Light
Light
Light
Write down a list of essentials, cut it in half, and then only pack that! Plus, since you
bought a small backpack like I said above, you won’t have much room for extra stuff
anyways! Take half the clothes you think you will need…you won’t need as much as
you think. It’s OK to wear the same t-shirt a few days in a row.
I love Unbound Merino, as their travel clothing can be worn daily for weeks without
getting smelly. They are super light and they look sylish too. I really love the material,
they’re comfortable, they hardly ever need a wash, and they last forever!
5. Stay in hostels.
They are cheap, organize events, you’ll meet a lot of people, and they are just tons of
fun! Plus, hostel bars sell cheap beer. Hostelworld is the best hostel-accommodation
site out there, with the largest inventory, best search interface, and highest
availability. I use it for all my hostel bookings.
Here’s a list of all my best hostels around the world. If you’re planning on
backpacking Europe, it’s worth getting HostelPass, a card that gives you up to 20%
off hostels throughout Europe. It’s a great way to save money, and they’re constantly
adding new hostels too. I’ve always wanted something like this and so I’m glad it
finally exists. Use code NOMADICMATT for 25% off.
6. Take an extra bank card and credit card with you
Disasters happen and things get stolen or hacked. I once had a card duplicated and a
freeze put on it. I couldn’t use it for the rest of my trip. I was very happy I had a
backup. You don’t want to be stuck somewhere new without access to your funds.
This happened to a friend once and they had to borrow money for me for weeks while
they waited for their new card to arrive.
To use this method, find out how much it is to go directly to your destination. Then,
look at prices to nearby airports. If the difference is more than $150 USD, I look to
see how much it is to get from the second airport to my primary destination.
My favorite flight search engine is Skyscanner. This is my go-to website for finding
cheap flights. It searches a lot of different airlines, including many of the budget
carriers that larger sites miss.
You’ll learn a lot about yourself and how to become independent. It’s a cliché, but it’s
true. Traveling solo taught me how to fend for myself, talk to people, and handle
unfamiliar situations with ease. It’s made me comfortable with myself, helped me
learn about what I’m capable of, and allowed me to be super selfish and do whatever I
want! It can take some getting used to if you’ve never done it before but do it at least
once. Make yourself uncomfortable and surprise yourself. You’ll learn valuable life
skills when you push yourself!
And while free walking tours are great, sometimes it’s worth it to take a paid walking
tour if you’d like to dig deeper into a particular aspect of the destination. Walks is one
of my favorite paid walking tour companies, offering in-depth history and cultural
tours in cities around the world (especially Europe). Its small-group tours also tend to
offer exclusive behind-the-scenes access you can’t get elsewhere.
For fellow foodies, Devour Food Tours has all kinds of amazing food tours around
Europe.
14. Ask hostel staff for information — even when you aren’t staying there.
Hostel staff deal with budget travelers all day, every day. They know exactly where to
go for cheap meals and attractions. They also tend to be locals so they know the city
very well. Ask them for all sorts of information. Even if you aren’t staying in one, just
pop in and ask for help. They’ll usually give it.
Going (formerly Scott’s Cheap Flights) – The BEST for upcoming US flight deals.
The Flight Deal – Great for global flight deals.
Holiday Pirates – The best for European flight deals.
Secret Flying – A great site for flight deals from around the world.