Things We Wish We Knew Before We Started Traveling
Are you planning an international trip? Even though we believe that we all need to learn from our mistakes so we won't repeat them in the future, we would like to share with you things we wish we knew before we started traveling, so you can avoid the most common mistakes, and set your expectations right.
The idea of writing a blog post on the things we wish we knew before we started traveling came to me when I was thinking about things we, as quite experienced travelers, take today for granted, but we often had to learn the hard way to figure it out on our own.
Traveling is a process of constant learning, and no savvy travelers can ever say aloud or even think that there is nothing that can surprise them.
But after more than a decade of traveling the world together, we are definitely surprised by different things than a few years ago, when we were setting off for our first international trips.
We are confident that traveling changed our lives for the better, even though not all experiences were perfect, and there were plenty of things we wish we knew before our trips at the beginning.
Yes, we believe that everyone needs to learn from own mistakes to learn a lesson, but we also know there are a few things we wish we knew before we started traveling.
Things we wish someone had shared with us to make the start a bit easier.
These things are absolute basics, that nowadays seem to us very obvious, but as novices, we had no idea what to expect from being in a foreign country, surrounded by people with a different background, far away from our comfort zone.
What people who are planning to travel always do not know is, that the key to a successful trip lies in setting the expectations right.
It is not about learning about situations that can happen and ticking them one by one off the list, but it is often about the mindset.
You cannot arrive in the islands of Raja Ampat or to a village high in the mountains in Nepal and expect similar services as you are used to in your home country. Well, technically you can, but you might be slightly dissapointed.
The perception of time in countries where we like to travel is often different, the standard of hygiene can be lower, and it is very naive to think that English is widely spoken everywhere.
Without further ado, we want to share with you things we wish we knew before we started traveling.
Hopefully, this blog post will help you to prepare for your journey, and you will avoid unnecessary mishaps, to make room for those that simply could not be foreseen.
LEARN BASIC PHRASES IN THE FOREIGN LANGUAGE
Well, as we come from the Czech Republic, and we speak Czech, we know we would not get far with only our native language.
That's why we had to learn at least one foreign language at school.
But even if you speak widely spoken languages such as English, Spanish, or French, you cannot expect that you will be able to communicate in your language when traveling, especially if you plan on traveling outside the US or Europe.
Learning at least basic phrases and numbers in the foreign language of the country you have on your list is very beneficial.
Before we landed in Colombia, we had already traveled to many tourist destinations such as Southeast Asia, and we always were able to somehow communicate in English, and in the end, we were always able to get what we needed.
But the experience there in Colombia, and then in most countries in South America, was completely different.
We did not speak Spanish at all, and after only a couple of hours in the country, we knew that without learning at least a few key phrases, we would not get far.
It might seem that not knowing the local language is not such a big problem, but when people around you do not understand anything you are saying, and when the dumb show is not helping, you get frustrated real fast.
So learning the Spanish language was one of the things we wish we knew before traveling to South America.
It also showed us how super-confident we were, having just arrived from Calgary, where we spent a year, and having, until this moment, traveled only in touristy countries, where at least basic English was a norm.
BUY SIM CARD AT THE AIRPORT
It was not the case let's say ten years ago, but today, we cannot imagine traveling without data and connection to the internet. Right after arrival in a foreign country, usually, right at the airport, we search for a shop where we can buy a local sim card.
A few years ago, we were too dependent on wi-fi service, but today, we prefer being in touch with others, or to have an option to find the information on the road within minutes.
We know that many people travel to disconnect with the outside world.
We often do the same.
It does not mean that when we have a local sim card, we are non stop online. It is rather the opposite. But we need to have access to timetables, up-to-date information when necessary, or have an option to make a call in case something bad happens.
Last time, for example, we had to call from the parking lot in Wadi Rum in Jordan to the car rental company, as we needed to change our drop off location last minute, and rebook flight tickets back home.
