10 Essential Travel Tips for Every International Trip

After more than 20 years and close to 50 countries together, Doug and I share the actual routine we follow before every international trip. Not a generic list, just the 10 things that keep us organised, connected and confident.

• Booking your airport transfer in advance
• eSIMs and VPNs, sorted before you leave home
• The apps we download before we fly
• Travel insurance and why it matters more than you think
• Visas and entry requirements without the overpriced sites
• Wise cards, cash and your currency strategy
• Cultural etiquette and a few useful words
• Staying scam aware and choosing the right bag
• Checking the weather and packing in layers
• What to book in advance, and what to leave free

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Full links and show notes at globaltravelplanning.com/episode-99.

Transcript

Why We Travel This Way

SPEAKER_01 0:00

After years of traveling the world together, Doug and I have developed a tried and tested routine that we follow before and during every single international trip. Today we're pulling back the curtain and sharing exactly what we do, the 10 things that keep us organized, connected, and confident no matter where in the world we are headed.

SPEAKER_00 0:17

Welcome to the Global Travel Planning Podcast. Your host is founder of the Global Travel Planning website, Tracy Collins. Each week, Tracy is joined by expert guests as she takes you on a journey to destinations around the world, sharing travel inspiration, itinerary ideas, and practical tips to help you plan your next adventure. Join us as we explore everywhere from bustling cities to remote landscapes, uncover cultural treasures and discover the best ways to make your travel dreams a reality.

SPEAKER_01 0:50

Hi everybody and welcome to this week's edition of the Global Travel Planner Podcast, where this week I'm actually joined by Doug. Hello. And we thought we what we'd do this week is we'd kind of chat about all the different things that we do, kind of our routine that we follow before and during our international trips because we've been traveling um a lot over the last uh few years. I mean, how many countries do you reckon we've traveled together?

SPEAKER_02 1:17

Together.

SPEAKER_01 1:17

We've been married 21 years, just sharing that one. Um 21 years, I don't know how many countries I mean, we should think of continents actually.

SPEAKER_02 1:24

Close to 50 countries, I don't know. I would say so. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 1:27

Um, I mean, I'm not a big one accountant, I've decided that's not the way that I want to go, but it's still just to keep track. Um, I think the only continents that we haven't been to together is South America.

SPEAKER_02 1:37

Yeah, I've not been to South America.

SPEAKER_01 1:38

And obviously Antarctica because I went there last year without you.

SPEAKER_02 1:40

And I get seasick, so I'm not going there.

SPEAKER_01 1:42

So did not want to go to Antarctica. But if you do want to go to Antarctica, there is a um a whole Drake's passage did not appeal to me one little bit. Yeah, well, I'm just busy writing an article about the Drake's Passage actually with some tips as well. Um, but anyway, so this this really isn't it's not a generic tips list, it's just these are actual things that we do personally, yeah.

SPEAKER_03 2:02

This is us.

SPEAKER_01 2:03

And because we get asked all the time, I mean we bumped into a lovely lady on the train the other day who's a big follower of the UK travel planning podcast and website and email, and she was she was really chuffed when she recognized us and she was nice to be recognised, not just from my legs. Yeah, well, yeah, that's a bit of an explanation. Maybe we need to explain that one. Um that was just what happened on the Edborough tram last year, so we recognised Doug's bandy legs, but anyway, we're not going to go into that one. Um, but anyway, these are all tips that we've learned through the years, some of them a hard way because we have made some mistakes along the way. Oh, yes. Um, and basically, yeah, we just want to share this as ways that that work for us. That's maybe something and not that you may want to consider. And I will say as well, some of this stuff I've started doing a little bit more as I got a bit older. Yeah, um, that's true. Yeah, so I've got a kind of significant birthday next year.

SPEAKER_02 2:52

You don't look 80, I have to I have to say.

SPEAKER_01 2:54

No, not 80. But anyway, um, so some of this stuff I think I do it's definitely different from traveling my 20s and 30s.

SPEAKER_02 3:02

Well, yeah, there's technology around now.

SPEAKER_01 3:04

Oh, for goodness sake, honestly, yes. Anyway, just ignore all of that. Anyway, I did want to say though, before we get into it, if you're in the middle of planning a trip and not sure where to start, I've put together a free global trip planner. Now it's a five-step workbook that takes you from the first where do I even begin moment right through to uh being packed and ready with all the checklists and itinerary templates we use for our own trips. Um now you can grab it at globaltravelplanning.com forward slash trip planner, and I'll pop the link in the show notes. Anyway, should we just go through these uh top ten? Yeah, I think so. Okay, let's start off with tip one.

Arrive Calm With Transfers And Data

SPEAKER_01 3:40

And this is a really important one. This is something that I've really started doing recently, and maybe the last 10 years or so, is to research the airport and book your transfer in advance. Um now I do this without exception.

SPEAKER_02 3:53

That's right.

SPEAKER_01 3:54

Um, and this is something that I guess I started doing in the last 10 years. Um I just for me, this is a it can be a game changer. It's the time when you arrive at the airport in a country and you've got to decide about you know how you're gonna get to accommodation.

SPEAKER_02 4:10

Yeah, that's true.

SPEAKER_01 4:11

Uh now a lot of people I know who probably are most on the side of kind of the budget travel, uh backpacking type thing, even at RH, I it may not do what I'm about to suggest, but this is something that I find it calms me down. I feel less stressed arriving in a destination, and that is booking my transfer.

SPEAKER_02 4:30

Yeah, that's right. It works for you.

SPEAKER_01 4:32

It does. Uh well, we both do it, we both get transfer sorted.

