My Random Travel Tips

Hi everyone!  This post is a bit random, I just wanted to share a bunch of my best travel tips that cover all different areas you may be curious about

1)  Electrical items when traveling abroad.  Most electronics are fine in other countries as long as you have an adapter plug (I get mine from Magellan's) so that you can actually plug it into an outlet, but some require extra attention.  For large items like laptops, I suggest ordering a surge protector adapter which also "grounds" the connection.  I am not an engineer, so I don't know exactly what that means in technical terms but it is basically a larger adapter (usually with 2 slots) that protects your laptop from any differences in electrical voltage or power surges, which can be common in some countries. 

Secondly, heat items.  For me, this is mainly hair tools like straighteners, curling irons, etc.  Do not try to bring your hair tools and plug them in, even with an adapter and a voltage converter.  I have broken 3 different hair straighteners over the years using adapters and converters, even ones "specially made for use with heat products" apparently it wasn't!  I suggest just buying new tools in whatever country you're visiting, and that way you can always bring them with you when you travel in the area again.  I have a UK straightener and an EU straightener, both purchased from local drugstores, that I always bring with me when I'm going to Europe or the UK.  Since the items are for a shorter time, you don't need to splurge on a hugely expensive top of the line one either, I think my UK one was about 20$

2)  Shopping.  I love to shop, and I love to explore stores in different countries, particularly ones that we don't have in the US.  However, you should be mindful of what you are buying when it comes to certain items, since the pricing is usually different country to country.  Try to focus on items that you can't get back home, and if you are running low on something from a brand based in your home country, try to repurchase before leaving (if you are bringing it with you) rather than purchasing a refill in your destination city.  I say this because I ran out of my Laura Mercier face powder in Dublin and bought a refill in Brown Thomas which ended up being at least 20$ more than it would have been in the US.  Look out for things like that!

On a more positive note, sometimes foreign branches of US stores have different items than you may be used to, so take a look!  I always find awesome things in Italian Zaras that I never see in the ones here.  I've gotten some of my favorite pieces in the store on Via del Corso in Rome. 

3)  Beating jet lag.  If you arrive in your vacation city in the morning or afternoon, push yourself to complete the day before going to sleep.  Jet lag is awful, and I'm always a zombie when I get off a plane, but you'll be in much better shape if you can try to get on a normal schedule and adjust to the new location's time.  Try to not go to bed before 7 or 8pm if you can possibly manage it.  This way, if you do get up early, it won't be 2 or 3 am, but a more normal time like 7 or 8.  I've given in to the sleepiness a few times and gone to bed at 3 or 4 pm local time and always wake up at 2/3am wide awake with nothing to do.  My mom was really angry with me when we went to Scotland and I made her go to see some sights without taking a nap the first day.  She was a big cranky pants, but the next day she admitted that she was glad I pushed her, because it put her on a normal schedule.  The same goes for returning home, try to stay up as long as you can if it is not already nighttime so that you can wake up on a regular schedule. 

4)  Google Earth.  I love Google Earth.  I think it's a fantastic travel tool, and I always use it when planning a trip.  Firstly, it can help you get ideas for hotels or apartments since you can actually see what an area really looks like, and virtually walk the streets.  Sometimes a place will look fine in photos, but when you look on Google Earth you may find that the surrounding neighborhood is a little shady or something.  Definitely give it a look and decide if you are comfortable in the area or not.  Secondly, if you have your laptop with you, check Google Earth before heading out to find a location.  I do this a lot before I head out in search of something because it allows you to look for landmarks like perhaps a store with a red awning is right across from that museum you're searching for, or the street is hidden at an oddly curved angle, etc.  It can be hard to only search by street names at times, and I really love to have the visual aids in my mind.  Google Earth reminds me of getting directions from a friend who tells you, "If you pass the pizza place, you've gone too far!"

5) Travel Forums.  If you have any specific questions, don't hesitate to post on a travel forum.  I personally love TripAdvisor, you can find so much information on their forums and if you can't find what you're looking for, you can post your own question, whatever it may be. I recommend browsing sites like that before a trip just to get an idea of what the local areas of concern and interest might be