Travel Tips

We love finding inspirational sayings to go with our adventures, so we thought we’d compile a list of our favorites for you.  We love to live our life by the quote, “Live a life of yes”, which shows how we travel. We rarely say no to a situation or adventure, knowing that the experiences of travel are what it’s all about.  We hope you enjoy our list, and we welcome you to comment with a favorite quote of yours!

1.“Adventure may hurt you, but monotony will kill you.”  – Ghaniya Dewi Arassyi

2. “Travel isn’t always pretty. It isn’t always comfortable. Sometimes it hurts, it even breaks your heart. But that’s okay. The journey changes you; it should change you. It leaves marks on your memory, on your consciousness, on your heart, and on your body. You take something with you. Hopefully, you leave something good behind.” – Anthony Bourdain

3. “Because in the end, you won’t remember the time you spent working in the office or mowing your lawn. Climb that goddamn mountain.” – Jack Kerouac

5. “The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page.” – Augustine of Hippo is

6. “Life is either a daring adventure or nothing at all.” – Helen Keller

8. “Jobs fill your pocket, but adventures fill your soul.” – Jamie Lyn Beatty

10. “Live your life by a compass not a clock.” – Stephen Covey

12. “To travel is to discover that everyone is wrong about other countries.” – Aldous Huxley

13. “A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.” – Lao Tzu

14. “And then there is the most dangerous risk of all – the risk of spending your life not doing what you want on the bet you can buy yourself the freedom to do it later.” –Randy Komisar

16. “Travel is never a matter of money but of courage.” – Paolo Coelho

17. “Stuff your eyes with wonder, live as if you’d drop dead in ten seconds. See the world. It’s more fantastic than any dream made or paid for in factories.” – Ray Bradbury

19. “Of all the books in the world, the best stories are found between the pages of a passport.” – Unknown

20. “Live life with no excuses, travel with no regret.” – Oscar Wilde

22. “Traveling – it leaves you speechless, then turns you into a storyteller.” – Ibn Battuta

24. “Once a year, go someplace you’ve never been before.” – Anonymous

Besides the obvious must haves like Kayak, Booking.com, and AirBnB (which you probably already have on your phone), here are some other apps that we always use while traveling:

1. Ever been wandering around the streets of a new city, only to realize that you’ve walked in a complete circle?  We’ve definitely done that too. Many times. Now we plan ahead by downloading Google Maps Offline before we go.   This way, even without cell phone coverage or wifi, you can still use a map to help you navigate your adventures.  We found this incredibly helpful in Cuba, as we wandered through the streets and were able to use the walking directions to help us get to where we were going.  To download a map, go to Google Maps and type in the city in which you are staying. Then swipe up on the bottom (where it says Directions, Save, Label and Share).  You’ll then see three little dots in the top right corner. The first choice will be “Download Offline Map”, which you will choose. Then set your area and download.  Use this app close to your trip to be sure to get the most updated map available.
2. Google Translate came in handy on our recent trip to Colombia.  While we know just enough Spanish to get by, many conversations were too fast for us to follow.  The great part about this app is that you can use it many ways. The most obvious is to type in text to translate from one language to another.   Another way is to use the camera and the hold the phone over the text that you need translated. We have found this useful with menus at restaurants or maps.  Finally, we’ve used Google Translate and the microphone on it. This allows us to speak into the phone and then the app translates what we are saying; similarly the person speaking the other language can do the same.  This has saved us with taxi transactions, shopping, and even our hotel concierge.
3. The app for Currency Exchange (we use XE) is nice to have when you’re on the road or even before you head out on your trip.  It’s nice to know the exchange rate, and a quick way of checking the prices of things if you don’t want to constantly be doing math in your head.  It automatically updates to the latest currency price so you know you have the the most up-to-date rate.
4. Research the equivalent to Uber or Lyft in whatever country you are traveling.  Many countries have an app or service that allows licensed citizens to provide you with a ride to your destination.  Often times these apps will be cheaper than the local taxis, plus you don’t have to wander around looking for a ride–one will come right to you.  Go Jek is a motobike service in Bali that we’ve used. Another is Grab in South East Asia. Be sure to look up ones that you may be able to use in the places that you plan to travel.  
5. Are you also too overambitious when planning a trip?  Do you try to fit too many places, or even too many countries, into a short amount of time?  Rome2Rio is great app that can help you plan your adventures.  You can enter in two locations, for example Melbourne to Sydney, and it will give you all the possible ways to get from one place to the next.  It will show you airfare and flight times, bus schedules, trains and drive distances. The app estimates prices for you and also has connections with companies so you can book right through the app.  
6. Google Photo is a great way to save your photos while you travel.  You can set Google Photo to automatically update when you are on wifi, so all your pictures from the day are saved online.  This way, if you were to ever lose your phone while traveling, you would have a backup of all the pictures that you took along the way.  