SPEAKER_02 4:35

Yeah, when I'm on my own, I don't do that so much, but definitely when we're together, we certainly do.

SPEAKER_01 4:43

Well, it's just that I think after a long flight and you arrive in a country that you've not been to before, an airport that you've never been to before, and potentially a language that you don't understand or know about, the last thing I want to start negotiating is how to get into a city. Now, I know, as I say, a lot of people will say actually it's cheaper to go and get a you know, get the a bus or the train into the city. And I certainly I remember doing that when I I went to Bergen actually a few years ago to visit you when you were doing a new Norway for a while. Yeah, and I got the the bus from the airport into the city and then I got a train to visit you. But I just have found um that it's when I've got luggage, I just want it somebody to meet me with my name on a board and take me to the car, put me in the transport and take me to my accommodation.

SPEAKER_02 5:27

Yeah, I mean there's lots of logic to it to be honest.

SPEAKER_01 5:30

Yes, and I know it's something you that you always feel more comf comfortable when I'm doing that when I'm not travelling with you.

SPEAKER_02 5:35

Yeah, certainly that's true, especially when I'm in Australia and you're traveling to Europe somewhere. Um, the time differences as well. If I'm going to bed and you're still travelling and arriving in the middle of the night, I like I like to be peaceful in my mind that you know you've you've got it covered.

SPEAKER_01 5:52

Yeah, so I always do that. So that's something I do recommend that um and I'd be interested to know if that's something that you do as well when you arrive in place. Do you get that organised? I know there's lots of YouTube videos you can watch about how to get from you know the airport into places, um, but for me, uh having that transfer is just peace of mind, really.

SPEAKER_02 6:08

Yeah, it's a good idea. It's a good idea.

SPEAKER_01 6:10

Um, second thing that we always do is we sort out eSIM and VPNs before we leave home.

SPEAKER_02 6:16

We certainly do.

SPEAKER_01 6:17

Um, so we used to in fact I've never used changed a physical SIM card because I am the sort of person that if I had to change a physical card, I would lose it.

SPEAKER_02 6:27

No, we I remember when we sat on a flight somewhere and there was a guy with all his little kit and his little clips and his little needles and things, and he was sorting out for sim to the country we're going to, and we I think we we chatted about thinking with us that would have ended up on the floor somewhere, all those bits and pieces.

SPEAKER_01 6:46

Well, you don't have to do that these days because there's fantastic things. Well, eSIMs now, but you have to check that your phone is compatible with an e-sim.

SPEAKER_03 6:52

Yes.

SPEAKER_01 6:53

Um, but honestly, we've tried lots of e-sims over the years. Um, but now we we use Saley eSIM as the one that we've been using recently, found it really good. I actually have got a discount code for 10% off your first purchase if you decide to go with SAILE, and I actually have got a comparison guide as well on the website for eSIMs and actually for VPNs as well. We'll talk about VPNs in a second. Um, but also a lot of these you can get where they're they're for kind of areas, so you can get Asia or Europe eSIM.

SPEAKER_02 7:21

Yeah, so you've got to change if you do multiple countries, you're gonna literally got to change it from every country to country, which would be a bit of a hassle.

SPEAKER_01 7:29

So a lot easier. And um, you used the Saili e-SIM when you came over to the UK. How did you find that?

SPEAKER_02 7:34

Incredibly straightforward, and I have to just say it was the most straightforward one I've used because I could actually set it up when I was still in Australia to be ready to start when I got off the flight at London Heathrow.

SPEAKER_01 7:47

And yeah, it is very, very easy.

SPEAKER_02 7:48

I have to say clear with that length of flight, the tide you know, just start faffing around. And yeah, I literally just switched my phone on and there you go.

SPEAKER_01 7:56

And I know for a lot of people the whole ESIM thing can feel a bit overwhelming, but honestly, it's a lot easier than you think, as long as your phone's compatible.

SPEAKER_02 8:03

Yeah, I was I was gonna say that if I can manage to get it working, pretty much anybody can, trust me.

SPEAKER_01 8:09

Yeah, I think it's really useful. Now, for those of you as well that are considering maybe when you if you're traveling and you're gonna be um maybe using some of the true free Wi-Fi available, for example, in your hotel, the airport, places like that, we highly recommend a VPN. Now, a VPN is basically a private network that you set up virtual set private network that you set up on your phone, laptop. Um, we've been using this for years. Um, we have it on most of the time.

SPEAKER_02 8:36

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 8:36

Um, for example, what it means that people cannot see what you're doing. So if you're if you're doing any banking on your phone and somebody is on a free network like in your hotel and airport, anybody could hack into that and basically hijack anything that you're doing, um, which always worries me. And I have heard stories of this happening to people that used a free Wi-Fi in a hotel, and then all of a sudden they've had money taken out of the bank account or public Wi-Fi is uh fraught with danger, or that email address being kind of hacked and all sorts. So, I mean, I I it's one of those things to me, it's like just gives you that protection um and peace of mind to be able to do that. Again, I've got a I have got a um we use Nord VPN and I have got a a link again to have a look at different VPNs so you can see what works for you. But I highly recommend using a VPN uh for sure. It's actually also really good as well if you want to watch TV shows in different parts of the world because you can switch the VPN on.

SPEAKER_02 9:26

Oh, that's true. Yeah, that's right.

SPEAKER_01 9:28

Yeah, and uh and and watch uh watch different TV shows because the VPN you can set for different countries, so then if you are gonna watch TV in a show in, for example, in New Zealand, watching something like Traitors, which we've been doing recently, you can set it up and then you can watch traitors as if you were New Zealand. So that's been really good. Yes.