TAKE PHOTOS AND NOTES
We do not know any people who would travel without a camera, and sometimes it is probably too much to watch hundreds of people taking the same selfie in front of Machu Picchu, but this is, in the end, one of the reasons why we all travel.
To have memories.
And taking photos is a great way how to keep your memories fresh.
We traveled for six months in Southeast Asia a few years back. At that time, travel blogging was not yet our thing, and we took photos of only the most significant attractions.
We also thought that we will remember every single detail forever.
Well, how wrong we were. We wish we knew long ago we should have taken more photos, more those silly photos, and also more notes, so we would have more vivid memories from the countries we had already visited.
And from time to time, it’s fun to reread our old journal from New Zealand or to look through an old photo album that makes us still laugh.
BE READY FOR EVERY TYPE OF WEATHER
Ok, we do not want to sound like your mom here, but after several years on the road, we must say that being ready for every type of weather is very important.
When we were leaving for our first international trips, we might have been a bit reckless. After being caught by bad weather high in the mountains, and without the possibility to change our clothes, we never made the same mistake again.
Today, we know that sometimes we pack more layers that we should even for a one-day trip, but we know that elements can really ruin your holiday.
As one wise man said, there is not bad weather, only the wrong equipment.
The situation is different if you plan on spending time in a seaside resort, but you should never underestimate the weather when you go to the mountains.
We always pack at least one of these layers - fleece jacket, down jacket, and waterproof jacket, just in case.
But the weather can catch you off guard even in the city. We made this mistake in Chile.
When we were leaving Santiago de Chile in the morning for a day trip to Valparaiso, the weather forecast said it will be 30 degrees, but when an hour later we got off in Valparaiso, it was super chilly and foggy, and Martin, walking around the city in his swimsuit and flip flops looked like a foolish tourist, to put it mildly.
Plus he was freezing for a couple of hours until the clouds finally disappeared.
MINGLE WITH LOCALS
When traveling to a foreign country, it is natural not to know what to expect. But one of the biggest mistakes would be to keep a distance from locals.
We are not saying you should behave disrespectfully, or to be overly friendly, but there is nothing wrong with being interested in the way of living.
Visit local markets, be open to new experiences, do not eat in the restaurants near the top attractions or main squares, where other travelers do, but go eat in a restaurant with many locals, have a chat with a vendor or a guy waiting for a bus.
These small details will completely change your perception of the destination, and your experience will be more authentic.
Put your fears aside, and simply use your common sense.
Of course, you should not go alone to favelas in Rio de Janeiro or more dangerous parts in Medellin (it is better to visit these places with a tour), but you will have amazing experience after visiting the local market in Otavalo, Ecuador.
AVOID OBVIOUS TOURIST SCAMS
One of the things we wish we knew before we started traveling is to be aware of the obvious tourist traps. There are so many tourist traps, many of them are authentic for only one country, so it is not possible to know them all.
Still, before you travel to a country, you should know at least the most famous ones. One of the most obvious tourist traps is that a driver will take you for a tour around the city, but a sightseeing tour will soon change into a shopping tour.
Taxis at the airport are the chapter on its own.
Super-touristy markets as we visited, for example, in Hoi An in Vietnam are also places where travelers pay many times more for a product, than locals.
Actually, we have one more story from Vietnam.
We traveled between two destinations by night bus, and only when we were waiting for a bus, we read online that on this particular bus line a driver tells passengers approximately twenty minutes before the final destination that the bus terminates here.
Travelers, around 4 AM in the morning get off the bus, only to find out they are in a village, with one hotel open, waiting for them. We thought it was pretty lame until it happened to us, and we had to tell others, who had no idea what is going on, that we are still not in the city where we were headed.
As you can see, the only way how to avoid tourist traps is to be well-informed.
To be honest, there is no way to know all scams, and from time to time, you will inevitably fall for a scam.
Do you plan your trip to Prague? Read about this common travel scam.
KNOW WHAT TO DO THE FIRST DAY IN A NEW DESTINATION
Traveling without a strict schedule is great but after a few failures (when we arrived in Auckland, New Zealand after thirty hours of travel without a plan).
