5 Uncommon Travel Tips
Whether you’re consumed by wanderlust or simply taking a weekend off from work, these 5 travel tips could make the difference between an okay time and a great time.
Travelling is (typically) a fun experience. Seeing the world with your friends, family, or even on your own can rejuvenate your soul and expand your horizons. No matter where you’re going though, there are some unconventional tips and tricks that can make for an unforgettable experience, or even save you from a potentially bad time. Let’s take a look at 5 uncommon travel tips that can be applied by seasoned mile high members and travel newbies alike.
1. Check Instagram tagged location for clothing ideas
One thing I’m really bad about is planning for weather when I travel. Half of it is definitely me just not planning ahead, but the other half is an unknowingness of what to expect. Especially if you’re flying halfway around the world for the first time, local weather might be harder to predict than simply using the weather app on your phone. Not to mention the whole issue of fashion, if you care about that sort of thing. Go to Instagram and search the area you’re travelling to- you’ll see pictures and videos of what people are wearing at that given moment, and you can also see what the weather is like. Great way to prepare for that enviornment!
2. Purchase flights behind a VPN
Airline ticketing websites are relentless with upselling, and there are an assortment of websites that claim to have the “best rates”. What most ticketing sites do is they cache your browsing history- then if you leave the site and come back, they present you with a higher price, pitching that “prices have gone up in the past 24 hours, hurry and buy now before the prices go up further”. To avoid these manipulations, go incognito (private browsing) or even access the websites behind a VPN if you can, this will negate any upselling tactics and ultimately save cost. I wrote a more detailed article about how I purchase flights from a VPN outside of the US to get cheaper rates.
3. Access secure, airport wifi networks
Travelling long distances often means layovers, spending hours at public airports with not enough time to walk around the city, but more than enough time to get bored. Our go-to is web browsing, but public airport wifi is highly insecure, and don’t even think about turning on your cellular data unless you enjoy receiving massive bills. Most airport terminals have exclusive members-only clubs with private, secure wifi. You can pay the monthly fee to join these clubs, or you can use this secret list of private wifi passwords for most major airports. I’ve used it in a few airports and was pleasantly surprised- the internet speed is usually quite good.
4. Watch travel vlogs of that area to plan your trip
Travel vlogs give us insight into what other people are doing around the world. If you’re travelling to Machu Pichu for the first time and have no idea what’s to do, look up some vloggers that went there on YouTube and see what they did. Chances are they share some hidden locations that aren’t publicly advertised at hotels or on travel websites. Closest thing to getting the inside scoop. I do a weekly vlog and sometimes share travel content, there’ll definitely be more coming soon!
5. Download apps that speed up airport check-ins
This one is a bit specific, but I found this app that speeds up the customs check in process for US and Canadian travellers. I haven’t experienced it myself, but I’ve heard horror stories of those three or four hour customs lines, and that sounds like the lamest thing ever. The app basically does the precheck (who you are, where you’re coming from, your passport, self portrait, etc) in advance, so when you get to the customs line you can go right to security.
No matter where you're travelling, these tips can help turn an okay trip into an outstanding experience. If you enjoyed this mod, please consider sharing it using the social media icons below. Any questions or comments? Let me know on Twitter!
Aleksey Weyman
Aleksey Weyman is a web designer, music artist and creator of Millennial Moderator
