I flew across the world by myself to Tajikistan 5 days short of a year ago, with a pounding heart, and a million questions in my head. I was prepared in some ways and not prepared in others. These would be my best tips and recommendations to you traveling from a solo, female perspective. If you need ideas or help for what to pack for your trip, here are 10 Amazon Packing Essentials To Have For Travel.
1. If you are traveling internationally, make copies of your passport, and other important documents
I printed out a copy of my passport, health insurance information, and visa, which I kept in a zip-loc with my main belongings. I also printed out multiple copies of a head shot of myself, wrote down my phone number, and included copies of my drivers license in each of my two checked bags and carry-on. This was mainly because knew I wouldn't have a way to access some of this information digitally if the airports I flew into didn't have WIFI (which they didn't). This was also so that if any of my baggage was lost during the journey, it would have my phone number and address with those belongings-- this was before I had learned about air tags! (Thankfully I have never lost any luggage while traveling!)
2. Do your research on the place you are going
Research the places you want to see there. Research the culture. Research the language spoken. Research the best ways to get around. Research your housing options. Research the food. Research if there are travel stipulations or advisories. Look for tourist places, unique experiences, and places you can take the unbeaten path.
3. If you are going somewhere that doesn't speak your language, look into learning a few basic phrases in that language, and/or getting a dual language dictionary to translate some words
Learning a bit of the language of the location you are going to beforehand can go a long way-- especially if most of the people there don't know anything in your language. Sure, in maybe some of the European countries people might speak and know pretty good English as a second language, but in my case very few people in the country I am in know English. So if I had learned more of the local language beforehand, it could have helped my adjustment to the culture greatly in being able to communicate a bit more and get around a bit easier. Because I didn't know much besides "Hi, how are you?" "What is your name?" and "I am from America;" the first couple months living overseas, alone, (with a local family who knew no English,) was a bit lonely. After living in a different culture and country for awhile now, I can attest to the fact that it also really brightens a locals day, when you can talk to them in their own language.
4. Send your flight and housing itineraries, if possible, to a family member or trusted friend
Before I left to come overseas, I left copies of my flight itineraries, the name and address of where I would be living, and even copies and passwords of my bank information with a trusted family member just in case I wasn't able to access my accounts for some reason. (For some reason, in Tajikistan, for one of my bank accounts, I can only log in on my phone. It kicks me out every time on my computer.)
5. Do your research to find the cheapest flights
Skyscanner and Google Flights will be your friends. Play around with flight dates/times and try choosing flexible dates, If you will have a checked bag, and are booking separate flights, make sure the cost of having to re-check that bag every flight won't be more expensive than flying multi-city or booking a round trip ticket. Also, if booking separate flights, make sure to give yourself plenty of layover time in between them.
6. Start accruing miles with different airlines
If you fly to one area often and tend to use the same airlines, I would recommend looking into the different airlines mile accrual programs. In the long run, it can help you earn free flights or flight upgrades. I personally use Turkey's Miles&Smiles program. It's free to sign up!
7. If you plan on packing light and buying more things at your intended destination, again do your research to make sure your destination has what you need
I'm not saying to bring your whole house with you, but don't skimp out on everything. Luckily, upon coming to Tajikistan, I was pretty prepared and brought a few things I knew I couldn't get here i.e. Reese's Peanut Butter Cups or Semi-Sweet chocolate chips but one thing I was expecting to be able to find here that I can't, is shoes my size. Turns out the women here have smaller feet than me (I am a 10-10.5 US Women's). Upon wearing through my only pair of nice, winter shoes, and finding no shoes my size here, I am eternally grateful to a friend who had some extra room in her luggage over here to bring me a new pair. Some things like that, maybe you can't really know beforehand, but see if you can find out beforehand!