Apps Then Insurance And Medicine Checks

SPEAKER_01 9:46

Now, tip number three we down we download our key apps before we actually even get on the plane. Um, and there are some apps that we just have found absolutely invaluable.

SPEAKER_02 9:58

That's right. And I'm also gonna say if you've already got the apps on your phone, is to just double check they don't need updating or refreshing before you leave.

SPEAKER_01 10:06

Yeah, that's true. And unfortunately, there are some apps that I would like to have got access to. For example, this year uh being in the UK, I went to the Chelsea Flower Show and they have got uh an app guide to the show. And uh myself and Melissa tried to, my friend from America, she tried to download it and it was not available on our app store. That is a bit frustrating. For different countries, that's right. So I would just double check, you know, make sure that you know what apps you need. I know ones that we always download are the transport apps for various countries.

SPEAKER_02 10:32

Yes, that's true.

SPEAKER_01 10:32

Yeah, because that's really useful. Um, so one of the most useful apps we found recently, especially traveling places, like for example, in Southeast Asia, is the Google Translate.

SPEAKER_02 10:43

Yeah, that's been incredibly helpful.

SPEAKER_01 10:45

Um, because been even when actually when I was in South America last year and I was in a shop and I'd bought a fridge magnet, and the lady at the till wanted to tell me something, and so she spoke into my phone, and it basically was a two, you got two for the price of one type of thing. Um, and she wanted to tell me that, but she didn't speak English. So she typed it in and then it spoke it out to me. It was great. Um, and we used it a lot actually in Japan as well. Japan we found incredibly useful. Go around supermarkets and be able to scan the label and find out what's in it and what it actually is, um, is incredibly useful.

SPEAKER_02 11:13

It's useful when you're paying bills as well. If you want to know what charges and fees are, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 11:17

Google Maps offline as well, is something I did like when we were driving across Australia. We we basically downloaded the Google Maps and had them offline, so that was really useful. Um, we've got we've got the taxi apps at Grab, for example, when we're in Asia as well, we've got that on the phone. Um, so yeah, it's absolutely um that's one of the things we did talk about is making sure you've got enough um storage on your phone for all these apps.

SPEAKER_02 11:39

That's right, yeah. Not to mention all the photos and videos you're gonna be taking for make sure you've got enough storage for that, but certainly, yes.

SPEAKER_01 11:45

Exactly. So if you're actually traveling to the UK, I do have a best apps that to use and download before you go to the UK. I should I haven't got a global one, but we have got ones we do have some recommended apps per per destination. So if you look at destination guides, you can have a look at it.

SPEAKER_02 11:59

It depends on the mode of transport you'll be taking when you're in these countries.

SPEAKER_01 12:02

Yeah, well, transport, where you're gonna get around, how I mean, just I think some of them you'll just maybe a weather app as well. Yeah, weather apps a useful one. Um, yeah, I guess it's there's some general for general travel that we'd always have, and then there are ones that we look at specifically at the destination, what we need. Um, number four, this is absolutely essential. Um, and I actually have had people say, Oh, I don't really need this, I'm not gonna bother getting it. Well, as far as we're concerned, if you can't afford travel insurance, you can't afford to travel. And that is the fourth thing we always recommend.

SPEAKER_02 12:33

It's harsh but true.

SPEAKER_01 12:34

Absolutely, you must get travel insurance, and don't just assume travel insurance is just to protect you in case of a cancellation of a flight or loss of baggage. It can help you if there's an emergency, health emergency happens.

SPEAKER_02 12:46

And we've heard cases of this.

SPEAKER_01 12:47

Absolutely heard cases of this. I've been with people who've hurt themselves on holiday and had to get flown home, and they get flown home at least in business class, get looked after. I've heard you know, people who have got to be have flown back with a nurse with them, and that's all been covered by travel insurance. We all hear horror stories of people having accidents on motorbikes and barley or uh or Thailand and then having to do a GoFundMe because they haven't got travel insurance. Um, make sure as well that you can access that information.

SPEAKER_02 13:16

That's also very true. Yeah, for reference numbers and um the name, you know, like an account number, reference number, all those telephone number, yeah, all the out-of-hours ones from the countries that you go into.

SPEAKER_01 13:28

So exactly. I mean, remember when I ended up in hospital in Vietnam?

SPEAKER_02 13:32

I'm not likely to forget it in a hurry.

SPEAKER_01 13:34

Yeah, so I ended up with um with uh pneumonia and in hospital in Vietnam. And honestly, I think you actually had to go and pay a certain amount before they do any treatment, which is fair enough. Yeah, a few hundred dollars, it wasn't uh um and in the end, I think it cost for everything it was something like six hundred Australian dollars, and with our excess, I think we only ended up paying 200. But that you know, that I got excellent treatment, but we also didn't have to worry if I was gonna stay in for a couple of days, it we didn't have to worry because we knew our insurance covered it. Now, there's lots of trips that you go on that you have to have travel insurance. For example, I went to Antarctica last year, it was absolutely compulsory. You have to have it. I went to Morocco in March with an intrepid. Again, they want to see that you've got travel insurance. Um, so always check travel insurance and make sure that you are covered about it. Um, also we're gonna talk about medications as well.

SPEAKER_02 14:24

Yeah, that's right. I was nearly uh well, not nearly caught out because I did my homework, I'm on medications uh every day. And whichever country we're visiting, I always do my own homework just to double check that they are firstly accepted in those countries because don't make the assumption that all medications, just because you can you prescribe them in your own country or even over-the-counter medications, that they are available in another country. Don't make that assumption because it's not true. Uh so do your homework, uh, look at uh embassies, uh health sites for whatever the country that you're visiting. Maybe from your own country has a list of uh um medications and some guidance notes for when you're visiting those countries. I know from Australia we have Smart Traveller, which is incredibly helpful for any country we're gonna visit. They have it listed and they have uh websites and checklists and everything else. It's an excellent website, and uh yeah, I it it takes a bit of time, truthfully I have to go through and do a bit of work, but it's worth it. You don't want to be arriving into a country and having your medications taken off you.

