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Things you wish you knew when traveling

Travel tips and insights you wish you knew. These tips are more relevant if you travel a long time and want to save some money in a long run.

– There is always a cheap local bus from airport to the central.

– Who gets least pissed off when something goes wrong wins in the long run.

– You will pay more than locals. Accept it. Don’t get mad and ruin everyones day.

– Get travel insurance and use it whenever possible.

– Use only credit cards when traveling. If they get skimmed, you’ll always get your money back.

– For long term traveling get credit card with no extra fees on foreign bank withdrawals.

– Don’t arrive into a new city in middle of night without guaranteed place to stay.

– Other travellers will act like selfish arrogant assholes. Get over it.

– There are no free tours…. except in Japan.

– If someone hops into a local bus and gives you candy, don’t eat it. He will collect it back.

– Wear long pants and print airline tickets and hotel reservation ready when visiting embassies.

– Double check that taxi takes you to the right airport.

– If local officials don’t know how to do their job and make you work extra, don’t get offended.

– Wash yourself after sweating even if it costs extra.

– Shadow doesn’t keep you from burning.

– Use Aloe Vera for sunburns.

– Have a hat.

– Money belts are for pussies.

– Earbuds are mandatory for dormitories and sleeping in busses in developing countries.

– You’ll never get the best seats in local minibusses. Accept it.

– Always scrape scrape cards with coin, not with nails.

– If one side of the bus is crowded with locals, sit on that side.

– Keep hydrated.

– Always keep flashlight in backpack. Phone isn’t flashlight.

– Always have one extra candybar or nuts for urgent energy loss.

– If something unexpected happens, try to get the locals to help you. Don’t blame them for what happened.

– Don’t overpack but be prepared.

– Washing clothes by hand is the key for light traveling.

– Don’t buy bulky souvenirs.

– Find universal sink plug from home.

– Small compass is always handy.

– Watch out for roadside buffees.

– You can’t control everything.

– Photograph cars and scooters throughout before renting.

– Don’t drive motorbike with flip-flops.

– If you reserve something and need to pay beforehand, ask for a receipt.

– Negotiate price before entering a taxi.

– Count and check money at money changer. On site.

– Always buy local SIM with enough data, ask locals for the best one.

– Keep your residence country SIM safe. You will need it for bank transactions.

– Having a big towel is overrated.

– Duct-tape can fix almost everything. Roll some around short IKEA pencil.

– Backup your photos. WD Passport external hard drives are good, Lacie Ruggeds are the best.

– Double check if tap water is drinkable, and if not don’t wash you teeth nor rinse with it.

– Aircon makes you sick but when sick use aircon.

– Do not update spotify while traveling. All your downloaded music might disappear.

– Turn all auto updates off from all devices.

– Store all important data with Keep Safe app.

– Scan and print your passport, show the real one only when crossing borders.

– Google translate app in offline is amazing.

– Use Maps.me for offline maps. Better than Google maps.

– Water purifying tablets work with 1 liter bottles.

– Quick drying thin hoodie is a lifesaver in scorching sun.

– Stuff newspaper to shoes for quick drying.

– Bring own flashlight to caves.

– Always test mask before going snorkeling.

– Remember to lock trekking poles properly.

– Good earbud headphones are worth gold.

– Having a hammock is good for tropical islands and long term spacing out, not for active moving and traveling.

– Get to city at least one day before your flight departures.

– It’s ok to be scared and confused but people are nice and will help if you just ask.

– Fried food is safe, avoid fresh salads in shady places.

– Use airplane mode and battery saving mode in you cellphone.

– Avoid tours if they are not necessary.

– Time is more valuable than money.

– Learn Spanish for South America. People really can’t speak English.

– Busses will always take longer than they should.

I will update this list in the future as unexpected things happen. Stay tuned.

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