8. Bring an extra bank card or two with you. One that has zero international transaction fees
I can attest to this one. I visited Tajikistan for the first time solo last year and only brought one checking account card and one credit card. Upon arrival I learned my credit card did not work here-- honestly I should have realized that on my own given the name "Bank of America." (Love you, Bank of America-- in the US.) After about 2 or 3 months of being here I lost my checking account card in an ATM. This was the first and hopefully last time this will ever happen, but it was a great lesson for me being in a country that really only uses cash and being unable to withdraw money. Also, if your bank card has high international transaction fees, this will add up fast. Also, keep your bank cards separate. Leave some at the place you will be staying at and maybe only go out with one you know works. That way if something unfortunate does happen and you lose or get your wallet stolen, you still have a way to access money. One last thing, is to make sure you have emergency savings, or that one of your credit cards has a big credit line in case there is an emergency and you need to emergency evacuate.
Here in Tajikistan, I use
Bank of America's Travel Rewards Credit Card (Used just for large purchases online or stateside e.g. plane tickets.) As long as you can pay off this card each month, you earn points for your purchases which you can redeem for cash credit on your account.
Chase Sapphire Premium Checking Account With this card I have never had problems traveling internationally which is a blessing. It doesn't have ATM transaction fees either which is great. The only thing that makes me question recommending it, is it has a $25 a month card member fee.
Schwab Bank Investor Checking Account has been a great account with no foreign transaction fees. It was the card I lost in an ATM back in 2021 but I was able to get a new card when I was back in the US a couple months later.
Citi Savings This is a great savings account, if you can put a little bit aside each month to accumulate. Just for sitting in your account, the money you deposit has a 3.40% APY (Annual Percentage Yield).
9. Try to spend some time exploring the less-touristy places
The touristy places can be beautiful to see, but often times there are many other beautiful places to see at your destination too; and they are probably less over-crowded as well.
10. But also, try to avoid going places you will be completely alone
As a solo traveler, it's always good to make sure there are some people around where you are going, this especially applies if you are going out places at night.
11. Take a lot of photos-- and ask people to take ones of you so that you can be in them as well!
Trust me, you will want the photo memories. If you don't have the guts to ask a stranger to take a photo of you, try a selfie stick or setting a self timer on your phone. I've never been sorry I took too many photos of a beautiful place, or asked someone to take one of me. I shoot photos with a Canon 6D Mark II Camera which I love, but it usually turns out the best when strangers use my phone to take photos of me.
12. Spend a least a week in the country/state you are wanting to visit
Some might disagree with me on this one. Personally, I think at least a week is required to see a new country or state. It's hard to have an opinion of a whole country or state if you have only been there one or two days. For instance, I have only spent about 15 hours in Washington D.C. For various events, those 15 hours were not very memorable for me. In fact, I would quite like to forget those 15 hours ever happened. However, I can't just go around saying I didn't like Washington D.C. because I know it really is probably a great place. I just needed to spend more time there.
13. Try to make friends with the locals, ask questions! They will probably have the best advice and recommendations to give you
One time I remember visiting a state park and while I was talking to a local she asked if I had been to a specific cave on a beach there known by the locals. I said, "No" and asked where it was. After ending the conversation and leaving, I couldn't remember the name which she had said and I was bummed I hadn't written down what she said. You can do all the research you want, but more often than not, the locals will still have the best recommendations and can give you the best help to make sure you aren't getting cheated on while buying something. They are also a great help for asking for directions when you are lost.
14. Get a VPN
Using a VPN protects your privacy while using public WIFI, as well as gives you access to websites you could access back home that are maybe blocked in the country you are in. For instance, using a VPN here allows me to be able to stream Disney+. Without the VPN, it doesn't work. This also applies to some banking and financial institutions as well. I use the PIA VPN and it has worked great and allowed me to use it on my computer and phone.
15. Make a budget, and try to stick with it
I would actually recommend over budgeting a bit. It seems like ever trip always ends up in some way or another being a bit more expensive than I think it will. Break your budget down-- transportation, housing, excursions, flights, food, etc. This will help you to practically see and think through how much this cost will actually be. It's good to be frugal, but also don't let this stop you from doing some things here and there.