SPEAKER_01 15:32

No, for sure, definitely not. Okay,

Visas And Money Strategy Before You Go

SPEAKER_01 15:34

so tip number five is to check visas and entry requirements. Now, this is really important because there have been lots of changes recently. For example, in the UK needing an ETA, and also now if you're classed as a British citizen, you have to have an ETA, you can't arrive. Yeah, in fact, no no, you don't take that out. If you're classed as a British citizen, you have to have a British passport, you can't actually enter an ETA. That's right. Um, so there's that's been that complication. There's ETS in Europe. Um, obviously, depending on which country is going to around the world, you need to have a look at what the visa situation is, stay up to date. In fact, we've had to apply for visas before, not necessarily visas, but kind of those entry requirements, for example, for Sri Lanka, Malaysia, before you actually arrive in the country.

SPEAKER_02 16:14

Yep.

SPEAKER_01 16:14

And then you just have to pay a small amount of money for that, and that gives you access. But there have been changes now. I think at the moment, Thailand's changing their visa because it was I think it was full you could stay there. It's not a visa, but entry requirements. You could stay there for like 30 or 60 days. Uh 60 days, I think they're changing that down. Yeah, that's it, rather than actually um a visa, but looking at this kind of entry requirements.

SPEAKER_02 16:37

But again, you've got to do your homework and don't assume because you visited this country two years ago that you didn't need it then doesn't necessarily mean it's the same today.

SPEAKER_01 16:46

Yeah, absolutely. And also make sure that you always go through the official government sites when you pay for these things because we've heard horror stories of people who've been, you know, paid £200 for an ETA when it's you know it's not that price when you go through the official government price, nowhere near that. Um so that's why you go through the official government uh sites for that. Um I remember when we went to Japan. I knew you were gonna mention that.

SPEAKER_02 17:08

I knew you she's never let me forget this one. What it was with the for the uh the Japanese um entry requirements, I did all the visas for both of us on my laptop, and then when we actually landed and went through, I hadn't got the correct information because it was on a QR code, which I did not have on my phone because I did this on my laptop. So, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 17:33

So by the time we got it sorted, all our luggage, everybody had gone, our luggage was the last on the carousel, and we it took us quite a long time to get through. So, obviously, saying this is like there's different types, you there's a visa that you need to apply for, like for example, I needed for India, which I had to apply for quite a way in advance, but then there's e-visas that you kind of apply for some on arrival or some like 24 hours before you arrive because you've got to fill in different information and then sort those out. So, again, it really is about doing your homework, about what your passport enables you to do, because it it's different depending on what where you come from, yeah, and then looking at each country and keeping it up to date. Again, that's why the smart traveller is really important.

SPEAKER_02 18:09

Yeah, it's an excellent website, it really is an excellent website. But what I do now, lesson learned, is always do that sort of work when you're actually registering and going through the process is to do it on my phone.

SPEAKER_01 18:22

Yeah, absolutely. In fact, we got it. Did we get it wrong for the Philippines? Because we had to do something with the Philippines as well, it was on our phone, but they sorted us out when we arrived.

SPEAKER_02 18:30

Yeah, no, what what it was in the Philippines, we'd done the first stage like a pre-registration, and there was another step to go through for the actual application. Right. So we registered all our details and passports as a general uh like a pre-registration, but for registering the dates of arrival and leaving, we hadn't gone to that next step.

SPEAKER_01 18:51

Right. So see, we get it wrong, even sometimes sometimes it is complicated.

SPEAKER_02 18:55

But I have to tell you how lovely that lady was when we did that, she was absolutely lovely.

SPEAKER_01 18:59

They were lovely in the Philippines when we arrived at their port to sort that out. But it's like you know, we make mistakes, and that's what I'm saying. It's like trying to double check this, exactly.

SPEAKER_02 19:06

The joy of travel, that's exactly so.

SPEAKER_01 19:08

It's just things happen learning from it and going, okay, next time what can we what can we do so we don't end up with this mistake or or error. And and again it says just keeping up to date with what's happening. Tip six, get a wise card or similar and sort your currency strategy before you arrive. Now, this is something that's important. Yeah, that's right. Now we both have wise cards, we've had them for quite uh a long time. Um, I've got I don't know, 20 odd currencies on my wise card. Um, they have multiple, you can hold multiple currencies on it.

SPEAKER_02 19:35

I think I've got about a dozen. I think that doesn't.

SPEAKER_01 19:37

Um so basically it just means like a debit card. So you put money on it, you can move it around between currencies, you can put it back into your regular bank account. Um, it's just an easy way to move money around. It's accepted. I've got it on my Apple Pay actually, so I pay that way. Same here. And so I hardly ever use the card, to be honest. Um, however, when there are some destinations we've gone to that they prefer cash, like the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Morocco, uh, India, those countries prefer cash. So we tend to um get that at the airport at the ATM. Do not change cash in the airport into because you will at the currency exchange you'll lose a lot of money. They they do charge a lot.

SPEAKER_02 20:12

So that's why, even though the WARS cards are my phone, I always take the physical card.

