7 Unique Travel Tips for Short Trips

Travelling is one of the several ways to learn and get more exposure into life. When you travel, you are opportune to see new things, meet new people and learn other cultures, lifestyles and possibly, beliefs. Depending on your persona, you may prefer short trips to long ones, you know, one week getaway or even a three days trip to one of your favourite destinations.

Just recently, I made a trip to three different states within the space of two weeks and there are things I wish I knew and did before I embarked on the trip. You certainly want to avoid making similar mistakes. So, no matter how long your short trip is intended to be (hope you caught the pun there), these seven unique tips should be considered before you embark on your next trip.

They are practical and realistic and will be worth your time, not to mention knowing these tips will save you so much hassle whenever you are travelling. Number 6 tip is especially my favourite.

1. Decide the length of your trip

This is the first and most essential part of your trip. It is important to decide how many days you will be going away for because as you will soon see, it is pivotal in planning your trip and ultimately, how the trip will turn out to be.

A short trip can be anything from 3 days to 3 weeks long. Of course, it goes without saying that what you will need to pack for a 3 days trip will be different from what you will pack for a 3 weeks trip.

Making a decision of how long your trip should last may require some thinking time. You have to factor the demands of work. Can your work continue in your absence? Do you need to get an official leave from your employer? Will you have to clear your desk or hand over projects to another colleague before leaving? If you are self-employed, is your job remote? What will happen if a client calls for the delivery of an order/project?

On the other hand, it may be your family especially if you are married or have dependents who need your presence.

All these have to be thought through before you fix 5 days or 14 days for your trip. Or what is the fun in having to cut short your trip because of avoidable “emergencies”.

2. Research your destination

It is common saying that life is more fun out of your comfort zone and we are often encouraged to take risks. Yes, take risks. But I'd rather urge you to take calculated risks. There is absolutely no reason why you should go to an unfamiliar state or country without researching about the place.

This was my first mistake on my last trip. Not so much, in my own defense as I was going on the trip with my friend and I relied solely on the information she provided, which was not much. She pretty much offered that the terrain was somewhat rocky and the brown sand could spoil a bright coloured dress. That was all I knew and worked with.

Let me say it again: ensure you do not go on a trip blindly. Read about the country/state/town you intend to spend your time at. If you are unsure what to research, the following tips can guide you.

• Which continent is the country on? If it is a state, which region is it? And if a town in a state, check how farther away from major areas it is situated.

• What is the weather like there? I guess I can say that I was lucky to have packed mostly t-shirts for my trip because the town turned out to be hotter compared to what I had been used to. It was extremely hot and dry.

• Do they have basic amenities? Is there electricity, water? Are the roads motorable? Do they have a good healthcare system?

• What are the road networks like? Are they easily navigable?

• What is their language of communication? Can you speak the language or will you need a guide?

• What kind of foods do they eat there? Check especially if you have allergies.

• Fun things to or places visit

• Level of safety and security

• The culture and lifestyle of the indigenes of the area - are they conservative or liberal? Are they strong believers of a certain religion? Are they friendly to strangers or visitors?

These questions should guide you on what to look out for when travelling for a short trip.

3. Create An Itinerary

You have decided on the duration of your trip and have gotten quantifiable knowledge of your destination, the next thing to do is to draw up an itinerary. See why deciding the length of your trip is important? Using the information from numbers 1 and 2 above, write down things you will like to do and places you will like to visit while at your trip destination.

This is where researching comes in handy. The fun spots, historic sites, art centres and relaxation sites amidst several other things to do will go into this itinerary. What if you are going on this trip for work purposes? The same applies. What kind of work engagement is it - formal or informal, structured meetings or field trip, or work vacation (e.g. team bonding retreat)?

Whilst there are no rules to how to create an itinerary, it is important to mindfully go through this process as a slip here is likely to ruin your trip.

An itinerary is an outline of travel details. You may either work with a rough sketch or a detailed outline. My advice is to draw up a detailed outline as that would ensure that you do not miss out on any detail.

How to create an itinerary

• Start by writing out vital trip details such as arrival and departure dates, and travel terminals and take-off times (indicate if you are travelling by road or by air).

