Ayla’s Voyage Blog

Publish Date: Thursday, October 22, 2009
Hello everyone! As you know, for our trip, we’ll be doing a ton of abroad travel to different countries, with different customs and languages. When traveling abroad, it can definitely seem super scary and foreboding or unknown. But you can break out and make it an experience you’ll never forget! I think the most important part of travel is to blend with the local culture. Sure, it’s awesome to go see the big landmarks like the Pantheon in Rome or the Acropolis in Athens, but it’s also really important (and fun) to take walks along the tiny side streets, wander into quaint neighborhoods, and eat at places off the beaten track. Here are some tips I’ve found useful when traveling in a different country:

1. Learn words in their language! Definitely find out how to say “Hello”, “Goodbye”, “Please”, and “Thank you” in the local tongue. Also, people at restaurants and markets really, really appreciate it if you try to order a meal in their language! Even if you don’t get it perfect, they love the effort, and will help you along the way!
2. Order local meals. Pizza in Italy? Sure! Pizza in Germany? Not so much. People at restaurants, markets, and food stores LOVE if you ask about the local dishes and specialties. Plus, it makes it more fun for you to try new things and immerse yourself in culture!
3. Partake in festivals and such. If below your hotel there are lots of local people in fancy costumes, dancing to a type of music you’ve never heard before, should you go join them? Absolutely! Even if you don’t go all out, observing and tapping your foot to the beat is enough. If you’re feeling super excited though, join in their dances, and sing along to their music.
4. Make friends! It may seem like since you can’t speak their language, you can’t make friends or meet people. Well, maybe you can’t have detailed discussions about the latest Harry Potter book, or your favorite subject in school, but smiles, laughs, music, and effort go a long way. Really! A few years ago, my family and I chartered a boat in Greece for two weeks. We were in a marina on Hydra, and there was a sailboat next to us with a girl my age on it. She was Norwegian, and we didn’t speak the same language, but we still spent almost two hours out on the bow of our boat playing with dolls, drawing pictures, and playing catch.
5. Go off the beaten track. It’s certainly important to see all of the big and important buildings, landforms, and landmarks, but I also think it’s really important to get off the main road, and see the country at its best…in the quaint neighborhoods. Eat at bakeries run by generations of families, buy fish from fisherman who have been out at sea since before you were born, and look into the tiny boutiques, paper stores, and knick-knack shops on the little back streets. Chances are, these are the places that you will look back on happily.

Besides these abroad travel tips, I have some tips for “normal” travel. Whether you are flying to the state or province next to you, or going across the ocean, these are good tips to know for safe, pleasant, and easy travel.

1. Get a great night sleep. It is really important when traveling to sleep well the night, or week, leading up to the big trip. This way, you are alert, and not lethargic while traveling. If you have to get up early to catch a flight, go to bed earlier than usual.
2. Drink tons of water. It’s super important to stay hydrated. Planes have a funny way of sucking the water out of you. I know I get headaches whenever I’m dehydrated, so if you want to be super alert and feel good for travel, water is a necessity.
3. Eat well! For travel, make sure you have good, substantial, and healthy meals to keep you going. Those trays you can buy at airport cafes or train stations are really good with the cheese, bread, and fruit. Potato chips and stuff are great on the side, but you want to have something that lasts long and keeps your energy up!

Ok! I hope you enjoyed some of these travel tips. I have found them pretty useful! Thanks and see you ‘round the seas!