule according to your lifestyle. But a detailed plan can be a heavy burden, a source of guilt. Do not limit yourself to frames, relax and enjoy the unexpected, the unexpected, the unforeseen!

4. Don't starve

Eat quality, inexpensive food. A salad of vegetables bought at the local market and buckwheat steamed in a hotel room will save you from unnecessary expenses and poisoning. I always have a bottle of water in my backpack and a bar of muesli or nuts bought at the supermarket, not near attractions.

However, the local cuisine of any country is worth trying. Find a cute, inexpensive café where the locals eat. Order what they eat. Enjoy! Of course, if you have doubts about the quality of the food or the firmness of your stomach, it is best to abstain.

5. Come up with your own "trick"

Do what you want, in the place where everyone does the same thing. I drink coffee with a view. As a rule, near the coolest sights there are a lot of cafes or restaurants that will charge you an unusually large amount of money for a very ordinary coffee. I brew my favorite coffee in the room, take it with me in a thermo mug and choose the best kind. The taste of coffee with a view is special! The view from the coffee is unforgettable!

6. Chat with people

Discard stereotypes, expand boundaries and connect with people regardless of their religion, social status, appearance, citizenship or native language. Exchange information, souvenirs, contacts. This will give a new experience, open up new opportunities! This is how I made friends who inspire me to do extraordinary things.

7. Don't buy junk

Spend money on what you really really want. I don't buy any souvenirs. I bring from trips special tea, cool spices or unusual cosmetics.

After travel

1. Prolong the pleasure

Disassemble photos, watch videos. Write nice messages to your new acquaintances. Invite your family or friends to a theme party, cook a national dish, show the best travel photos, tell us about your impressions.

2. Start planning a new trip

There are so many interesting things in the world!

Remember my tips, read a dozen more recommendations from other travelers, and only follow those that you find useful. I'm sure that great photos, new acquaintances and sensual experiences will remain as evidence of your journey.