16. Keep track of your expenses & save your receipts
This goes along with the budgeting, but if you are residing somewhere for awhile or traveling around, pay attention to how much money you are spending in different categories of your budget and what the locals are as well. Once you can visualize if you are over in a category, you can ask the question "Why is this?" And try to make adjustments based upon it. For example, say your budget is a bit tight and you are needed to cut costs in a few areas. Maybe a $1-$4 taxi ride doesn't sound like much in and of itself; but when you look and see locals take a bus or mashrutka on the same route and spend between 20¢-50¢ on that same ride, maybe its time to make a transportation cut. Luckily I actually love budgeting and saving my receipts because it has actually saved me quite a few times. It was how I realized I was being severely overcharged for my water bill each month, and how I have come to figure out what foods are cheaper at certain grocery stores/markets. Maybe this seems like a lot of work if you aren't planning on taking a longer trip, but if you plan on visiting different countries, it does pay to at least try to learn what the average costs of certain things are where you are going to avoid being overcharged.
17. Be flexible
If you are someone like me who likes having a plan and gets stressed out when things don't go according to plan, this is your PSA: not everything will go according to your plan. Flights get delayed, baggage gets lost, weather can change plans, there can be problems in communication, etc. It's one reason I don't like planning a full itinerary when going places, because I know that if I do, and something happens, I will most likely be pretty disappointed. Being flexible allows you to see or do some things or meet some people you weren't planning on, but will hopefully work out okay. Hopefully, if your itinerary isn't too full, you can just switch things around in your schedule when problems like this arise. Traveling during Covid and living in a culture that doesn't care about time as much as I would like, are probably the biggest instances where I have learned to be flexible. While I wouldn't say it's always my biggest strength,
18. Bring Ear-Plugs with you
People snore. Whether on the plane, in a hostel, or if you have a roommate, I recommend bringing a few pairs with you.
19. Always bring multiple universal chargers and a portable power bank with you
I have broken at least one charger cord since being overseas and the replacements I have gotten within country stop charging my phone after a month or two. This could also be due to having an older phone though. I will say that I bring my Power Bank with me everywhere I go here and am using it multiple times a day. Something I think I hadn't learned until it was too late here, is that charging my devices directly into the wall have ruined the battery life-- whether this is a voltage surge problem, or something else, I am not entirely sure. Many people here charge their devices in a voltage converter, or maybe a way around this would be to also charge up your Power Bank, and then charge your devices through that. Trips up into the mountains I have also been so glad I had my power bank with me. I have also been so glad I brought multiple charger adapters with me while traveling. It's nice to not always have to switch one back and forth. I like to keep one connected to a power strip, and one I always keep in my purse in case I need to charge my phone and I am in a cafe or other public place. In one country I used to live in, I remember it was always so frustrating because I only had brought one universal adapter with me and I had to change it back and forth everyday from my power strip to my hair dryer. Technically I could have plugged the hair dryer into the power strip, but I wanted to be more considerate for my roommate and not blow dry my hair in our shared room.
20. Before you go, ask friends and family if they have ever gone to the place you are going
This can be great for so many reasons. Maybe they have a friend or relative who lives there that they could connect you to. It could either be someone new for you to meet, maybe get a cheaper housing situation, get the best recommendations for what things to see and eat, or tips on things to be careful of.
21. Try to visit different cities and villages and spend time in the environment
By seeing different places, you will really be able to see more of the country or state you are visiting and observe the differences and similarities between them. For example, in the country I am living in, there is large wealth disparity as well as differences in how traditional the people are in the cities and villages. If I only spent my time in one or the other, I would be missing out on seeing a great part of the culture. Tajikistan has some of the most beautiful mountains and turquoise lakes I have ever seen. If I only stayed in the capital city though, I wouldn't get to see how beautiful these places are up close.
22. Step out of your comfort zone and try foods, and visiting places unique to the place you are in
You aren't always going to like everything you try, but you won't know if you like it or not unless you try it. You might get a good story out of it too. Grasshopper is not my favorite, but I have gotten to try so many delicious foods in my travels I wouldn't have discovered if I hadn't given them a try. I am not a fan of US meatballs (don't ask me why because I like ground beef.) So when one of my first meals in Tajikistan was Afghan meatballs, I have to say I did not have high expectations for what my review would be. I was pleasantly surprised, however, to find out I actually really like Afghan meatballs. If you are lucky, the locals will even teach you how to make their delicious local foods.
