My Travel Tips After Traveling To 100 Countries | Johnny Africa

This weblog put up is devoted to all my journey suggestions that I’ve formulated after touring to nearly 100 nations. I’ve been all around the world in all capacities so I’ve undoubtedly realized fairly a number of issues on my journeys. Whether or not it’s trekking with gorillas within the Congo, to diving with the bull sharks in Fiji, or island hopping in Greece, each journey made me a bit wiser (or at the least I hope).

From fundamental frequent sense journey tricks to journey hacking and journey insurance coverage, this put up can have all of it. My travels won’t ever cease so this checklist will consistently be rising with issues I come throughout!

The Fundamentals of my Journey Ideas

Earlier than we even transfer onto the large stuff, let’s get the small “frequent sense” issues out of the way in which. These may not be frequent sense for everybody however I might think about them to be in spite of everything my travels.

Watch your stuff

When touring to a brand new nation, it’s at all times prudent to observe your stuff and have a common sense of your environment. Some nations are identified to have extra petty crime than others however you simply want that one opportunistic second in even the most secure of nations to lose your valuables.

I haven’t had many unhealthy experiences in my a few years of travels however even I used to be suckered into avenue thief after I was touring in Lima. Whereas at dinner, somebody got here as much as me to attempt to promote one thing. They pulled out {a magazine} in entrance of me to dam the view of my telephone. Once I politely refused, they left promptly however with my telephone in hand. By the point I noticed it, they had been lengthy gone.

Know emergency contact numbers

Make sure that to jot down fundamental emergency numbers in a rustic earlier than visiting. These embody the police, hospitals, and different fundamental requirements.

Be good to everybody

Each tradition is totally different however you may be pleasantly shocked at simply how pleasant a number of the locals may be. I discover that that is particularly the case in much less developed nations. Plainly having much less doesn’t imply you might be much less completely happy (as much as a minimal threshold after all).

Reciprocate the favor.

Put a smile in your face and be as open and pleasant as you will be with the folks you meet. Everyone seems to be happier and hopefully your karma will probably be excessive!

After all, you additionally must know when to not be pleasant. That is particularly the case in the event you’re a solo feminine traveler. Hold your wits about you and know when it’s time to provide a correct F off to folks.

Keep away from leafy and unwashed meals

I’m an avid eater and half the explanation I journey is to eat superb issues. Once I received COVID and misplaced my style, I rapidly descended into the black gap of Reddit studying how some folks misplaced their style for years. I used to be tremendous depressed and puzzled why life was even price dwelling in the event you might style? Fortunately, I solely misplaced my style for 2 days!

I’ve eaten all types of avenue meals all around the world. I don’t draw back from making an attempt new issues and I nearly at all times discover a brand new nation by making an attempt their meals. I spent a complete week in Mexico Metropolis simply consuming tacos, ate unfathomable quantities of avenue meals in Bangkok, and making an attempt as many pizzerias in Naples.

I’ve gotten meals poisoning a number of instances as a result of it’s simply sure to occur. It’s one thing I simply settle for as a part of travels and seeing the world. Why many individuals turn into divas about this, I’m simply merely not bothered. My abdomen has definitely strengthened through the years and I like to consider myself to have a sturdy abdomen.

These are an inventory of ever altering suggestions in terms of consuming whereas touring:

Learn restaurant evaluations on Google Maps or TripAdvisor as a low rating may imply they’ve unhealthy high quality meals (or simply unhealthy tasting meals and customer support). If all else fails, go for meals which can be totally cooked like open hearth cooking or deep fried. These are good methods to eliminate most bugs within the meals.I are inclined to keep away from consuming leafy greens that aren’t cooked and fruits with out pores and skin. Stick with fruits like bananas, pinapple, dragonfruit, mango, watermelon and so forth.Know beforehand whether or not a rustic has drinkable faucet water. Typically instances, creating nations have questionable ingesting water. This isn’t at all times the case as locations like Georgia, or South Africa. Conversely, first world nations can even have non-drinkable faucet water, particularly on distant islands just like the Cycladic islands in GreeceAlways carry charcoal tablets with you simply incase you do get meals poisoning. These capsules will assist make the consequences extra bearable (however you’ll nonetheless undergo after all).

Don’t pack a lot

Cease packing a lot stuff into your suitcases. There’s no higher feeling than touring gentle and never having to lug round an enormous suitcase when shifting about.

