Before you travel somewhere, you must consider many things. This article introduces the basics of travel, and is aimed at those with relatively little travel experience, but this is not to say that experienced travelers are not suitable for this. More detailed information can be found in Wikivoyage’s destinations and travel topics.
Prepare
learn
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When you travel, hope that things don’t look like they “return home”. Etiquette, laws, food, transportation, accommodation, standards, language, etc. will be at least somewhat different from where you live. You must keep this in mind at all times, so as not to be disappointed or even disgusted with the local way of doing things. When you communicate with the locals, please avoid saying something like: "Let’s go back, we do it all over there..." Whether you like it or not, it will make you a representative of your homeland Representative of everything.
Please research in advance the destination you are going to, in addition to the Wikivoyage entry,WikipediaCorresponding entries, the website of the local tourism office, attractions and business introductions are also a good reference. In addition, the embassy of the local country is often happy to help you get tourist information. Depending on the country, you may have to contact the embassy to apply under any circumstancesvisa. Novels and various books can also help you have a sense of this place. People who travel a lot tend to give up all plans, especially if they have been to that place before. However, you never know if something has changed there, even near youAirportOr train station. It is useful to make a list to make sure you have not forgotten.
Reserve
In the 20th century,Travel agencyIt is a normal choice for long-distance travel. Nowadays, travelers can book transportation, hotels and activities directly or through portals, usually, and the prices are relatively cheap.
If this is your first long-distance trip, if there is language orCultural barriers, Or this trip is beyond your experience, you can consider signing up with a travel agency. They can provide transportation and hotel packages, as well as all-inclusive tours that include some or all meals.
Some activities may need to be booked in advance, such as high-end restaurant tables, or peak season attractions.
A guided tour can be divided into different scenes, whether it’s a leisure city walk, a cruise orhuntingtravel.
Choose your destination
Paris syndrome This term was originally inJapanPopular among travelers, this phenomenon can basically be attributed to people coming to an over-exaggerated destination with unrealistic expectations, because Paris belongs to the most typical description, hence the name. Travelers often think that it is good to get a destination, but in fact they are disappointed. Therefore, we recommend that travelers, especially those who travel for the first time, must overcome strong psychological preparations. |
Of course, where you choose to travel depends on your own taste and preferences. However, if you are traveling with others, you may also consider their wishes. ifYou want to travel with kids, You may want to go to a place where children are welcome, preferably there is no unnecessary risks such as crime, disease, extreme weather, etc. If you are traveling with friends, it is wise to discuss your travel plans several times, allow everyone to have their own voice, and be prepared to compromise. When a friend leaves, he may become an enemy in return in the worst case. In addition, everyone does not have to do the same things in the same place all the time.Disabled travelerYou should ask about the possibility of transporting assistive devices such as wheelchairs or crutches, and how friendly the destination is to people with disabilities in general. Finally, if youtravel alone, Remember that if something bad happens, you will have to deal with it alone.
Go you don't want toObey local customs and lawsIs unwise. For example, if you as a woman don’t want to wear covered clothes, someMuslim countriesMay not recommend you to visit. Certain political systems (e.g.North Korea) May conflict with your views on how things should be done. In general, things that are completely legal in the country may be illegal in your destination country, and vice versa. You should also check the domesticSecurity situation. In particular, if the embassy of your country has issued a travel warning, you'd better not travel there.
Local culture affects more than your safety. If you haven’t traveled often (or even have) before, traveling to a place completely different from your own environment may bring you considerablecultural shockーーWhen you choose where to travel, keep this in mind.LanguageIt may also be a problem. Although English is so common, almost no one understands it in many parts of the world. Even in a place where "everyone speaks English", since the local language is not used, there will be countless nuances that you will miss.
Transit
TransitThe difficulty varies. In most cases, travelers needpassport——European UnionInternal EU citizens are one of the few exceptions. If you have a passport, please check if the passport is valid when you travel. In addition, many countries require your passport to be valid for three or even six months after your expected departure date. if you needvisaIn the best case, the visa application and issuance process will take several days. Under normal circumstances, you can apply for a visa faster (the cost is relatively high), but if you can apply for a visa as soon as possible, then apply, so that you can save some of the fun on the journey. For those small countries off the beaten track, the nearest embassy is located in a country farther than yours. If it takes more than a month, then don’t be surprised. If your travel includes several countries that require a visa, remember that your passport can only be processed at one embassy at a time.
Sadly, there are places one after another or nationals of certain countries that cannot be easily visited. This mainly involvesAmericans in Cuba, And to and fromIsraelAnd travel to certain Arab and Muslim countries. We are aboutVisa issuesThe entry has more information.
Walk around
- See:transportation
There are as many ways to travel as there are destinations. Usually you will travel by various means of transportation, so it is necessary to know some routes, fares and timetables in advance.