23. Stay somewhere that has good ratings
I can only look back and laugh on this memory now because it is in the past and the whole day was such an adventure. I luckily was not traveling by myself for this trip. When me and my friends had arrived at our destination campsite in the evening one summer day, we found out my friend booked the campsite for the wrong dates and they had no openings, along with every other campsite, car park, and hotel in a 30mi radius. After sitting in a gas station parking lot for awhile calling everyone in the area, we finally got a call back from a campsite 30mi away that had an opening-- in fact they had a lot of openings. In our frantic searching, we didn't actually look at the reviews of the campground until after we had paid and arrived at our lot. I won't go into the details of all the things that made me and my friends feel uneasy at this nearly empty site, but we sat in our car for awhile there reading reviews and debating about what we should do. We ended up getting a refund, leaving and by some miracle got a hotel room in the area from there being a last minute cancellation. Long story short, shortly after arriving, we had gone down to the lobby around midnight to get fresh towels where we ended up in a conversation with a couple who frantically came in looking for a room. It turned out, they had just left the campsite (we were supposed to stay at) because someone in the middle of the night came knocking on their tent door, asking for their money at gunpoint. All that to say, we were very shocked to hear this, and relieved we had left. Read reviews. Your safety is more important than spending a little bit more money-- especially if you are traveling alone.
24. Know where you can find free WiFi
Hopefully where you are going, you can find some cafe or park near you that has free WiFi access. Especially if you are living abroad on data plans, video calls home with family and friends will allow your internet to stretch so much further if you can find places with free WiFi.
25. Don't plan your itinerary too full
I already touched on this a little bit, but leave wiggle room in your itinerary. This will allow you to be more flexible, get to participate in things that spontaneously occur, and hopefully allow you to not make yourself too exhausted. When visiting somewhere, of course you want to be able to see as much as you can, right? However, if you plan hiking trips every day being a not avid hiker, or if you are a backpacker and plan on doing 25-30mi hikes every day, the next day when you are feeling more sore, you will have wished you either staggered your activities between day hikes and cafes, or varied your mileage between doing long hikes one day and shorter hikes the next. This also allows you to feel more free and spontaneous to say "yes" to things at your destination.
26. Make a list of emergency contacts, and local emergency numbers to call
Emergency numbers for ambulances, the police, and firefighters are most likely different numbers than your own country. It's important to know these or at least write them down somewhere quickly accessible in case of an emergency. This might be harder if traveling solo, but if you are traveling with others, make sure you have their contact information as well. I would also recommend leaving a copy of your medical insurance, detailed health information, as well as contact information of others you are traveling with, with a close friend or family member who is on your emergency contact list. That way, in case of an emergency, where you are unable to respond, someone else can fill in medical personnel with your information.
27. Pay attention to your surroundings and listen to the locals/those more experienced
Once I was hiking in the US with a couple friends. We were so close to reaching the summit of the mountain we were on and it was only lightly drizzling. However, suddenly we had hikers coming down from in front of us saying to turn back. There was lightning striking at the top. We really wanted to reach the summit, but the experienced ones know when it's time to push on and when it's time to turn back. I hope to go back here one day and actually get to reach the summit of this hike, however I am glad we listened to the more experienced hikers that day.
28. Get travel insurance
Luckily, I haven't had to use this yet. It is cheaper to pay for things out of pocket where I am at. However, it is important to have as none of us ever plan for an emergency happening. If I needed a surgery done here, I would most likely be flown out of the country and it would be done somewhere else. That would be a very expensive plane ticket + surgery if I didn't have travel insurance. I've heard too many stories of friends needing appendixes taken out while being overseas to skimp out on this one.
29. Don't max out your suitcase (if flying)
You will probably want to bring some souvenirs/gifts back with you for yourself, friends and family, Unless you plan on leaving some of your things in the country you are going to, don't travel with an already full suitcase. This Kenneth Cole suitcase has been my favorite for traveling!
30. Don't bring new shoes!
Unless you like the feeling of blisters, no matter how cute they are, don't do it! These New Balance Women's Running shoes with Dr. Scholl's Inserts have been one of my favorite walking/running shoes in the last several years.
