1. Make sure you have a good pair of walking shoes, but not white tennis shoes like you’re used to in the US. You’ll stick out like a sore thumb!
2. Pack solid colored clothing- your funny teeshirt slogan might be a kick in the US, but most of the world dresses less casually than we do.
3. Eat from street vendors- they usually have the best deals and the food is more authentic.
4. If nothing else, learn these phrases in whatever language you’re going to be surrounded by- “Hello”, “Thank You”, “Excuse me”, “please”, and “bathroom”.
5. Don’t waste your time on your computer, free WiFi or not. Your friends and family will be there when you get home.
6. Don’t be afraid to wander- my best day in Rome was when Colton, Matt, and I just got off the subway somewhere and walked around aimlessly.
7. Try the coffee- every country’s tastes different!
8. Eat outside as much as possible- the best people watching can be had outside of a cafe.
9. Familiarize yourself with at least one type of public transit- in bigger cities, your best bet is the train or subway.
10. The further away you are from tourist sites, the more authentic your experience is going to be.
11. Leave room in your suitcase- there’s nothing worse than having to throw things away at the end of your trip because you overpacked!
12. Go ahead and buy friends and family those silly little tourist trinkets- they don’t care how authentic it is, they just want a piece of the action.
13. Buy a watch, especially if your cell phone doesn’t have service. It’s one less thing to have in your pocket, and knowing the time is rarely a bad thing.
14. Pay with cash whenever possible- foriegn money is cool looking, plus it will force you to watch how much you spend.
15. If a trip doesn’t seem like it’s working out, break away from your pattern and just explore for the sake of exploring. You’d be surprised what you find when you aren’t really looking.
Happy travels!