Choosing a mode of transportation is often a balancing act between cost and convenience.Low-cost airlineCheap air tickets can be provided, but they often use farther airports (such as various unmanned areas). From there, reaching the destination can be time-consuming, costly, and challenging. In addition, if you are afraid of traveling in a certain mode of transportation, you may be able to avoid this altogether, or take a course to eliminate your phobia. Wikivoyage has an entrySome suggestions for nervous air passengersIf flying scares you, you may want to read this entry.
Always allow some extra time to reach your starting point, otherwise even a small unexpected delay may get you into trouble. If you need to be at the airportTurnaround, Check if your connecting time is too tight. When you are going to the airport, boat station, passenger terminal or train station, it is best to leave earlier than you think you need. This is especially true when flying-especially when it comes to international flights. According to experience, you should arrive at the airport one hour before boarding on a short-haul flight.AtlanticFlight) should arrive at the airport two hours early, and to and fromU.SorIsraelFlights (due to their lengthy security procedures) should arrive at the airport one hour earlier. If you are traveling for the first time, please arrange an extra period of time in advance to catch up. Due to late takeoff, weather conditions, and runway congestion, don't expect your first plane to land as planned.
In addition, you still have to wait in line for customs, immigration, and security checks before you can enter the gate. In general, unless it is a small airport, it is best to arrive at the airport at least two hours before departure. If you do arrive at the airport on time and the queue is short, don’t worry about having to sit at the airport for an extra hour; if you miss the plane, you usually have to wait longer (you may have to pay for a hotel or stay at the airport) Sleep), and sometimes have to buy a new ticket. Yes, you can book a flight combination with only half an hour connecting time, but this is usually not a good idea. Also, if you miss the last bus or train of the day (in some cases, you have to wait in line for the ticket office...) to enter the city, the worst case is that you can only take an expensive taxi .
For some travelers, they may want or needAvoid entering the U.S.ーーEven during transit, please refer to this Wikivoyage entry.
By definition, travel includes navigation, which means you need one or several maps of some kind. If you drive,GPS navigationThe equipment is also practical, as well as various online services (such as Wikivoyage’s dynamic maps) and offline applications for smartphones and computers. Paper maps are also an option because they do not require electricity or an internet connection. Their disadvantage is that they are more outdated than the online version, and it is easy to think of you as a tourist; on the other hand, looking at (expensive) smartphones or tablets on the street is likely to attract thieves. Even if you have been traveling with a guide, it is fun to know where you are and where you are going next.
When to go?
Due to the weather, some parts of the world are best avoided at certain times of the year. For example, tropical regions almost always have a rainy season (which means a lot of rain). Other parts of the world may have seasonal tornadoes, or tropical cyclones (although they are not in the tropics). Familiar with the local weather conditions, you will travel at this time of the year. Remember, the seasons in the southern hemisphere are opposite to those in the northern hemisphere.
The tourist season may also be a problem. On the one hand, during the main tourist seasons, prices tend to be higher, everything is crowded and fully booked. In the off-season, although accommodation may be cheaper, you may find that tourist attractions are closed or working hours are shortened. In addition, the off-season weather may not be very good, and during local festivals, especially small places are often closed. It is usually wise to avoid local holidays unless they are a reason for you to travel. existLatin AmericaandSpain, Santa Claus (Easter Week) is an unsuitable time to go to any beach, because almost every local who has money to travel will do it.U.SThanksgiving weekend andFar EastThe New Year in most areas is similar. existEuropeWhen traveling, you can check the school vacation time. Prices and availability of hotels and air tickets often reflect seasonal changes. On the other hand, the local holiday season may coincide with the overall best season, or for places where there are not too many international tourists, most places are closed outside the holiday season.
The fare will also change with the time of your travel, and usually also with the time of your reservation. This is especially true for air tickets, but the prices of long-distance trains and buses vary greatly depending on the time you book (this is more pronounced in some high-income countries). If you travel short distances or travel frequently, the ticket price may be the largest part of your budget. In addition, instead of just booking a trip, it's better to shop around. You can save a lot of money if you have a little flexibility in the appointment time. In addition, when booking air tickets, there are a variety of methods, sometimes even violating the logic of saving money (or not being charged extra fees), these methods are related toBudget travelWikivoyage entry is related to usflightThere are more detailed instructions in the series of entries.
plan
After answering the question where, how, and when, then it’s time to make a plan or timetable. Depending on the "complexity" of your trip, the plan may vary. A good basic travel plan is a list of places you want to visit, time of entry and exit, time of departure, and detailed information about your transportation. This can also be used as a timetable, and you may want to know how much time it will take to continue to each destination.
