And
Ones That Relate to Greece
Tip
1
Put
on layers. In Greece, it is mostly warm but many tourists get tricked because it
isn't always warm and sunny, it rains sometimes. This is why I would
recommend dressing in layers that you can always take off. It is good to bring a raincoat so that the rain doesn't spoil your vacation by making you sick.
Tip
2
If
you are a tourist who travels frequently then you probably know this tip
already. In every country, even the safest city in the world, pickpockets are
everywhere. To make it harder for them to steal your things, simply put the most
valuable or important things at the bottom of your bag, in your shoes, or around your neck. Carry your backpack on the front of your body, not the back. It is very easy for someone to steal your things if you cannot see them. You can also make a
little pouch that you can put on your neck for your passport, visa, or money. The most important things you
have to take on the trip is your money, passport, visa, and ticket.
Fun
fact: Greece is supposedly the safest country in Europe.
Tip
3
Don't
look rich. Don't put on expensive jewelry or
attractive watches because that will attract robbers and emphasize that you are
not from that country (especially if the country or areas are not well
developed).
Tip
4
If
you are on a tour, don't be late because that will make people dislike you and make you have fewer friends on the trip. A funny thing was that when I and my parents went to Israel, we had a tour guide that said that if someone was late 2 times, they would have to fund everyone a drink. As you have probably noticed, I am talking a lot about tours because we are on a tour right now. The company we are currently traveling with is called “Gate 1 Travel”
and it is an amazing tour company in my opinion because
the price is good for the luxurious food they serve, good guides they hire, and good quality hotels they bring us to. The reason for this is because the company is very big and they can get reasonable prices from restaurants and hotels. I have met lots of friends on our tour and become very
close to them. I think that trips are a great time to meet great friends. Greece is my fourth Gate 1 Travel tour and I have
friends from all of the tours we have done!
Tip
5
If
you are on a tour, you shouldn't put your backpack at the bottom of the bus
luggage trunk because it is impossible and annoying to get out 60 pieces of luggage just for
one or two pieces that you need from your bag. Carry a backpack with the things
you need it most.
Tip
6
If
the distance is big from one place to another, the country is big, and there is
lots of historical information that is good to know (like Greece), then it is better to take an organized tour
because you can take a bus everywhere and the company does all the planning for you. The tour may not be exactly the way you wanted it but then you can simply buy a cheaper tour and separate from them when you are not happy. What I mean is that, when traveling with a group, all you have to do it just bring your luggage and you are all set. The tour guide will tell you some essential tips and things about the country. It is a lot of work to plan and there is not a lot of time to research the history but when with a group, it is great because there are many coordinated parts and the guide tells all the important things.
A funny story was that when we went to India and were trying our Gate 1 Travel for the first time, we were not sure if it was going to be good but it as so inexpensive and only cost the amount a flight would be, that we decided that if it was bad, we would simply separate from them. The cool thing was that it was so great that now we are basically only traveling with this company.
Tip
7
Don't
ask your tour guide too many questions. If you do, the tour won't ask you to ask
more because you will run ahead of the topic and the guide will have no more interesting things to
surprise you with. There is a great chance that he will not like you because you will just be saying the things that he wanted to say. Also, it is bad to ask questions that
you already know the answer to because what's the point of wasting the tour
guide's time when he can be telling things that are important to know?
Tip
8
If
you are a guide or blog writer who doesn't give too much information at once. This
isn't only a tip for traveling. If there is too much information people can get
overwhelmed and bored. This makes tourists less interested later. With that in
mind, I won't write more information for today because you guys won't read the
rest of this guide ;).
Tip
9
Sometimes
after you come out of the plane, you have jet lag and are very tired. On the first day when you arrive, you probably don't feel like going out for dinner. This is okay, it is important to get your rest so that you are not moody throughout the rest of the trip. This is also when you should bring
some type of instant soup that you can add water to and soup is ready to eat in
no time or other easy snacks to make. I know this may sound a bit weird, but
the soups are pretty easy to make if you don't have a full stove and lots of
equipment. Furthermore, it is handy to take an electric kettle with universal voltage.