SPEAKER_01 20:17

Yes, yes, I do. Um, I just find it yes, always have the physical card with you so you can withdraw. And I did that in Morocco this year. I had to withdraw cash. Um, in some countries, for example, Morocco, there's actually a maximum amount you can draw out from the ATM, so you're probably gonna have to do it a few times. We found that just the easiest way to do it. Um, and just because a lot of those say those countries prefer to have cash rather than card. Um, places in Europe, I tend to just use Apple Pay for everything. In fact, I travel around quite often without anything but my phone, which is probably not the best strategy. Um, and just pay that way.

SPEAKER_02 20:48

Didn't you travel around the UK with just your phone?

SPEAKER_01 20:50

I did for about three weeks. Whoops. And I just realized that I didn't have any backup. So yeah, again, uh I learned from that one. Uh it was fine, but it's just worth knowing that. Um, yeah, for some places it's just doing that research about whether it's cash, whether you can use Apple Pay or Google Pay, whether you use your phone, whether you need your card, whether you're going to need a pin to actually pay. Uh, so it's again doing that research, also letting your bank know in your home country that you are going abroad so that they don't block your card when you see they all of a sudden see they think it's fraudulent payments in a different country that they weren't expecting to be at. So it's always useful to let them know. In fact, we were picking up a car yesterday, and uh couple stand next to us that had their card turned down for the payment for their car hire, and the guy was actually saying to them, Did you let your home country, did you let the bank know that you were going to be in the UK? And I think they were kind of scribbling around to kind of sort that out. That's right. You don't really want that happening because that's not a not a great, not a great uh start to your trip. You arrive in the airport and can't pick up your car.

SPEAKER_02 21:49

Yeah, sure.

SPEAKER_01 21:50

Um yeah, so I actually do have a link that if you want to get a wise card um for a treat, which will give you either a free transfer, free card if it's available in your region, and I'll link to that in the Show notes, but we've been using wide rise for a long time without any issues. Um, but obviously, there are other um currency cards available, so do do your research um and check out which one works best for you. Tip

Etiquette And Staying Ahead Of Scams

SPEAKER_01 22:12

seven is to research cultural etiquette and learn a few words. Now you are far better at the few words thing than I am.

SPEAKER_02 22:17

I I am okay at learning a few words, just you please thank yous, good mornings, but I also have to tell you, once I've left that country, I forget.

SPEAKER_01 22:27

Yeah, but I think that's normal. I mean, I used to be able to speak fluent French, literally, between English and French, whether I used to switch between the two, and we're talking 30 odd years ago, and I really struggle now. So it you know, and that was total fluency. So I think learning a few words, you're gonna forget it. And obviously, if we're moving around which we are to quite a few different countries, it's then you can get mixed up. Um, so I think you you're just better at remembering.

SPEAKER_02 22:51

I'll I'll try because not not to mention that it's um very polite and respectful thing to do when you're visiting somebody's country, but to be honest, it's quite good fun. I have no personal aptitude for learning languages, but I do actually quite enjoy trying to learn a few languages.

SPEAKER_01 23:06

Oh, I think you're really good. You speak a lot more Welsh than I do, that's for sure. And you're still pretty good at Welsh, to be honest. Um, but also etiquette's important to know. For example, in uh what's a bit of Welsh coming in there? Uh for example, in in Japan, um, you know, don't eat and walk on the street, that's not accepted and not acceptable practice. Um, uh, you know, and look as well into tipping, because I know some cultures prefer um, you know, they have a tipping culture and then it's become quite anxious about knowing about tipping. But for example, again in Japan, tipping is not really expected and not really wanted. Um, look at things like dress codes in temples or churches or cathedrals, respectful. Yeah, so that you know you're not walking in with a cap on or shorts on or a very short skirt on or sleeveless or not covering your head uh when it's expected. Um, so again, that's about looking at the different destinations. We have got on the website, we've got destination guides to a number of countries, basically everywhere that we've been, uh, which is quite quite a lot now. Um, and we've we've got included bits into that, uh, each other's destination guides about that sort of information to be aware of. Um, so do check out our destination guides on the website, globaltravelplanner.com, as well, because that's also um we've covered a lot of that sort of thing, and also in previous podcasts as well. Uh, number eight tip is to be scam aware um and to think about the bag that you use. So um we've been caught out by a scam that uh a few years ago in Rome, which really upset me, and it I think this is a problem when you get scammed. Probably 20 years, yeah, this is it probably is, but I remember at the time it just it even now I kind of my heart sinks and it just left a bad taste in my mouth that that somebody would do this.

SPEAKER_02 24:44

We were aware of it at the time, but you can't prove it.

SPEAKER_01 24:47

Oh yeah, and it's it was so basically what it is is it a scan where the five and the 20 euro note are swapped because they look quite alike. And um basically what the taxi driver did first of all, it took us a long way around to which we didn't realize again should have done the research, but we're talking 20 years ago, would not happen today. Um, long way around to get to a hotel, which was quite close to the main train station, actually in Rome. Um, distracted, I was paying. Was you paying or am I paying? I can't remember one of us.

SPEAKER_02 25:15

You were paying, I was getting things out the the boot of the car.

SPEAKER_01 25:18

And then he distracted, he kind of went, Oh, look here, look, look what's going on. So we kind of both looked, and when he did that, what he did is he swapped the 20 euro notes for a five. Then when I turned around and he said, Oh, you've only paid me two five euro notes, because I think it was like 20, 40 euros, which was again absolutely ridiculous cost. Um, he changed the two 20s for two five, so it was like 10. So I was like, I'm sure I paid you 40. And he was like, No, no, no, look, you've only paid me the 10 euros. Um, so I ended up paying him again extra. So when we went into the hotel, we'd said to the people in the hotel and they're like, Did you get the number of the taxi? And because they said you've been scammed, you've been robbed, and we didn't. No, we didn't. Um, so that is something that's a little is thing still happening to obviously people paying the tax.