Make sure you not only have time to visit the website you plan to visit, but also time to spend in the places you discover when you arrive. Read the relevant matters of your destination ahead of time to avoid a bad surprise. It is not interesting to realize that there are more things to see and experience than to have time to experience only when you arrive at the destination. It is also quite annoying to learn after the trip that some interesting websites are only a few blocks away from where you live, especially if you don't have the time or money to return soon. In addition, if you find that the attractions you plan to visit are closed, otherwise they are unreachable (such as a long queue) or even fail to meet your expectations, you may want a list of day trips, so you won’t be in The stay there was as long as originally planned.
The problem often appears on the transportation ticket. On the one hand, tickets for off-peak days and off-peak hours are booked in advance, and the possibility of cancellation or change is small, and it is often the cheapest option. On the other hand, you may want to shorten your stay in some places and extend your stay in other places - this may mean that in the worst case, you will have to buy a new ticket at a more expensive price, thereby losing Money already spent. Fortunately, there is something likeEuropean Rail PassSuch a railway pass allows a wide range and flexibility of travel at a relatively affordable price.JapanandRail travel in the U.S.There are similar offers.
In summary, it is necessary to allow more time for traffic.
Insurance
Travel insuranceMay be your familyInsurancePart of it, but usually this is a very basic travel insurance. Months of travel, cancellation of reservations and medical evacuation are usually not covered by insurance: please contact your insurance company in advance to purchase suitable travel insurance if necessary. If you are not covered by the corresponding insurance and have to pay for it yourself, then if something more serious happens, it will definitely be hundreds of times more expensive than a travel insurance. Some credit cards also include travel insurance, but it is usually conditional. Some countries require certain types of travel insurance, but it has the lowest insurance coverage.
If you have a national medical insurance plan or a private insurance company's medical insurance, see what they have for medical malpractice during travel. You may need to purchase additional insurance. If you have any physical discomfort, find out why the insurance company may have ruled you out, for example, if you are taking a drug and the prescribed dose has recently changed.
dialogue
When you travel in a country where your native language is not spoken, you can learn 10 basic phrases that will come in handy when you travel. Wikivoyage has a variety of commonly usedPhrasebookTo help you get started. Using your hands, smiling, and playing word-guessing games are other useful ways of communication.
In addition to helping you learn some key phrases, when you need to say something, you can use a phrasebook: when you find the correct sentence, you can say it or (especially if you can’t pronounce it clearly) point to it, Write down the names and addresses of your hotels and other important destinations and show them to people like taxi drivers.
At the same time, if you know or can learn a useful language, here are some tips to help you get along well. See ourConversationentry.
stay healthy
The more exotic your destination is, the more likely you are to need one or more vaccinationsvaccine. In addition, non-tropical countries may also be at risk of hepatitis A or B or tuberculosis. Again, research the local situation in advance.
Many countries require yellow fever vaccination as a prerequisite for admission. Some groups are sometimes exempt from the obligation to vaccinate. In other countries, if you have been to an infected country before, it is necessary to prove that you have been vaccinated.
If you need to take a certain medication on a regular basis, there are a few things you must remember. First of all, if possible, you should bring the medicines you need on your trip, because prescriptions are rarely effective abroad. In addition, you may need a certificate from your doctor and/or pharmacy to show customs entry into the country. Some medicines may be completely banned from import.
Traveling to different time zones may cause jet lag. Since your body is synchronized with the time zone you are in, a difference of 3 hours or more (although this difference varies from person to person) may make you feel tired, make it difficult for you to sleep at your destination, and the time difference is very different. Larger situations—such as flying in Europe with the west coast of the United States or Oceania, or vice versa—may even make you feel like you have some kind of disease. Fortunately, your body will eventually adapt to the local time (with a gap of 1 hour per day), and when you travel by land, this is rarely a problem because your travel speed is much slower.
If you have previous health conditions, they may affect your travel in many ways. First, some destinations and environments may feel uncomfortable (problems include culture shock, steep terrain and strong sunlight). You may not be able to take care of your needs as you can at home. Even before you start traveling, you may stumble upon a problem, and obtaining proper travel insurance may be difficult. Finally, in visa applications from some countries such as China and the United States, applicants will be asked if they have infectious diseases or mental health problems.
currency
- See:currency
If possible, it’s best to redeem some localcurrency, Unless you just go from the airport to the hotel. If you can use a credit or debit card at your destination, you may not want to bring all the cash you need on the journey. If you are going to a remote or very rare country, you must contact your bank in advance and tell them your travel situation, because once your card is suddenly used in another completely different place in the world, it may be interpreted as A card used by someone other than you (for security reasons, bank cards may be banned locally). In addition, know that the risk of your credit card information falling into the wrong hands may be greater than at home. If you have several payment cards, please put them in different places so that in the event of theft or robbery, you can leave one as a spare.
