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Things To Know Before Traveling


Things I forgot:
  • Our hostel proved bedding, and a bathroom with a shower. But nothing to dry off with. Bring a towel. 
  • There are drawers under each bunk for your things and a way to lock them if you have your own padlock. Nothing of ours was stolen, but then most people don't appreciate the beauty of my dresses like I do, so I didn't really need to worry. But if you stay several days in a hostel and want to leave valuables under the bed, bring a padlock. 
  • Always check the weather. Thankfully, I did that and brought umbrellas. But next time I'll also bring a rain cover of sort for my backpack, and also plastic bags for my phone and electronics as my phone was water damaged. 
  • A hat for my cold ears (thankfully Kathlyn had one).

Things I'm glad I remembered to bring:
  • Battery pack and charging cord
  • Cash (most places in Germany don't take cards). 
  • My passport. You never know when you'll be asked for it. 
  • A water bottle. Hydration is always important, no matter where you're at, in rain and sun. 
  • The train allowed me to take two bags, but I only took a backpack. Which I'm very glad about. Even though I didn't plan this originally, I ended up buying a duffel and filling it with gifts and I was able to bring it back with me as my second piece of luggage. 
  • Something to do on the train ride. Usually, I beta read, but on the way back my phone was dead, so I embroidered. 
What your backpack should contain (female version because guys don't need anything except a little money and a passport, I hear):
  • Photo ID/ passport
  • Money (cash and card)
  • Toothbrush
  • Hairbrush 
  • Bible/ journal/ ink pen
  • One change of clothes, and maybe some extra socks and underwear
  • Essential oil, deodorant, sanitizer
  • Weather appropriate stuff if it's rainy or cold
  • And nothing of excess. Unless it's embroidery. Because you will find time for that always. :) 
  • Pocket knives are nice for cheese. Though I hear they are illegal here, so don't be like me. Which is totally crazy ... I mean, they say it's so dangerous for girls to travel alone, yet they won't allow us any means of protection ;0 That's the world for ya. 
Ways to make your trip less expensive and more enjoyable:
  • Stay in a hostel. $12 a night is so much cheaper than $60. You still get your own bed, and you can choose to stay in a room of only women rather than a mixed room. I think guys don't have the option of mixed rooms. You can also get private rooms at a hostel, and I think they are still a bit cheaper than an actual hotel. 
  • Don't eat out—bakeries and groceries are the way to go! Bread, fruit, and cheese are so reasonably priced and delicious. 
  • Know a bit of German, and practice that German. Germans appreciate the effort. 
  • You don't have to be a tourist to make the most of your trip ... thrift stores, flee markets, and antique stores sell more authentic German things than tourist shops. 
  • Flixbus or flixtrain is a reasonable way to travel. I traveled for $80 round trip. My friend was able to do it for about $30 I think, but that's because she was coming from a smaller town than I. 
  • Walk when you can ... you see more anyways, and those few extra dollars always add up. Only ride the subway/ bus when absolutely necessary. And I mean if you have more than two hours to walk type of necessary ;) 
  • Bring the bare minimum. 
  • Buy the bare minimum. 
  • Laugh and don't sweat over anything. 
  • If stress arises, as it will, handle it like the adult you are (or should be) and everything will work out somehow. And if it doesn't work out, hopefully, you enjoyed the bit of life God gave you. 
And if you're going to Berlin you must see Dietrich Bonhoeffer's house. Or even if you're just coming to Germany in general ;D 

What are some things you've learned traveling? Are there anythings I'm missing here that are absolutely essential? 

Comments

  1. I second plastic bags. If it's for your cellphone, maybe put some paper towels in there so if it is a bit damp, there's something to soak up the moisture.
    Also, I take lots of ziplock bags to conferences since sometimes the meals are too big. That way, I can stuff the food I can't eat in the bags so it doesn't go to waste, and I save money by not having to buy another meal.
    I really like the street vendors and little shops for eating. When we were in Hawaii, we ate at a local place a few times, and then mostly went to farmers markets and grabbed stuff. We only ate at a touristy place once and had an overpriced salad thing. I much prefer not eating out and grabbing pre-cooked stuff or fresh fruit.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Ahh I love the idea of bringing bags to save food for later. And the papertowels sound clever, too. One can really be so imaginative when it comes to saving money and eating food ;)

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  2. I like the bit about laughing and just rolling with it! So many things pop up when you are on a vacation, but hey, it's a vacation! Enjoy it, it will be the best. :) I'm glad to hear that you're having a good time!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It's such an important thing to learn in ANY part of life or stress will steal all of ones joy :)

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  3. Great list of stuff. What about a zapper can you carry a zapper if not a knife.?

    astordetective.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Zapper as in a tazer? Because I believe not. They don't seem to be big into self defense and it's pretty looked down upon. Maybe I'll take some Karate lessons though 😂 I've actually been serious about wanting to learn Wing Chun for a long time anyways, so maybe this is a good time for it.

      Delete
  4. Thanks for sharing all this. Fantastic tips!

    ReplyDelete

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