SPEAKER_02 26:01

So what we do now is you hand me the cash.

SPEAKER_01 26:04

Yes.

SPEAKER_02 26:05

And then I hand the cash.

SPEAKER_01 26:07

Counting it out.

SPEAKER_02 26:08

Counting it out, yes.

SPEAKER_01 26:09

So again, we don't pay very cash much cash these days.

SPEAKER_02 26:12

No.

SPEAKER_01 26:13

Um, but the second thing I will say that that's hap happened, um, which was an attempted pickpocketing in Paris. Um, and we got on the train, we're actually staying in Montmart, uh, got on the train and actually a gang surrounded me um on the separated us. Yeah, separated us out and surrounded me. Now I had a backpack on, um, and what they did is unzip the backpack and went through the backpack. Now I was aware of this sort of thing happening. I did have, and I still in fact I still have that backpack, um, travel on backpack, um, which is um, you know, pickpocket friendly or whatever. I suppose not pickpocket friendly, it's to stop pickpockets get getting into your um into your bag. Now I had put it basically just had my underwear and some dirty clothes and my toothbrush in there, so there was nothing that they could get, and I was aware of that. But I knew what was happening, but I couldn't move. But in front of me, I had um my crossbody travel on bag, which I had close to me. There was no way they were going to get into that. That was also not only zipped up but clipped up, so they couldn't get into it. So actually, they couldn't get into it, and actually, when we got to the next station, they all got off, and a guy said to me, They've been through your bag. Um, it spoke to me in French, and I said, Um, yes, I know there's nothing in it, but it could be very it could very easily have had um everything in it. They would have they would have got off that train with all my stuff.

SPEAKER_02 27:32

Yeah, that's right.

SPEAKER_01 27:33

Um, and the other one we saw was actually uh a uh a guy running after pigpocket in Paris near the Eiffel Tower, and he caught the guy and grabbed the bag that this guy had on him and tipped it up in front of us because quite of us were a bit like, oh, what's going on here? Yeah, yeah. And there must have been 20 or 30 wallets that dropped out of there.

SPEAKER_02 27:50

Oh, yeah, there was everything, there's watches, wallets, jewelry.

SPEAKER_01 27:53

Yeah. Um, so you just have to be really careful. So I always personally travel now. We have the backpack, I still make sure that there's nothing really valuable in the backpack, but I do clip it up, but I have what is valuable in front of me on my crossbody bag. And I hear loads of people on Facebook groups on well, I always just use the bag that I always used. I'm not gonna use anything different, blah blah blah. You know what? It's up to you, it's your choice. But I feel far more comfortable knowing that I have got things clipped in it that people can't slash it because that's the other thing when people go, I just bring my bag from home. Well, it could be slashed very easily from below and your belongings fall out and get stolen. They can read through, they have card readers to read through bags and so I don't want to be a scaremonger, but I just say, like, after we've we've only had I've seen like probably three incidents one with the the cash and the the the swapping of money in Rome and the two incidents of the pickpockets that uh would would worry me. But I just know that we when I found we did speak to somebody in a consult a couple of years ago and said to her for Paris, be really careful. And we met up in London afterwards, she said, Guess what? Somebody got into my bag and they they got my wallet, but I caught them. Um because she kind of took her off the ball for two minutes and they went and and you see it on or you see it on Instagram, all these people in Florence, you know, pickpocketing and stuff like that. It's just to be really careful, just to you know, and this can happen in your hometown, your home city, but just be aware that if you're in a place where there's a lot of tourists, then there is more potential that people will be on the lookout to try and um I mean we've had the situation in with uh one lady in London who had had her bag stolen with her passport in it. That's right. Um so you just have to be careful, but again, not scaremongering, but it's worth thinking about the bags that you use. I have got a link on the website to to the different bags that um that I use um that I've found we've both been lucky, touch wood. Um, again, your phone is actually a thing that they're targeting more these days.

SPEAKER_02 29:42

That's right, yeah. Yeah, we both have land yards for our phones, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 29:45

Yeah, make sure, and I actually was reading the other day about somebody who had their phone stolen and all of their apps on the phone, you know, their authenticated apps was just on the phone. And they were saying, Oh, make sure you put it onto something else, like your iPad or your laptop, so that if your phone gets stolen, you don't lose access to all your authenticated apps as well. Um, so yeah, that's worth um just worth noting, really. How to be careful. Uh and we've talked about I guess on trains as well to make sure that you've got your luggage in your eye site, in your eye line, because I've we've heard recently of people who've had luggage stolen off trains.

SPEAKER_02 30:17

Yep.

SPEAKER_01 30:17

Um, so it's just being careful. I mean, you always say to lift it so you can keep your luggage above your head.

SPEAKER_02 30:22

Yeah, I look for a lot for luggage space uh space behind seats as well, sometimes fit in there. I mean, some trains have deep or shallow uh parcel shelves, so you've just got to try it, you've just got to see where it is and try and keep your eye on it, even when there's a crowd on the train.

SPEAKER_01 30:38

I think it's always been aware that when you're in a strange place or new place that you don't necessarily know, or a busy place, you're gonna be a your guard will be a little bit down because you might be taking photos or you're trying to figure out where you're gonna go, or it's all a bit new, and that unfortunately leaves you a little bit more vulnerable for people who are out there to scam.

SPEAKER_02 30:56

That's right. I mean, uh, when we do the uh consults about trains in the UK, uh busy railway stations are a notorious hotspot. If there's more than one person travelling, dedicate one person to look at train information and one to watch the bags at all times, yeah, absolutely. And that works. We do that ourselves, whatever country we're traveling to, even now. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Even places we're familiar with.