What we think is necessary is to have a plan at least for the first day in the new destination.
Having a plan for the first day in the country is one of the things we always do before traveling abroad.
And what should you know to make sure your arrival at the destination will be smooth?
First, you should figure out how to get from the airport. Then a hotel or hostel reservation is great to have, plus at least a vague first-day itinerary.
The same rules, according to our opinion, goes for the last day of your trip.
EAT LOCALLY
The biggest nonsense we had heard about traveling abroad is that people should avoid local food, especially street food. We have only fond memories on local markets in our favorite foodie destinations, such as Penang or Melaka.
Eating locally is one of the main reasons why we travel at all and it’s one of the best travel tips we can give you. Free of charge.
Yes, you need to be careful to avoid travelers' diarrhea, but if you travel to countries like Thailand or Bolivia, we think it is almost impossible to keep your stomach healthy all the time.
For us, it is part of the experience, and it is often hit or miss.
Is there any advice on how to enjoy street food?
We often tend to go to places that are popular among locals, and we never go to a completely empty eatery or restaurant.
Did you know that food poisoning is often not from food anyway, but from ice cubes in your drink or water in general?
USE YOUR COMMON SENSE
No matter how many tips you read before traveling abroad, in the end, you should rely on your common sense.
If your travel guide says you should not go out after dark, ask the receptionist in your hotel, ask other travelers you meet on the spot, or walk around during the day, and then decide whether it is even worth it to wander around at night.
Sometimes it really pays off to see the place with your eyes and feel the vibe before you voluntarily miss something out.
We do not persuade you to jeopardize your safety, not at all.
But after traveling in Central America, in countries such as El Salvador or Nicaragua, which are countries with quite a bad reputation, we had to reconsider our knowledge and fight the stereotypes a bit.
On the other hand, when we got on a bus in Quito, Ecuador, we had a feeling there is something wrong from the very beginning.
So we did not let our luggage out of hand even though we were harassed by the couple behind us who was telling us to put it on overhead shelves.
In the end, we found out they were thieves, and using our common sense saved us quite a lot of money and stress.
We are quite practical types of travelers, but when it comes to traveling, we really trust our intuition and don't do things that do not feel right, so we do not get to situations where we do not feel comfortable.
Get a Travel Insurance
We never leave home without travel insurance that was designed to cover our expenses if something goes wrong during the trip.
Travel insurance protects against theft, flight delays, injury, illness, cancellations, and much more.
World Nomads provides travel insurance for travelers to cover their trip essentials, including sports and adventure activities.
SafetyWing is affordable travel insurance for backpackers, long-term travelers, and digital nomads.
Travel smarter and safer!
PACK LIGHT AND SMART
What is the most common mistake when people are too excited to set off for their very first international trip? Yes, you guess it right.
They overpack.
We were guilty of doing exactly the same.
I remember vividly one of our first multiday trips with Martin. It was not an international trip, but still, it is worth mentioning.
We decided to do a hiking/bivouacking trip in White Carphatias along borders with Slovakia.
We had never done that before, so we packed what we thought would come handy, plus Martin bought a new pair of shoes.
After the first day, when we had to walk with our too-heavy backpacks more than thirty kilometers on the hottest day of the year, we were almost dead and his feet were covered in blisters.
The second day was even more challenging than the first one, and on the third day, we headed home one day earlier, because we were simply too exhausted.
A lot has changed since then, and today we are not afraid to say that we mastered packing, and we have in our backpacks only things we really need.
Today we follow our personally tried and tested list of the essential things we never leave home without that works well for us.
ALWAYS VERIFY INFORMATION
It is not unknown that taxi drivers in a foreign country will tell you that there is no public transport to the city. Actually, this trick with public transport is one of the most common tourist traps as well.
Your friend can tell you that you do not need visas to Australia, but he forgets to tell you he traveled there ten years ago, and the visa policy changed.