31. Try your best to blend in with the locals
Do the people dress differently than you in the place you are going? Do they talk quieter than you do? Try to learn some of the verbal and non-verbal cues in the place you are going. Be open-minded and curious. Observe people, and try to blend in, in the place you are going-- unless you want a lot of local attention. This will maybe help you to not get cheated of money as well. For example, often times, carrying around a camera might label you as being a tourist. In some things, you might just have to accept you will always be seen as the foreigner; like me having light blonde hair and skin in a country that has darker hair and darker skin. While I could dye my hair to blend in more, this is something I have chosen I would rather not go to the work of maintaining.
32. Bring earbuds (just in case) if it's a long flightTh
You may be smarter than me on this, but here me out. I have knock of Amazon air pods that I use on my phone for listening to music, watching videos, etc. I was not thinking through, when I boarded my plane, that I wouldn't be able to connect my "air pods" via blue tooth to watch movies during a long flight from the US to Scotland. This flight did not provide any headphones, (Now yes, I know I could have probably asked a flight attendant and bought some on the plane, but I am too cheap for that.) The advice is simple, bring earbuds.
33. When going out, make sure you know how to get back to the place you are staying and mark it on your phone if possible
No one wants to get lost, especially if you are traveling alone. Make sure you have a great sense of direction or are good at remembering your surroundings when going out. If you aren't the best like me, I always try to mark the exact place or at least the general area to where I will remember where I am at, when venturing out. I like making pins on my offline Google maps.
34. Before you go, screenshot important information and download offline maps
Not all airports I have found have WiFi available. If you are asked to provide information that you only have stored on your phone, this might be a problem. Also if a flight gets into your destination late, and you don't know the way to your hostel/hotel/campsite, etc., if you download Google Maps on your phone offline beforehand, this will allow you to still be access the area without WiFi.
35. Get a local SIM card
This is important to have if you plan on being somewhere for awhile. Especially if you are in places that don't have cafes with free WiFi. For the city I am in, there are only two cafes I know of that offer free WiFi and one park. In one of those cafes, the internet never works, and in the park pages never seem to load for me either. So getting a SIM card was a good option for me to avoid the modern day cafe dial up. If you are just visiting somewhere short term though, which has many convenient places for free WiFi, then maybe you don't need to invest in this.
36. Try not to set your expectations too high
This isn't meant to be negative. It's just sometimes we set our expectations high and are disappointed when our experiences don't live up to them. It's good to have some expectations, and this goes along with the tip to "be flexible," but plan to expect that somewhere along the lines something might not turn out exactly the way you had hoped.
37. While in the country/state, avoid giving out personal details or information as to where you are staying
This is especially true if traveling alone. Some people might just be curious, but some people might also not have good intentions. Meet new people in the places you go, but use wisdom and discretion in what you share with people you don't know very well.
38. Bring some medication and a first aid kit
You can be the most careful person or feel like you never get sick in your home country, but accidents always seem to happen when you least expect it. You can't get certain medications in certain countries, and certain medications are prohibited in other countries so learn before you go what will be available to find there/allowed so that you can pack accordingly.
39. Read reviews
I mostly already covered this, with my campground fiasco, but read the reviews for things other than just housing. It's great to try local food, but not to be sick on your trip. If a place looks good and has cheap food, but bad reviews, my recommendation would be to find somewhere else! People who are receiving your money will often times tell you what they want you to hear, people who have had bad experiences won't often take the time to write about it if it's not true.
40. Know what your limits are
I love hiking and don't think I really started realizing my asthma limits until it came to bad air quality and high altitudes above sea level. This slows me down, has affected my immune system more on how quickly I am able to get over sicknesses. Other people won't always recognize the things that are an obstacle for you. This is maybe easier when traveling alone. When traveling with others, often times you do things together as a group. Advocate for yourself.
41. Know what different requirements are in the place you are going, and before you go consider reading up on travel advisories and sign up for email alerts from your embassy
Different places have different requirements when it comes to things like visas, permits, etc. These things can differ as well based on your country of citizenship. I signed up for STEP (Smart Traveler Enrollment Program) before moving overseas. It is super quick and easy to apply and you basically just get periodic emails from your embassy about safety alerts of the place you are in. This also allows them to contact you, or for family/friends to be in touch with you if there is an emergency.
