Essential travel hacks for the wanderer in You !!

"Everyone loves to travel but few are sure of the execution".

This write up is for those people who are unsure of the execution part. These tips will help you in minimising your travel related concerns and also will help the experienced one's in saving time & money. My attempt here is to help you travel better and for that simple reason I have compiled my favourite travel hacks which I learned from my solo backpacking days. I hope these tips will be useful when you plan your next dream trip.

1) Claim that advance booking bonus.

The normal trend is price will go up as you get closer to your travel dates and hence booking your accommodation as well as flights/bus tickets well in advance gets you better deals.

2) Plan for off season advantage.

Different places have different tourist seasons and hence do your research. Peak season often create chaos everywhere and will consume more of your energy, money & time. Off-season reward you with "Better rates, shorter lines & calm vacation".

3) Hostels.

If you compare with hotels, resorts & home stays, hostels are more wallet friendly accommodation option. Unlike others hostels will give you an ultimate backpacking experience because you are getting the opportunity to share rooms with people from all walks of life. These days most of the hostels offer free breakfast & apart from dorm rooms you also have family friendly rooms too.

4) Couch-surf

If you are too much budget oriented, you may try couch surfing which is gaining lot of popularity these days. Couch surfing is a concept where people let you share their home for few days. You will get a separate living space or a room where you can accommodate yourself. Many hosts share their kitchen too where you can polish your cooking skills and also learn from the hosts. For more details check www.couchsurfing.org

5) Go incognito

Don't let them track your browsing behavior. Most websites keep an eye on your search pattern when you search for something over and over again and often show you higher prices than usual. So keep incognito tab on especially when you are searching for flights & hotels.

6) Follow "wear the heaviest & carry the lightest" rule

When you travel always wear the heaviest clothes and shoes. This will give you more space in your baggage and helps you in saving money since most Airlines charge higher rates for excess baggage. When packing for winters instead of keeping jackets and woollens in suitcase wear them or carry them in your hand.

7) Flight bookings.

Look for the early morning (5am to 9am) flights, usually they are the cheapest of the day. Normally ticket rates are less on Tuesday when you compare with other days. Front rows will give you more leg room and back rows usually termed as the safest spot when an unfortunate event happen. Make the most out of the sale events announced by Airlines & websites like Makemytrip, Goibibo, Yatra etc and sometimes the price is little cheaper when you book directly through the Airline website.

8) Make the most out of your Credit / Debit Cards

Gone are the days we use our cards only for cash withdrawal and to swipe at merchant establishments. If your card varient is visa/mastercard platinum many airport lounges gives two complimentary access in every three months. More over many card issuers are having tip ups with hotels/restaurants across the country n outside where in you will get 10% to 15% discount on your spending. There are higher varieties of cards which gives you free air tickets & also air miles which you can redeem against your flight booking. So chose your card wisely and claim the maximum advantage out of it.

9) Hotel Booking
     a) Unless it's complimentary forget about complimentary breakfast offered by your hotel.
     b) Use third party websites for hotel booking which offers great discounts than hotel websites & spot payment.
     c) Post GST be careful about the price you are paying online for booking. Many cases the price won't include GST and GST amount you need to pay directly at the Hotel.
     d) Try hotel booking apps and fare comparison websites for better deals.
     e) Travel off season or else book in advance during peak season.
     f) Weekend stays tend to be more expensive and hence prefer weekdays if your time and schedule permits.
     g) Check and opt for a family room or try for extra bed option than booking two rooms.
     h) If you are planning to stay in a particular hotel for more than three days ask the hotel guys for a complimentary night stay or late check-out.
     i) Book a cab from outside and don't tell the hotel guys to arrange one for you. They normally charge a higher premium.

10) Keep your card & money seperate. Also don't always keep everything in your wallet. Keep something even inside your shoes too!! Yes I mean it Shoes. This will surely save you in emergencies.

11) Buy a sturdy water bottle & an empty snack box n carry along. Most places buying a bottle of water is a costly affair and hence carrying one is always serve the purpose. If you are going for a hike or a long walk fill your snack box with what ever you could take from your heavy complimentary breakfast menu. Don't feel that its cheap & unethical, in some dessert like places you won't even find a candy seller.

12) Few more tips.

      a) Don't fold, roll and pack your clothes.
      b) Scan your passport, driving licence and other valid documents and add the same to your Drop box or email a copy to your self so that u can access it from anywhere when needed.
      c) Keep a small backpack or day pack in your suitcase or rucksack. It will be useful for carrying snacks, water, camera and other stuffs when roaming around.
      d) Always pack a big shawl which can be handy when you need a scarf, a bedsheet or a towel
      e) Carry your unused spectacle box for keeping coins, charging cables and other little things.
       f) Invest in a good multipurpose jacket & good shoes.
       g) Always carry a small notebook and write down important contact details and keep a copy of your Itinerary. This will help you when your gadgets start misbehaving.
       h) Always pack light and keep little space in your suitcase for keeping the sovereigns & other stuffs you are collecting from places.
       i) Rent a bicycle and stay healthy.
       j) Eat light and drink less water in overnight journey's.
       k) Dress according to the weather.
       l) State Road Transport corporation buses are cheaper than the private carrier's.

           & finally don't ever hesitate to bargain or negotiate on every deal !!

The above simple yet useful tricks helped me a lot during my journeys and hope it will help you too while planning your trip. Feel free to share your views about it and also add important hacks which I forgot to mention here and was useful in your trips. Stay cool & always travel smart :)

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