Travelling for the first time can be a nerve-wracking experience.
There are many different things to consider when preparing yourself for your trip, from choosing the right luggage to preparing for food and culture shock. You also want to make sure you’re always prepared with all the information you need for your destination. This guide will teach you everything you need to know about travelling for your first time, from packing tips and what items to bring on a plane to how to plan your itinerary and where to stay while abroad.
The ABCs of Packing
Before you start packing, first think about what kind of trip you are going on. You should start off by asking yourself, “What type of trip is this?” Will it be a beach getaway or an adventure through the mountains? When you know which type of trip you are going on, it’ll be easier to decide how many clothes and items you need to bring.
A quick way to help determine how many items you’ll need for your trip is to ask yourself two questions: “How long do I expect my trip will last?” and “What activities do I hope to experience?” If your trip is more about sunbathing on a beach, then with just one pair of swim trunks and a few sets of shorts, you might be able to get away with bringing only one bag.
If your itinerary consists of sightseeing while exploring new neighbourhoods and attending cultural events, then prepare accordingly by bringing plenty of clothing options.
Choosing the Right Luggage
When it comes to travelling, luggage is often a major factor in whether or not your trip will be successful. You want to make sure that you have what you need with you so that you won’t have to worry about buying anything while abroad.
This guide will teach you how to choose the right luggage for your trip, including things like how much weight your bag should hold, what type of suitcase best suits your needs, and how many pieces of clothing to bring on a plane.
What to Bring on a Plane
It’s always a good idea to be prepared for your trip. One of the most important things you’ll want to prepare for is travelling on an aeroplane. Here are some tips and tricks to help you pack the perfect bag for your next flight!
Whether you’re travelling internationally or domestically, it’s always a good idea to have a carry-on bag with you. This will allow you to travel light and avoid having to check extra luggage. If your carry-on is too small, consider investing in a personal item bag that allows you to store larger items like a laptop or camera in the overhead bin.
When packing for your plane ride, keep in mind that airlines have different requirements. For example, if you’re flying business class, it’s recommended that your carry-on only weighs 22 pounds (10 kilograms). If carrying on luggage over the weight limit is an issue, consider checking a bag at the airport instead of having it checked at home.
Food Safety
One of the most important things to remember when travelling is that food safety can be a real concern.
The reason for this is that you want to ensure that your food doesn’t make you sick. And if it does make you sick, you want to know how long the illness will last.
You should also consider how safe your food is and how thoroughly it was cooked.
There are many ways to protect yourself from getting sick while travelling, such as using boiled water, avoiding unpasteurized milk, keeping vegetables washed and peeled, and avoiding cross-contamination.
Planning Your Itinerary
Picking a destination and packing for your trip can be easy, but planning a vacation can seem like an overwhelming task.
The first step in planning a trip is deciding where you want to go. Simply think about what makes the most sense for you. If you’re travelling with friends, consider where everyone wants to go. Then draw up a list of all the places on that list and decide which ones are most important to each person.
Once you have your destination set, it’s time to start thinking about what activities you want to do while on your trip.
For example, if you’re visiting Rome, it would make sense to visit the Coliseum and Vatican City while there. You’ll need transportation so plan that into your itinerary as well!
Once all these pieces are in place, build out an overall schedule for your travel dates. For example, if you’re staying in Rome for four days and going to Venice three days after returning from Italy, then create two separate schedules: one for when Rome is the main destination and another one for when Venice is the main destination.
Where to go?
For the first-time traveler, you want to visit somewhere new and exciting. You may want to consider visiting a place that you’ve never been to before, or you may want to go back home and explore a place that you haven’t been in a while.
You can choose how long your trip will last, but it’s important to consider the purpose of your travels. If your trip is for leisure purposes (i.e., travelling with friends), then you should plan for a short trip, 2-3 weeks at most. It takes about 10-14 days for a round-trip flight from the US, so it’s best to plan for longer trips when travelling for work or other reasons.
When selecting which destination to visit, consider what matters most for your first experience abroad. A lot of factors play into the decision including the cost of living, culture shock factors like language barriers and food allergies, climate changes due to distance from home, and more. The only way you’ll know is by putting together your own research list based on what’s important to you!
How long should you stay?
One of the most important things to consider when planning your trip is how long you should stay. How long will you be in your destination country? For example, if you plan on spending three weeks in France, make sure to pack clothing for a month and food for three weeks.
If you are visiting a nation for a shorter period of time, it’s important to remember that the culture will change drastically once you leave. You’ll miss out on all the things that only exist during certain times of the year, like festivals and national holidays.
When deciding how long you should stay, consider what activities you have planned for your trip and how much time it will take before those plans are completed. If your trip is going to take less than two weeks, then don’t plan on staying longer than two weeks.
Where to Stay?
Wherever you decide to stay, it’s important that you pick a location that will allow the best experience for your trip.
You want to make sure the hotel you plan on staying at is right for your needs. For example, if you’re travelling with kids, then a family-friendly hotel may be perfect for your trip. If you’re travelling solo and looking for some time to yourself, then a boutique hotel may be better suited for you.
Consider what type of traveller you are and what activities and amenities are important to you in order to find the best location when choosing where to stay during your first trip abroad.
Where do you want to be in the world?
If you’re not sure where you want to go, it’s important to consider your personal interests. Are you interested in a beachy getaway, or would you prefer to explore a city and its history?
It can be difficult to decide where to visit for your first trip because there are so many places on Earth and each destination has different benefits.
Keep these questions in mind when deciding where you want to travel for your first time:
1. What do you want out of your vacation?
2. What type of traveller are you?
3. Who will be joining you on your adventure?
Where will your budget allow?
There are many factors that go into deciding the cost of your trip, including the length of your trip and how many people you want to travel with. If you’re going on a long-term vacation or if you want to travel with friends or family, it’ll obviously be more expensive to travel than if you were going alone.
The best way to decide how much money you should spend is to determine what your budget allows. It’s also important to consider how long your trip will last and whether or not you’ll be travelling internationally when determining how much money you need.
If you want to save some money but still enjoy the experience of a longer vacation, plan for a shorter stay in one country and explore more places in between.
Where will suit your needs best?
If you’re going to be travelling for the first time, you’ll have a lot of questions about where you should go.
Will a beach vacation be best for your needs? Will sightseeing be your thing? Or will it be more relaxing to slow down and relax in a spa town?
There are so many things to consider when planning your trip. You’ll want to consider what will work best for you.
Whether it’s price or preference, consider the type of travel that suits your needs best.
Where will you feel safest?
One of the first things you’ll want to consider before deciding on a destination is where you’ll feel safest.
If you’re going on your trip alone, it might be best to stay away from the United States or Europe. These are two of the most common places for terrorism and crime, so those may not be ideal destinations.
However, if you’re travelling with family, friends, or a group of people who will be accompanying you, there are plenty of safer options worldwide that won’t put your safety at risk. Some countries that might interest you include Australia and Canada as well as South America and Central America.
Before choosing a destination, make sure your travel area is safe by looking into crime rates in the country’s capital city and using Google Earth to see what areas should be avoided.