How to Be Travel Savvy
Jason Borrevik’s Five Tips That Will Help to Transform Any Tourist Into a Seasoned Traveler
It’s easy to be a tourist. Tourists do minimal research into rates and fares and buy plane tickets and holiday packages when it is convenient for them. Tourists do not learn about their destination beforehand, denying themselves the cultural and historical contexts of their chosen location. Tourists over-pack, and take multiple suitcases, backpacks, and bags with them on vacation. Tourists assume that everything will go well on their trip, and, consequently, do not anticipate worst-case scenarios and plan accordingly. Tourists arrive at a resort and never stray from it, or they embark on to a cruise ship but do not take advantage of the special port-of-call day trips. Tourists see the most famous attraction in the city, but rarely explore further.
So, this begs the question, why be a tourist when it’s so much better to be a savvy traveler? Here are five tips to help anyone transform from a tourist into a nimble globetrotter, courtesy of Jason Borrevik, a frequent traveler from Eugene, Oregon.
Be Thorough in Pre-Trip Preparation
Data analysis has shown that the cheapest domestic airfares are available between 50 to 60 days before departure, the cheapest international airfares are available between two to three months prior, and that Thursday is the day of the week when airlines offer the cheapest tickets. Some data analysts went to all the trouble of figuring all this out; take advantage of it!
Closer to the date of departure, Jason Borrevik recommends downloading Entrain, a smart phone application developed by the University of Michigan that is designed to combat jetlag by helping to sync up circadian rhythms while traveling. It does this through tracking sleep and wake-up habits, as well as exposure to indoor and outdoor light.
Research the Destination
Savvy travelers do not deny themselves knowledge of their holiday destination’s history and culture, but rather learn all they can ahead of time. The benefits of doing this are hard to quantify, but they can be as valuable and wide-ranging as finding attractions that are not so well known, to avoiding a little-known cultural faux pas with the local population. There are other, more practical reasons to conduct thorough research before leaving on a trip. Oftentimes, tidbits from regional tourism boards or insights from other travelers can lead to meaningful financial savings. Additionally, Jason Borrevik explains that learning the reputation of certain neighborhoods or establishments in your destination (whether they are reputable, dangerous, or expensive, etc.) can be quite useful information.
Pack Light
This could be the most valuable piece of advice on this list. Pack light, period. Any seasoned traveler will tell you this will improve any vacation exponentially. Ideally, anything you take with you on a trip should fit into a small backpack — this will make air travel far less arduous, but also preserve personal adaptability during any leg of the trip. Want to scrap the plans for the day and hike a nearby trail on a whim? Such off-the-cuff decisions are uncomplicated when all of one’s personal possessions can be effortlessly slung over a shoulder for easy transport.
Anticipate Worst-Case Scenarios
All told, there are certain items which should always be inside that small backpack: an extra bank card, an extra credit card, extra pairs of socks, and a sturdy lock chief among them. When traveling — especially abroad — any number of things can go wrong and potentially ruin a trip. Anticipating worst-case scenarios beforehand and planning accordingly is the best defense against this happening. Jason Borrevik also recommends keeping photocopies of important documents (citizenship papers, passports, birth certificates, etc.), a second phone, and a stash of the local currency hidden somewhere a thief might not think to look.
Stray From the Itinerary
Although it is wise to make an overall strategy for a vacation, noting all the landmarks, museums, and attractions that hold the most appeal, it is important to not over-plan. Developing an hour-by-hour schedule or a rigidly planned itinerary is an easy way to wreck what is, after all, supposed to be a restful and enjoyable experience — especially when traveling with others. Adaptability and openness to new and unplanned experiences are the hallmark of the savvy traveler.
Jason Borrevik knows that by employing these five tips, anyone can become a seasoned traveler. Bon voyage!
