Useful Travel Tips - TIWIK #6

1. Always carry a scarf, even in extremely hot countries: that’s where they tend to go mad on air-con. Protecting your throat will generally stop you from getting sick.

2. Take a camera that’s good enough to achieve the results that you want, but that’s not so heavy that you will start leaving it at the hotel on the second day.

3. Pack a small bit of Marseille soap and delay laundry day by washing your undies and socks in the sink. It also does wonders as a stain remover (apply with a little bit of water, leave in for half an hour, scrub, rinse).

4. Sleep with earplugs on when you’re staying in a hostel dorm. Why every single dorm-mate’s favourite activity is to methodically rummage plastic bags at 5 in the morning remains unclear, but is sadly a verified fact.

5. When spending the night in a train, a bus or a dodgy hostel, sleep with your head on your handbag.

6. Always carry an energy bar around; it will save you when everything is closed and you need a snack, like, now.

7. Don’t stuff yourself with kilos of fresh berries, no matter how delicious they are. Your stomach will protest.

8. If you did stuff yourself with kilos of fresh berries, have a warm cup of tea: it will hug your stomach and make it all better. Better yet, swallow some activated charcoal pills — a natural lifesaver when it comes to upset tummies.

9. Call your bank before your trip and enquire about your withdrawal and your payment weekly/monthly limits. Ask them to raise those if need be — if you hit the limit, you won’t be able to do anything, even if the funds are actually present on your account.

10. You don’t need ten pairs of pants. What you need is lots of tops, plus a few trousers/shorts that go with them. And that one cute dress.