- Structure your travel well and prepare a schedule.
First decide the places you wanna see on your next tour. With the help of a map or internet try to combine those places which are geographically close to each other. This will cut down your travelling time in between two places.Also this will make the arrangement of transport lot more easy and cheap. Try to stick to this schedule as far as possible(sometimes some unforeseen incidents may derail your well planned schedule like accidents…)
TRAVELTIPS
- Book your accommodation in advance.
In this era of internet explosion, when one can easily book any type of accommodation that suits one’s budget through internet, sitting at your home, ensure that you book all your stays well before your date of travel. This is extremely essential if you are travelling with your girlfriend or kids. This means that you don’t waste precious time going from hotel to hotel trying to find a room, having to arrive early enough at your next destination to look for accommodation. Also the tension you have to take outnumbers the savings you make by last minute bookings.
- Decide on mode of transport.
Driving will give you more flexibility but can be daunting at times and is not recommended if you mainly wish to visit cities. You may decide to take your own car if you live in Europe. If you fly you can hire a car. Beware of extra charges for additional drivers, insurance excesses, airport charges, out of hours charges etc. try to find hotels which has tie up with taxi services and gives you complementary offers. If you use a budget airline try to only book direct flights. If you book a two let journey, the budget airlines will not assist you, as they only operate a point to point service. Public transport is pretty good in most of Europe.
- Be aware of security of possessions.
Use a money belt, hotel safe etc. Do not have all your money/cards in one purse or wallet. If you lose it you are in trouble. Make sure you have travel insurance and if there is an incident get a written report from the local police station, to enable you to make a claim.
- Try to learn at least a few words of the language.
This will be greatly appreciated and the natives will have an instant inclination to help you.(particularly if you are visiting places, where people have great national pride about their language). My French is what you might describe as school girl but I do try when in France. Often I receive the reply in English but at least I tried. I always apologize if I cannot speak the language. I don’t assume that the person I am talking to should speak English, I ask in their language if they speak English.
- Cushion your timings.
You should allow some time just to wander around, enjoy a leisurely lunch. You do have to plan an itinerary, or you can just waste a lot of time, but it doesn’t have to be written in stone! Allow yourself the opportunity to be spontaneous.
- Don’t just stick to tourist traps.
Try to visit some authentic local restaurants, markets, villages, etc. where you will meet local people, rather than just other tourists. Surely part of the reason for going abroad it to experience at least a little of the local flavour, not just spend all your time with other tourists.
- Do not try to see and do too much.
You may end up actually seeing very little. I think it is better to see more of fewer countries/regions and see them properly. You may not want to stay in one location for your whole trip. However if you choose carefully it may be possible to do several day trips from one central location. If you do decide to tour, consider spending at least two nights in some of your destinations. It can be quite tiring being on the move every day, packing and unpacking. Sometimes you feel that the journey itself is the destination, I believe thats when you become the true traveler.
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