Tip
10
Usually,
if you have three or more people in your family, take a taxi. It is a lot
faster, cheaper, and more efficient. An example of a place that works like this
is Greece. To go to the airport it cost 10 euros per person by subway. Since I
have two other people in my family, that is 30 euros. That is only for the blue
line; we also have to take the red line which costs 1.50 per person. The whole
cost would be 36.50, while the taxi is a lot cheaper. Even the locals say that
a taxi is not overpriced like in other countries in Europe.
Tip
11
There
is no way to completely stop jet lag but there are a few ways to make it less
severe. One way is to stop watching the movies on the plane and go to sleep
instead. Usually, the screen's brightness
wakes you up on the plane ride and causes pain in your eyes and possibly even a
headache. You might think that it's a good deal because you can watch a movie for free, but in reality, this is not a good deal because you can watch
the same movie online for about $2.99, while the whole vacation can cost $1,500
per person. I hope you think through the decision of watching a cheap
movie.
Tip
12
Before
you go on your trip, scan your passport and credit or debit card, and other things that
are important to you. Later email it to yourself just in case you lose them.
This will ensure that you have the number of your credit card so that you can call your bank to stop a transaction that is not yours and could have been caused by the person that stole or found your credit card. You
can also print out a copy so your partner can carry it while you carry the one
that is original just in case there are any problems when you split up during
your travel.
Tip
13
Before
you travel, request “hold mail” for your mail so it all comes a day before you
arrive. This makes sure that nothing is cramped in your mailbox; also, the mailman has an easier job as well.
Tip
14
Before
you travel, call the credit or debit card company so when you use your credit
or debit card abroad, your bank knows that you are abroad and won't block your
card when you make a purchase. If you do not do this, the bank will think it is someone else from a
a different country that is using your card.
Tip
15
If
you or any of your family members traveling with you like a warm room, bring a
mini heater with you. It is even better if the heater takes both 110V (America) and 220V (Europe and other countries). Even in a very warm country, your clothes can get wet and
with the heater, you can dry them. In warm countries, there's also central AC
and they usually turn it up too much so having a mini heater won't hurt.
Tip
16
Tip
17
Remember
not to bring too many clothes to carry if you are moving around the country a
lot. I recommend that you bring 3 shirts, 4 t-shirts, one sweater, one jacket,
one hat, 3 pairs of pants, two to three pairs of shoes, and a pair of socks for
each day. For them to be used well, you should wear them at least two times
during the trip, depending on how long the trip is of course. You do not have to look good unless you are going on a honeymoon. Well actually, you are married already so it doesn't matter. Well actually, I take that back, your spouse can still divorce you ;). The amount of
clothes that I recommend is only for about 8 days but if your trip is longer
than adjust the number of clothes that you choose to take with you. It also
depends a lot on what place of the world you are going to because of the temperature. When it is hot or cold you will need more clothes and when the temperature is average, you will need an average amount. You will need more in the heat because you will sweat and there will be a larger size of the clothes when you are going to a cold place since coats are big.
Tip
18
Download
some Google maps so that they are available offline so as not to get lost in case there's no internet access. Most of the time there is no internet
access in the countries that are not as well developed. I assure you that with
Google maps you will not get lost because you can even ask to go to a certain
location and the map will tell you exactly the amount of time it will take you
to arrive, the distance, and the route of course.
Tip 19
Bring an extra pair of socks on the plane ride. This is a good way to keep warm. It is also a good way to relax your feet because instead of keeping your feet in your shoes, keep your original pair of socks and add another one on top so they are like slippers. This way your original socks won't get dirty from the floor of the aircraft and you can walk around without feeling repellent.
Tip
20
Come early to the airport, this is something that must be done to have a great trip and not to stress. If you are not on time you'll have to buy another, very expensive ticket. If you are not more than 2 hours early then you will have to rush to the boarding gate of your airplane. Why stress if you can be relaxed and happy by coming a bit early. It is always okay to wait at the airport for the plane to arrive. Lastly, if you rush it is easy to lose something important such as a passport or Visa. Without a rush, you can remember all the stuff you need. Is it worth not wasting $1,000 just for 2 hours?
I
hope you found these tips helpful. See the next article to find some more
helpful tips.
