Travel is an essential part of your life and a passion of yours. You may love to explore new places and experience new things, but what if you’re not sure where to begin? Fear not! Here are 5 easy tips for making the most out of your first trip abroad:
Plan ahead
Travel is a lot different than home, and there is no way around it. You may be used to a routine, social network, and a lot of things at home that you may not experience while abroad. The key here is planning ahead. Whether it’s booking an extra night in a city you’re interested in or staying in a private villa, having a plan can make your first trip abroad a lot easier. You don’t want to end up spending your entire trip bored and hungry because you didn’t have any plans!
Travel with someone you trust
One of the best ways to make your first trip abroad a memorable one is to travel with someone you trust and respect. Not only will this help you stay focused on your destination rather than your companion, but it will also help you avoid some of the wilder, more touristic places your first trip might take you. This may sound like an obvious one, but trust is something you’ll likely lose once you’re abroad, so making sure you have someone who can keep your bearings and take you to all the right places is essential. This person may be your spouse, friend, or family member. If you’re really lucky and you have a partner in crime, that’s even better. Having a traveling partner who you can confide in and who can offer you the support you need is invaluable on your first trip abroad. If you don’t have anyone in mind yet, partner shopping is a wonderful way to experience a new culture with a friend!
Eat well
You’re bound to hit up a lot of restaurants and eat a lot of food while you’re traveling. There is no way around it. It’s important to plan ahead, but eating well on your first trip abroad is also essential. You don’t want to go hungry or ill-prepared for your trip. Your body needs nutrients in order to keep running and you don’t want to end up in an emergency room because you were too sick to travel! So, make sure you’re eating healthy and filling meals at every opportunity while you’re abroad. You may want to bring your own snacks and food with you, but make sure they’re healthy options!
Take advantage of the culture
Cultures are often different from one another and you may want to experience as many of them as possible before you retire. There are so many cultures and religions all around the world and there’s bound to be something interesting and different about every single place you go. You may have to dig a little bit to see what’s going on behind the closed doors of the places you visit, but it’s definitely worth the effort.
Learn a new skill
Learning a new skill while you’re abroad is an easy way to make your first trip an unforgettable one. You may not want to learn a new language, but the ability to communicate will be a huge boost to your experience abroad. Not only will you be able to network with other travelers and make new friends, but you’ll also have a ton of local knowledge to bring back to your home country. Not only will speaking the language have a lot of advantages for you in the future, but it will also help you fit in with your new culture and navigation system. Some locals may even be interested in learning English so you can connect with the local community and share your experiences.
Find the best deal possible!
Are you ready for this one? You’re going on your first international trip, so naturally you’re going to splurge a little. This is totally understandable, but splurging on things you don’t need is a sure-fire way to ruin your vacation. You may think that taking advantage of the fact that you’re on vacation and all you really need is a flight, a hotel stay, and food is a great idea, but you’re going to regret it when you get home and realize you spent more money on Thailand’s beer than you could possibly use. Thailand’s beer is the most expensive in the world! Don’t drink it. Not only will you regret it, but you’ll also probably have a lot of acid flashbacks and be thinking about it for a long time.
Go to the destination that’s on your bucket list!
You’ve been dying to go to that place for a long time, but you never thought you’d get the opportunity. Well, here it is! You’re close, but you’re not there yet. Your bucket list is going to have at least one place on it that you’ve wanted to visit for a long time. Let’s be real here. You probably aren’t going to visit every country in the world, or even every continent. Even if you did, the time allotted for travel is likely very short. You want to make the most of every moment, so make your first trip abroad the best one possible.
Final Words
Traveling can be an amazing experience and a once-in-a-lifetime chance to explore a new culture, but you must make sure you’re ready for it. Planning ahead, eating well, learning a new skill, and going to the destination that’s on your bucket list will make your first trip abroad the most amazing experience of your life.