TRAVEL HACKS FOR: EVERYONE

Step up your travel game! In this episode of the Travel Hacking series, I share universal tips that all travellers could benefit from, whether it is a weekend away or an all-inclusive holiday trip.

PACKING

If travelling with a friend, give them at least a couple of your things, take some of theirs, and pack it in your checked luggage. In case one of your bags gets lost, you or your friend will have spare clothes to wear.

Always have a couple of passport photos in your wallet just in case. They may come in handy when obtaining a visa on arrival, getting a pass, filing a police report, and so on. For this reason, it is also good to have copies of your passport and/or ID's.

Put together an emergency kit or get one from here. Mini lifesavers like band-aids, pain relievers, stain removers, and safety pins - this list can go on forever! Best thing is these kits are incredibly helpful in regular life as well.

Better safe than sorry: if there is one thing you should never be cheap about, it is your insurance. Make sure it has liability coverage, as you will need it in case your possessions are stolen or damaged. I had to go through this once and I can stress enough how important this point is!

ON THE ROAD

Register in all frequent flyer programs possible today (and by today I mean now). Even if you do not fly at all, earning miles is easier than it may seem and they do not always have to come from actual flights. I will be sure to write an entire post on how amazing these programs are, but for now, look up SkyTeam, OneWorld, and StarAlliance and go crazy. But for now - keep your boarding passes!

If you are not sure whether you will have Wi-Fi throughout your trip or if you need to have access to the Internet at all times, buy a local sim card. You can always find booths of cell phone providers in airports or major transport hubs. In some countries, e.g. Russia, Canada, US, you need to provide a piece of ID to get one, whereas South East Asian countries have quite relaxed policies. Either way, it is usually pretty cheap and coverage is good. You can even turn your phone into a router ("Mobile HotSpot") and browse the Internet on a few devices simultaneously.

ON THE BEACH

Nail your beach-bum routine by glueing a bread clip on the sole of your flip-flops to prevent split holes.

Get a clear plastic case to keep your phone dry and to take pictures with your phone, tablet or camera when snorkeling - they are cheap ($5 for a set of 3 - how good is that?)! However, they are not suitable for scuba diving!