Don’t wait until retirement to travel. Instead, take advantage of youth (and freedom) and enjoy vacations at a younger age with these tips.

Many people postpone their traveling until after retirement but they often ignore the fact that retirement comes with old age. Old age is not such a great time to travel because it comes with many limitations. For those who can’t forget, it hurts to accept the fact that one can no longer climb mountains, eat almost everything edible, or see things clearly.

Of course, anyone can travel regardless of age. But for those who are still young, here are some ways to start traveling early instead of waiting until retirement.

10. Start Saving Early

For the majority of the world, saving is one of the first steps to traveling except for a few rich and famous people who always have access to millions.

While saving is important, it is even more important to start saving early if one is looking to start traveling at a young age. People who toss this idea into the trash can often end up traveling when they can’t enjoy it as much in their later years.

9. Start By Traveling Locally

One does not have to get on a flight and fly a thousand miles away to have a great vacation. Also, that idea can delay one from traveling early as it is expensive to fulfill.

One can begin traveling early by just visiting a nearby place and spending some time there. Whether it’s just a few miles away, it also counts as traveling.

8. Find A Job That Makes Traveling Easy

There are many jobs that make traveling easy and taking one of these jobs is almost like a one-way ticket to a life of traveling. Photography and travel blogging/vlogger are some of these jobs, but there’s no need to become a digital nomad to enjoy travel while working.

Many professions make traveling easy, and may even require significant travel for the role.

7. Get Inspired By Consuming Travel-Related Content

In order to do something, it has to be in the mind and the same goes for traveling early. Most people get choked up with work and other responsibilities that they eventually forget about their dreams to travel.

One way to always stay conscious of traveling whether at a young age or older age is to develop the habit of reading travel-related content. Grab some books about traveling or even poems, and also watch movies about traveling to keep the dream alive.

6. Get All Necessary Travel Documents Ready

Not having the necessary documents in hand can be one reason people delay traveling. So getting those documents ready even when is not ready to travel is important.

It helps to know that one can just pick up one’s bags and head over to the airport without having to worry about a passport about to expire.

5. Make Friends With Travelers

The best way to develop a habit of traveling from a young age is to keep travel-loving friends. Friends who always call to reveal the trending destination or to talk about their experiences in a destination.

They say people always turn out like those they call friends and this works perfectly for those looking to start traveling early.

4. Travel To Cheaper Places First

It’s ok to not have the money to visit more expensive places. Most young people are generally broke because they’ve not had a lot of time to work and save up. So it is better to just postpone the more expensive adventures for later and focus on the more affordable places first.

This way, one can still travel even while still young and broke. By the way, there are plenty of cheap and amazing places around the world. The Philippines, Vietnam, and Cambodia are some very affordable destinations around the world that one can visit with just a few dollars.

3. Consider Cheap Lodging

Everybody starts from somewhere including many of the world’s richest people today. When it comes to lodging, it’s ok to sleep in a hostel or a cheap hotel for a start. Especially for those who are young and do not yet have a lot of money at their disposal.

With time, this may no longer be the case and there will be more money to take better accommodations. Every destination has options for cheap accommodation, one just has to look closely enough.

2. Engage In Free Experiences

Free experiences are great because one does not then have to worry about scooping out money to pay for tours or tickets to attractions. This is especially great for young travelers who are often held from traveling because of a lack of money.

Knowledge of this will make budgeting easier for young people as they only have to then worry about accommodation, food, and transportation.

1. Learn How To Talk To Strangers And How To Ask For Help

Traveling at a young age is not always easy and sometimes, one can be in need of help in foreign places. In such situations, the skill of how to talk to strangers and ask for their help will come in handy.

These social skills can open ways one never expected which is why they are worth learning. Having this skill can even boost a person’s self-esteem and motivate them to travel as they know they’ll never be stranded wherever they find themselves.

We often pack some snacks or prefer to buy them from outside while planning a trip. However, you can always choose to stay healthy and on the right track by following these six tips wherever you go.

Travelling and eating well almost sounds like placing two contradictory opinions together. Many people believe that it’s okay to indulge when they are on vacation or a trip, and thus would stop at the first fast food joint they would come across on the highway.

Even the best-laid plans to eat healthily might be derailed if you eat out frequently. The difficulties exist whether you are starving at the airport or are enticed by quick food restaurants on the motorway.

Additionally, while experimenting with new foods and easing up on your diet is recommended, our healthy eating practices don’t have to be fully abandoned. Here are some suggestions for maintaining a healthy diet when travelling.

1) Always search for something healthy

Even though your favourite fast food joints might be beckoning you to step inside and relish a burger or two, pay a visit to a convenience store instead and look for healthy items such as a granola bar, a packet of yoghurt or a salad box. You might not feel like having it, but trust us, you will thank yourself later for making the right choice.

2) Stick to your routine

Unless absolutely necessary, have your meals in your usual time period. Visiting a different place might entice you to try a variety of food options but you have to be careful of what you are putting on your plate. Be mindful about your portions and make sure to include lots of nutritious items as well.

3) Always carry healthy snacks

If you are going on a long road trip, you will always get a bit hungry at one point in time. Instead of buying packaged items, just carry something healthy, such as fruits, snack bars or yoghurt to satiate your stomach and your taste buds.

