Knowing what to bring and what not to bring on any given trip comes with time and travel. With enough trips, you will develop your own set of tricks that work for you.
Clothing and Accessories
Carry a power bank. You never know how long you will stay out or if you will want to go to a different city last minute.
Bring boots or water resistant shoes. As an avid Toms lover, those are my go-to shoes. I went to France last year and did not bring boots. The weather did not predict rain. On a day trip from Paris, it ended up raining and my Toms got soaked, along with my socks. I went into the local department store and bought a set of Pataugas Boots for 159 Euro. This brand is not sold directly in the U.S. They have been one of my best clothing investments yet. They are the most comfortable shoes I own and feel like butter on your feet. I recommend looking into a pair if you find yourself in a French department store next Euro trip. Their boots are also made in Europe(mine were made in Portugal).
Bring a bag with zippers that can be secured with a small lock. The last thing you want, especially if you are traveling solo, is to have your bag opened from behind and your stuff stolen. I take my Fjallraven Kanken backpack with me everywhere and lock the two zippers together.
Pack light. My rule of thumb is one shirt per day. One set of jeans for every three days. One jacket/fleece for every 4 days. My trips are 10 to 14 days as they are usually international. This duration allows me to make the most out of my plane ticket. I usually pack three pairs of jeans and two jackets, with one shirt per day. You will end up buying clothes, more than you probably think.
London Heathrow Airport(LHR): If you are connecting through LHR, make sure you have at least a 2 hour layover. You will most likely take a tram to a different terminal upon arrival(20 minutes). They require you to go through security again even if you are connecting. Once you clear security, unless you are lucky enough to have an A gate, you will have to take another tram to your gate(B or C). The last step to gate b or c is also 20 minutes.
Smart Money
Vat tax refund. Take the time to get your Vat tax refund paperwork from the store. They usually require a minimum purchase amount and sometimes do not advertise that they participate in the program. I made the mistake of not asking and went back and bought more stuff when the associate asked me if I wanted the refund receipt. I couldn’t get one for my past purchases. Yes, it can be a hassle dealing with customs at the airport when you leave but it’s worth it.
Pull out money at your destination via atm in local currency. I have a savings account I use just for traveling because yes, skimmers exist. You will get more for your money that way than going through a currency exchange booth.
When paying with a credit card, pay in local currency and let your bank exchange it(they should ask you which currency you want to use at checkout). Choosing US currency and letting the merchant do the conversion will result in you paying more. After all, they also want their cut. I have tested this via multiple transactions.
If you plan on taking a train for example, from Seoul to Busan or Madrid to Barcelona, I recommend booking in advance as some companies offer advance fare discounts. If a fare comes up and it is through Rail Ninja, I would go through whatever company the fare is through and book directly. I overpaid in the past going through Rail Ninja, a third party booking company.
These opinions are my own. I have not been compensated in any way for mentioning a brand.
