Travelling requires preparation and planning, whether it is to Machu Pichu, the National Library of Belarus, or even the French Quarter in Louisiana. Travellers, and those thinking about travelling, like to read up on various tips to guide them on their journeys. Whether they are tried and true or just a bit quirky, here are 18 tips to make your journey a little less stressful.

1. Be sure to pack a hat and extra underwear. A hat protects the head from the elements, be it sun or cold. As for underwear, you never know.
2. Bring a reusable water bottle with you, it saves on money and it saves on plastic waste. Why pay for water bottle after water bottle when you can just reuse the one you have?
3. Don’t get into cabs that don’t have meters. Meters are your friends and you are less likely to be overcharged.
4. Don’t let the guidebook tell you what to do. It is just a guide book, not a “You Are Only Allowed To Do These Things” book. Also, be sure to not over plan your trip. Flexibility can be key to a fun vacation.
5. Don’t spend everything you brought with you, even if you budgeted for everything. It is perfectly okay to plan some free activities and have money left over.
6. Everyone loves taking photos of their trips, be sure to bring an extra camera battery, or a portable phone charger to avoid a dead cell phone.
7. No matter where you travel, bring an eye mask and earplugs to help you sleep in unfamiliar surroundings.
8. If your bank or credit card company doesn’t know you are going on a trip, they might decide to freeze your account for unusual activity so be sure to notify them beforehand.
9. Minor injuries can happen wherever you are, even when travelling. Having a travel first aid kit may come in handy.
10. Never pack anything you have not previously worn. A trip is not exactly the best time to break in new shoes or an outfit. If you get a blister, you might need that travel first aid kit.
11. Don’t keep your money or documents in one location. If a pickpocket picks your pocket and gets all your money, then you have nothing left.
12. Stay hydrated on planes as it is very dry. Being dehydrated can increase jet lag symptoms.
13. Staying in your comfort zone is nice, but the purpose of travelling is to expand yourself by getting out of that zone and still have fun. Get out of that zone.
14. This one is one of the most obvious, but it helps to learn common phrases of local languages, especially when it comes to understanding directions such as east, right, north, turn, etc.
15. To save on money, try staying at a rental home or apartment, or even an Airbnb.
16. Have travel medical insurance because injuries, accidents or illness can happen anywhere and anytime, no matter how careful the traveller is.
17. Write down where you are staying on a piece of paper just in case your phone dies. Locals can read the address and help get you there.
18. Let your friends and family at home know where you are going and what your daily itinerary is, especially if your plans change during your holiday.

By following these travel tips, and more like them, you will have a comfortable, safe, prepared, and fun trip no matter where you go. Before travelling, be sure to check out Insurance Hotline to compare quotes for your Canadian travel medical insurance.