Your guide book says that the castle is open every day, but it is outdated.
As you can see, you cannot rely on the information you do not verify yourself. And even if you find out later that your information is wrong, you can at least blame no one but yourself.
The perfect holiday is often dependant on perfect information, especially if your time in a country is limited.
Read travel blogs, travel guides, listen to podcasts, ask your well-traveled friends, but never forget to verify the information and find out whether it is still true.
By the way, did you know that rules for visiting Machu Picchu change frequently?
CREATE YOUR PERFECT ITINERARY WITH ROOM FOR IMPROVISATION
One of my hobbies is creating the perfect itinerary for each destination. It takes time to put together all the top attractions, and combine it with travel time, time for eating, sleeping, and unique local conditions.
Even if you travel long-term, you should at least vaguely know your itinerary, places you want to see.
After several years of planning our itineraries - last time I really enjoyed creating our Patagonia itinerary - there is one thing you should avoid doing.
I am talking about creating too packed itinerary without a single room for improvisation.
All things rarely go as planned.
You can miss your bus. The highlight of your trip might be closed because of bad weather. You can get sick. Even though we really want your journey to be perfect, unexpected things happen, and if your itinerary is too tight, you won't be able to react appropriately.
That's why it is better to add one more day in your itinerary that is extra, and when not used, you can use it for a laidback day in the capital city eating your way around just before your flight.
TRAVELING IS OFTEN EXHAUSTING
Even when you often see photos of white sandy beaches, turquoise sea, drinks in hand, and palms, without your own experience you do not have a chance to recognize from photos how traveling can be exhausting.
Especially when you are backpacking on a strict budget.
Moving from one place to another every other day, uncomfortable night buses, long waits, that all is traveling behind the scene.
You must be prepared to get out of your comfort zone, spend some time in discomfort, in an environment that often does not understand you and your perception of the situation.
This is good to know before you start traveling, so you will be mentally prepared, and you won’t get disappointed much harder. But no matter how many challenges on the road are, you are going to love it!
DAYS CAN BE LONG, HAVE SNACKS READY
We cannot even count how many days we spent on the road all day traveling without anything to eat.
We simply always thought there would be an opportunity to buy something, but the opportunity never came. Or the food in the touristy places was overpriced, and we were not willing to pay for it.
Yes, we are the kind of travelers who are rather hungry than to be ripped off.
Travel days are often very long, and you should better be prepared for it. That's why we always buy a snack before a bus journey, or before any day we know that will be long and without easy access to food.
We can only recommend you to have at least a couple of bananas in your daypack.
TRAVELING OFTEN INVOLVES A LOT OF WAITING
Do yourself a favor, and pack with you on your trip a book, Kindle, iPod, or anything that will help you to kill time.
Traveling often involves a lot of waiting. Period.
That's certainly something we did not know before we started traveling ourselves. We imagined traveling to be a whirlwind of adventure, neverending fun, and gaining new experiences one after another.
Well, it is just that, only with many longer or shorter periods of waiting.
You need to wait for a bus, for a connecting flight, for low tide, for sunrise, for better weather, and so on.
Even though the waiting is necessary, and it for sure pays off to wait for a while when you need to get to your final destination, it is compulsory to set your expectations right and to know that traveling can be sometimes boring.
DO NOT LOOK FOR A RESTAURANT WHEN YOU ARE HUNGRY
It is easier to be said than done, but we strongly recommend you not to look for a restaurant when you are too hungry.
This way you will most likely end up in an overpriced restaurant of average quality.
When we hadn't eaten for the whole day, and there is no restaurant or eatery we like around us, we rather buy a small snack, and then we keep looking.
For example, when you are in Prague, you should avoid eating in the Old Town Square, because you will find here only expensive restaurants targeting travelers.
IT’S OK TO RELAX FROM TIME TO TIME
Before we started traveling, we would have never believed that it is possible to burn out from traveling. Even though it sounds a bit funny, it actually is possible, especially when you travel long-term, or if you are on a demanding holiday with a very strict schedule.
