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4 Tips On Washing Your Clothes While Travelling

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So your clothes are dirty and you haven’t washed them in a week!

You may have stuffed your luggage full with clothes for all the seasons. You then realize that you don’t need half of what you packed and end up chucking out some or maybe donating them to a charity.

This will save you space, reduce luggage load and also provide some good karma in the world.

So you might end up wearing your  each of your clothes for a day longer. With that in mind, you might find it challenging, keeping it all clean but there are a few ways to manage for little to no cost. It is easier than you might think to keep everything clean.

Below are a few pointers that I use which work well, maybe you could use them too:

  1. Sink-wash

This is basic and simple but effective. Block the drain of the sink, add in some shampoo or soap, add in the hot but not boiling water and wash your stuff by hand.

All you need is some elbow grease and some free soap from a dispenser! Probably one of the more popular ways for travellers to wash their clothing and it costs very little.

If you find that the sink drain is leaking or even missing, then use a rolled up sock or a dish cloth, stuffing it in, blocking the drain hole.

Wrap up the sock/cloth in a grocery bag to improve your man-made plug’s effectiveness! When you’re done, just rinse off all of your clothes and unplug the sink.

  1. Cha-ching! Coin-operated machines

A lot of places will have coin operated machines in communal areas. However, you will typically find these in cities, larger towns or touristy holiday resorts.

Hostels, guesthouses and hotels may have some washing/drying machines, ask at your reception.

So you place your clothes in the drum, input the time and/or temperature, add in some washing detergent and insert your coins to start your wash.

Tip: Laundromats are great places for meeting people, where you can have a quick chat as you wait for your fresh clothes.

  1. The laundry lady

Though not always the case, there may be laundry services available for a small fee. Simply arrange with the laundry person to do your laundry for you and you won’t be left having to do it yourself!

  1. Last but not least, drying your clothes

Finding a quick, efficient way of drying your newly washed clothes is essential!  Some climates will be better for outdoor drying.

So it the sun is out, and your accommodation has a clothesline outside, drying your clothes out there will only take a few hours.

What about in bad weather?

If there’s bad weather or if you’re in a hurry to the airport you’ll be forced to dry clothes indoors. Here’s a neat way to speed up your drying:

Using a dry towel, stretch it out over your bed, putting the garment over that towel.

Then by rolling it up as  tightly as possible and leaving it for a while, any excess moisture will be absorbed from the towel, seeing up your drying time!

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6 Things To Pack In Your Carry-On Bag

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Packing the little bag?

No matter where you in the world, your routine for packing the carry-on bag should nearly always be the same.

Just ensure that you have all of your essential items and whatever clothes you need to ensure comfort.

Depending on the flight or sea crossing, you might need to bring a carry-on case or bag or you maybe you’ll only require a large purse.

So whether you are booked in for a 30-min domestic flight or a 12-hour transatlantic one, below is a quick guide to help you pack for a smooth journey including some recommendations for bags to carry on with you!

  1. A backpack

If you are bringing gadgets like tablets or cameras then it might be wise to purchase a camera & laptop backpack, due to extra padding.

This will protect your gadgets and holds extra little bits like chargers or maybe a mini tripod, while still having lots of pockets and space for the rest of your essentials.

  1. A tote or gym bag

You should always pack a nylon tote, no matter what carry-on bag you use. These totes really are a dream for traveling!

Totes can fold right up to a small size to be easily stored away and they open out much larger giving you an additional travel bag if needed or you can simply use it as your main carry-on bag.

Gym style bags can often be a good option too. Just get a lightweight, durable one with good comfortable handles.

Having a cross-body strap might come in handy if you are carrying it while walking.

 

  1. A travel pillow

Get yourself a good quality adjustable pillow for your neck that will inflate with just a few big breaths or air.

Good ones will have a quick-release button for letting the air out, so you can adjust your comfort level or deflate quickly and put it back into storage.

  1. Some ear plugs

For long flights, you might want to get some sleep. Having a decent pair of ear plugs is a good cheap investment.

You’ll enjoy more comfort, fewer distractions and might just save yourself some sanity from a crying baby or loudly snoring man beside you!

It’s all about noise reduction, comfort and cost effectiveness! Look for the best noise reduction ones on the market that fits your budget.

  1. Snacks

You can usually bring some fruit or nuts on with you to the plane. You can also try out some healthy snack bars, most cafes or airport shops have these now. You won’t make yourself too full, while also giving yourself some good energy, with delicious natural ingredients.

 

  1. Hand sanitizer

Think of how many people are hopping on and off that same airplane that you have just been on! It’s not surprising to realize that bacteria is rampant.

You can play your part by keeping clear of any airplane bacteria build-up by not spreading them any further. Get yourself some wipes and sanitizer to keep the germs at bay!

