Tips For An Amateur Traveler, From An Amateur Traveler

Here are ten rules to live by when traveling unglamorously. Gleaned from my personal experiences, these tips will help you navigate planes, trains, automobiles and everything in between.

1. Be confident.

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By having confidence in yourself as you travel, you are less anxious. Less anxiety means the less likely you are to make a mistake. The most important thing you can do to stay confident is be prepared.

2. Check the weather.

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This is a simple task but it is often overshadowed by the hectic flurry of activity leading up to a journey. Being prepared for the weather will make your life a hundred times easier. You'll be glad you packed a raincoat when your car breaks down on the side of the road during a downpour.

3. Make a checklist.

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For larger trips, this is a more involved process. But for smaller, everyday trips use the quick, mental-checklist acronym "PMILK." Phone. Money. Identification. Lip gloss. Keys. Why lip gloss? Okay, the lip gloss technically isn't necessary. It's a vestige from the original source of the acronym which was a feature in Seventeen Magazine. Checklists will help you stay organized and calm.

4. Quadruple check your ticket.

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Check to make sure you have the correct departure time, boarding time, date, airport, train station, etc. While you may think you've got everything right, it couldn't hurt to give your ticket a second, third, maybe fourth glance-over to make sure you're flying at 9:30pm and not 9:30am.

5. Give Yourself Ample Time

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When traveling to an unfamiliar place, it's always a good idea to give yourself some cushion time. There is no worse felling than running late and it is always better to be safe than sorry. An added bonus, when you have plenty of time, you feel less pressure and therefore are less likely to make mistakes!

6. Don't crash your car.

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This one may seem obvious. But people still crash their cars. So just to reiterate, try not to crash your car.

7. Don't be afraid to ask for help.

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When traveling alone, it is possible that you'll get lost. Although we live in an age of smartphones and instantaneous answers, you still have the old-fashioned option of asking a real live person for directions. Try to find authority figures who know the area: police officers, train station employees, and bus drivers are all valid options.

8. Beware of bamboozlers, bandits and bad guys.

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While asking others for help is a legitimate option, be safe about it. Make smart choices in who you ask and how you ask. There are many people out there who wouldn't think twice about taking advantage of a disoriented person. Stay on guard without being overly cynical.

9. Don't Panic.

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Sometimes, things go wrong. Disaster is a fact of life. Your plane might be delayed. Your car might break down. Although it's natural instinct to crumble into a pool of anxious tears, panicking won't help you solve the problem. Keep calm and carry on good chap!

10. Enjoy the journey!

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Don't be a passive traveler. Take mental notes and soak in the experience of being surrounded by life and movement. The destination is often the focus of travel, but don't neglect the exciting things that come along with the process of getting there!