After some time on the road, we realized it is not possible to see it all.
Today, when creating a travel itinerary, we carefully select what we want to see, and often we are able to skip things we know we would not enjoy that much.
Taking a day or two off before moving to the next destination is crucial, in case you want to enjoy the place to the fullest. Ourselves we have the best memories from places where we felt relaxed and well-rested.
The longer we traveled, the more we needed a few days off.
At the beginning of our year-long trip, we were so excited that we could spend the whole night on an overnight bus, then explore a city during the day, and travel overnight to the next destination in the evening.
That was simply not possible in the last country we visited, Mexico.
When we were in Mexico, we usually did not plan anything for the travel day as we were not that enthusiastic anymore, and just enjoyed a free afternoon.
SET YOUR EXPECTATIONS RIGHT
It is fine to be inspired by wonderful photos and travel magazines, but it is necessary to realize that they often show only the bright side.
What we think is very important, is setting your expectations right.
Only this way a place you are looking forward to seeing that much will blow you away.
There is nothing more terrible on a trip than when a place does not live up your expectations.
When we were backpacking in Southeast Asia a few years ago, we visited a few wonderful islands in the Philippines or Indonesia, so when we arrived in Thailand, we kept postponing our trip to Phi Phi, until we finally decided not to go at all.
That was even before the famous beach was closed, but we are so glad we did not go.
At that time Phi Phi was suffering from overtourism, and the place definitely did not look like on the posters.
Later we met quite many travelers who were disappointed with their day-trip.
Not because the beach surrounded by turquoise bay would not be beautiful, but they did not expect it would be full of boats and people taking selfies.
IT IS NOT NECESSARY TO HAVE THAT MUCH MONEY
To be fair, you need money for traveling. Unless you are a drifter. But you don’t need that much.
Before we finished our studies, we kept postponing our travels, because we felt that we simply do not have that much money.
Had we known that backpacking can be made on a shoestring, we would have started much earlier.
For sure, you need enough money for a flight ticket, but then, when you travel to cheap countries, you need significantly less than in your home country for regular living.
It all, of course, depends on what level of comfort you require.
According to us, it is worth it to live for a while more frugally to see the world.
It will provide you with a different perspective you would never gain when sitting at home.
If you are just at the beginning of your journey, read our post on how to save money for travel.
TRAVEL IN OFF-SEASON
One of the most important things we always do before traveling is that we check the weather forecast in a destination in every season, and then we decide when we are going to travel.
Before we started traveling for real, we always chose to travel in the high season as we wanted to have the best weather.
Later, we found out that traveling in the shoulder season, sometimes even in the off-season, is actually much better.
Not only the weather in the shoulder season is often much more pleasant, but prices are also lower, and the destination is not that crowded.
We wish we knew that before we started traveling, we believe we would have saved quite a lot of money on accommodation and transport.
Of course, there are regions such as Patagonia, where the season is very short, and winters for regular travelers are very unpleasant.
But still, even though the top season is between December and February, we would recommend you to consider for your journey March and April.
PARTY HOSTELS
It is very subjective, but if we were you, we would definitely avoid party hostels. We have nothing against parties, but we found these kinds of hostels very strange.
These hostels are usually run by foreigners, which means two things.
The hostel is often more expensive for no obvious reason and you will meet there only travelers who like to party, but rarely will provide you with an interesting insight.
If you like partying while traveling, well, then do the opposite and find a party hostel to have some fun!
ALWAYS BE CHARGING
That's an important one. Even when you have your batteries almost fully charged, you should never miss a chance to plug in your electronics as when on the road you never know when it will be possible again.
This simple rule is called ABC rule among travelers, especially among digital nomads who rely on their laptops and cameras.
But we believe that even normal travelers need a phone or camera ready all the time.
Make sure you have always fully charged stuff before long bus journeys, or when you travel to more remote places, such as Amazonian Rainforest.
