LifeHacks 4 Backpackers: 35 Tips for Travelers

In this post, I decided to collect general advice that can be used in any countries and who helped us very much (or would help if they knew about them in advance).

Below you will find a list of tips. Some of them will be equipped with comments that will have a "relevant only for Asia only".

I hope that you will find something new and interesting for yourself.

Flights and transport:

1. If you fly somewhere without a reverse ticket, make the "left" return ticket

Several times for travel, we asked Return tickets from the destination. The benefit of us were, however, when I am flight from Thailand in Vietnam, we laid aunt for a reception desk our invitations for the Vietnamese visa, she considered it for tickets and let us. However, it’s just luck. Sometimes this may not roll.

Fictive tickets can be either sipotos, or, as an option, place tickets on the Aeroflot website and select the "Payment in the Office" option. You will send a mail ticket to mail, where there will be no mark that he is not paid. This is enough to confirm your intentions. We did the Indian visa …)

2. Whenever you keep electronic tickets in the English version.

Upon arrival in Singapore, we almost stayed to spend the night at the airport due to the fact that we had tickets in Russian. Passport control workers refused to miss us, referring to the fact that they do not know how to read in Russian, and there is no guarantee that our return ticket is valid for the date that we point in immigration card.

It was lucky that we had good and responsive employees of the "Information" rack, and they were requested in Indian AirIndia for us a version of tickets in English.

So, if there is an opportunity (and there is any), after booking a ticket, ask the English version from the airline.

3. Take less things! Ideally – collect all luggage in manual.

Yes, if you have a lot of things, you will have to sweat with the murdration of these on the luggage shelves, and maybe you will hear a lot of "joyful" words and epithets to your address, but it’s all with more than compensated by arrival when you don’t have to wait for issuing baggage.

4. Try not to change currency at the airport.

The well-known rule – at airports and train stations the worst currency rate. If you have money on the map – you can safely shoot, ATMs are not falling into. But if you keep money in bills, exchange the minimum necessary for the road to the hotel (housing search sites), and the rest are already changing in the city.

5. Do not hope for Wi-Fi at airports (relevant to India).

We fell a couple of times with the fact that I postponed some working moments with the amendment "I will do, while we will wait for the plane," and remained with anything. In Mumbai, for example, to enjoy Wi-Fi at the airport, you need to send SMS from the Indian number. Yes, the Internet is free, but it must be obtained in such a tricky way. By the way, a SIM card to buy in India – a separate story. You can not buy, as we have, at every corner in 5 minutes.
In Chennai, there was no such problem, but it is possible that at other airports in India, the situation is identical to Mumbai.

6. If possible, do not come to the airport too early with the calculation to spend time in the waiting room.

In Chennai at the airport, we were 5 hours before departure, and we were not allowed to enter inside before registration. Such here are the rules. Fortunately, on the street at the entrance to the terminals there were several cafes, and seats, and even the Internet, but someone can deliver discomfort. Especially in wild heat.

7. Keep the electronic ticket at hand (printed or in the phone / tablet memory).

Almost all of Asia at the entrance to the airport ask for tickets. They may not ask at the front desk, but at the entrance, most likely, will ask. We have all the tickets in the laptop, and every time we half an hour pulled out the laptop from the grooved backpack, turned on / off it and t.D.

eight. Take a taxi in the official airport services or catch away from the arrival zone.

Here I think it is not particularly explained. The first part of the Council applies to the issue of reliability, the second to the issue of economy. We are still for the first option. In the taxi service you will have both the driver who will understand the route itself, and the price will be fixed without those common in Asian attempts to knock out more under the end of the trip. In Goa, they did it (took a taxi in the airport service).

nine. Check how it will be the case with your luggage (if you pass) when connecting flights!

Almost always you pass your things at the departure point and get them in the final point, but when we flew from Singapore to Goa, we had to pick up luggage in Mumbai and pass it back to the flight to Goa. It is better to ask again when you fly, than to catch "surprises".

ten. Be careful when buying tickets. Never hurry. A simple rule, but I did not take into account him, because of what it was right during the trip to the decent amount.

eleven. Carefully buy tickets for intercity buses (relevant to Asia!).

