Peggy’s assorted travel tips

I thought it would be a fun exercise to collect and post some travel tips, while they are fresh in mind…. and since I keep waking up early that has given me a chance to compile them.   Below are some random suggestions, for what they’re worth.  There are three broad categories: Outlook/Strategies, Planning, and Stuff.

Outlook/Strategies

• Stay flexible, & be willing to adjust your expectations: attitude is everything in travel (as it is in life.) It’s a certainty that things will not always go as you planned or expected.  If you find yourself “stuck” in a disagreeable town on a rainy day, maybe that’s an opportunity…. foreign hardware stores can be interesting!  Be mentally nimble and as able to change plans on the fly as you can. In any case, remember, this too shall pass.
• Relax and enjoy the disasters. If you are going to laugh about it in 6 months, you might as well laugh about it now.  The best memories may come from the rough spots. I’ll never forget the week I was stranded in a small town in Sudan, or that speeding ticket in Mexico, and the hostel that wasn’t there in Skopje…
• Have a lunch strategy. It’s worthwhile to consider the options everyday, discuss with traveling companions & have a plan. (Which can, change of course, such as when the marvelous Indian/local seafood restaurant suddenly appears.)  Yes, carry along some emergency provisions; I try to have a granola bar & fruit always on hand.  I like a lunch sitting on a park bench with cheese and apples, or sardines and bread, or whatever I can buy from a bakery.   On the other hand, sometimes a nice sit-down meal in the middle of the day is just the ticket to revive tired feet, and ofter restaurant lunches are much cheaper than dinners.  Museum cafes can be great.   In Spain, lunch involves timing issues too, because you can’t eat in a restaurant before 1:30.  If you do carry your own food and eat at noon-ish in a park or something, by the time you finish you will find that all the museums and attractions have closed for midday and you now must wander aimlessly until they reopen at 4 or later.
• In Europe, have a Monday strategy. Most museums and many other sights are closed on Mondays, so take care in planning your itinerary around any must-see spots that you might find yourself in on any Monday.   Our trip to the prehistoric cave of Altamira in the north of Spain was nearly a bust, but fortunately we discovered on Saturday that it was closed on Monday, and were able to go on Sunday, although it meant a longish drive. But I would have been really bummed if we’d gone there on Monday and found it closed!

Planning

• Do your research. It will come as no surprise to anyone that I plan my travel in advance.  In fact I love what I call the anticipatory research phase.  Not that I plan every little step, but I do like to do some reading, & make the accommodation bookings, internal flights/trains etc. as far in advance as possible–  in my experience this saves money, and promotes peace of mind.  Reasons:
  • there’s enough on-the-spot problem-solving inherent in traveling that handling some of it in advance makes sense
  • finding accommodation on the spot is usually possible, but what you may gain in spontaneity costs you precious time that could be more enjoyably spent
  • researching your destination in advance helps you make better choices once you’re there

• Use several good guidebooks as you plan and when you travel.  The key attributes for me are:
  • up-to-date: yes, it’s worth it to get the latest edition
  • evaluative: you want your guidebook to help you make decisions, because there is always too much to do and see;  a good one will help a lot, telling you if something is miss-able, crowded, or overpriced
  • in-depth: I want lots of background history and detail to help me appreciate what I am seeing/doing

I swear by the Rough Guides travel books, and have relied on them for many years.  I cannot really contemplate going anywhere without one.  They are reliable, full of great ideas and suggestions, and best of all, eminently readable (I once read most of the guide to Sweden just for the heck of it.) Their recommendations are always right-on, for sights and also hotels and restaurants.  I also like the Eyewitness series for an initial overview (they’re beautiful to look at, but too cursory for me), and Michelin green guides for their depth of coverage of art & architecture, and an old edition of them is just fine.   Old historical guidebooks can be fun too, like the WPA guides to the US States (if you can find one) or an old edition of Baedeker’s guide to Europe or East Africa.

