Travel tips

Disasters happen. It’s always good to have a backup in case you get robbed or lose a card. You don’t want to be stuck somewhere new without access to your funds. I once had a card duplicated and a freeze put on it. I couldn’t use it for the rest of my trip. I was very happy I had an extra and not like my friend, who didn’t and was forced to borrow money from me all the time! Here are some helpful articles on banking and travel hacking:

• How to Avoid Banking Fees While Traveling
• 22 Ways to Cut Your Expenses, Grow Your Bank Balance, and Have Money for Travel
• The Ultimate Guide to Picking the Best Travel Credit Card (2018 Edition)
• How to Travel Cheap: The Ultimate Guide to Traveling When You Have No Money

If you’re doing an adventure trip but you're only going to warm destinations, then you certainly won’t need a thick jacket, jumpers or a hat. So don’t pack those unnecessary items. BUT if you’re planning on visiting somewhere like South America, where you will pass through a variety of climates from very hot to very cold, then you’ll want to plan for that. Especially in that continent where buying warm clothes isn’t cheap. I remember being stood outside of Ushuaia airport in southern Argentina, shivering under a blanket because we hadn’t brought any cold weather clothes with us!

One of the key Maldives travel tips would be to look out for the extra cost for the imported food and drinks at the luxury resorts along with their 10% service cost and 8% service tax (rapidly increasing). Don’t miss out on the public price on menus, taxes on equipment rentals, spa sessions, and more. You don’t have to pay additional tips but you may offer it as a gesture of appreciation along with a 10% food tax. While traveling in a foreign country, just be careful of these few things, and you are good to go! Suggested Read: Maldives In March: A Handy Guide To Get The Best Of The Island Nation

When we first started backpacking, I’m pretty sure I took 4 pairs of shoes with me! I had hiking boots, I had trainers, I had a pair flip flops and I had a pair of Skechers. This is WAY too much. I now carry two. I always have my water shoes, and a pair of Skechers or Tropicfeel shoes which work well for walking and day-to-day outfits. If I need other shoes, such as flip flops, I’ll buy a cheap pair in the country I’m visiting. If you’re heading on a shorter trip, then sure, you can throw in your favourite pair of sandals or boots, but not when you’re backpacking for a longer period of time.

Ear plugs are really useful for a lot of occasions when travelling. They’re perfect for plane travel, when you want to get some sleep, they’re really good for hostels, perfect for busy cities when the walls can’t drown out that city noise, and super long bus and train journeys throughout the country. Or, if your partner simply snores a lot! If you struggle sleeping in different light conditions, then an eye mask might be a good idea too. But these are typically provided on long-haul flights so you can just take it off the plane with you.

Though I use mobile boarding passes whenever possible, I always print one as a backup. There was an instance last year when my phone was at 70% battery life, and suddenly died at the gate prior to boarding. Bad luck? Perhaps. But this traumatic experience proved to me that it’s always smarter to have a physical backup. Planning to travel anytime soon? Subscribe to my email list for exclusive travel tips, hacks, and other resources to save time and money!