Pack
- See:need、Pack、Packing list
What you need to bring depends on where you are going and for how long. Most travelers tend to carry more than they really need. It is usually very expensive to take overweight luggage on the plane, and you will also be surprised to find that the luggage you have dragged for an hour becomes heavier (it is not that heavy when you lift it from the floor for one second at home) , And it is also possible to buy things at the destination. Remember, you can usually wash your clothes during the journey, and travel light - so you have room to take some souvenirs home.
If you are traveling internationally, check the relevant destination entry for the regulations on the goods you may import. As mentioned earlier, the carrying of medicines is usually severely restricted, but this is also true for many foods-especially unprocessed foods. Many Muslim countries prohibit the carrying of alcohol, pork, and religious materials, such as the Bible. In some cases, political materials from neighboring countries may also be banned. For example, bringing propaganda materials from North Korea to South Korea is easily controversial, and vice versa.
There may also be some things that you may not be able to bring back from your trip.
travel
So, everything about the trip itself is ready. However, before you leave, there are still a few things to do at home-see if we are ready to leave this entry.
Travel
Depending on how you travel, you may need to know a few things about your transportation and crossing borders, especially if you are flying. Please check the relevant entry for more information. There are some things you need to remember, whether you are arriving in a new city or any other new place. If you are an inexperienced traveler, you may want to make travel arrangements in advance to avoid having to find the safest way into the city, such as after long-distance flights and boring border checks.
Shopping
- See:Shopping
If you are going to a place where different currencies are used, familiarize yourself with the exchange rate and how much certain things usually cost. You don’t want to fall from the airport exhausted after a 7-hour red-eye flight. Are you still thinking about buying a bottle of Coke for 100 Nicaraguan dollars? Is it overcharged (yes), or 2 Euros for a bottle of Coke? Is it a bargain (yes).
Don't buy souvenirs in the first place, especially those that are touted as "real antiques". Most likely, you will pay a high price for cheap fakes or fakes. In addition, "special price" "this mouth" usually means that you have been cheated. On the other hand, if you really (whether you know it or not) bought "real antiques", you might have problems taking them abroad. If you are interested in buying these things, you only need to buy from established companies and ask if you need a government license to export these items from this country.
Some countries have strongbargainculture. Study carefully beforehand, because the initial price may be several times the normal price.
Stay healthy and safe
In other safe countries, traffic accidents, sunburn, and food poisoning may be the most common risks. Keep in mind that medical assistance may not be as easy to obtain at home and often requires more bureaucracy.
Unfortunately, major tourist destinations tend to attract scammers and peddlers who cheat money from gullible tourists. Read carefullyFraud, Have a clue as to where you are going and how much things should actually (approximately) cost.
EmbassyAnd the consulate often has no obligation to help you get home, such as you ran out of money, lost your ticket, or the like. At the end of the day, expect you to be fully responsible for your actions. Even if the embassy will arrange for you to go home, they will still charge you afterwards.
Travel with kids
Traveling with children brings up a series of new problems. In this regard, we also provide a special entry to explain these issues. It may be helpful to involve them in some programs in an age-appropriate way. If children complain a lot about something, you may be able to remind them that this or that thing is what they want after all.
respect
As a traveler, you are a guest, so you should respect the locals and their etiquette and laws. Even if you are in the most visited resort and you have paid the corresponding fees, it does not mean you have the right to do whatever you want.
To avoid embarrassing situations, don’t use them if you are unsure of the words and expressions used or the appropriate occasions to use them.
Remember, what is legal at home may be illegal abroad, and vice versa. You may be sentenced in your country for the crime, even if the behavior is legal in your country.
return
- See:Return home
When shopping, please be aware that certain things cannot be brought back, such as certain animals and their products that are endangered or prone to species mutations, drugs that may be legal abroad, and pirated goods. Similarly, your country may restrict the import of unprocessed food from abroad. Under normal circumstances, the value of the goods you bring in is also limited.alcoholDrinks andtobaccoThere are also separate restrictions. If you travel by air, remember that liquids are not allowed in your hand luggage. Put them in your checked baggage. If you are going through a place where you need to exit from the airport, don’t leave it at the first airport.Duty-free shopBuy any liquids (such as beverages, perfumes, etc.).
Since many currencies have valuable coins (for example, 2 US dollars, 2 Canadian dollars, 5 Swiss francs), you should know that coins cannot be exchanged. Either spend them before you leave or donate them where you left. They (airports usually have charity boxes dedicated to this purpose), or take them home as souvenirs (if legal; some countries prohibit the export of their own currency, or set very low amounts for said exports).
If you have used a credit or debit card during your trip, compare the receipt with your bank statement to ensure that there are no unauthorized charges.