When traveling the globe it is always a good idea to have a travel strategy in use for your own good and peace of mind. This is something I have come up with over 25 years of simple strategies from being out there in someone else’s country. The tips are simple, money saving, people friendly, and above all designed to not rock the boat while in another foreign land. Keep your wits about you, your intuition intact, and watch for red flags along the way. Try and meet as many people as you can, it will help grow your personality and add to your world view.
Ease the Mind
I have flown many miles, rode many a greyhound bus, driven a few rental cars, and stayed at many resort hotels on the cheap throughout the years. I have developed what I would call travel strategies that help ease the mind about decision making and allows the trip to be more enjoyable as we zip full throttle around the world. The following is a standard operating guide I have put together over the years that allows me to function better on the road that you may or may not want to follow, as the trip might warrant. After 25 years of travel this is what I have come up with:
1. If someone offers a free meal, take it. This is a way to spread good will as well as eat on the cheap because you just never know what lays around the corner money wise. Remember the friendlier you are, as you travel, the more people overseas will look on you with favor and perhaps take you into their house for a complete ethnic dinner as well as a place to sleep if you happen to be a good conversationalist.
2. If you love to travel, who doesn’t, go North to Canada or along the border April to September, then for the winter travel in the tropics from October until March. Summertime is always cheaper, healthier, and has much better eats and don’t you just love the constant warm weather that travel provides?
3. Get in the mindset to not spend money on anything you cannot die without. Money is for necessities only, try to get the rest for free. Remember every penny counts when you travel abroad, budgets count, so try to keep within it and watch carefully what you want to buy. If it is not in your budget, forget it.
4. Sometimes when traveling and low on funds it is always a good idea to ask for work. For example: cutting firewood in exchange for a place to sleep at night. Usually you will get a meal thrown in if you can talk a little of the language, so not only walk the walk, but try and talk the talk.
5. When you are taking a shower, low on clean clothes, wash them while you are showering. What better way to get things clean on the road then simply by doing it yourself and saving money.
6. Sit down dinners are not always the best way to go. With street vendors you can always watch your food being prepared in front of you and the prices are usually quite accommodating, plus you are helping the locals pay their bills while enjoying the sights and sounds of street life.
7. It is very important to walk everywhere possible, not only for the exercise, but you can see more of the actual world this way, plus meeting the people on a one on one basis is always a great way to spend your time in foreign lands.
8. If you must travel by taxi confirm the price being charged for the transportation before asking the taxi driver. Taxi drivers are well known for taking advantage of tourists, so ask several drivers what they will charge you, thus putting them in competition with each other and making the price cheaper.
I hope this short little guide will make life easier on the road, help you with locals, keep the prices down, and above all help you meet the world on a one on one basis making friends while you go. I mean let’s face it, at some point in life we may need all the friends we can get and what better way to spend it then making friends worldwide.
Gary Boyd is a freelance Christian writer who attempts to spread goodwill about the good news by writing for Christian businesses, SEO content for up and coming websites, and B2B copy, like white papers, essays, and case studies. He invites you to come search his blog for interesting takes on the world around him.