42. Wear a fake wedding ring
This tip is for the ladies who are getting unwanted attention in the destination you are in. I'm not so sure that this really helps, but I wear one anyway. Also the finger they wear the ring on might differ from your own culture so you probably want to wear it on the finger they would. I don't have this fake ring from Amazon, but it has many reviews. So either a lot of girls are wearing these traveling, or a lot of girls are getting proposed to with a fake ring.
43. Get to the airport with plenty of time, and depending on the place you are in, look into pre-ordering your transportation back to the airport
This should be a no-brainer but, get to your flight in plenty of time before it leaves, and allow plenty of layover time if you are booking separate flights not on the same ticket. Problems arise, and lines can be long, so unless you are rich enough to buy a new plane ticket if you lose yours due to being late, get there early. In Tajikistan, flights don't fly in and out everyday-- to the US at least. When they do fly out, it's generally an early flight, like 4am. Unless you have someone to drive you to the airport, and it's an early flight, make sure you pre-order a taxi/Uber, or if you are renting a vehicle, allow extra time to return it and shuttle to the airport in time for your flight. There aren't people around, driving all throughout the night, in all places. So make sure you look into this before you leave so you don't have a maybe stressful situation getting to the airport.
44. If taking public transport, always make sure there aren't valuables in your pockets and keep your belongings closed, and in front of you
Pick pocketing and theft still occurs around the world. Be smart about leaving certain valuables at home, and be aware when using public transportation.
45. Do things scared, but not stupid
It is important to step out of your comfort zone not just while traveling, but in life in general. Make sure though if you do something scary, that it is still safe. Even if you know someone else has done it, some things require more experience, and other things are just perceived or manipulated in a way that sends the message it's not actually that dangerous, while it actually is, or vice versa. I remember seeing photos a few years ago where it looked like people were appearing to be dangling off a cliff in Brazil. While this might terrify some, this is how trends get started and their definitely will be people saying "If so many other people are doing it, so can I" and proceed to go hand themselves off a ledge. This however was a perceived view of the event, because it turns out when the camera is zoomed out, you realize these people are not hanging off a cliff but off a rock that is maybe two feet off the ground. Do fun things, but be smart and think of the consequences or particular outcomes your decisions to do certain things could have.
46. If you are going somewhere internationally for a significant period of time, make sure you have a way to keep your local phone number as well
I have lived out of the US for one year now, and this was a mistake I made last year. Logging into my bank accounts, trying to buy flights online on my bank cards, paying my health insurance, forgetting my password for a website, paying taxes, or even needing to log into certain websites like Amazon often times would make me verify who I was with a secondary verification. Sometimes I could use my email as this option to verify who I was. More often than not though, I had to verify these things with a verification code texted to my US number. Having a local number didn't work/or I never received the codes.
47. Keep a journal, voice recordings, or vlog of your trip
Everywhere I go, I am guilty of not doing this, but I am still advising you do it. Bring a journal and try to take time to write down what you are doing. If you are anything like me and don't remember details or events as much as how places made you feel, you will want to keep a record of some of the facts, inside jokes, or stories you make along your adventure.
48. Appreciate and learn about the culture
I am thankful for the many things I have been learning about the culture I am in. It gives me an appreciation for the place I am in, and helps me to not offend others by things that are maybe normal in my own culture. Since coming to Tajikistan for instance, I have learned things like to never throw away leftover bread, that it's important to eat with my right hand (I am left-handed), hospitality is very important here (the people here are spectacular at it), and tea is an essential staple with every meal. I have also learned that corruption is much more rampant where I am. The culture here also does not share my same concept of time, which can be really frustrating or annoying for me at times, but it is also for me to remember I am in a different culture and need to respect and adjust to their way of doing things at times. I also love how important family is in this culture. There can be culture differences in dress, family, mannerisms, education, religion, food, language, etc. Learn what these differences are so that you can be respectful in the place you go.
49. See if you need to set a travel notice for your bank cards
Not all bank cards require this now, but it's a tip to look into just so that when you end up in your destination, your bank cards work and don't think you are a fraud.
