Tips For Traveling The World

Travelling is the lifeblood of discovery.  There is no better way to understand a place than to go there yourself.  Yes you can read about destinations online or in a book but you miss out on the sights and smells of a location.  Nothing beats being there yourself to see, touch, hear, smell, and even taste the location.

Tip 1: Buy a Globe

You want a globe so can see the world at a touch in a realistic 3-D format.  Buy a globe so you can see the contours of the world.  It gives a realistic view of the relative sizes of nations and topographic features.  Most flat maps will make Antarctica and Greenland to be the size of Africa. In reality Africa is huge. It is so huge that the nation of Algeria for example is the size of France, Germany, and England combined.  Preferably you should buy a globe that has topographic features to show mountain ranges.  This feature is much harder to find in modern globes.  As an option, you can get a globe that glows in the dark.  There are also globes that you can click and it will tell you the location or even have a computer attached that tells you of interesting places.  These last two features are optional and not necessary.

Tip 2: Buy A Wall Map

You want a wall map of the world so that you can place stickers or pins to places you have gone and want to go.  This will help you visualize routes and plan for multi-prong trips.  We find one way trips are best. That way you do  not have to double back the way you came saving a lot of time.  Expense wise, the flights could be more expensive but it is worth the added cost for your time.  You will be able to experience so much more of your destinations that way.  For example, say you live in New York City and want to visit London, Paris, and Amstermdam.  You could fly into London, chunnel to Paris and train to Amsterdam, flying home Schipol Airport in Amsterdam.  This is lieu going back to London for a roundtrip ticket.  

Two tips in and we haven't even gotten to the road portion of the tips!

Tip 3: Pack Light
From what we have seen and experienced over decades of travel is that packing light is the way to go.  Get a portable roller suitcase that is not the hard composite but soft velvet type.  Make sure it fits in an overhead compartment. This is critical as it will save hours on each trip where you can skip checking in and collecting your luggage.  As for the contents, travel with enough outer clothes as a bare minimum and pack extra undergarments'.  You will find that many locales will have clothes you can buy if you really need the extra jacket for example.  But undergarments are a must and harder to shop for on the road. Toiletries should be done at a minimum as drug stores and convenience stores are prevalent around the world now.

Tip 4: Sign Up For Rewards
Sign up for rewards for airlines, hotels, cruise lines, and tour guides.  You will find many chains and independent companies will offer loyalty rewards as a repeat customer is more profitable than advertising to bring a new customer.  

Tip 5: Bring a passport holder

This one can be a life saver.  If you go abroad, your passport is your immediate proof of indentity.  Local driver licenses and student IDs are not valid in a foreign land.  We like the passport holders which are attached to strings that you can wear on your chest.  This is usually the safest way to hold your passport.  Of course if you have a backpack or purse you can put it in there but be extra vigilant with those.  We have seen thieves try to cut backpacks from behind and others ripping a purase/handbag off people.  

Tip 6: Plan Ahead
We often create two summaries prior to any trip to our secluded glens.  The first is a worksheet that details our cost for transportation, accommodation, food, entertainment, and any purchases directly related to the trip. This way you have a budget.  You can use Microsoft Excel, Google Docs, or any other spreadsheet software. 

The second summary is a word document that lists your activities and time.  Think of the worksheet spreadsheet as a budget for your money.  The Word document is a budget for your time.   This will save you time and time is the one resource that even billionaires are limited.

Tip 7: Keep a Journal.

Traveling the world is exciting. Commemorating with your thoughts is even better.  You bring it with you on flights, train rides, or cruises.  The journal gives you a memory of places you been to. We like to keep a list of all countries and cities we've been to.  The journal also allows you to write down thoughts while you are the road.  Many times inspiration hits while you are traveling.

Tip 8: Save Your Photos and Videos On A Cloud Account
It is best to create a cloud account and save all your Photos and Videos.  It will declutter your physical space and your mental space.  You will be more efficient and a great weight will be lifted from your shoulders.  Cloud storage is cheap and safer than keeping your most precious memories all in hard coy where a fire can take all those timeless irreplaceable mementos away.

Tip 9: Create Checklists and Pack Your Gear

Creating a checklist helps you from rushing out while missing out on essentials or accessories.  Say you need floss on flights and you forgot it until the flight has taken off.  Now you will feel that stuck piece of meat wedged hard between your upper molars pushing against your throbbing gums.  There are no stores to sell you floss on the flight.  Don't be that person! Create a list and layout all your gear prior to packing so can be sure you have everything you need.  Don't forget to pack what you need on your flight into your jacket or carry on.  

Tip 10: Get Your Mental Mind Ready For Travel
Your psychic and mental fortitude is just as important as your physical self.  Get yourself ready by thinking about your tip and how it will be successful one before you go. It has been proven scientifically that basketball players who mentally think about making layups have a higher success rate than people who do not nothing mentally prepare.  Of course, physically practicing has the best result but having the mental aspect ready helps you improve those shots.  The same goes for travel.  So get ready and get out there to find your Secluded Glen!