• Get your lodging details - hotels or short-let apartments and their respective locations, necessary contact information, and booking details.

• List out all the intending activities for the trip - things to do, sites to visit and places to see. Do this on a day-by-day basis. For each day, write out the places you will be visiting and every necessary detail including location, opening hours, tour guide’s contact information (where applicable), and distance duration.

• Finally, remember to have your personal information, emergency contacts, and health information handy.

4. Packing right

Now, this one is my least favourite any time - arranging clothes, packing and unpacking bags. Sadly, whether you like it or get bored by this - this chore, it is an equally pivotal step to having a great trip.

You may be privileged to have someone who can assist with packing your travel bag and I could say, Great! However, it wouldn’t turn out as greatly if at your travel destination, you realise that certain things you need are missing in the box.

All of this is to say that it is safer to pack your stuff by yourself. If you are getting assistance, let it be in the form of helping you to stuff your things in the bag, and be sure to double-check after it is all done.

The items (clothing, shoes, accessories) you will be packing will be largely determined by the duration of your trip, the specific places you will be visiting, the activities you will be engaged in, climatic conditions in that area, culture and lifestyle of the people. Furthermore, I will advise you to pack extra pieces of clothing and underwear to cover for contingencies.

A woman should go with enough sanitary materials (pads, tampons, panty liners, etc.) if she will be spending more than three days. The reason I advise this is simple. Your body may react to the change in environment and trigger your hormones. This is only probable but you want to be on a safe side.

Did I almost forget? Don’t make this mistake I made. Please, don’t. On my last trip, I underestimated the need for analgesics and anti-malaria tablets. I could have prevented the aftermath result of falling ill for days afterwards. Remember to undergo necessary health check-ups and get vaccinated for certain diseases. Take your health seriously and if you have any medical conditions, ensure that you are medically certified before you travel.

5. Prioritise your comfort

You are important and you should always remember that whenever you are making any decisions on your trip, especially if it is a group trip.

There is a common saying that “Life is all about sacrifices.” Maybe. But put yourself first. A religious book rightly admonishes that we should love our neighbours (only) after we must have loved our own selves as much. Put yourself first and try not to make sacrifices that will be too hard for you to bear. (Emphasis mine.)

Avoid anything that diminishes your self-respect and image. People come and go but impressions stick faster, harder and longer. People may forget your face but they will never forget how you made them feel. You don’t have to be on the offensive but see to it that you stand for yourself and earn the respect of the people around you.

In my own case, I threw myself under the bus trying to save someone else’s day. I got crushed and left with my dignity in shreds. Identify your limits and boundaries. Although I tried to have a good trip, one thing I wish for is to be able to go back in time and correct certain things. I would maintain my identity one hundred per cent and only compromise on things that do not diminish my self-respect.

This may sound too deep for vacation but you don’t want to come back from what should have been a fun trip, reliving bad memories and wishing you could redo the entire trip.

6. Have money

It is possible you have varying thoughts regarding this. Myself, I have read bloggers who suggest that you do not need to have plenty of money before you travel the world. While I have no intentions to dispute their standpoint, I boldly put forth that I do not share the same view.

What do they say again? Money rules the world. It sure does.

Of course, you may not need to have millions before you go on a trip, still you should have a quantitative amount that will keep you satisfactorily sustained throughout the duration of your trip. Or what is a trip if you cannot afford to purchase a souvenir item or pay for your own comfort?

7. Be safety and security conscious

Always be on the lookout for yourself. Listen to the natives or your host if you have one. They know the terrains better than you do, so they will know which areas are safe or not. When I arrived at my second destination, I informed my hosts of my plan to visit the neighbouring state. The first thing they told me was how unsafe the roads leading to the border between the two states were and the insecurity in the state I was going to visit.

Interact with trusted persons - these would be your host, the hotel manager or room attendant, tour guide - and ask specific questions. The internet can also help but be careful not to fall into preying hands.

These seven unique tips can guarantee a swell time on your next short trip. The important thing is to follow them as prescribed and modify where necessary to suit your needs and preferences.