✈️ My Travel Tips & Tricks
Travelling doesn’t have to be complicated — but a few simple tricks can make your trips cheaper, easier and a whole lot more enjoyable.
Here are some of the things I’ve learnt from travelling around Europe and beyond. 🌍
💰 1. Don’t Always Book the Cheapest Option
The cheapest flight, train or hotel isn’t necessarily the best deal.
Look at the total cost — transfers, luggage, transport into the city and how much time you’ll lose getting there.
Sometimes paying £20 more can save you hours of hassle.
My rule: Look at value, not just price.
🎒 2. Pack Less Than You Think
You probably don’t need half the stuff you’re planning to take.
For most trips, I’d rather have:
- A few versatile outfits
- Comfortable walking shoes
- A lightweight jacket
- Essential toiletries
- Chargers & power bank
- Camera/phone gear
You’ll thank yourself when you’re dragging your suitcase up a hill or across a train station. 😂
📱 3. Download Everything Before You Go
Before leaving home, download:
📍 Offline Google Maps
🎫 Tickets & boarding passes
🏨 Hotel confirmations
🗺️ Important travel information
🎵 Music/podcasts
📸 Any apps you’ll need
Screenshot anything important too.
You don’t want to be standing in a foreign train station with 2% battery and no signal.
🚆 4. Don’t Underestimate Travel Time
Google Maps might say a journey takes 2 hours…
…but that doesn’t mean it takes 2 hours.
Allow time for:
Getting to the station → finding your platform → waiting → delays → getting from the station to your accommodation.
I’d rather have 30 minutes spare than spend the journey panicking.
🌅 5. Get Up Early
This is probably one of my biggest travel tips.
Popular places can be completely different at 7am compared with 11am.
You get:
✨ Fewer people
📸 Better photos
🌅 Better light
🧘 A much more peaceful experience
Yes, getting up early on holiday hurts.
It’s worth it.
📸 6. Take Photos — But Don’t Spend the Whole Trip Behind Your Phone
Get the shot.
Film the moment.
Take the photo you’ll look back on years later.
…but then put the phone down and actually experience it.
The best travel memories aren’t always the ones sitting in your camera roll.
🗺️ 7. Don’t Overplan Every Second
Having a rough itinerary is brilliant.
Planning every single minute? Not so much.
Leave some room for:
☕ A random café
🏘️ A street you didn’t expect to find
🌄 A viewpoint
🍝 A restaurant recommendation
🚶 Getting completely lost
Some of my favourite travel moments have been the things I didn’t plan.
💳 8. Always Have a Backup Payment Method.
Never rely on just one card.
Take a second card and keep it somewhere separate from your main wallet.
Also keep a small amount of emergency cash where appropriate.
Because the one time your card doesn’t work will probably be when you need it most. 😅
🏔️ 9. Check the Weather Before You Leave
Not just the temperature.
Check:
🌧️ Rain
💨 Wind
❄️ Snow
☀️ UV
🌅 Sunrise & sunset
Weather can completely change your plans — especially when you’re hiking or visiting mountains.
And remember:
Mountain weather can be very different from the weather in the town below.
🔋 10. Never Let Your Phone Die
Your phone might be your:
📍 Map
🎫 Ticket
📞 Emergency contact
📸 Camera
💳 Payment method
🏨 Hotel information
A power bank is one of the most useful things you can throw into your bag.
20% battery isn’t “loads left”.
🌍 And Finally…
Don’t worry about having the perfect trip.
You will miss a train.
You will probably get lost.
Something won’t go according to plan.
You’ll forget something.
And you’ll probably spend more money than you intended. 😂
That’s travelling.
The important thing is that you go, experience somewhere new and come home with memories you’ll never forget.
✈️ Travel more. Explore more. Make memories.
And if you want to take the stress out of planning your next adventure, check out my travel guides — they’re packed with the routes, places and tips I’ve personally used on my own trips.