If potential, I might attempt to journey with out checking baggage as a result of this reduces your danger of dropping baggage and doubtlessly messing up your travels. This additionally lets you reap the benefits of cheaper costs like skiplagging your flights which includes reserving a flight with a layover however getting off on the layover metropolis.

I discover that packing much less can be liberating as you understand simply how few garments you want. Once I lived in Bali for a lot of months, all my garments match right into a keep on dimension backpack. It is because Bali is sizzling yr spherical so I largely wore shorts and tank tops. Everybody round me additionally dressed so casually that I didn’t put on pants for the complete period of the keep. I packed one good linen shirt with me for particular dinners and that was it. Throughout my keep in Bali, a few of my shirts ripped but it surely was really easy and low cost to only purchase one thing new domestically.

Better of all, there’s laundry and fold service for about $1 per kg so my garments had been at all times clear!

Hold your passport at residence

Depart your passports at residence and do go about your day together with your passport on you. There’s zero profit to having your passport on you and also you’re solely setting your self for large disappointment in the event you lose it or get it stolen.

For those who want the passport for a selected goal, take it for that goal solely and drop it off promptly at residence. This may be if that you must hire a scooter in some nations the place they ask for the passport as a deposit (already an enormous purple flag). In case you have mulltiple passports, at all times carry each on you and use the passport that you simply didn’t enter the nation with.

There’s nothing worse than having to exchange a passport overseas.

Open An Account With A Good Financial institution

Having your funds so as is an absolute should when touring. Whether or not you’re touring for per week or for a yr, making certain you could have the fitting financial institution accounts and playing cards will make your expertise far more nice.

Certainly one of my necessities in terms of touring is a checking account that fees no charges for international withdrawals in addition to refunding all international ATM charges.

These are two separate factors as a result of there are lots of financial institution accounts around the globe that may provide the previous and cost you no charges on their finish, however there are only some financial institution accounts that I do know that may truly refund you the ATM charges you incur from a international ATM.

Within the US, banks like Charles Schwab will utterly refund you the ATM charges in addition to provide you with spot FX charges. In European nations, issues like Monzo or Revolut are nice for this. Fintechs are popping up left and proper today providing nice journey companies so test your native marketplace for what’s sizzling.

By no means settle for the ATM’s conversion fee!

That is most likely the worst rip-off you’ll be able to ever come throughout in your travels as a result of it’s so rampant all over the place and most of the people do not know what they’re doing.

Typically instances, if you’re utilizing an ATM in another country, you’ll be withdrawing money in a unique forex. As soon as you choose your required withdrawal quantity and enter your PIN code, the ATM will give you a “conversion fee”. They are going to show the quantity within the international forex, in addition to the quantity in your native forex (we’ll simply use USD for this instance).

For the monetary newbies on the market, you see your native forex and also you assume “oh sure that sounds good as a result of it’s a quantity I’m accustomed to”.

NEVER ACCEPT THE ATM’S EXCHANGE RATE!

Sure, by no means settle for their alternate fee as a result of it at all times comes with an enormous margin. I’ve seen banks cost upwards of 14% per transaction for simply these ridiculous ATM charges! Let’s say you’re in Europe and the present EUR to USD alternate fee is 1 to 1. Meaning, you the financial institution will now provide you with an alternate fee of 1 EUR to $1.14 USD! You’re simply giving 14% straight to the ATM!

What’s worse is in the event you select to say no the ATM’s alternate fee, it’ll present a scary message that you simply may not be getting one of the best alternate fee or one thing else ridiculous. For those who adopted the steps above about getting a superb checking account, then you’ll be able to relaxation assured that your financial institution is at all times going to provide the greatest fee potential.

Vaccinations

Vaccinations are necessary particularly within the put up COVID world. Make sure that to analysis the vaccinations you want earlier than coming into a rustic. A COVID vaccine is after all nice to guard you from COVID however some nations will proceed to require you be vaccinated to be able to go to or apply for residence permits.

Some nations in Africa require yellow fever certificates however provided that you’ve traveled to sure nations. Different illnesses like Malaria are merely as much as you to plan for. For instance, many individuals really feel like they should take malaria medicine earlier than visiting South Africa however that is completely pointless.

Some vaccines can take weeks and even months to acquire so ensure to analysis the vaccines you want earlier than hand so that you will be protected earlier than going in your journey.