 

Nearly packed…

So there you go, six things to pack into your bag and some good recommended bag types. Keep an eye on my next post for some more items to pack to give you a full carry-on back to cover any journey.

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4 Ways To Improve Your Travel Experience

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It’s all about thinking outside the box

Doing too much planning for your trip can make it a laborious task and suck the life out of the excitement of going.

So just do a flexible guideline of a plan and cover the most important things you need to do to make sure you are safe etc. Otherwise, you might feel that you must stick to a rigid plan and you won’t enjoy your travels as much!

Besides, you might discover that you prefer one city or country over another and so you’ll need to rearrange your flight plans in order to stay.

Spontaneity is what makes your travels memorable. It’s those spontaneous moments when you meet someone new or learn a new style of music that you’ll cherish forever.

I have listed below four ways that you can approach travelling to improve the quality of your experience:

  1. Get yourself lost intentionally

You’ll need to go visit where the locals live, eat and work to really appreciate an area.

So many worldly destinations are geared towards tourism and this paints a particular picture but you will often need to wander about further to uncover the real beauty and authenticity.

Not knowing where you are going, go on a mini expedition!

Write down your hotel or the name of the place you’re staying just in case you have to get a cab later, then just go in one direction and see where it takes you.

As a girl, you might be a little concerned with danger. Don’t be too afraid about stumbling across a dangerous area either because most of the locals will redirect or warn you beforehand.

  1. Do some volunteering

Across the world, the range of poverty and wealth varies. Some places are more developed, cleaner and more prosperous.

While other places are the opposite. How can you help?

Do some volunteering. This is such a rewarding experience, where you can learn more about a country, it’s inhabitants and its challenges.

You will make new friends by volunteering. You may have an idea of where to volunteer or discover a worthy cause on your way. Find something that you believe in and that also benefits the less well off.

  1. Slow right down

Don’t try to cram four countries into four weeks of travel!

Most of the highlights of your trips will happen when you simply slow down and explore your surroundings.

You will discover things you won’t find in the travel guidebook and you’ll meet interesting people, willing to chat and show you the place. Slow down and take it all in!

  1. Wine ’n’ dine the local way

In the Western world, we have “Chinese” or “Mexican” eateries but are they the real deal? On your journey, try everything for the taste and you might even find a new favourite dish!  Ask the locals where they would eat too.

Experience improved

There you go. Four ways to improve your travel experience. There are many other ways to enhance your traveling, giving you a more immersive, more exciting appreciative experience.

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3 Different Travel Scams (The Best Ways To Avoid Them)

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Be wary and trust your gut!

The world is full of shady scammers, preying on tourists for to make quick dollars!

Knowing what be cautious of is the best way prevent yourself being a scam victim. You might think as wise, mature traveler, that you are too smart to be scammed.

Think again, being scammed can happen to the even the most skeptical among us.

Scams come in the form of ridiculous charges in cabs and taxis to you unknowingly revealing credit card details to the scammer.

Having some prior knowledge gives you a little edge before you venture out. Loads of different scams are out there!

Below, I have just five of them. Hopefully, this helps you avoid unnecessarily losing your money while also keeps you safe.

  1. “The taxi meter is broken”

In this one, usually, cab or taxi drivers at the airports or busy tourist spots are renowned for this. But that’s not to label them, it can really happen at any point.

Upon getting into your taxi, the driver will start to drive away, telling you that “the meter is broken”, thus they will try charging you an extortionate taxi fare!

Avoiding it:

Negotiate your fare prior to him driving off! As a basic tip, check that the meter works before you hop in. If the driver refuses to turn on the taxi meter, just hop out into another one.

  1. “Overbooked” accommodation

Again, this scam usually would happen among taxi drivers.

On your way to the accommodation, the driver will start telling you that where you are staying is at full capacity or that it is closed, while conveniently offering to cart you to much more expensive place to stay, where they have struck up a deal with the owners to get a commission for bringing you there!

Avoiding it:

If you haven’t booked in yet or even if you have, then give your accommodation reception a call just to double check that they’re open!

Also, you could ask them do they run a shuttle service from airports so you can arrange to be picked up.

Even if the driver still tries to say that your hotel or hostel isn’t available today, then insist that he brings you anyway and get out!

  1. Unofficial WiFi networks

Free, unlocked Wifi networks might actually be dangerous if you connect to them.

The hackers can establish non-secure hotspots in public locations that then entice tourists to connect to them — giving them access to your device and data.

Avoiding it:

If you are in a bar or cafe, please always ask the staff what the official wifi network is along with the correct log in details.

This is often on a wall poster, the menu or on sometimes on the bill/receipt. For the more tech savvy among you, try encrypting your online activity by using a VPN (virtual private network) for extra security.

That’s just a taster!

These are just an introduction to the many scams out there. The number one tip is to be on the look out for shady characters around ATM’s, street sellers and taxi drivers! Trust your gut and keep your money safe.

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