Traveling can be an amazing, wonderful time.

You may learn new things, see things you’ve

always wanted to see and maybe only thought about in dreams. Perhaps you will even make some new international friends. In this article, you will learn some great tips and get

some advice on the ins and outs of traveling.

To really get a feel for where you are vacationing, follow the locals. Many top vacation spots start to feel very generic and touristy. By asking around and finding where the people who live there hang out, you will get a more authentic feel for the area, and as a bonus, avoid the price markups that plague tourist hot spots.

When you are traveling to a foreign country, learn something about its customs ahead of time. It will help you avoid embarrassing mistakes in local etiquette. It can also help you understand and appreciate the culture a little better. In a way, you will be representing your country in a foreign land, so you would want to make a good impression.

To avoid any awkward confrontations, do some research if you are traveling to a foreign nation. This includes looking up standard phrases such as “thank you,” “how much” and “how are you.” You should also look around for standard customs of the country, such as gestures, so that you can avoid offending anyone with gestures or body language that seem normal to you.

IF you are in a foreign city, make sure that you are not dealing with people posing as police or other officials. Do not let anyone have your passport unless you are sure they are legitimate. If you are asked to travel to any offices, insist on walking. Perhaps the most important thing is to never allow yourself to enter a strange person’s vehicle.

If you’re staying in a hotel and you like coffee, don’t use the tap water to make it. Instead, get some ice from the ice machine and put it in the coffee maker the night before to melt. The ice machines use filtered water so you’ll get better tasting coffee!

Check out last minute travel deals. If you have the flexibility in schedule and destination, you can save a lot of money by booking your travel at the last minute. Many hotels and airlines drastically reduce prices for dates in the near future to fill seats and rooms that will otherwise go empty.

Don’t get carried away with taking too many photographs on your trip. Some people get so caught up in taking pictures of everything that they forget to experience the culture and landmarks. Take a few pictures, but also make sure to spend enough time outside of the lens to enjoy your trip to the fullest.

Now that you’ve got some of the basics on traveling, tell your boss you are taking a vacation, get your plane ticket, boat ticket or whatever means you plan on taking and go!

Remember to always be safe whether traveling alone or not. Ask for directions and help if you need it. Most people will not bite. Above all,

have an amazing time and always stop to smell the roses.