We were deceived a couple of times and for the price, and under the conditions of the trip in Vietnam and Cambodia. It is clear that no one will insure you from the capital deception, but be on a check.

12. When traveling on long-distance buses pack those things that we put in the luggage compartment.

Although the food film, at least trash packages =) during the trip, things turn into a dust collector.

13. When traveling on slippers, buy tickets to the upper shelves (relevant to Asia!)

In any kind of sleeping buses, top places more comfortable and more spacious.

fourteen. Start warm things before traveling in the slugs.

In Asian (it seems to me, in other parts of the light there are no such buses) Sleeping buses air conditioners work on a complete coil, and rarely when they can be turned off on their own.

15. If you plan to catch or order a taxi (Tuk-Tuk and T.D.), ask to make it a local and agree for you.

We have never traveled for a small price (regarding the one we paid when traveling by a similar route before), when transportation ordered to us / caught local.

16. If you catch a taxi yourself, go away from the accumulation of taxi drivers.

In such places, bargain is useless. Taxi drivers will not spoil each other business.

17. Contribute to the cost of the trip right away, without any "see". Otherwise you can get into the unpleasant situation.

eighteen. In all types of taxis where there is a counter, ask to turn it on. Otherwise – refuse to go on this transport.

19. A good way to make sure that you are carrying at the overestimated tariff – get the camera and start shooting the driver (and at the same time a trip).

Once in Vietnam, having seen the camera, we immediately landed =) Apparently, it was planned "Divorce" … (relevant to Asia).

twenty. Make sure the driver knows where to carry you. Do not show him a place on the map, but speak the exact name (or show), if you have it.

In the case when the driver doubts the route, but hopes to understand the way – refuse the trip and look for another chauffeur. In Vietnam, we swallowed in this situation and paid a lot of too much.

Accommodation and adaptation:

21. From the first days, go with someone from the local.

It will help it very much later. We have repeatedly cut out new friends, especially in India.

22. Take 1-2 day of stock to find housing.

If you do not book accommodation in advance, but you expect to find a suitable location on arrival, book your guest house or hotel for 1-2 days. I understand that most travelers do not soar on this topic and find everything in place, but it is more suitable for experienced. We are for the first time in such a situation in Sihanville (in Cambodia) fairly run.

23. If you are planning to work on a journey, you look for the Internet search in advance.

Read the forums, talk with "everyday" and find out how things are with the Internet at your destination point. It is clear that 9 out of 10 hotels and guesthouses now have Wi-Fi, but it is better to be restrained.

On Sri Lanka, for example, the Internet was terrible everywhere, except for our villa. If I had only hoped at cafe and restaurants, I would notice to work.

In addition, not everyone is ready to hang around daily in a cafe (where at least water, but must be ordered) and work from there. Many easier to do business early in the morning or late in the evening / at night (when, for example, in Arambole (Goa / India), all cafes are closed).

24. Examine in advance which mobile communication works best in the place where you go.

In India, we took the SIM card of the company that the owner of housing was offered. In fact, it turned out that it disgusts 3G works, and we could not take advantage of them. And it was an important point.

25. When choosing a "favorite place" for gatherings – the perfect option – order the same dish everywhere and drink everywhere. In quality (and consequences =)) you and choose the best place.

If you walk on all institutions and take different way everywhere – the choice will be difficult to make, because the Caesar salad is well prepared, but they do not know how to make an ordinary omelet, and in the other way around.

In Asian countries, it is best to make a choice in the chassis, national dishes.

So in India, our "coolness detector" were tomato soup and garlic cakes (who was in Goa, knows what it is …), as a result, we have chosen with pleasant staff, we chose a cafe that has become our "forefront" for all 1, 5 months, and with staff we made friends so that still rewrite …).

25. If you are interested in alcohol, do not bother local drinks (relevant for Asia!).

If you drop "Tagil" Turkey and Egypt (where the people constantly pokes the local "alcohol"), in those countries where we were, we tried the local (cheap) alcohol everywhere, and he always turned out to be at the level. But brand drinks may well be there "Painnes".

