I’ve been blessed to travel in 6 continents of the world so far, and hoping to get Antarctica when the weather gets a little warmer. Traveling is a way for me to see the world through my eyes, instead of through pages in a textbook.

While traveling, I’ve learned tips and mindsets to keep throughout a trip that have helped me have more fun on my vacations. I write this down so that you can use these on your travels as well.

Important Travel Apps

My parents have showed me multiple apps that have helped solved problems I’ve encountered on trips. You might already have your own apps, but here are some that I use on vacations:

• Flighty: A very helpful app to keep track of your flight around the world. It will show you your flights, tons of information about the plane and your seat, as well as notifying you when you get delays and seat changes.
• Translate: A translation app is very important when you go to a different language speaking location. I use Apple’s Translate app for the camera feature, which lets you take pictures of menus, signs, and other things in different languages and translates it so that you can understand it. It’s super helpful but doesn’t always work.
• My Currency Converter & Rates: This app shows you how much your currency would be compared other currencies, as well as showing you how valuable your currency is at the moment and in the past compared to others. For example, I used this a lot to see how much twenty US dollar was in other currencies.

It’s Worth The Walk

There has been countless times when I was on a trip and didn’t want to get out of the house, or even the bed some days. It took me a while, but I realized as I look back at my family vacations that some of the happiest moments were when we walked through the streets, malls, and random buildings.

It gives you a perspective of the area around you as well as the city, state, or country itself. It’s fun getting lost, observing things similar and different from home.

Live Like A Citizen

To get a full experience of your vacation, it’s often best to act like it’s not a vacation at all. While sometimes it’s fun doing the touristy activities in a city, it’s also fun doing normal day things. Things like walks around the neighborhood (like I mentioned previously), talking to locals, and trying local restaurants.

Locals can have some of the most interesting stories and best suggestions. Although food that reminds you of home can be refreshing and a nice breather every once in a while, trying local food can be part of the experience, even if it looks horrible. There is an exception if we are talking about Vegemite however. What do they put in that?

Sleep Is Important

I’ve noticed that days after a bad night’s sleep were less enjoyable than days after a good night’s sleep. Sometimes however, it’s fun to walk around the city at night or have a reservation for something more enjoyable in the dark, like a concert. Just not every night.

Along with the topic of sleep and how important it is, my family doesn’t take much red-eye flights. For some, it is easy to fall asleep on planes. For me however, I find it easier adjusting to the new time zone when I can make it through a daytime flight.

Less Packed Is Better

I tend to overpack on my trips but still overpack on my next trip, so this is a reminder for me as well. I often find myself not wearing all the clothes I packed, not using items for rare occasions, and sweating after carrying my overpacked backpack uphill. Also, leaving extra room in your backpack is nice when you want to bring home a souvenir.

Everyone has their own preferences and plans for their trips and that’s why it’s good to get a mix of your own as well as others. Traveling is one of my most favorite things to do in the world. When away, it can make you appreciate what you have in your own home.