Make sure your passport is valid for some years to come
Only good advise and travel without plan. You just need passport, ticket and insurance and no need of a concrete itinerary. Take off and try the ultimate freedom – free like a bird.
Passport
#1 Make sure your passport is valid for some years to come and sign up for travel insurance covering the world. Add money and credit card and you can travel in all directions without any specific plan. Just keep on travel.
#2 This is my advice how to travel without buying flight tickets months in advanced and how to travel without a concrete itinerary. I understand backpackers want to plan their journey down to details, that´s because they normally are young and without adventures and life experience. Most travellers have some kind of experience, while others don´t like to make too many plans, just leave home with some ideas. Well, even backpackers grew up and can learn something from this section. Here we go!
Forget Bucket list
#3 I am a true traveller and for god sake not a tourist. Thank you very much. I never made a bucket list and I think of some poor people who collect countries and cross this or that off his bucket list. I just decide to take the first step – my first destination. Then more or less go with the flow. Step back and try to travel as a free person, not rushing to see important sites and never relaxing and engaging your surroundings.
Thanks for advice
#4 From time to time I get some good advice from readers and followers. This one is from a guy who has been out traveling for a while: “I find planning out the trip half the fun. But the trick is once you have finished planning to not follow the plan”. Nicely and wisely said.
The sound of Ross
#5 “I’m going to be the first person to play the bagpipes in every country”. Ross Jennings said so years ago and now he is the travelling bagpiper and I think he has been to nearly 100 countries. Ross hopes to visit every country. It´s more about the journey and the adventures than the actual goal – to go to about 200 places. What he learned so far: In Kenya, Ross thought the sound from his bagpipe would frighten the giraffes. But not so, they liked the high sounds.
Read about Ross Jennings – get a good story and free advice
First destination
#6 You should pick your first destination, the next and so on. Free from an itinerary means you can keep your schedule open and spend plenty of time at each place. Travel without plan and travel by train as much as possible.
No-fee Card
#7 Before departure, get an ATM card that doesn´t charge any fees. Over the long term those few dollars every time a bank charge you really add up. Global ATM Alliance looks like a good and no-fee partner.
Keep backups
#8 In case your credit card is lost or stolen, always carry a backup. If that happen, you will be thankful following this advice. Another good idea is to let your credit card company know you will be overseas and your card is less likely to be blocked.
Insurance a must
#9 Only a fool doesn´t buy a travel insurance. Most health plans won´t cover you all over the world and you never know what might happen. You never expect to break a leg and certainly not expect a person in your near family to die while you are on the road. Insurance will help you to solve some troubles.
Don´t forget to check
#10 You have to check if you need visa to enter a country and also if vaccinations are needed.
A place to stay
#11 Before you set off, book your accommodation for at least the first night. I use Booking.com for the best rates for hotels and guesthouses, and Hostelworld to book a Hostel. However, you get what you pay. A cheap hotel is exactly what it is – a cheap hotel.
Meet locals
#12 One of the most important travel rule is to make friends, stay safe and fit into the local culture. That means you should talk with the locals, because most of them love to talk with tourists.
Share in the Air
#13 The best things in life were made to be shared. So if you know somebody who’d enjoy our travel advice and quality journalism, you are free to share. Thank You!
More important advice: How to Plan a Trip
