Travelling Tips

I'm having one of those days where my travelling blues are hitting hard! Sat in the office wishing I was in a beach in South Thailand or just wondering around the harbour in Sydney....if only! Over the next few months you will see me post regular 'Adventures Lists' for all the various places I have been fortunate enough to visit. The lists are basically just little to do list of things I recommend for you to do and see. But before we get to the good parts I thought I would share with you a few handy tips for your travels

1. TRAVEL JOURNAL! Probably the cheapest of all my favourite possessions but in my eyes it is worth millions and billions of pounds. Every day I wrote down what I had done, who I met, what I saw, where I ate and all the little funny anecdotes along the way. I love that now I can snuggle up in bed with a cuppa and read over my most favourite adventure 

2. Roll don't fold! You can fit in so much more in your back pack if you roll your clothes and not fold them. You can tuck them into all the little nooks and crannies making the most of the very limited space you have

3. On the subject of packing I cannot emphasise enough DON'T OVERPACK! I know more than anyone that this is easier said than done (after all I am the girl who packed 6 pairs of trainers, 2 pairs of sandals and 2 pairs of flip flops for just 4 days in Ibiza) But think the more you pack the more you have to carry around on your back. You can't go wrong with versatile basic items!

4. Chose the liner not the bag! Now I don't mean your MAC eyeliner over your Mulberry, I'm talking about your sleeping bag.  Trust me there was never a night that I needed a sleeping bag so it was a good job I didn't pack one. Instead I packed a fleece sleeping bag liner, this came in handy a lot especially for those cold overnight journeys

5. Talking of over night journeys, do as many as possible! Not only is it cheaper in terms of travel, it is also cheaper in terms of accommodation. Think about...one night on a coach whilst on your way to your next destination or a night in a hotel and still having to pay for your transport te next day to your next destination. Plus who wants to waste a day travelling when you could be doing activities, just travel at night whilst you are sleep

6. If you're travelling solo then hostels will be the cheapest option for you as you are just paying for a bed but if you are travelling in a pair or a group check out prices of a hotel or a private room in a hostel. Sometimes it works out cheaper to pay for a room rather then a few single beds in a hostel, particularly in South East Asia

7. Download Hostelword app and Lonely Planet Guide app, these will become your best friends! 

8. Don't plan or book everything too far ahead. It's good to be organise and majority of the time you get better deals booking in advance.  But what if you fall in love with a place and want to stay there longer, or the opposite and you hate somewhere but aren't scheduled to leave for a another week.  Have a rough guideline of where you want to go to and obviously in terms of bookig flights then yes get those sorted in advance. But in most cases go with the flow when it comes to trains, coaches, ferries, accommodation. 

9. FLUFFY SOCKS! Sounds stupid but you will regret not taking these. Those cold nights in the hostel or when the aircon is ridiculous on a plane you will wish you had your fluffy socks. 

10. TIGER BALM! Need I say more, the cure for everything!

But above all else stay safe and have fun! This will be most incredible experience of your life!