SPEAKER_01 31:18

Uh, we actually did take part in a um an online kind of uh conference um seminar that was about safety, travel safety in Europe, and I can put a link to that because that's actually really good because that's experts um from all over given and we we're involved in that as well, kind of shared chips actually for train travel safety. Yeah, say we'll just do that. Yeah, so I can just put a link into that. So if you are traveling, this is particularly for Europe based, but if you're thinking about that and wanting to be a little bit more aware of like how to stay safe and the different strategies, um, then that is definitely worth looking at. And again, I'll put a link into that um that online kind of workshops that they were um that were really

Weather Smart Packing And Booking Ahead

SPEAKER_01 31:57

good. Uh tip number nine is check the weather and pack accordingly. Now it might sound obvious, but actually, you know, you really it's pointless looking a month before you arrive in a place and then thinking you're gonna pack then. You need to really look, especially in the UK. Yeah, you need to look maybe the week before. Um, because for example, in the UK, three weeks ago it was a heat wave and it was really, really hot, like mid-30s. Now it's maybe 15, 16, 17. Um, so it's not anywhere near as warm. So people were panicking, going thinking, oh my goodness, I'm going to the UK, I need to just bring shorts and t-shirts. Well, if you brought shorts and t-shirts based on that, it'll be cold.

SPEAKER_02 32:31

A bit chilly.

SPEAKER_01 32:32

Yeah. Um, always just check basically as well, because obviously we know what potentially a country should have because of seasonal conditions, but with we're in a time of climate change, so we know not necessarily what would have been 20 years ago is what the weather is going to be like when you arrive now. That's very true. Um, and so we always think of things like um checking like the weather. That's a good app as well. Put the weather app on your phone. That's and check that as well. Um, and try not to overpack, which because that's just another way to get yourself stressed. Layers, layers, layers. Yeah, layers again for different for the countries that you're going to that we're travelling around at the minute, like UK, definite layers. We're going to South Africa layers, because again, we're going over in winter, even though we're in the UK in summer, we still need a lot of layers. Um, but yeah, I mean it just depends where you're going. Your weather might change rapidly, so you need to be prepared. Um, also again, packing Lee would pack in. We're talking about adapters because we kind of screwed up a little bit with this for Japan, didn't we?

SPEAKER_02 33:30

Oh, we did. I did loads of research on this one, knowing exactly what power adapter it was going to need, and then our accommodation we decided to stay somewhere a bit off the top main touristy area, didn't we?

SPEAKER_03 33:40

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 33:41

And it was an older property, and the sockets power sockets were entirely different to the adapters that we'd bought with us.

SPEAKER_01 33:48

Yeah, so completely different. Well, we got the shop and buy a new one. Kind of a multi-adapter which we had. Um, so yes, we're always just double checking again for our destination guides so that you can find that information out for for each different destination. Uh, tip 10, last tip is research what needs booking in advance and do it. Because this one, um again, we get asked a lot about this, particularly for London, because we do focus a lot on London, our LondonTravelplanning.com website. Um, we get asked what we should book in advance, and we're like going, well, you need to book X, Y, and Z in advance. Um, some things you can't book in advance, you might only maybe book two weeks in advance, like the Sky Garden. Um, the main thing for us is to say if there's something that you are going to a destination for, for example, um Edinburgh Castle is a classic one, or you want to go to High Clare Castle, you want to do those particular destinations, you go, Oh, I really, really want to do that, don't want to miss out. Then book it. Once you know what your itinerary is like, and they then just book it so you've got that sorted, locked in, because there's nothing worse than getting to a place and the play thing that you want to do, it's not open that day, it's not open or available. Um, for example, we went to Hobbiton, which I absolutely thought was fantastic, loved it in New Zealand. Um, and I'd love to have gone to the banquet, but get to the banquet and it was too late to book, fully booked. Um, so we couldn't do that again in New Zealand a couple of times because New Zealand was a bit of a kind of short, we had a short window of organization for it. But um I booked uh something in New Zealand and then didn't realise that it clashed with the Lady Knox geezer when it was about to go off, the particular time of day that this geezer goes off, and it's really impressive. But I'd booked something else, so we couldn't actually go. So again, it's just if there's something you want to do, make sure that you you know you can organise it so things don't you prioritize so things don't clash. I mean, we'll go back and do that another time, but it was just like driving past it going, it would have been really nice to have seen that. But we've got this other thing booked, which I also don't want to miss.

SPEAKER_03 35:41

Yeah, it's true.

SPEAKER_01 35:42

Um, so I mean what we tend to do is we have our we basically look at the days that we're spending in a basic in a in a particular destination, and then we'll look at what is it that we want to do and see, and then we look at the availability of those particular attractions, and then we book them. Um now that's not saying that we book every single day, every single hour of every single day on our tiny roof, because we definitely don't. And I know there's a lot of people out there who are like, I don't do anything, I just kind of pitch up to a destination and I just kind of go for it. Well, that's that's if that's your travel style, that's great. But then don't feel bad if you can't get into something that you that you you think, oh, I actually did want to see that. Because if those are the things that you should book, um but yes, obviously absolutely give yourself some flexibility.

SPEAKER_02 36:28

Well, you have to, particularly for the weather, which we've already mentioned, really. You've got to have flexibility there.