50. Try to shop and help out the local community when you can!
There are so many great, small local business out there you can help while traveling. Sure you can try some of the touristy food and souvenir places, but buying local food, or buying handmade gifts can be great gifts for people. Just make sure the local food comes with somewhat decent reviews.
51. It will get lonely at times. Know and prepare for what you need
Personally, I am an introvert and most of the time love my alone time. But yeah. When I first moved to Tajikistan and couldn't communicate with anyone and didn't have good internet to call friends/family, it felt very isolating. It's probably not the right thing I did, but I would try to keep myself busy during these times doing things I love. Going for a run, editing photos, watching a show/movie with comfort food, (or now having better WiFi) calling my friends and family back home are the best things that help when I am feeling lonely.
52. If you are staying somewhere a long time, know that culture shock is real
Culture shock is real, and it is a long process that has it's ups and downs if you are traveling for a significant period of time. This is normal and when you learn what normal feelings are during the different stages of this process, is helpful in pushing through and walking out the process instead of crashing, burning, and giving up. Sometimes your mind will feel like you are in a boat on the most peaceful lake on this travel experience, other times you will feel like you are going through the Drake Passage. While yet other times you might feel like Kuzco going over a large waterfall. Just don't give up. Push through this process. I think one thing I wasn't expecting was to have reverse culture shock as well. After coming back to the US after living abroad for 4 months, I was surprised for my first 3 weeks back in the country I couldn't find my footing. It felt like everyone talked so fast. The grocery stores felt so much bigger. People seemed more anxious. I suddenly saw so much more Materialism. Life honestly just felt like it was moving so fast and I was in slow motion. This obviously will depend on where you are going to, and we are all unique as well so I am not saying you will have the same experiences I did. I am just saying, prepare to encounter some form of culture shock.
53. In the country you are going to, find out if you need to register with the migration police
This maybe isn't the case everywhere, and maybe also depends on what visa you receive/how long you will be in country, but certain countries may require you to register with the migration police after arrival.
54. Pack and prepare for all kinds of weather
I maybe would win an award for the number of times I have not been the smartest packer when it comes to thinking about weather changes. Pack the jacket. Pack the sweatshirt. Whether we want to talk about my first camping experience with friends tenting in 30°F/-1°C on an air mattress and no sleeping bag (just a comforter) or when I went to Cyprus in December and thought "I am going somewhere tropical and won't need really warm clothes"-- wrong! I think my biggest advice for packing for all seasons came in May of 2022 with a camping trip up into the Tajik mountains-- with no jacket. The weather seemed pretty good as I had checked it before I left. I had some thermals because it was still 50's/60's°F (10/15°C) but I definitely didn't think I would need a winter jacket. Well I was proven wrong as huge snowflakes rained down the second morning there. It very quickly caved in about 8 tents, and we were several km away from the nearest village so a vehicle was supposed to go up and down the path to shuttle us down. The only problem was the vehicle went down the first time and didn't come back up again for many hours. None of us had boots, and I had my layers on but was freezing without a jacket. Most of us huddled under this gazebo which was the only structure at the campsite still standing. Even though we weren't too far away from the village, with how much snow had fallen so fast, and no boots, our shoes would have been soaked and feet frozen almost immediately. Finally we were able to be shuttled down to the village after finding out a tree had fallen on the path shortly after the vehicle go down. They had to find a local with a saw, and saw the tree in half before the vehicle could come back up again. When we got down to the village, we learned the road to the city was closed in case of avalanches. So all of us spent the night in a local's house, defrosting, drying our clothes/shoes, drinking tea and eating together. Prepare for all kinds of weather. Pack the jacket. Now I have my favorite Eddie Bauer jacket here with me if you need a good warm jacket for sub zero degree temperatures.
55. Have fun!
Last but not least, have fun! Don't stress about all of these tips. It will end up working out the way it's supposed to-- and hopefully it will be adventures that you will talk about for the rest of your life.
These are just 55 of my own personal recommendations for traveling that you are free to agree or disagree with. Let me know below your thoughts and if you have other tips or recommendations!
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