Analysis the journey advisories and understanding of your vacation spot

Earlier than you journey to a brand new nation that you simply suspect may need some risks to it, ensure to do ample analysis earlier than embarking in your journey. I believe the easiest way to do that is to affix Fb teams associated to that vacation spot or just to ask a query in a spot like Each Passport Stamp on Fb.

For instance, earlier than I traveled to Lebanon in 2021, I knew that the nation was present process a extreme financial disaster and that you simply wanted to carry exhausting money and alternate it on the black marketplace for one of the best charges. I didn’t know truly do that however a fast query within the Each Passport Stamp group on Fb gave me solutions instantly. I additionally requested if there was any civil unrest because of the disaster and shortly realized that life goes on.

Don’t blindly belief the whole lot the Authorities web sites let you know

I might keep away from studying an excessive amount of into official Authorities journey advisory web sites just like the US Journey Advisory Checklist. From my expertise, 90% of the advisories on this checklist are a bit nonsense and most of it’s simply unnecessarily scaring folks. For instance, take a look at this ridiculous journey advisory for Germany, a rustic I’ve lived in for 4 years.

The US Authorities is advising folks to train elevated warning for a rustic that’s 10x safer than their very own? I’m extra apprehensive about getting shot within the US than at any level in Germany that’s for certain.

Get a no price Visa Credit score Card as effectively

Be sure you have a superb stable bank card that’s Visa or Mastercard. I’m an avid fan of bank cards as a result of within the US, we’ve got so many playing cards that present so many advantages that vary from journey insurance coverage, to free lodge stays, to only pure exhausting money. I’ve written in depth about my passion of journey hacking.

Earlier than embarking on a visit, be sure you have at the least one bank card that you need to use. This isn’t only for rewards or factors, however relatively as a result of typically you haven’t any selection however to pay with bank card. For those who’re reserving a lodge or a flight, you higher have a superb bank card as a result of there’s nowhere so that you can pay money. As well as, in the event you hire a automotive, you’ll desire a good bank card as a result of some playing cards present free automotive rental insurance coverage. On prime of that, some corporations gained’t even hire you a automotive with out a bank card.

Be sure you get a bank card that additionally has no FX charges. FX (Overseas alternate) charges will be upwards of three% of your transaction worth which suggests in the event you pay $1,000 for one thing, you’ll pay a further $30 in charges! There are numerous bank cards within the US that waive FX charges just like the Chase bank card suite.

No American Specific

American Specific is generally ineffective when touring overseas. Outdoors of some nations, AMEX is nearly universally not accepted. Even inside nations that settle for AMEX, usually instances it’s the fancier eating places and accommodations that do. AMEX provides a number of the greatest rewards and advantages within the enterprise however sadly it’s simply not dependable in terms of being a go to worldwide journey bank card.

Discover ways to drive handbook automobiles

Definitely, one of the best factor I did when shifting to Europe was learn to drive a handbook automotive. I had realized drive a handbook a long time in the past so the training curve was not almost as steep as a beginner however this actually saved me some severe cash in Europe.

The most affordable and most ample rental automobiles in Europe are at all times a handbook, particularly after I did journeys to locations like Piedmont, Italy or simply about wherever within the Greek Islands. Automated automobiles are after all obtainable however they’re usually extra premium automobiles and hire for considerably extra. If nothing else, automotive corporations know they Individuals and Canadians can’t drive handbook in order that they purposefully jack up the costs on Automatics to reap the benefits of this.

Studying drive handbook is just not simple so this gained’t be an choice for most individuals however in the event you by some means are able to study Guide, undoubtedly get that found out earlier than renting a automotive in Europe!

Journey hacking is your buddy

This subsequent part is primarily for American vacationers as we merely have one of the best bank cards on the earth so far as journey rewards go (we’ve got numerous issues however bank card rewards is just not certainly one of them). For those who’re an avid traveler like myself and prefer to e book superb travels for affordable (or free), then it’s best to completely look into journey hacking and understanding churn bank card rewards.

I’ve written about this a lot on my weblog and in a lot element so I’ll maintain this part brief. Take a number of hours to actually perceive the ability of bank cards and the way you need to use them to save lots of 1000’s of {dollars} on journey. I’ve flown enterprise class flights all around the world and stayed in a number of the nicest accommodations on the earth like my journey to the Ritz Carlton Maldives all without spending a dime.

