Tips On How To Get The Most Out Of Long Term Travel

20 Sep Tips On How To Get The Most Out Of Long Term Travel

Travel in general can be unpredictable and you just never know how your trip will turn out, that’s the beauty of it. And for the more spontaneous ones it’s the part of travel that we love most. Though if you have ever considered more than just a few days away, planning for long term travel is whole other kettle of fish. 

As a couple that embraced long term travel and were on the road for over 6 years we have a few tricks hidden in our backpacks and a list of important things to consider for your next gap year or long term vacation once all the restrictions are lifted.

Pack Clothes That Work For Multiple Situations 

If you are going to only have one bag or backpack, space is obviously key and having clothes that pairs up well with many other items is a must. 

We like to keep the colour scheme to more natural colours like grey, khaki, white and black as those could be paired up easily without clashing. 

Having multi-purpose gear that doubles also up for an adventure or a night out is a winner. Like long pants that can be zipped into shorts and shoes that you can wear while exploring the streets of the old town and again with a sexy dress for a cheeky date night in the Piazza later that day.

Time Is On Your Side 

Unlike the rushed schedules you would normally be on if you are only in a city for a couple days, long term travel is way different. You don’t need to feel pressured to see everything all at once and take that “jam-packed tour” of the city on the first day. Rather take you time and soak it all up. Get to know the culture and the people. That is the beauty of long term travel. We generally opted to stay in a city for approximately a month at at time, giving us ample time to see all the sights and work in between. 

Learning The Lingo

Although it is not expected that you must understand the local language perfectly, knowing the words “hello,” “goodbye,” and “thank you” can go a long way to making some friends in a foreign country. Even just striking up a basic conversation can lead to a local showing you around their home town.  Long-term travellers can benefit from apps such as Duolingo.

Volunteer

We found the best way to help your budget is to find a place to volunteer. Trading a few hours of work a day for lodging and food can be a nice way to prolong your travels. We found that it was also a really good way to learn the culture by immersing yourself in it with locals. We even made life long friends along the way too. Websites like Workaway are a good place to start looking for jobs that interest you.  

Adjust your surroundings first 

If you are working while you travel #digitalnomad. You may want to find co-working spots that offer stand-up desk facilities. The one regret we have from working on the road is that we didn’t pY attention to our posture while spending long hours slouched in front of the computer. We always adjusted our body positions to the surroundings rather than setting up the work space to fit around us and since we have opted to work in front of a standing desk, our back pain has pretty much disappeared.  

Always Have Emergency Cash On You

These days, you can almost always find an ATM nearby, but you can’t predict when you’ll need money in an emergency. Having some of the local currency on hand or hidden away at the hotel can be very beneficial. From losing wallets to being robbed, having a cash backup is something you should consider.

Make Copies Of Important Documents 

In case of an unforeseen emergency, keep a copy of all your important documents. Having it backed up online is of course good but if you can’t connect to wifi or you need to hand in documents it’s always clever to have them on hand. 

Bring A Small First Aid Kit With You Wherever You Go

Having something on you even if it is just a few plasters, some antiseptic cream and some paracetamol can save the day.  There are tons of great little first aid kits you can get especially if you like to hike and love the outdoors.

Travel Insurance, Travel Insurance, Travel Insurance

You probably know this and we’ve said it before for a reason. In order to ensure that you are covered if something goes wrong when you travel, you definitely want to purchase travel insurance. We found out on many occasions why it’s a no brainer when coming to travel. Like the time when Chanel tripped and fell in Iceland on an early morning photoshoot, cutting her hand open and forcing us to take a trip to the emergency room. Our insurance thankfully covered most of the bills and we won’t leave home without it. There are many great options out there for you just be sure to read ALL the fine print before going ahead especially ones that will cover you in this new COVID world of travel. 

Research Before You Travel

It is essential that you learn as much as you can about the destinations you will visit before hand. Like the best ways to get around the city, Sometimes the easiest choice is not always the best and having some knowledge before you explore allows you to focus on immersing yourself in the moment, thus enjoying it more. 

Create a “Wanderlist”

When we set off in 2015 we had a  clear Wanderlist. You know – the list of things that drove us to travel in the first place – like a bucket list with great world wonders, but also places and experiences and inspiring personal passion projects. It was a list that inevitably kept on growing but gave us clear goals of what we wanted to see, eat, and do. Some of the things we initially had down were “Mush with huskies in Norway” and “See the tulips in the Netherlands”. We managed to tick off a whole bunch and it really gave us direction during our journey. 

Enrol In Our Travel Around The World Course 

We’ve packaged all our knowledge into a in depth course on how to prepare practically and mentally for a trip around the world. With 6 years of long term travel under our belts, we share how we did it and how you can too. We cover budgeting, what to pack, the best ways to get around and so much more.

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