10 travel skills that you should learn

10 travel skills that you should learn

We at Atlas & Boots are occasionally asked for our “expert advice” on the subject of travel. We find this flattering and embarrassing in equal parts. Because what makes an "expert traveler" at all? Is it just to know how to pack well, where to take out insurance and how to collect air miles? Or does that go deeper?

We asked our readers what exactly is a travel expert. The resulting list of travel skills gives us - and our readers - something that we can concentrate on next year.

1. Speak a second language

alt = “Travel ability: Western woman who speaks to a local boatman”> Dream time

In the El Hostal de Jackie in Santa Marta we met our first embarrassing tourist in South America. The girl, a red -haired mid -twenties, unsuccessfully tried to communicate with the receptionist.

she twisted her eyes when she looked at another backpacker. "I got down earlier, but they didn't help at all. They only spoke to me Spanish." The receptionist interrupted her politely and asked about her 'Numbre'. "My number? What do you need my number for?" asked her irritated. I gently leaned away. "Um, 'nombre' means name." I tried to sound helpful instead of evaluating, but I'm a Briton, so it was somewhere in between.

The truth is that I have made the same mistake before (I came to Berlin without a word German), but have now learned my lesson. I think we all agree that learning a second language is one of the most useful travel skills that you can acquire. Make 2016 the year you start.

How it works: Which language is best learned? Expert tips for learning several language language learning tools for lazy learnero improve your vocabulary

2. Speak to strangers

The first time that Peter started chatting with a stranger was on our very first journey together (Iceland a few years ago). The stranger in question was a pretty waitress, so I thought that he only exercised his male instinct.

An hour later we sat with two strong Icelandic boys and exchanged stories about our trips abroad. It quickly became clear to me that Peter was very good at talking to strangers. He had traveled far and wide, which had forced him to start talks over many cultures and places and to make friendships. I have certainly gotten better in this in the course of our big trip, but I still have a long way to go. This year is the year of improvement.

How to do: Tips for talking to Female, like you can find friends in a new country,

3. Local photography

alt = "Travel ability: old Indian man in the yellow turban"> Dream time

The interaction with locals is such an essential part of travel and thus also photography. Unfortunately, at Atlas & Boots, we have never felt quite comfortable to photograph people. Stoping and snapping has always felt pushy, but there are better ways to do this.

Participation instead of watching is the most effective way. When you speak to people without ulterior motives, you will often find a natural opportunity to photograph you. Regardless of whether you are a hobby photographer or not, you will find that this is one of the most useful travel skills you can learn.

This is how it works: Tips for taking pictures of locals

4. Switch off

An experienced traveler can switch off all of your devices and enjoy the moment as it is. She has no palpitations if it is outside the WLAN reach, or checks emails several times a hour.

In the past, it was very easy for me to switch off on my travels ... until I started a travel blog. Now I'm usually connected everywhere, but I always appreciate it when I am not. Without distractions you can slow down, enjoy nature and take a breather. In 2016 I will try to travel more than before.

This is how it works: Delete your social apps, separate your email connection and deactivate notifications. If possible, leave your smartphone in your hotel or hostel. Consider book a stay in a hotel without WiFi. If you have to become nuclear, visit an island or an area that has no WLAN at all. We recommend Mafana Island in Tonga or Rarotonga on the cook islands. The latter has WiFi, but it is so expensive that they could be just as good on the moon.

5. Travel alone

alt = “How to improve your vocabulary: Reading woman on the water”> dream time

I prefer to travel with a companion, but traveling alone can be exciting. The exploration of an unknown place where you don't know anyone is challenging, scary and exciting. It gives them valuable time for themselves, helps them strengthen their self -confidence and forces them to be self -employed. There are also some practical advantages. It facilitates travel planning, gives you complete control over where you are going and what you do and helps you to keep your budget. If you have never been to your year in 2016.

This is how it works: tips for solo travelers

6. Save money

"Did you win the lottery or something?" A friend recently commented on a Facebook photo of us on the Easter Island.

Unfortunately the answer was no. We were on the Easter Island because we had saved for our big trip for a year. In the course of this year, Peter and I submitted an amount every month until we had reached our target of £ 20,000 ($ 30,000). Saving was much easier than we expected, and as everyone experienced travelers knows, it is so often cheaper to be on the road than to live at home.

If you have always dreamed of traveling in the long term, make 2016 the year in which you set a goal and start saving.

This is how it works: So you save for a year travel

7. Exchange trading

alt = “Travel ability: Feilschen with woman in the boat”> Dream time

My family comes from Bangladesh, so I am in my blood. Regardless of whether we are at a market stall in Marrakech or an electronics shop in San Francisco, I always ask whether "something can be done on the price".

In La Peter insisted that I would never get a discount on the repair of my broken iPhone. I asked anyway. The seller said no, but at the cash register he enforced it with his staff discount and gave us a $ 20 discount. An experienced traveler knows how and when to exchange, when to put pressure on and when to withdraw.

This is how it works: Always exchange your face with a smile, have a target price in mind, but let the provider first name its price. Push, but do not insult (if you reach your target price, you not only push further for fun). Finally, the Good Cop-Bad-COP routine works wonders. Peter plays the perfect English gentleman and I the pointed mouse - of course always with a smile.

8. Basic survival

on the slopes of the Nevis Peak in St. Kitts & Nevis, I realized how hopeless I was to record a trail. Every time I lost Peter from my eyes, I lost the trail and had to call it beforehand. I was just as hopeless for other basic skills such as compass and card reading, finding a good campsite, igniting a campfire and packing the right equipment.

Basic knowledge is useful for all travelers, especially for those who love adventure. It is easy to be complacent if your travel companion is an outdoor expert, but it is important to learn these skills yourself.

How it works: How to use a compass and a card so you will find a good campsite How to build a campfire on the ultimate camping checklist

9. Patience

Alt = "Samoaian buses in Samoa"> Atlas & Boots

When I was waiting for a bus for 15 minutes in London, I was always excited. Hours passed on the way, and I casually set it to the "island time", the universal time zone for travel.

Experienced travelers can switch to a different way of thinking. They accept that plans go wrong and missed connections, but still keep a good mood and optimism.

How to do it: How to keep a sense of humor when traveling

10. Demut

If you had a good time and nobody knows about it, did you really have a good time?

It seems that more and more people are the answer no. For some, the compulsion to grab and share every meal, every cocktail, every sunrise and sunset, is simply too strong. As a travel blogger, we understand it just like any other, but there is a narrow line between the sharing of your travels and complacency (think of Instagram pictures of cocktails with the heading "My way to work on Monday morning").

When you are traveling in 2016, try to empathize with people at home who are not right. With her 17th Sangria in Shangri-La, she will not make it popular with anyone.

This is how it works: Instead of sharing a detailed report about your travels, try to upload an album with your photos at the end of your vacation. This has the additional advantage that it helps you to switch off. If your work revolves around travel, you can share it more often, but be modest!

you will find travel savings for 2016 with Ultimate Travel from Lonely Planet, a list of 500 fantastic places around the world.

Mission statement: Dreamstime

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