Here’s my Top 10 Travel Tips to keep you safe and sane on you journey. Some might seem unimportant, but they are (hopefully) different from the same as, same as, tips that usually appear in Google.
My own Gypsy at 60 Travel Tips total 60, but these are my favourites and I hope come in handy for your future journey.
Table of Contents
1 – Beware of Airport Carousels
Advice given by an Osteopath Surgeon – “beware of airport carousels”. In other words, don’t just wrench your suitcase off the conveyor belt and pull a tendon off the bone! The bags will come around again if you miss them the first time. If all else fails, just look helpless and someone will offer assistance!
Lift carefully off the carousel. (10 Top Travel Tips)
2 – Bulldog Clips
A couple of these popped into a small zip lock bag that has other emergency odds and ends can be lifesavers. They keep curtains together to stop the light, hold a hem of jeans up and keep all those brochures you keep picking up clipped firmly together!
Baby bulldog clips can be saviours.
3 – Glasses Case
These are always so bulky and most of the time I’m just trying to stop the lenses getting scratched. So, I fossicked through my grandkids old socks and found the ideal size to slip my phone (and small camera) inside. Saves scratching the lenses and avoids bulky items in you day bag. (Plus they bring a smile to my face every day!)
Socks can be lifesavers when travelling. (10 Top Travel Tips)
4 – Glow-in-the-Dark-Stickers
Some older hotel rooms are often very DARK at night! A good idea is to pack a sheet of glow-in-the-dark stickers that are great for marking light switches in unfamiliar rooms. They’re easy to remove so you take to your next dark hotel room!
No need to stumble around trying to find the bathroom door while using these!
Glow in the dark stickers will always show you the way!
5 – Jelly Beans
These little friends give you a quick sugar fix when you’re flagging on a long journey. They are also difficult to find in many countries so I take a supply with me.
Actually Jelly Beans have a very interesting history and they take 21 days to make, which made me appreciate them even more!
Jelly Beans can fix the de-stress you when travelling. (10 Top Travel Tips)
6 – Queues (Patience is a Virtue! Remember that old saying?)
When travelling you’ll come across queues everywhere. Buses, trains, toilets, cafes, tourist attractions and so on – this is the time to practice deep breathing because it actually works!
Be more flexible otherwise you could be in for a miserable trip.
You’ll just have to wait mate!
7 – Fake Wallet!
Travelling overseas, we all know not to walk around with a wallet in our back pocket….right?
Except…it’s actually not such a bad idea!
Lots of seasoned travellers say that taking an empty dummy wallet as a decoy, especially in areas well known for pick-pocketing, is a good idea.
Hide your real wallet somewhere it can’t be reached by others and put the fake one in your back pocket.
I add a couple of hotel business cards from a far-flung country, plus one of those inspirational cards like “Have a Good Day” to really annoy the “pickers”! J
Another plus for this trick is the empty wallet can be used to show street hawkers that you have no cash.
Sometimes fake is best! (10 Top Travel Tips)
8 – Jar of Vicks
Have a small jar of Vicks, or Vicks Nasal Spray, in your bag when amongst crowds – especially on buses and trains! This gets rid of every odour imaginable, and you will come across many! Of course it helps prevent the cold germs going up your nose as well.
But of course, you’ll have this in your bag if you’ve read the tip on Nasal spray in my Gypsy at 60 Travel Tips.
Say goodbye to travel smells.
9 – Quiet Time
Buy a bottle of wine or a bottle of Baileys at Duty Free!
Enjoy this in the quiet of your room or cabin – reminisce and mentally adjust for the next exciting day of discovery.
Shhh…I’m meditating and getting ready for tomorrow’s adventures.
10 – Souvenirs
Do you find after a few years of travelling you really don’t need any more wooden shields, china elephants, wall hangings, paintings and other souvenirs for your overcrowded home? (Especially if downsizing could be only a couple of years away!)
I now collect bookmarks from the many towns, cities and countries visited. These were on my toilet wall to give visitors something to read while they were on the loo! Now, because I have so many, the bookmarks take pride of place in the garage so I can still look at them every day and reminisce on my travels.
Space saving souvenirs.
Please send me your favourite Top 10 Travel Tips so I can share with the world!
Great, I really like it! Youre awesome
hi, I’m so happy I came across this. I’m currently in culinary school going for my associates. I have kids and want to travel with them to gain cultural,culinary experience. I just wanted to get some suggestions or tips.
Vicks or Tiger Balm are a multi purpose God send. I don’t travel without one or the other. I like your quiet time advice too. I like my own company way too much but come back feeling ready to take on the world again after time on my own.
Hi Karen, thank you for your post – I’ve now added Tiger Balm into my “must take” travel pack! I see that your home is Copenhagen – we were there for 5 days in May and truly loved the place. A bit chillier than where we live in Queensland, but so much history and royalty that we don’t have here. Really hope to go back one day – just wish it was closer!