If you are not sure when will be next time you will have access to electricity, it is always a good idea to pack a power bank and travel adapter.
ASK PERMISSION TO TAKE PHOTOS
It should come without saying, but it is always good to repeat that you should never take photos of local people without asking their permission.
We know that on your first international trip you are super-excited, and want to capture everything, but taking a photo of people who do not feel comfortable with it is a big no.
Even when you do not speak the language, you can point on your camera, and you will see whether a person is willing to pose for you or not.
There are places, usually where indigenous people live, where it is really not advised to photograph locals.
Then there are super touristy places such as the city of Cuenca in Ecuador, where some locals ask for money when you photograph them.
And then there are super-friendly places such as as-Salt in Jordan, where people going around ask you to take a photo of them.
Either way, you should always make sure that everyone feels comfortable in front of your camera.
POLICE MIGHT BE CORRUPTED
When something unpleasant happens to you in a foreign country, and you need to seek help, always remember that police are not necessarily your friend.
We would like to believe that police are here always to help you, but in some countries, police are corrupted, and they see in tourists an easy prey.
Practices like this are common in less developed countries.
One of the most usual scams is that you rent a car and a policeman stops you for no obvious reason.
If you are sure you have not violated any rules, be strict and firm, but also polite.
You will, for sure, not make things better by being aggressive.
In case something happens, many tourist destinations have tourist police that is trained to deal with foreigners (and they might even speak English).
BE TOLERANT
When you travel to a country with a different culture, it is good to know that you must be tolerant and open to new things.
In many countries, there is a different perception of personal space, so when someone gets too close to you in public transport in Peru, try to stand still, and do not show your discomfort too much.
When we started traveling, we had no idea that in other parts of the world people do not mind the lack of personal space (or they are used to the fact there is no space at all), and we found it funny for a while, then we started to be annoyed.
Today we know what to expect from traveling in overcrowded buses.
It is still not comfortable, and it is a thing we for sure do not plan on getting used to it, but we understand it, and we are more polite.
AVOID DISCUSSING HOT TOPICS
We really recommend you while abroad to avoid talking about sensitive topics such as politics.
No matter how many articles or books you had read about the topic, you never know.
Many countries have a really complicated past, and you never know the person's family history. But it is not only politics.
For example, many people in Colombia, especially in Medellin, do not like talking about drugs and Pablo Escobar.
They simply do not want to be connected with these problems anymore, and we should let them start the new chapter.
The local guides in the Galapagos were not very comfortable to talk about the local government and corruption.
And there are even countries in the world where it’s highly recommended to avoid talking about politics at all.
DO NOT EXPECT THE COUNTRIES TO BE THE SAME
The biggest mistake you can do is to assume that when you traveled to Uruguay, there is nothing that can surprise you in Paraguay or Brazil.
No matter how geographically close these countries are, your experience in every single country will be completely different.
No country in the world is the same, there are different customs, small nuances, that make every place exceptional.
CARRY HAND SANITIZER WITH YOU ALL THE TIME
What is one of the small things we wish we knew before we started traveling?
That we need to carry hand sanitizer with us all the time.
When you are on the road, you will soon find out that access to the water is often not that straightforward, even when you need to use a public toilet.
To make sure you have your hands clean, buy a small travel bottle that you can easily carry with you in a daypack and use it when necessary.
Travel Resources
Here you can find links to all the travel resources we use and which you might find helpful when planning your next holiday.
Accommodation: When looking for accommodation, we usually search hotels via Booking.com or Hostelworld.
Tours: Although we love to travel independently, some places are better to visit with a guided tour.
We prefer GetYourGuide for its easy-to-use interface and solid reputation. Another great alternative is Viator.
Rental Cars: When going on a road trip, we always use Rentalcars.com, a reliable site for booking a rental car in advance.
Flight Tickets: When looking for flight tickets, you can search Skyscanner to find the best price.
Travel Insurance: World Nomads and SafetyWing cover against risks of travel.
