Whether you’ve been a constant traveler, or are still booking your first-ever flight, you’ve got to earn a few life-saving hacks.
Traveling despite the appeal it gives, can be quite challenging especially when done all by yourself.
Everybody knows you can’t just go pack your clothes and travel the night without preparing for it.
The obstacles you’ll be meeting along the way can be unpredictably harsh! It doesn’t matter if you’re hitting the road, the sea, or the sky.
You’ve got to get your hands of the awesome travel hacks everyone should know.
The first things you’ll have to look from a travel hack/tip are its simplicity and practicality.
Traveling alone can put you in difficult situations. At certain times, it can be life-threatening too. The risks vary from being attacked by a wild animal to being mugged on the streets.
“What to do?”
That’s definitely the first thing you’ll have in mind.
Fortunately, the best hacks answer this question. Still, don’t know what to do? I say, just keep on scrolling down, baby!
1. Book the cheapest flights by using the travel sights’ filters.
Look and book the cheapest flights when you’re traveling alone. If you’ve had your mindset for an economic flight, then book for flights that have stop-offs in between. When looking for it online, always set your eyes on the web site filters.
The travel sites with the best filters are namely—Expedia, Travelzoo, CheapOair, KAYAK, Momondo, Travelocity and a lot more.
Check out travel tricks flight attendants say can save you time, money, and aggravation for more.
2. Travel light.
Without even explaining it, traveling light is most logical when you’re traveling alone. Just go with very basic grooming kit and light clothing. You can travel light and dress well at the same time.
The ideal and practical luggage weight per person must not exceed 50 lbs or 23 kgs.
Now, that standard can even go lower per airline conditions. Certainly, that standard weight is just sufficient to not take a toll on you and the flight per se.
If you think you just can’t miss on the wardrobe, you can:
- Buy clothes on site
- Contact a person from your place of destination to buy clothes for you
- Do wash and wear
- Fit the number of clothes you’re bringing to the number of days you’re traveling
3. Don’t ever miss filling out information on the luggage tag.
It’s one of the most logical protocols to observe when traveling either alone or with a group. Everybody does it, too.
You’ll save yourself and others from a lot of trouble especially during baggage claims at the conveyor belt. One bag may look and feel exactly like the other one.
However, if you put your personal information on the luggage tag, you’ll easily spot your luggage.
If you’re not a fan of looking into luggage tags, then attach other unique tags and standout traits to your luggage.
But of course, always make sure that the tag doesn’t easily rip off.
4. Keep a digital map on hand.
Digital maps can really help you snake through a very crowded city, deserted island and crossroads.
Be mindful also that not all digital maps function with expected accuracy. Even the Google map cannot assure you that. That gives the reason why updating your apps is a crucial move pre-travel.
Another disadvantage of online maps is their dependence to internet. Until you secure a WiFi zone, or buy a mobile data, you won’t be able to access the map.
Lesson to learn: Do not depend on the online map entirely. Download a broader map of the place you’re trekking through.
4. Don’t just wear any socks, use compression socks.
Compressions are highly elastic socks that that are wrapped around the lower legs.
It wraps tightly around the legs to keep them from developing pains and other venous problems caused by the immobility and pressure of travel.
5. Always go with a checklist.
Checklists help you keep track of your itinerary and itemize the things you’re bringing with you for travel.
It is best to have checklist before and after travel. If you’re in a series of stops, then regularly checklist with each stop and go.
6. Secure money, IDs, passports in safe separate compartments.
Never ever put all your important documents in one place. Always keep these in separate compartments that you can only remember and identify.
When you are traveling with bags, put a small amount of money on your exposed wallet. The exposed wallet is the one you insert in your pocket.
Then, you’ll have to put the real deal—all important documents inside your bag (your cover wallet), but in different compartments. In this way, you can fool thefts and attract them to your exposed wallet.
Note: Never place important documents and money inside backpacks.
8. Carry a strong power bank.
They say that going full-charged before traveling is the ultimate solution. However, I’d say buying a power bank is a better move and really and item that should be part of your everyday carry goods.
Batteries inside electronics are constantly exposed to shifting zones and signals caused by motion. As a result, the battery performance, in one way or another, can get unpredictable at times.
9. Book your flight to arrive at the destination during the day.
If possible, or if you can manage it—book your flight schedule to arrive at the destination during the day.
The last thing you’d want to experience after long, jet-lagged hours of plane travel is disorientation at night.
10. E-mail yourself with a scanned photo of your travel documents, especially your passport.
E-mailing yourself with scanned photos of your important documents is the wisest of all hacks.
While certain circumstances require you to leave your documents in a place, or the hotel, for instance, this hack can literally save your life.
By all means, you can’t entirely entrust your stuff to the hotel. Sorry to burst your bubble, but you can’t. You just can’t.
Should the worst thing happen, you’ll be ecstatic to find the scanned documents in your e-mail.
BONUS: Always make it a habit to empty out your water jar when transferring sites.
Consume the remaining fluid inside for a fill-in probably at the next airport or spot. Check out 6 plastic-free ways to travel with safe drinking water
By securing this, you won’t go thirsty over the next long drive, flight or sail. Another great thing about not constantly buying water bottles is to be environmental -friendly.
That says it all.
Traveling is a joyous labor. It liberates you into discovering the world. Upon doing so, it initiates you towards full maturity; towards responsibility for self
Traveling alone is certainly self-fulfilling.
However, it doesn’t come without the necessary risks. In fact, all things have risks. It’s only a matter of how one calculates the impending risk and eventually succeed with the necessary hacks.
If you notice among the awesome travel hacks everyone should know we presented, most are practical, immediate and logical actions to take whenever put in a situation.
This, in a way, reminds travelers of the invaluable importance of basic, mundane actions to successful and risk-free travel.