26. Be careful with local cuisine. In Asia, as you know, everything is very sharp.

And if you are not an acute lover, always say the cherished "no spicy" (and in Cambodia, and "No Onion").

Be calm – both peppers, and the garlic will still put it, but with the requests described above – in adequate quantity.

27. Respectively treat local "oddities" and custom. Do not think that the whole world lives, as we, and do not need to climb with your charter in someone else’s monastery.

A couple of times I included outrage like "all over the world …, and you …" and received hard replicas in response and the subsequent is not quite warm attitude. Whether people and do not forget that you are guests.

Aggression and screams you will not achieve anything. Always remember that no one should have anything (local should not understand English and even more Russian, do not agree to your requests and all that), and travel you it will be easier.

28. Fold new contacts in the journey.

Drove cheap by taxi? Boldly take the phone from the taxi driver. Satisfied with housing? Take the contacts of the hotel or host housing. All this is useful if you want to come to this place again. Well, contacts at least someone from the local who somehow knows you, can come in handy in an extreme situation.

29. Feel free to communicate with tourists- "Aborigiennes", with those who have been here for a long time.

If you can not immediately contact the local, look for friends or simply ask the Council among compatriots or Europeans. We often received good and delight advice, just turning out on the street to people. Do not be afraid of anyone. No one will bite …) And bites – there will be a new experience.

thirty. Avoid travel agencies and paid tours.

Read more information on the forums and blogs. In fact it turns out that the assembled excursion is at times cheaper than the purchase.

On a trip to Murdshvar (to the statue of Shiva) we saved dollars 100, on a trip to Safari Park on Sri Lanka and more.

It only first it seems that all this is difficult, in fact it is all elementary and requires just a little attention and brains ..

About everything in a row:

31. Take with you a minimum of things!

I just bend you tearfully =) We remembered this simple truth for the trip … Remember this our advice more than once and gratitude (if you fulfill it …)
Take with you one set of clothes (the second is what is on you). Everything else can be bought in place (especially this is relevant for Asia, where everything is worth a penny). Take 10 times over each thing packing in a backpack or a suitcase. Any thing you take just in case – most likely you will not need!

Backpacks by the way choose very carefully! You with them drag everywhere. And if you do not plan hiking in the mountains or kilometer transportation in the city, take a large roomy suitcase on 4 wheels + small backpack on the back. I, for example, tormented (and for sure, decently kicked myself posture) to drag everywhere with an almost 30-kilogram backpack, especially since all the movements occupied not so much time. Still, we stayed at night in the field and had accommodation in all points. And the constant removal-worn backpack – that still "joy".

The technique in the way, too, pick it very thoughtfully. If you are driving a couple like us, think about several times, whether you need to take more than one laptop (even if both work) and t.D.

32. If you are not a blogger and not a journalist, try smaller staring into the lens of the camera or cameras. It is better to look at the world with your own eyes.

Agree – It’s a shame to show friends to friends and native video and photos, and understand that you, like they, saw all this only through the device at the moment when many around just looked and immersed in the atmosphere.

33. Do not feed the illusions on the topic of magical liberation from problems and do not promise anyone that "I will go on a journey and will behave normally".

This will not be … as I spoke more than a million times – on the journey you still take yourself.

Set up progress and develop travel, get experience and emotions. Work on yourself and be grateful for what you can do this in such wonderful conditions.

34. Do not forget about parents. Unfortunately, at moments when we are very good, we become decent egoists.

This is not necessary =) Call, write, send postcards to parents. Believe me, they are very necessary.

35. Live in traveling to a full coil! Understand that you are not a tourist, you are a man, a citizen of the planet Earth, no matter how pathetic it sounds.

Live life in every place where you will drive you! Absorb everything that you can, make stupidity, make insane actions and just breathe full of breasts!

And never be afraid! All you will succeed!

Love and give love – to yourself, close and peace.

That’s actually all that I was able to withdraw from our experience …)

Perhaps some tips will seem simple, some obvious, but all this will not be superfluous in the head.

I will be very grateful if in the comments you will specify your personal "lifehaki" or want somehow supplement what I wrote.