5 basic travel tips to know
Want to know 5 basic travel tips for all kinds of trips? Well you have come to the right place. These cover fashion, logistics, packing, food and tools to help you have a fun and successful trip. Although these are basic tips and useful for first time travellers they are just as important for seasoned travellers. That's because they may help bring you back to basics so you can enjoy your trips even more. It's worth noting that the key here is organisation, be organised otherwise there will be lots of uncertainties that will bring chaos to your trip. Without much further ado, here are my 5 basic travel tips to know.
1. FASHION - KEEP IT SIMPLE
The first basic travel tip to know has to do with clothing - keep it simple. I am a short skirts and dresses kind of girl! I love heels but for practical reasons I keep it simple. Simple designs, so no uncomfortable off the shoulder tops with tight short skirts that threaten to expose you (although I love these myself). There are a few items on this list I think every girl should avoid if they want to be comfortable and yet still look good. So here's a list of Do's and Don't's.
- Do, wear sneakers with a bit of room for your toes to wiggle so you are still comfortable after a bit of swelling from all the travel
- Wear soft fabrics
- Have short hairstyles or wear your hair in a bun/ponytail
- Always choose loose clothing over tight clothing
- Backpacks are not a bad idea!
- Choose breathable material such as cotton and linen.
- Don't wear jeans - very uncomfortable especially for sitting
- Don't wear cheap see-through cotton leggings because they are very thin and show underwear. (Not cool).
- Avoid an all-white ensemble because if you have an accident, it will show.
- Avoid wearing boots if you don't want to have to take them off at the security gate (if flying).
- I am all for heels but please give them a pass!
- Materials to avoid: leather, pvc - find out more here: https://www.whowhatwear.co.uk/what-not-to-wear-on-plane
2. LOGISTICS - BE VIGILANT
Helsingborg Central 
Train from Helsingborg to Copenhagen
Tip number 2 to know when travelling - be vigilant. This is essential especially when travelling internationally. Different countries have different ways of doing things so you have to be alert. For example, I once missed my drop off stop while on the metro in Copenhagen because I was taking way too long to take my bags from the overhead compartment. Danish trains are on a schedule hunnay! They do not linger for anybody. So I learnt to be prompt when getting on and off trains.
If you are flying, some terminals are further than others. When I was flying back from Copenhagen to Ireland I was the second last person to board the plane, after the final boarding announcement was made. That was because my sister and I had not realised that the train from Helsingborg (Sweden) to Copenhagen airport was an hourly one. Although we had left the house on time, the train we were going to take wouldn't be leaving for another hour. So I arrived at the airport with only an hour to drop my baggage, go through security and find my gate. (If that seems like a lot of time to you, then you are addicted to living on the edge. I love a schedule which leaves time for gallivanting around the airport). It also didn't help that my gate was a 17 minute walk away. This is a basic tip but essential. You don't want to miss your flight and spend more money now do you? Remember some inconveniences cost a lot of money.
3. PACKING - SMART IS KEY
The next basic travel tip to know is, think smart when packing. This is my least favourite part of travelling. If I could, I would hire a professional packer! But alas, I can't afford one. When you go through security, you have to remove liquids and electronics. So make sure to have them separate and easy to access to reduce your waiting and sorting time. If you don't have a weighing scale and are estimating the weight of your baggage, make sure to put items on top that you are willing to leave behind (with family) or throw in the bin, if needed. Throwing your belongings away is not ideal but if you don't have the money to pay €10/extra kilogram, then you might just have to.
Items that increase the weight of your baggage drastically are books, lotions, chunky shoes and heavy handbags. You will do well to avoid these if possible. The bag that you pack your clothing in is also very important. Make sure you buy the four wheel bags because they reduce the weight that you have to drag (manual handling training for us waitresses lol). I also prefer carrying backpacks to handbags because firstly I can carry more in a backpack. And secondly the weight is evenly distributed across both shoulders when carrying a backpack vs just having weight on one shoulder.
4. FOOD - FUEL UP
Espresso House - Helsingborg Central 
Espresson House - Helsingborg Central
It's obvious that you have to eat before you travel so you can have plenty of energy for the adventure ahead. But don't over indulge either. There's nothing worse than having indigestion or heartburn while travelling. As well carrying plenty of food in your tummy while lugging about lots of bags is not fun. Too much food makes you lethargic and sleepy - the very opposite state that you should be in when travelling. This is a request to miss flights and/or trains! For food, I recommend you bring a packed lunch such as a sandwich (not a curry) to save some money. Or if you can afford it, go to a nice little cafe that will give you a bit of respite and refreshment.
If you can afford it, you can also go to a lounge and mingle with all the first class/ priority patrons. A bit of visualisation there for you!
5. MISCELLANEOUS 5 BASIC TRAVEL TIPS TO KNOW
- You can use apps such as Google assistant/calendar to remind you of flight departure times and terminals. Find out more here https://assistant.google.com/ and
- If you can have someone go with you to the airport so that they can help you if you are running late.
- Be confident, sometimes when you look like you are lost it may look dodgy and you may get pulled over for a random search (it has happened to me)
- If you are wearing a wig (like myself), opt for short ones so they are not a nuisance.
- Smile! Just cause you can.
BONUS TIP: If you are a seasoned traveller, be willing to help others if they ask. Have a friendly and open body language so you are approachable.
BON VOYAGE!
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