The secret is to open bank cards to get the signal on bonus. Bank cards within the US provide the best signal on bonuses on the earth and it’s not even shut. These signal on bonuses can typically be upwards of 100,000 factors or extra! After you get one bonus, you open one other bank card to acquire one other signal on bonus earlier than repeating the method over once more. You possibly can earn factors extraordinarily quick; a lot sooner than merely spending cash on a bank card.

You may really feel intimidated and uncertain of your self which is likely one of the principal causes folks by no means begin journey hacking, however maybe that is the second to start out one thing new!

Purchase native sim playing cards

At the moment, it’s exhausting to think about touring with out being related. You may romanticize the outdated days of touring off the grid and away from all of it however that may all change the second you get ripped off on the airport since you couldn’t name an Uber.

Cell information is crucial for my travels now, primarily due to Google Maps and trip hailing apps. There’s nothing extra silly than paying for roaming packages out of your cell supplier again at residence. For instance, AT&T within the US fees one thing like $10 per day for roaming which is absolute madness. For those who journey in Bali for 2 weeks, that’s $140 in roaming charges which is madness.

Merely go to the native cell store and purchase a neighborhood Telkomsel SIM card the place you’ll have the ability to get 20GB of knowledge for ~$5. This can greater than probably be sufficient to your whole two week journey! You’re unlikely to wish a lot calling time as a result of let’s be actual, who will you name in Indonesia? You’ll additionally want 0 textual content messaging as a result of nobody outdoors of the USA makes use of historical SMS know-how anymore. Simply ensure your telephone is unlocked.

Keep away from shopping for SIM playing cards on the airport

Keep away from shopping for SIM playing cards on the airport as a result of they’ll greater than probably rip you off with “vacationer packages” which can be merely bundling a bunch of stuff you don’t want and charging you extra money.

Merely go to a cell supplier of your selection when you get into city and also you’ll save a lot extra money. For those who’re confused on the place to go and didn’t do analysis earlier than hand, merely ask your lodge/guesthouse/Airbnb host for one of the best cell outlets close by.

Don’t over-plan your journey

I’m a giant planner of my travels as a result of I need to maximize my time. Everyone seems to be a planner to some extent as a result of that you must maximize the way you’re going to see what you need to see within the time that you’ve got. Since I retired early and have been in a position to journey so freely, I’ve realized that it’s higher to do much less.

Much less is extra.

Don’t attempt to pack an excessive amount of into your journey as a result of I firmly imagine that high quality beats amount. Positive it’d impress your mates to say you went to France, Italy, and Germany in your journey. However did you actually see something in the event you simply spent 3 days in Paris, Rome, and Munich? Positive you noticed a number of locations, however you actually simply hopped round a number of cities the place you’re roughly doing the identical factor.

As a substitute of jamming as many issues into one journey, think about staying the entire time in a spot like France the place you’ll be able to simply spent weeks touring by way of. As a substitute of flying from Paris to Rome, think about going from Paris to the Provence area the place the small villages and wineries actually spotlight what France is all about.

As well as, some issues simply can’t be booked correctly out of your pc at residence. In much less developed locations, you’ll usually must e book issues if you arrive. Issues like practice tickets for sure itineraries haven’t been blessed with fashionable know-how.

Once I was making an attempt to e book my Kandy to Ella practice ticket in Sri Lanka, there wasn’t any simple method to do it. Seems, after I arrived in Kandy at my lodge, they booked it for me on the spot. The identical goes for my Belgrade to Bar scenic practice within the Balkans. I needed to truly go to the practice station the day earlier than to e book my ticket with money. Completely old fashioned however that’s simply the way it goes.

Be aware of the web sites you employ

Be aware of the web sites you employ to e book and pay for sure issues. These are very true round Authorities and official processes that relate to immigration.

As know-how improves, we’re consistently doing extra on-line which incorporates paying for visas. One of many best errors folks do is clicking on the unsuitable supply for making use of for an e-visa, which have turn into more and more extra well-liked.

For instance, Cambodia, residence to the well-known Angkor Wat temple, not too long ago instituted an E-Visa which lets you prepay your visa with a bank card so that you don’t must do it if you arrive on the airport. For those who seek for “Cambodia e-visa”, you’ll see the ends in Google:

As you’ll be able to see, the primary few outcomes are sponsored and so they direct you to numerous journey companies that declare to be the house of the Cambodian E-Visa however in actuality, they’re only a journey agent that may upcharge you a hefty price to get the identical visa you could possibly do your self.