4) Keeping yourself hydrated

Always carry lots of refillable bottles with you while planning a trip to avoid dehydration or unnecessary junk cravings you might pick up on the way. If at all you have the urge to step out for something deep-fried or any other instant food items, just take some sips and you will find your cravings slowly melt away.

5) Savour your food

Whenever you are having food, instead of eating it mindlessly, take some time to devour each morsel. Eating slowly can help fill your stomach faster while being mindful of how much you are actually feeding yourself.

6) Keep one day aside for a special meal

Practice eating healthy 6 days a week and indulging in something delicious on the seventh. You can assign a cheat day for yourself and stay true to it to stay healthy and in shape always.

Jet lag can mean it is harder to enjoy your destination on arrival, but there are a number of ways you can lessen its impact.

No matter the flight, jet lag can really make you feel wiped out when you finally arrive at your destination.

Whether you are off on a city break or heading to an exotic locale, travelling long haul is always exciting.

But what can be a lot less thrilling is the inevitable jet lag, which can really make you feel wiped out when you finally arrive at your destination.

While there’s no way to avoid jet lag entirely, ex-airline executive Andrew Hayward, in partnership with SkyParkSecure, shares some small ways you can mitigate the effects.

Type of plane matters

Different planes fly at different altitudes, meaning the cabins are pressurised differently – this can have a huge impact on jet lag.

“Travel on Boeing 787 Dreamliners or Airbus A350s if possible as the cabins are pressurised to a lower altitude (6000 ft as opposed to 8000 ft),” he advises. “This can have a massive impact on how hard jet lag hits you.”

Consider seat choice

Many of us may prefer to sit at the front of the plane for ease of getting on or off or being closer to the toilet – but it could also be beneficial in avoiding the worst effects of jet lag as the freshest air enters at the cabin nose.

“The seat choice can also affect how easy it is to get comfortable and get some sleep – seats at the back can be more uncomfortable due to some longer planes suffering from ‘self-induced oscillation’ – meaning one of the best places to sit is near the wing root for the most stable ride. For larger planes, this tends to be the middle of the aircraft,” Hayward says.

Avoid alcohol and coffee

Whilst it may be tempting to drink coffee to stay awake or treat yourself to a tipple to celebrate your long-awaited trip, caffeine and alcohol can actually make you feel dehydrated.

“Instead – focus on drinking plenty of water to keep yourself hydrated and save the drinks for once you land,” the expert explains.

Choose your flight times carefully

Making sure you’re prepared prior to your flight is important too – change your watch before boarding to reflect the time once you land.

“If you’re landing at night, try to avoid sleeping so you can rest once getting to your destination – vice versa if it’s the other way around,” Hayward says.

Pack the essentials

Planes are the best for sleep, so if you are wanting to get some shut-eye on your journey be sure to pack earplugs, travel pillows, eye covers and noise-cancelling headphones in your carry-on bag.

“On the other hand – if you’re planning on staying awake for the entire journey – make sure you bring plenty to keep you entertained,” adds Hayward.

Whether you’re spending the summer in Europe or embracing a South Island ski season, capturing photographs is the ultimate way to create memories and share your travels with loved ones.

Thanks to the ever-improving quality of smartphone cameras, you don’t have to spend thousands on a DSLR camera to take stunningly detailed photos and high-definition videos.

However, there are a few tips and tricks to know if you want your travel snaps to stand out. Herald Travel asks talented photographer and content creator Scott Howes to share his five biggest tips for nailing ‘the shot’ on a smartphone camera.

1. Use grids and guides

I would always recommend people turn on the grids and guides and level on their camera phone, it’s game-changing.

Most phones have the option to add a grid, which basically puts two lines down the middle and two lines across your screen. This helps you follow a popular rule in photography called the ‘rule of thirds’.

I use the grids feature every day on my phone and on my actual cameras and it means you can line up the subject or the frame that you’re trying to shoot, and place them in one of the ‘thirds’, which makes it more aesthetically pleasing.

Most smartphones also have a level in them, to save you from taking wonky photos and videos.

2. Take time and take it right

Travel can be crazy and super fast-paced and it’s easy to get excited and just snap away. It’s only when you get home to edit or review the photos you may realise you’re not happy with them.

So, despite having taken photos professionally for years, I still often take a step back and pause before taking the shot, because if you get it right ‘in camera’ it saves you so much work editing later on.

3. Think differently

I think one of the keys of photography is not to just point and shoot. Maybe research your destination beforehand and find unique places to photograph or a way to capture a popular spot differently. For instance, everyone who goes to Roys Peak takes that same standard shot looking down the viewpoint but there are endless possibilities for different photos; it just takes some time to find them.

4. Don’t forget the light

The time of day is key because the lighting is what makes a photo. For me personally, sunrise and sunset are the best times of day to shoot. The sun isn’t as high in the sky so you don’t get harsh light, it’s softer and creates nicer shadows too.

I’ll admit, getting up at 4am for a sunrise shot isn’t for everybody, some people go on holiday just to chill. Either way, lighting is worth thinking about when you take a photo and going a little earlier or later in the day can help you miss crowds at popular attractions.

5. Try shooting in Raw

Usually, you can let the smartphone choose the camera settings for you. But if you want to take your photos a step further, you can shoot in RAW if your phone camera has a ‘pro mode’. This is how we shoot on a DSLR camera and the image is minimally processed, which gives you more freedom when editing your photos in an app like Lightroom.