R I C K M A A C KA B E G I N N E R S G U I D E T O T R A V E L - R I C K M A A C K . I N F O

1 . T H I N G S W I L L G O W R O N G . B E PAT I E N T.

• Don’t get upset about the things you can’t control. You will have transportation get cancelled on you, you will have trouble finding a site your map seems to say is right where you are, and you will inevitably lose a possession or two along the way. Accept that there will be bumps in the road, and try not to let them affect you.

2 . G E T U P E A R LY.

• The best time to see most attractions is in the morning before the crowds arrive. You’ll have more space to yourself to take everything in, and you’ll have more time in the daylight to spend enjoying it. Sunrise (and sunset) is also the best time to take your most impressive photos because of a little thing called the Golden Hour. Plus, most of the people looking to scam the latest group of tourists aren’t going to be out yet; they stick with the crowds.

3 . L E A R N T O L A U G H AT Y O U R S E L F.

• At one point or another, you will feel like an idiot or a fool while you’re traveling. You might try to do something you had no idea was against the rules, you might have turned yourself around so bad you don’t know where to start, or you might get scammed out of some of your spending money. It’s okay to be embarrassed, but don’t forget to join in on the laughter. Your mistakes will humble you and give you opportunities for personal growth.

4 . H AV E A F E W S E C R E T S P O T S F O R E M E R G E N C Y C A S H .

• When you’re traveling abroad you can’t always rely on your trusty credit card. Cash is often times your only choice. Make sure to store some extra money in a few different places (at least a couple hundred dollars worth in case of a real emergency.) Any number of things could happen along the way whether you lose your wallet, your card stops working, or you can’t find an ATM, you’ll be glad you thought ahead. I suggest putting some in your balled up socks, under your shoe inserts, in your toiletry bag, in the frame of your backpack, or sewn into a patch on your bag. In case anything gets lost or stolen, you will want a backup spot.

5 . E M B R A C E L O C A L C U LT U R E A N D L O C A L P E O P L E .

• Learn from the people who live in the country you’re visiting; they will enrich your travels more than the sights do sometimes.

• Unfortunately most people who wait to travel the world never do, often because they’re scared. You don’t need to abandon your current life entirely to integrate more travel into your life, just make it a priority more than you do now. Make a list of all the places you’d currently like to go, and to visiting at least one new place every year. Over the next few years, you’ll start having more adventures than you had ever expected.