Bonus Apps!  

Have you seen those scratch off maps for travelers to track the countries that they’ve traveled to?  We received not just one, but TWO for Christmas this year. But, the app Been is the same idea and fits right in your pocket. The app allows you to see what percentage of the world that you’ve seen and keep track of all the countries that you’ve been to.  There’s also a separate tab for the United States, so that you can check off the states you visited and keep track of which ones you still need to go to.

1. Be sure to bring a color copy of your passport.  If your actual passport is lost, it is beneficial to have a second color copy to take to the nearest embassy or consulate. We’ve been lucky enough to not have this happen yet, but we hear that having a color copy can save you a huge headache.  In fact, you should also leave a color copy back home with someone you know and trust as well.
2. Have all the technology that you need.  Check to make sure that your phone, camera, etc. can be used in the type of plug in the country in which you are traveling.  For any travel, and plane flight, be sure to have your plug and cord, as most planes come equipped with outlets to charge your phone.  That way you can hit the ground running, fully charged, when you land. Also, many planes have headphone jacks and personal televisions to watch, so be sure to bring your headphones and any converters you may need for that.   
3. Carry all medicine with you at all times.  Do not pack your medicine in your checked luggage; always have it in your carry on.  We had a friend whose flight was delayed 36 hours and she had to go without the medication that she needed.  This could include anything like advil, imodium (always bring with you, especially if you like street food like us!), sleeping pills for the plane, or contact solution.  
4. Always carry a reusable water bottle.  Plastic bottles are a huge problem, not to mention water at airports can cost up to $5 just for a bottle.  Most airports are now equipped with water-filling stations, and having a reusable bottle can be a plus not only for the environment but also for your wallet.   
5. Bring an eye mask and ear plugs.  You’ll need this.  For the plane. For the hostel.  For the hotel. For the beach. You never know when these two key items may come into play.  You may not ever use them, but when situation calls for them, you’ll definitely wish you had them.  We can’t recommend both enough.
6. Wear clothing that has zippers and pockets.  Or, better yet, zipper pockets!  It’s great to have a place to store your valuables like your wallet, passport, or cell phone.  We’ve had situations where cell phones have fallen out of pockets, too. So having clothes that have zippable pockets are the way to travel.  
7. Sun protection is a must.  Even if you’re not going to a place you think you’ll need it, bring it.  Travel sized sunscreen, hat, and sunglasses are almost always on our list.
8. Baby wipes!  Need we say more?  These are easy to pack and so incredibly useful.  They are versatile, and can be used in many situations.  And, when pinch comes to shove, a baby wipe “shower” is better than nothing.   
9. Our lives were transformed when we purchased packing cubes.  Can’t afford them?  Ziplock plastic bags also do the trick.  But, if you can spring for the real deal, do.  If you have to live out of suitcase for a few days, a week, or even a month, it is really nice to have your bag organized just as you would your dresser at home.  It makes things easy to find. If you’re staying at a hostel or any other shared room and have to quietly get up in the morning by the glow of your flashlight, it makes digging around in your bag much easier to cope with.  
10. Pack an extra bag, or a plastic bag, for dirty or wet clothes.  We like to use reusable grocery bags, especially the ones that fold down into about the size of your palm.  At the end of a trip, it’s nice to have an extra bag to throw your muddy sneakers in, or a way to keep your dirty clothes separate from your clean clothes for the duration of the vacation.  
11. A lock is always a good idea.  It’s nice to leave for the day and have the peace-of-mind that your belongings back at the hotel or hostel are safe for the day.  Having a way to lock your bag can prevent thieves from wanting to choose your luggage to search through. It’s just a nice added security that we usually travel with on the road, especially if we are in a shared room or apartment.  

12. Goggles make a great snorkeling alternative and are much easier to pack than a mask, snorkel and fins.  If you are headed anywhere that has water, throw in a pair of googles. We have also found that it can save you a lot of money.  Instead of booking a snorkeling trip off a boat or with a company, you can find your way to that same swim spot and have your own adventure.