10 Tips to Travel Safer and Happier •

Lessons Learned From the Road

The more I travel, the more I am learning about important resources and habits that help with time, safety, money, and more. Here are a few tips that can help you in your own travels:

ATM and Credit Card Safety. Separate cards into 2 places so that if a bag gets stolen, you still have access to one set of cards. Consider having 2 ATM cards from different banks so that if one card gets lost or stolen, you can still use the other card while awaiting the replacement.
VPNs and Apps for Data Management. Browsing the internet puts us all at risk. Make sure you sign up for a VPN (Virtual Private Network). The idea is, you turn it on before browsing the internet, and it sets up a cloak so that other people can’t see what you’re doing or compromise your data. I use Cyberghost. For laptop and iPhone security I use an app called Prey which can find where my device is, remote wipe it, and send out a signal to make loud noises if a person steals anything.
Bring less than you think you’ll need. Weight will be your biggest nightmare on longterm travel. Due to injuries, I can’t carry a heavy backpack anymore. You’d think a bag with wheels would make your life easier, but when you have to lug it up steep staircases, and along cobblestone or dirt roads, it’s not so easy. It’s better on your body to plan to wear certain items several times, do laundry washes in your room (carry a small wet bag or plastic bags so that if items have not dried before you pack up, they travel better) than to pack enough clothes for a week or two. Also, if you’re on the road for more than a few weeks, you’re going to get really sick and tired of your clothes. Leave space to pick up an item or two!
Be sparing with makeup. When I’m on the road, I don’t use a lot of makeup, sometimes none at all. Bring as little as you can, skip the foundation for a good SPF (OK, unless it’s tinted SPF and still good!), choose a few eye-shadows that match with everything (lighter is better, unless you’re doing a photo shoot, you’ll probably only wear light and natural colors, especially if you’re traveling to hot climates) and please don’t bring more than 2 or 3 makeup brushes. You just won’t use this stuff as much as you think!
Bring a nail clipper and file. If you’re a lady, and you’re carrying your bags and out and about, you will no doubt break and chip nails on a weekly basis. I can’t tell you what a godsend these items have been!
Insect repellent and sunblock. With mosquitos and ticks everywhere, you’ll want to bring repellent with you everywhere you go. Sunblock is outrageously expensive, so if you can get it in your home country, at least a travel size, you’ll save money, and your skin!
This photo was taken with my point-and-shoot – pretty good detail!
Consider photos. I started with just my iPhone. Now, iPhones take awesome photos, but sometimes you want a better zoom, or detail. It can actually be really difficult to get a camera that takes better photos than your iPhone! Especially if you have the 7/8 Plus or X models. However, I’m finding I really, really enjoy taking photos, and sometimes my iPhone just doesn’t give me the control and range I want. I started with a point-and-shoot (Canon Powershot G7 X Mark ii) and it definitely was excellent for close-up photos, but lacking in many other areas. So, I traded it in for a Mirrorless camera (Sony a6000) which is still lightweight, but has a viewfinder (by the way, if your eyes are older, using a screen to focus your photos will drive you nuts! The viewfinder is so awesome) and more manual control. If photos matter to you, consider getting a decent camera for your trips. And, if you’re doing something like seeing the Northern Lights, your smartphone camera just isn’t good enough.
Limit your shoes. On my first trip I took 3 pairs of shoes with me. On my second trip, I took four. I sent one pair home. They just take up too much room, and though it does get tiring to wear the same shoes all the time, you can live with it! The important thing is to be strategic. Hiking shoes are a good move – they can serve as sneakers or hiking shoes. Waterproof sandals (I have a pair of Teva’s) are an excellent investment – great walking shoes, and if it rains, no sweat! And, finally, a comfortable pair of shoes that can serve as dress shoes is another great pair to bring.
Throw stuff out. As you travel, socks will wear out, shirts will get holes, shoes may fall apart (mine did in Costa Rica!) Throw them all out and get something else. There’s no point wasting space in your bag for tattered items.
Use vacuum sealed bags. I’ve seen so many different suggestions for packing. You’ll have to find your own. Packing cubes have not been great for me, apart from storing electronic device cables and batteries, as well as underwear. The bigger ones just took too much space up in my bag. What I am loving are the vacuum sealed bags – you stuff them, and then fold them, squeezing the air out, and it gives you tons more space in your bag! I will say, rolling clothes, like the army roll, has been another helpful technique.
(OK, I said 10 but here’s a bonus tip!) Don’t plan every minute. Even for those of you traveling for a week, leave at least a half day or a full day open, with no plans. You will more than likely either want to chill out, or learn about some amazing place to see or thing to do that you didn’t catch on to while you were planning your vacation. So ,leaving open time allows you to either take advantage of the unknown, or have some time to actually relax. (Keep scrolling for a freebie!)

If you didn’t already snag your copy, I recently revised my packing list download – just click the image to the left to read it! Comes with a handy checklist and tips.