The purple arrow is the official Authorities web site of Cambodia and you may at all times confirm this by the URL. Something that ends in .gov is a legit Authorities web site and what you need to use. For Cambodia, the URL ends in .gov.kh with the KH half being Cambodia. These are official Authorities web sites so nobody can create a random web site utilizing these URLs.

Get Journey Insurance coverage If You’re Touring Lengthy Time period

Embarking on a journey, whether or not it’s a leisurely escape or an adventurous expedition, is a plunge into the unknown. Whereas the fun of exploration is simple, it’s equally important to acknowledge the potential uncertainties that lurk beneath the floor. Journey insurance coverage is right here only for that and I’ll contact upon a number of the reason why it’s a good suggestion to purchase some earlier than you go in your journey.

As a seasoned traveler, I’ve realized that well being emergencies can strike on the most surprising instances and locations. From a sudden bout of sickness in a distant village to a minor accident on the ski slopes, journey insurance coverage offers a reassuring protect. It covers unexpected medical bills, making certain that the pursuit of latest horizons is just not hindered by the burden of hefty hospital payments.

Air journey, with its intricate internet of connections and schedules, is prone to disruptions. Flight cancellations, delays, or missed connections can simply throw a wrench into the smoothest of itineraries. Journey insurance coverage acts as a buffer in such conditions, providing compensation for extra bills incurred on account of flight disruptions and making certain that your journey stays on track, even when the aviation trade takes an surprising flip.

The joy of reaching your vacation spot can rapidly dissipate if you end up standing on the baggage carousel solely to appreciate your baggage has taken an unplanned detour. Journey insurance coverage steps in to alleviate the stress by offering protection for important gadgets and clothes, permitting you to deal with the journey at hand relatively than worrying in regards to the whereabouts of your belongings.

Mom Nature, in all her glory, sometimes throws surprising challenges our method – be it a volcanic eruption, earthquake, or tropical storm. Journey insurance coverage not solely safeguards your monetary funding by compensating for canceled plans but in addition assists in navigating the logistical challenges that come up from unexpected pure disasters, making certain your security and well-being within the face of adversity.

Being in a international land will be each exhilarating and disorienting. In instances of disaster, getting access to a dependable assist system is invaluable. Journey insurance coverage usually contains 24/7 help companies, offering a lifeline that can assist you navigate unfamiliar healthcare methods, language boundaries, or authorized issues, fostering a way of safety and assist regardless of the place you might be on the map.

Automobile Leases

We love renting automobiles when touring. It offers us the liberty to go off the overwhelmed monitor and discover on our personal. However when renting a automotive, it’s necessary to be savvy and to comply with these security suggestions.

We often e book upfront. Reserving a automotive rental with our flight in a bundle has saved us huge time.

Automobile Insurance coverage

Buying insurance coverage is at all times a tough determination. Automobile leases are often fairly affordable, however when you add on their insurance coverage, it may possibly add up rapidly.

I exploit my Chase Sapphire Reserve for many automotive leases and so they have full insurance coverage, which suggests I by no means get extra insurance coverage. The Sapphire Reserve additionally has major automotive insurance coverage which covers injury to the automotive in addition to injury you may inflict onto one other automotive whereas most different playing cards don’t provide this.

Leases – Scooters

Relating to journey security, lots of people get into bother when renting scooters. However in the event you don’t have expertise driving one, or don’t have the suitable worldwide allow or native license, rethink your selections.

For me, a scooter is a should have in locations like Bali or Thailand because it lets you discover the nation with out having to attend in loopy visitors on a regular basis. I wouldn’t go to Bali ever once more with out renting a scooter.

Not everyone seems to be comfy with a scooter nonetheless and I wouldn’t advocate driving a scooter with out some form of coaching. Though Bali required zero verifications of my scooter abilities, I rented one with none prior information and lived to inform the story. In actual fact, I used to be simply advantageous and received the dangle of it inside a couple of minutes. Others will not be as fortunate as you at all times hear about folks that get into loopy scooter accidents.

Study from Your Errors

It was years of trial and error that helped us lastly study our lesson to have protected and wholesome travels. So hopefully it is possible for you to to journey safely proper from the beginning!

Now that I comply with these journey security suggestions, I often have a protected and wholesome journey. Or at the least we’re ready when emergencies do occur. Furthermore, I study one thing new on each journey that I financial institution and apply to my future travels.