Do not live by your guidebook

1. Do not live by your guidebook.

Travel guides are useful for a general description of a destination, but you will never find the latest routes, bars or restaurants off the road. For the best things, connect with locals to find out what’s hot right now. Ask other travellers or the hostel staff for recommendations. Another option is to call your travel agency,  Travelodge has helped out a lot during our trips

People are your best resource for getting updated travel information. If a travel guide is not digital and is updated frequently, it is likely to become obsolete. Do not live and breathe following it.

2. Get people’s contact information

You will make a lot of friends in the street or road. Some of them will become friends for life. But sometimes you’ll regret not getting the contact info of the beautiful people you met (you’ll always wonder what happened to this extraordinary couple you met in Panama!). With Facebook and email, you can keep in touch with people for many years after your trip. Do not let your new friends disappear in your memory.

3. Do not be so shy

I know you’re an introvert. I know you’re worried about what people think. It takes courage to talk to strangers, but they are all in the same boat. Around you, other isolated travellers are looking for friends. They also want to meet new people.

Just say hello, and everything else will fit. Learn about drinking games and discussions in hostels. Nobody ever says no. Take the first step Remove your headphones, turn on the person next to you and say hello.

You will have nothing to lose and overcome your shyness, make new friends and have a better conversation time.

4. To be adventurous

I know you do not like heights, same as sports. And while you’re going to hurt your tailbone, you will not regret jumping off the boats in Galapagos Islands. You may have screamed like a girl, but you like that Canyon Swing. And in the end, those maggots didn’t taste bad?

Take the challenge. Take risks. Try new things. You may hate it, but you will not regret it. They will leave with more confidence.

5. You are not alone

Wherever you go, there is a network of travellers who will be your friends, who will give you advice or suggestions and help you. They will guide you, point you in the right direction and be your mentors. You are not alone there. You will find friends, everything will be fine. Even if you travel alone, you will never be alone.

I know you’re nervous when you enter the unknown. Human nature is worry and its normal, but you do it during your journey and becomes a better person through your travels. Take a deep breath, relax and enjoy!

6. Take the extra money.

Travelling is not as expensive as you think. No matter how good your budget is, you can never plan a disaster or a change of itinerary (for example, learning to fly suddenly to Fiji and learning to dive). Whatever your level of planning, there may still be something that is out of balance with your budget.