You’ll always wish you had a better camera until you’ve completely maxed out your budget on a fancy camera
You quickly stop caring what you look like when you travel for a long time
You feel like an idiot taking selfies….
….but you’re always glad you persevered when you manage to get a good selfie
Travellers, backpackers and tourists are all the same thing. Call yourself whatever you like but don’t judge someone by their travel style.
Always be wary when strangers approach you in the street…
…but don’t let it stop you from chatting to people.
You’ll get the shits at some point
Travelling as light as possible is always a good idea
You’ll never regret getting up early
You’ll never regret going somewhere special to watch the sun set
You’ll never wear the skyscraper heels you packed
You’ll always be shocked when you see a monk with a smartphone or DSLR
Paying to use gross and dirty toilets is really annoying
Everyone hates enormous tour groups
Don’t be afraid of getting lost. That’s usually when you find the best places
But Google Maps is still one of the best inventions ever
You can never find a public toilet when you’re so desperate you might actually pee yourself
If you’re travelling on a budget (hostels and local transport) you will have something stolen eventually
Insurance that covers medical expenses is vital
Insurance that covers your belongings is a very good idea…
…but a lot of insurance is bollocks because you have to pay so much excess to get anything replaced anyway
Always call your mum and dad, no matter where you are in the world and even if it’s only for two minutes to tell them you’re safe
Don’t over-brag on Facebook. Your friends will quickly get bored
Smartphones make travelling so much easier..
…but remember to put your phone down and enjoy the moment
Most museums are boring…
…but good museums are flipping awesome (Natural History Museum in London, I’m taking to you)
No matter how switched on you are, you will be scammed at some point
Airports were designed for no other reason than to fleece you of all your money. Everything from parking to a bottle of water is a rip-off
Always get out of the way for other people’s photos at tourist hotspots. There’s such a thing as Photo Karma
You’ll start wearing clothes you wouldn’t have even worn to bed at home
Always try the local food. You can eat McDonalds at home
Asking a local for directions will just confuse you, especially if you’re not speaking the same language
Travelling on a budget is often more fun than luxury travel
When eating street food, choose the stall with the longest queue to guarantee freshness
You know you’ve been travelling a long time when toilet roll becomes a luxury
Airport security is infuriating….
…but not as infuriating as the guy with the hand luggage filled with liquids, sharp objects, aerosols and electronics
Always learn a few phrases in the local language
Always have a safety supply of cash tucked away for emergencies
Don’t forget to take breaks. Tiredness and dehydration can ruin travel
The best way to see a city is by bike
Open-top bus tours sound like a better idea than they ever are
Everywhere is nicer when the sun shines
‘Handmade local crafts’ look beautiful when you’re on holiday but look like cheap crap when you get them home (especially because they’re nearly always made in China no matter where in world you are)
You’ll always talk about the food you miss when you meet someone from your home country
Pushy touts are the most annoying people in the world. Surely they’d sell more if they left people alone?
Everyone feels homesick sometimes
Don’t buy cheap luggage, it’s not worth it
Don’t over-plan your travels. Leave room for the unexpected…
…but do some basic research to make sure you get the most out of your destination
You can never take good photos through the window of a moving vehicle. Sit back and enjoy the view and don’t waste your time
Whether or not you like a place will be determined by your mood, the people you’re with and the weather as much as the destination itself
Your bucket list will never get shorter
Everyone should keep some kind of journal or blog to help remember their travels
There is such a thing as seeing too many temples/museums/churches/monuments/historical buildings. Are a while they all blend into one and you forget which is which.
If you can’t carry your own bag it’s too heavy
There’s no need to wear ‘explorer clothes’ when you travel. Unless you really want to look like Crocodile Dundee or you have a fetish for pants that zip off at the knee, you’ll be fine in whatever you normally wear at home
No other country makes tea or coffee the way you have it at home
There’s nothing better than a familiar face meeting you at a train station or airport
You can never, ever get rid of sand in a backpack
When you get home, very few people will actually care about your travels…
…but you know you’ll be friends for life with the people who do
You’ll only wear about 30% of the clothes you packed
You’ll meet so many people and become Facebook friends but you’ll completely forget who they are or where you met one year later. If they get married and change their name you’ve got no chance
Material possessions like big houses, flash cars, giant TVs and the latest gadgets seem pointless when you realise you could travel for a year for the price of a car
No matter how much you travel, you still have that ‘Oh my God, I’ve lost my passport’ moment at least 5 times on the way to the airport
Men who are travelling are so happy beards are cool again
If a natural disaster or some kind of protest or attack happens in a place you’re visiting, you’ll suddenly realise how many people care about you by all the ‘Are you OK?’ messages you’ll receive.
Travelling with a cheap tablet is a really good idea
Shopping in different cities is always more fun than shopping at home
Getting a hair cut in a foreign country is unnecessarily terrifying
You’ll never look at a map of the world in the same way again without being overwhelmed by memories
Plane journeys are much more tolerable when everyone respects the Arm Rest Rule and stays in their own space
When boarding a plane, everyone has their fingers crossed they’re not sat next to the fat guy
You’ll become friends with people who speak the same language as you, even if you have nothing in common
You’ll get so fed up with shit wifi. Why doesn’t it just work!?