SPEAKER_01 36:33

Absolutely, but as to say, lock in those mustoes or try not to, if there's something you think afterwards you're gonna be like, Oh, I wish I'd done that, I wish I'd not like you know the geezer for us, then make sure that you you just um I guess it's that balance between being well prepared and not over-scheduling. Yeah, but again, it depends on your travel style. I have friends who will just pitch up and kind of take it as it is, and then I have other friends who like have every hour planned. Again, it depends on so we're meals. Exactly.

SPEAKER_02 37:02

So we're meals, exactly.

SPEAKER_01 37:03

Well, that's where we usually mess up because we I've eaten some I love food, but I'm less I'm more inclined to be like what I feel like on a day rather than planning too many things in advance.

SPEAKER_02 37:15

Unless it's an afternoon tea.

SPEAKER_01 37:17

Well, then I can happily book lots of those in, so that's a problem. Anyway, we're gonna finish off this episode. But Doug, if you had to pick the single most important thing from the ten that we've gone through, the one that's made the biggest difference to how you travel, what would it be and why?

SPEAKER_02 37:31

I think it's probably that booking in advance, your transfers, your destination, particularly when you're travelling alone, I like to do it.

SPEAKER_01 37:37

Yeah, for me, because I said you for you, you that's not such a big thing.

SPEAKER_02 37:40

It's not such a big thing if I'm travelling on my own, um, because I'm quite confident when there's trains involved, especially I can I can work through that.

SPEAKER_01 37:48

I think I think the thing is it's that you know, I am not as physically strong as I once was. Yeah, I'm not I'm also will get tired after a flight. I don't want to be leaving myself kind of exposed to like just more vulnerable arriving, especially if I'm on my own. Um but saying that later night. Yeah, late well, even whatever time I arrive in, I just would prefer to have somebody meetings. And to be honest, when we travel together, I'm nine well, 99.9% of the time, I'm the one that organises it and I will do the transfers.

SPEAKER_02 38:17

That's true.

SPEAKER_01 38:18

For example, we're flying into Cape Town next month and they've transfers already organised.

SPEAKER_02 38:22

That's right. So you don't have to worry, you don't have to worry either. No.

SPEAKER_01 38:25

Um so that so that's a reasonable.

SPEAKER_02 38:27

I only worry when I'm not traveling with you. Yeah, exactly.

SPEAKER_01 38:30

I think my I think all of these 10 points are really important. Again, it comes down to research and preparation, really. Um, you know, that's what I think that's the important thing is just to just to prepare so that your whole trip is just smoother, safer, and just more enjoyable. I think that's the thing. Yeah, um, we've got, as I say, a lot of uh resources on the website, globaltravelplanning.com. There are a lot of back catalogue of um podcasts as well from destination experts sharing talking about their different destinations that they know inside out. There's lots of trip reports from ourselves from the different places that we've explored and been to. There's lots and lots of stuff on the website, as I said. So do go and check that out.

SPEAKER_02 39:09

And what is the most important thing we've discussed to you, which is your most important?

SPEAKER_01 39:13

Um, to me, I think it's just the general overarch and being prepared. I think it's that being prepared so you're not caught out, so that you're not there isn't something there that you kind of go, mm-hmm. I mean, I guess for me, I I like to feel organized. So, and I also like to feel that safe. So for me, having my my crossbody bag and making sure that I know where everything is, I think there's nothing more stressful than when you're traveling and you don't know where all your, you know, where's your phone, where's your credit card, where's your like wherever where's your important things that you're doing? And and so that for me is like I need to organise what's going in specific bags. I don't like to overpack because the more bags you have, the more stress you get. That's certainly total. I think that's a mathematical equation. More bags equal more stress.

SPEAKER_02 39:58

I think when you're tired as well, jet like as well. I think you're a little bit more disorientated, and that's when you sort of doubt yourself when you're tired.

SPEAKER_01 40:05

You know what the other thing is, I think as well, as as I've got older, because I travel so differently from my 20s and 30s, when I was kind of like throwing a bag and off I'd go, um, I I was a lot stronger, I was probably had more energy. I think now as I'm kind of nearing kind of you know my 60s, I'm just more conscious that I I have to feel more organized. I don't want to be stressing out. I probably get more stressed, I'm more probably aware or slightly more fearful of things than I was in my 20s and 30s, where I kind of just blase went into stuff. Now, probably I think that just happens as you get older, you just become a little bit more conscious of just being a little bit more careful. Sometimes probably too much. I think probably you know, we could you read stuff and you think, oh dear. Um, you know, so you just don't want to, it's whatever I can do that would reduce my anxiety.

SPEAKER_02 40:52

Yeah, it's reducing that risk of the anxiety. That's what you think.

SPEAKER_01 40:54

Exactly. So I just feel better. So I can enjoy my trip, most definitely. Which is what exactly what we we always love to do.

SPEAKER_02 41:00

Well, we certainly do.

SPEAKER_01 41:01

Anyway, I think that's enough for this episode. Episode 99, can you believe it? 99. Episode 100 coming in two weeks' time, because at the moment, um, as you're aware, we're just doing every other week for this podcast. Hopefully, by the end of the year, we'll be going back to weekly. Um, we are really happy with the um amount of you guys who are following our podcast all the time and our downloads are growing. And uh, we'd just we'd love you to just use our resources, for example, our website, sign up for our newsletter, that sort of thing. That would be really, really helpful as well for us. Um, but I guess that just leaves us to say until next time, Doug. Happy Global Travel Planning! Thank you for joining us on this episode of the Global Travel Planning Podcast. For more details and links to everything we discussed today, check out the show notes at globaltravelplanning.com. Remember if you enjoyed the show, please consider leaving us a review on your favourite podcast app because your feedback helps us reach more travel enthusiasts just like you. Anyway, that leaves me to say, as always, happy global travel planning!