Tuesday Tea: What's the best travel tip or hack you've ever learned?
Hello, packing cubes!
Here are a few of our favorites:
When requesting a restaurant recommendation from a local, don’t ask for the best restaurant in town. Instead, ask where they go to eat when they’ve been away for a while.
Make your first activity in a new-to-you place a walking tour. A leisurely stroll helps you get the lay of the land and eases the transition from ‘on your way’ to ‘arrived.’ Bonus points if it includes a little sit with a beverage. (And if you’re a runner, an early morning run around a new city is a very pleasant way to take a first look.)
On a trip of more than three days, schedule in quiet/break time.
Traveling with others? Set expectations early and often.
Carry emergency chocolate in your purse or carry-on bag for when you’re waiting in a too-long line, the flight gets bumpy, or the train ride gets too long.
In which we preach to the choir: Read at least one book set in your destination before you start your trip.
Enjoy where you are at now and spend less time taking pictures (that you will likely never look at).
Offline Google Maps and offline Google Translate language packs are key technology tools.
I always go to a grocery / market / shopping area, a library, and a park in every town I visit to get a feel for what it is like away from the xyz main tourist attractions.
I read this on someone’s blog I don’t even remember but it has been a true game changer— pack a Turkish towel. They’re thin and lightweight, and come in handy for so many different things. I’ve used mine as a blanket on the ground in the park, a seat cover for wet benches, a blanket/wrap for cooler weather, and an emergency shower or pool (or beach!) towel. Keeping a Turkish towel in my backpack has let me say yes to so many spur of the moment things I otherwise would have felt unprepared for. Even on trips when the only time I use it is as a blanket on the plane/train/car, just knowing that I have it in my bag for whatever comes up gives me an extra little bit of peace of mind.