When travelling in Asia, you get really good at using chopsticks…
…and any traveller who can’t use chopsticks is considered a failure
Anklets with bells on should be banned. You’re not a cat, take it off
You will develop a love/hate relationship with TripAdvisor
It is possible to have a full conversation with someone when neither of you speak a single word of the same language
You’ll avoid having ice in your drinks for about a week and then realise you’d rather have Delhi Belly than warm drinks
Irish people are everywhere. There’s a crazy amount of them for such a small country
When you get home, your travels will feel like a weird and wonderful dream far too quickly
Everyone is scared about travelling before they go
You can’t help but feel really smug when travel with hand luggage only and stroll past all your fellow passengers waiting by the baggage carousel
It’s never acceptable to clap when the plane lands. This makes all the other passengers wonder if there was an emergency we knew nothing about
Travel can often be a better education than an uni degree
Everyone panics when they’re one of the last at the luggage carousel
You will always, always go over budget
You will undoubtedly have the best time of your life
You’ll wonder why you didn’t go sooner
You’ll try to encourage all of your friends to do the same
You’ll begin way to many sentences with, ‘This one time while I was travelling…’
As soon as you get home you’ll start saving for your next adventure
Haha, great list here! I could relate to so many of them – I’m starting to understand the issues of love and hate with Trip Advisor, I too will never regret going somewhere for a great sunset, I’m glad it’s ok to get lost because I’m ALWAYS getting lost! And I really learned my lesson about going to the toilet when you can after a long car drive in Sri Lanka when I was absolutely desperate and the wait from telling the driver to him finding a bathroom felt like the longest time in the world!
I full on cackled at #, why do you want to alert people of your presence with bells on your jewellery. Not acceptable when travelling and certainly not acceptable at home. And #93 is so, so true, so happy I’ve graduated so I can get back on the road again!
Love #34 about photo karma- I HATE HATE HATE when someone just camps out in the best photo spot and their significant other takes 400 photos of them. Seriously,if you can’t get your shot in 20 seconds your time is up.
#90 is particularly true – and sadly that fear stops some people even doing it.
But I love #16 – I’ll always remember a time in Zakopane, Poland when I watched a bunch of backpacking nuns in full habits going on their summer vacation.
#57 & #70. YES!
We are humans and we are emotional, so everything is connected in our experiences (#57). I went to Paris with my mom when I was 16 and we saw the sights, but I’ll go with my husband soon, and it will be a completely different experience!
We like niceties, but finding that balance of things we want and places we want to go is a hard balance! (#70)
Thanks for this post! It gives a lot to think about.
Same here. I went to Paris with school and it feels like a completely different place as a adult. And I’m sure it would be a different city again travelling with friends or a partner.
Yes to #59! I have always kept a journal, even when blogging and I’m so darn grateful that I did. I love reading it back sometimes. It’s the little details that I’ve forgotten that are so exciting to remember.
Haha, great list here! I could relate to so many of them – I’m starting to understand the issues of love and hate with Trip Advisor, I too will never regret going somewhere for a great sunset, I’m glad it’s ok to get lost because I’m ALWAYS getting lost! And I really learned my lesson about going to the toilet when you can after a long car drive in Sri Lanka when I was absolutely desperate and the wait from telling the driver to him finding a bathroom felt like the longest time in the world!
GREAT LIST!
I can relate to so many of them
#11 LOL
#58 Totally!!!
I like the fact that you left #101 till the end, it is a nice way to finish and wrap up this list and so incredibly true!
I full on cackled at #, why do you want to alert people of your presence with bells on your jewellery. Not acceptable when travelling and certainly not acceptable at home. And #93 is so, so true, so happy I’ve graduated so I can get back on the road again!
Love #34 about photo karma- I HATE HATE HATE when someone just camps out in the best photo spot and their significant other takes 400 photos of them. Seriously,if you can’t get your shot in 20 seconds your time is up.
ahahaha!! what a great post Monica! this is a true list that we encounter during our traveling time.
Haha, I love this! Especially “Everyone hates enormous tour groups”
Thanks for sharing. Happy travels 🙂
#90 is particularly true – and sadly that fear stops some people even doing it.
But I love #16 – I’ll always remember a time in Zakopane, Poland when I watched a bunch of backpacking nuns in full habits going on their summer vacation.
Haha, I always act like I’ve seen a celebrity when I see a nun. I don’t even know why I find it so surprising!
#57 & #70. YES!
We are humans and we are emotional, so everything is connected in our experiences (#57). I went to Paris with my mom when I was 16 and we saw the sights, but I’ll go with my husband soon, and it will be a completely different experience!
We like niceties, but finding that balance of things we want and places we want to go is a hard balance! (#70)
Thanks for this post! It gives a lot to think about.
Same here. I went to Paris with school and it feels like a completely different place as a adult. And I’m sure it would be a different city again travelling with friends or a partner.
Oh these are so true! Especially the one about the anklets with bells on – Oh my God, why do people think these are a good idea?!
They drive me insane, especially when you get stuck with someone wearing one for a few days. I don’t know how they don’t go crazy!
Yes to #59! I have always kept a journal, even when blogging and I’m so darn grateful that I did. I love reading it back sometimes. It’s the little details that I’ve forgotten that are so exciting to remember.
This is such a great list!! I can relate to a lot of these 🙂
so true!! made me smile, thank you!
Love #101..very true! Great list!
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Great list. Lots of recognition and several funny observations. Made me smile. Thanks!