How To Travel Like A Pro
After nearly 15 years of travel to 58 countries, I travel quite a lot. I travel for work and I travel for pleasure. I travel after planning a trip for months and I travel after booking a trip a week in advance. I travel backpacker style, luxury style, and everything in between. And because of all this travel, I like to think I’ve gotten pretty good at it. While many travel tip articles focus solely on what to do while you’re physically traveling, my tips spread beyond the trip itself—because traveling like a pro is prepping yourself to always be ready for your next trip and to recover quickly when you get back home.
Before You Travel
A Ready-To-Go Toiletry Bag
My toiletry bag is always packed and ready to go. This one seems simple, but it really does make all the difference and leads to less stress when it comes time to pack. I have all my favorite travel sized liquids stashed away, a mini hairbrush, an extra toothbrush, toothpaste, a contacts case, etc. All of these items that I use in my day-to-day at home, I have an extra set all packed away, just waiting for my next trip.
Travel Sized Of Your Favorite Liquids
This one is truly a game changer. For someone who enjoys their skincare routine, finding travel sized items of your favorite liquids makes traveling so much more enjoyable. Even if I’m settling in a $15/night hostel in South America, with no AC and I’m covered in bug bites, I have that little hit of routine and comfort when I get to do the same bedtime routine that I do at home.
Sometimes it doesn’t make sense to buy travel sized versions of your favorite products—they can get quite expensive! And to that I say, find refillable travel sized containers that you actually refill and keep. I used to buy cheap ones and throw them away after each trip, but finding ones that are good quality and you actually reuse can make a huge difference.
Have A Plane Go-Bag
You know all of the little things that you may need while traveling? Hand sanitizer, wipes, chapstick, Advil, Tums, earplugs, lotion, etc. All of the little things that you may need on a plane but can be hard to find when the moment arises? I keep them all in one cute little bag. A cute little bag that I always have filled with these items and ready to go for my next trip. While I may use these items on the day-to-day at home, this bag is reserved specifically for travel. So I always know it has everything I need and I can easily toss it in my carry-on when it’s time to hit the road.
Different Bags For Different Trips
Different trips call for different styles of luggage. Many years of traveling paired with a love for shopping has left me with a plethora of bags for travel. While I’m not saying to go out and buy a bunch of new luggage, take stock of what you currently have and mentally assign the style of trip for each piece.
I have my backpack that is the size of a personal item—perfect for weekend getaways on a budget airline. I have a larger backpack for when I’m going on a backpacking trip and want to travel with just one bag. (Let’s be real, I have 3 different variations of this.) I have my carry-on suitcase, perfect for work trips when I want to be a bit more professional. My larger checked bag suitcase for times where I want to overpack a tad.
Having an inventory on your luggage and assigning them to a different category of trip will help you pack with ease. Whenever you have a trip pop up, it’s one less decision you’ll have to make when it comes to packing.
While You’re Traveling
Have Your Airport Routine
The older I get, the more I’ve realized that I crave routine. Which is at odds with absolute love for travel and all of the chaos that comes with it. I’ve found that there are little ways to incorporate routine into my travels, which help to keep me grounded and ward off stress. So now when I get to my local airport, I have my little routine. I pass through security, I get an iced latte from the one coffee shop in my terminal (my home airport is very small.) Then I walk over to Hudson News and grab a large Smartwater and my favorite snack of the moment. I also keep this Smartwater and refill it throughout my entire trip—whether the trip is a few days or a few months. I do this rather than packing a reusable water bottle after losing a favorite while traveling one too many times. Then, I head over to my gate and if all goes according to plan, I have just enough time to drink my coffee before we start to board.
Have Your Flight Routine
The routines don’t stop in the airport! Now you need your routine for once you’re on the plane. For me, it’s finding my seat and getting all settled in. I wipe down my seat, I pull out my water bottle and all of the other things I want easy access to. I put my noise cancelling headphones on immediately and pull out my book while the plane continues to board. Once in the air, it’s usually a battle between knitting and working.
Packing Your Own Food
When I first started flying, it was so exciting to get a “free meal” on a plane. The older I’ve gotten, I’ve of course realized that the food is quite bad and never makes me feel that great. So unless I have the luxury of flying business class internationally, I make a point to either eat a real meal in the airport or pack one for the plane. If it’s a shorter flight where I don’t necessarily need a full meal, I still make a point to pack a variety of good and nutritious snacks. This makes a huge difference in how I feel after a flight, because filling up on Biscoff cookies never sets you up for success. I also have a rule of always having some sort of candy in my bag for any and all travel, for emergency purposes.
After You Travel
Post Travel Recovery Day
My post travel recovery day is sacred and a crucial step in not having a complete meltdown upon my return home. My steps are simple and they’re the same each time.
If I’m coming home after a long trip and I don’t have any groceries, I walk to the Greek market a few blocks down and buy an iced latte to start my day and a pre-made meal for lunch and dinner.
I try my best to not have any work meetings the day I return, instead lightly working and catching up on emails throughout the day.
I go on a nice long walk and have a good stretch! No matter how far I’ve travelled, I find that this helps me reset and feel good when I return back home.
I order groceries. (See next tip.)
I don’t overwhelm myself with fully unpacking, but try to at least get all my dirty clothes in one place. And if I really have my shit together, I will do my laundry that first day back.
I end my night with the pre-made meal I bought earlier in the day, take an everything shower, and settle in for a good show or a book before popping a melatonin and going bed.
Outsource Where You Can
When you get back from a trip , there is usually a lot to do and get caught up on. If you’re like me, I still have to work a full-time job while also trying to unpack, clean the house, do laundry, and grocery shop. So outsourcing any chore helps to make my transition back home a little bit easier.
For me, that’s ordering Instacart and having my groceries delivered. If I could afford to outsource cleaning my house and doing the laundry when I get home, I’d do that too. But taking this one chore out of my day makes a huge difference and helps me to get a fully stocked fridge asap—which then allows me to settle back into my regular routine even quicker.
Cheers To Your Next Trip!
I hope you enjoyed all of my tips and that you’re now all set to travel like a pro! While the common tips people share of staying hydrated, packing a scarf, wear comfortable shoes, etc. are all great tips in general, being a pro traveler stretches far beyond the trip itself. It’s prepping your life and your routine so travel doesn’t throw you off or stress you out.
What are your favorite travel tips that stretch beyond travel itself?
