We all want to travel lighter and personally, nothing is scarier than checking in baggage. We’ve all had that weird anxious pit in our stomach seeing that flight attendant walk around with that roll of tape, determining whether or not you may have to pay that extra hundred dollars just to get your bag on the plane.
Thankfully our smartphones are pocket concierges, that can arrange our flights, provide us entertainment and carry our debit cards on them so we can pay for things. Not having to lug around that hefty DSLR or laptop on trips has done wonders for our wallets, and frankly, our forearms.
Options for travelling have also changed significantly over the years, thanks to new social movements and technological advancements. So consider these steps when booking your next travel tour if you want to get the most out of your experience.
Get an eSim or International Roaming Plan
While digital nomadism has been on the rise, where people leave their phones off and can just enjoy nature and the travel experience, for some of us, our phones being cut from the internet is like being trapped in a room without a key, banging on the doors to be let out.
I made the mistake over Christmas of not buying a prepaid sim or an international roaming plan when visiting my girlfriend’s family in Singapore. Nothing changes a man more than begging someone to hotspot him so he can reply to an email on a trip. Just make sure you set yourself up with an international roaming plan.
Book Your Transport In Advance
When you’re in a country you’re unfamiliar with, figuring out how to get from one place to another can be a massive stressor for your travel party. Relying on public transport when you need it can be super stressful. For this reason, booking your transport in advance is incredibly important in relieving that stress and the random factor from travelling.
Rather than book an Uber trip five minutes before leaving the hotel, consider taking advantage of Uber Reserve. It allows riders to reserve their trip between 30 mins and up to 30 days in advance, a great option for riders wanting extra certainty. With exclusive features like upfront matching between riders and drivers and a locked-in upfront price for your route, Uber Reserve offers riders peace of mind when it’s needed most.
Be Aware Of The Countries Laws And Cultural Sensitivities
Every night, once a week, I’m jolted awake by Logan Paul‘s Japan trip vlog, where the man somehow managed to do just about everything you shouldn’t do in Japan. The outcome of what happened was of course, viral.
Some of this is thankfully just down to common sense, but it’s still important to ensure when travelling overseas to a culture different from your own, that you research the simple customs. Getting across things like appropriate clothing, if tipping is required, polite greetings, and even if English is a common enough language are baseline research needed to ensure you don’t accidentally offend the residents of the country you’re visiting.
Consider Responsible Travel
More travel options are becoming eco-conscious and providing travellers with more ways to reduce their carbon footprint when travelling. In places like India, they’ve embraced regenerative travel, by setting up solar technology to help provide clean energy for lights and hot water.
Responsible travel doesn’t necessarily have to be about reducing your carbon emissions from travelling, it can also be about giving more to the communities that you visit.
For example, travel packages and tours are including more Indigenous recognition in their trips, returning a portion of the profits back to the community. These can be deeply insightful into further appreciating the country you’re visiting.
Travelling has never been easier and more convenient, so take advantage of all the tools at your disposal to help reduce the chaotic improvisation that going on holidays can turn into.
For more ways to stay organised while travelling, check out Uber Travel to help consolidate your trip into one easily accessible place.