• Use the internet in your research, relentlessly, to resolve logistical and practical issues (driving distances, flights and airfares, hotel reviews etc.) but, IMHO it never replaces a good guidebook. Here are some favorite sites:
  • WhichBudget: to help you find the cheap airlines that are not covered by the major travel sites
  • The Man in Seat Sixty-One: terrific for train information
  • DB Bahn: train schedules
  • Wikitravel: open source travel guides
  • SabbaticalHomes.com has short- and long-term rentals from academics around the world (this has been a real asset for us, and how I found our apartment in Madrid & the horse farm near Nîmes)
  • Airbnb a way to find places to stay in people’s spare rooms or spare houses or whatever, all around the world
  • VRBO, Vacation Rentals By Owner worth considering
  • Inntravel: unguided walking & cycling trips– you walk or pedal, they provide maps, arrange accommodation and transport luggage
  • Ramblers and HF Holidays: group walking trips all over the world, great for singles; friendly, low-key, unpretentious and cheap!
  • Sites I am wary of or do NOT like: TripAdvisor (handy for reviews, but I prefer to book directly with a hotel); Booking.com and other broker services: maybe handy when you don’t speak the language but otherwise what’s the point?

• Don’t move around too much. Pick a spot and stay there a few days, or a week or more.  Moving on every day can be tiring, and staying put often offers delights you could not have imagined, like getting to know staff at a restaurant, or the chance to visit the same place twice.  We spent over a week in Granada, including all day at the Alhambra, and then went back to see it again at night two days later, which was a totally different experience.
• Pay close attention to the connections. Plan and research carefully in advance around the transport connections; this is where problems often occur & it’s really worth making sure these problems are minimized or at least anticipated.   European cities often make the bus/train/airport connections easy but it’s still worthwhile to figure out the logistics in advance, especially if your timing is tight.   How long does it take to get to the Toulouse train station from the airport?  what are the options to get into London from Gatwick?  can you safely take the train from Johannesburg to Pretoria? which Madrid train station do the trains from Pamplona come in to?  do ferries go from Jersey to Guernsey on Sundays?  These are questions where the internet is really handy & just plain old Googling will often yield good results.
• Use the tourist information offices. They are usually friendly fonts of information, and helpful in problem-solving, logistical challenges, and referrals for accommodation.   Reference librarians of the local scene!

Stuff

Things I must have with me:

• handbag/backpack/purse: I carry both a shoulder bag and a backpack, so I have the option of carrying one or the other or both.  I am very fussy about these essentials.  The handbag has the important stuff like money and travel documents, plus the things you need to be to get at quickly while you are walking, like a map.  It therefore must be securely closing (now that I know how adept the pickpockets are), fit across the body (not just over a shoulder), and have outside pockets.    My backpack is from Sherpani and I love it.  It holds guidebook, camera, binoculars, water bottle, food…. and much more.   I use it as my carry-on for flights.  It carries weight well, has lots of sensible pockets and isn’t too rugged to use in a city.
• water bottle: you can’t count on finding a drinking fountain when you want one
• windbreaker: a light layer that can be squished down and carried easily in the backpack. Mine is from Marmot. Get it a size bigger than you usually would so it will fit over a fleece jacket and presto! you’re ready for winter when it suddenly strikes, i.e. Scotland in May…
• 2 pairs of shoes, one pair of sandals: since shoes take up so much roonm and comfy feet are reallyimportant, here’s my prescription:
  • One pair of low hikers or sturdy walking shoes, in brown, beige or grey but NOT white– so you can wear them in museums & cities as well as out on the trails.   Mine are from Merrell.
  • The other pair is a softer but still comfy Mary-Jane style shoe;  in black mesh, it is breathable and has a good footbed.   Click here for the Merrell version.
  • In summer I have a good walking sandals too, & in winter a pair of slippers
• mesh lingerie bags: useful to organize stuff in your luggage, and if you unpack you just take the bag and it put it on the shelf or in the drawer and you are done.  I use two of these, one for undies and one for socks.
• ziplock bags: handy for food, cosmetics, spare batteries, etc.
• bandana: always useful
• smartwool socks: love ‘em!
• silk: the best travel fabric– light, breathable, squishable…
• flashlight, nightlight, headlamp: yes, all three have their uses, namely: finding your way outside, finding the bathroom in a strange hotel, and reading in bed when the lighting’s terrible
• ZoomArt: a great little thingy that allows you to see the detail on a gargoyle or a painting, and is much smaller to carry than binoculars
• Knife/Veggie peeler: handy to be able to eat fruit where the water is not reliable
• notepad/stickies, & pen
• iPhone dictionary apps: but make sure they can be used offline
• pack your worn old clothes: then you can throw them away toward the end of your trip, making a little more room for things you acquire

Those are some of my favorite tips.  I’d love to hear others– add them as comments if you feel so inclined.  Thanks, and happy trails to all!

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