10 ways to Smooth Sail through Your RTW Trip

Going for a round the world trip is one hell of a life-changing experience. You carry a bag full of emotions throughout your journey across the world. There would be some moments that will bring a big laugh, some would bring a tear or two, some stressful moments and some worth introspection.

There will be situations where you might have to deal with turbulent waters but having a good head on your shoulders could go a long way in ensuring that your trip can be a smooth sailing affair.

These 10 suggestions can help you cut down on your stress levels so that you can go about your RTW trip almost hassle free.

1. Reconfirming your flights

This is one of the most basic and common things to do to avoid any unwanted trouble on your RTW trip. Confirm your flight timings and schedules well in advance, say around 3-4 days before you fly out. Stay in touch with your agent to keep yourself updated about any changes, cancellations or delays and avoid any kind of troubles. All it takes is a simple phone call some days prior to your departure.

2. Double checking your tickets

Go through your RTW tickets over and over again. Check each and every detail as many times as you have to. Double check on each and every possible occasion. Check your names, timing, destinations, airlines and everything possible. Make sure everything is correct and do not keep anything till the last moment. Errors can happen with anybody and it is best to have some decent time on your hands to get those errors rectified.

3. Staying fit and healthy

Staying in the pink of your health has its own share of benefits while you are on the move. There will be those unavoidable situations where you get an upset tummy, a sudden bout of fever, the odd bruises while venturing unexplored avenues. Stay fit by exercising regularly, eating responsibly and staying in a positive frame of mind. For anything else, you can even go for insurance for that odd situation where you might have to visit a hospital on your trip.

4. Reviewing your itinerary at every leg

Go through your itinerary at every stage and after every destination. You would definitely want this process to be smooth as silk, given the long length of your trip. Even the most attentive of folks could go wrong on this aspect. Your months of planning and organizing can turn into a goof up just for a minor sloppiness. Some basic attention is the key here. A small and basic but a very important step for your life changing trip.

5. Packing light

Travelling long-term and carrying loads of baggage which weighs more than you do to ten different places – certainly not a good thought. You would rather give a miss to the sight of carrying an enormous baggage on your shoulders when you have much better things to do. Pack light and minimal, carry only essentials and chuck out those fancy things. You would also not want to spend on your extra baggage fees.

6. Spending not splurging

Spend responsibly and wisely. What’s in there by being a spendthrift! You wouldn’t derive any fun or adventure in going broke mid-way through your trip just because you didn’t manage your finances well. Go smooth on your expenditures and enjoy the moments of your journey.

7. Knowing your destinations

This is a given for everybody. You certainly might love some degree of spontaneity and unexpected surprises when you arrive at your destination but having some basic knowledge about the place will do no harm to anybody. It’s better to be somewhat aware than being caught totally unaware.

8. Imbibing local cultures

“When in Rome, do as the Romans do” – There is no greater feeling than being able to fit in the place you are at and are being recognized as a local. Understanding local scenarios and imbibing them during your stay will help you to not only enjoy the place and the cultures but you will not be singled out amongst the crowd.

9. Getting along with your traveling companio

Compatibility with your travelling partner can make or break the flow of your journey. You would be spending your entire journey with this person and sharing all the experiences together. Getting along with your partner will certainly ensure that your round the world trip is a smooth affair. While you may not know beforehand, the ways in which your partner responds to different situations, it certainly helps if you get to know each other and develop a rapport.

10. Taking it easy

Most of all, just go easy on everything. All the suggestions and planning tricks in the world would be a complete waste unless you have a cool head and handle situations with aplomb. Going long term around the world is no rocket science and you can go about it like a walk in the park if you take everything in your stride.

This list is definitely not exhaustive but lays down the foundation of your to-do list for your RTW trip. What suggestions do you have? Do let us know.