Author: Steve Bramucci

How I Travel: Twitter Edition

TWITTER EDITION: Travel wisdom in 140 characters or less!

Over the past five months we’ve interviewed some of the most interesting, adventurous and sage-like vagabonds wandering the globe today. We’ve spoken to TV stars, professional athletes, bestselling authors and even a magician. This week, we took a break from the interviews and turned our sights on Twitter’s travel community.

Travel and Twitter have been connected since the beginning (way back in ’07)—the platform makes it remarkably easy for travelers to stay in touch, get updates from back home and ask for tips about their new surroundings. For those who aren’t on the road, Twitter also offers a chance to catch up on articles, ask questions of experts and follow the wanderings of Tweeting-pals.

Below you’ll find some of the best gems that were sent our way this week with the hash-tag #HITravel. If you like someone’s advice, click their link to follow them. Make sure to follow @howitravel too.

Thanks to everyone who joined the fun—we’ll be doing this again before too long!

[Though tweets are only 140 characters, some of these entries were edited for clarity and became slightly longer. –ed]


Find some ways to save and some ways to splurge when you travel.

Just make sure you always have enough to post bail. (@dragonsbehere)

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A sense of humor is a key ingredient for a successful trip.

A stiff drink helps too. (@WhyGoChicago)

Bring 1/2 the stuff…

…and double the money. (@SEKeener)

Carry a USB stick with copies of all your info.

This also makes multimedia saving a cinch. (@TravelingAnna)

Going somewhere hot?

Bring a cheap Chinese fan. It’s amazing what a difference it makes & all your friends will envy you. (@italylogue)

A Coke (or Pepsi or anything with caffeine & sugar) plus some chips-

will help cure dehydration when you travel in hot and humid places. (@WhyGoGreece)

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Keep a copy of your documents (passport, ID card, driver’s license) in a separate place.

You’ll have back up if anything happens! (@WhyGoGreece)

A few large re-sealable plastic bags can come in handy…

…for keeping snacks fresh, electronics dirt free, and wet clothes separate. (@WhereandBack)

Steer clear of restaurants with menus in 17 languages.

Bring a good phrasebook & eat better food in places the locals go. (@italylogue)

In many places, ordering the daily special means you’re getting the best of what’s fresh & in season.

You’re also likely to get a local specialty. (@italylogue)

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Always make sure your entertainment devices are fully charged.

Always. (@whygofrance)

Always carry the equivalent of $20 on you for emergencies.

You’d be surprised what $20 can get you out of…or into. (@whygofrance)

Learn how to say please, thank you, and sorry in the local language.

A word, a smile and an apologetic shrug sometimes is all you need. (@whygofrance)

Visiting a school in a developing country?

Bring inflatable globe toy balls. They’re light, easy to pack & educational. (@dogjaunt)

Need directions in a foreign country?

Ask at least 3 people and go with the version that at least 2 of the locals agree on. (@Road2Argentina)

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When traveling in a foreign country always leave some extra money and a credit card at your accommodation.

Just in case! (@Road2Argentina)

A good pair of noise canceling headphones

…can make the chaos of airline travel feel less frustrating! (@SpotCoolStuff)

Never leave home without earplugs.

A good night’s sleep can sometimes make or break you on the road & roosters start at 2 AM. (@umarket)

To eat at higher end restaurants without killing travel budget, go at lunchtime for the specials.

You can eat like a king for not much money. (@umarket)

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When traveling becomes more stress than fun, remember to take a second to breathe!

To travel is to experience life, not things. (@travelwithmusic)

I like staying in the high-end suburbs rather than in the gritty downtown.

You have access to the city but it’s pretty & quiet. (@inhabitvacation)

When you travel, stay near the local coffee shops and artist lofts.

You’ll have more fun than the tourists at the Hilton. (@inhabitvacation)

Stay in a hostel one night, camp the next, then visit to a nice hotel.

Each will you teach you something different about travel. (@ethandchung)

Take pictures of the menus at foreign restaurants.

Fun for translating later on and recalling excellent meals. (@rachjournalist)

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Traveling in the North East?

Try Megabus.com for cheap tickets between major cities. (@aaronvcohen)

Carry an iPod, stay very flexible with plans, pack half of what you think you need, explore and…

…be open to all! (@mobilelawyer)

Learn to cook through backpacking!

That’s how I learned. (@RunawayJuno)

Bring and use these on your airplane tray table!

Whether you’re a kid or not. (@theflyingpinto)

If flying far, pick flights with long layovers and fast transport to & from the airport.

Then squeeze in “day trip” during your layover. Ex: Iceland Blue Lagoon, London (@rachjournalist)

Dress for your flight as if it’s autumn in New England.

Layers are key. Most airlines don’t provide blankies anymore. (@theflyingpinto)

Book the first flight out in the morning…

…You’re almost guaranteed to avoid delays. (@theflyingpinto)

Flying with infant/kids?

Bring disposable earplugs for all of your not so travel savvy neighbors. Great ice breaker too. (@theflyingpinto)

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If traveling with kids, bring a bottle/pacifier/hard candy for them to suck on, or gum!

It helps to equalize ear pressure. (@KariMyBags)

Use your shower cap in the hotel room as a “remote control condom”

…Because…um…follow the link if you need further convincing. (@theflyingpinto)

Shower caps also make great shoe covers—

to protect your clothes from the dirt on your shoes when you pack them away. (@theflyingpinto)

Always book you flights with a credit card and include trip delay and baggage loss insurance.

Flight problems = mini lottery win. (@dragonsbehere)

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Best travel tip: be flexible and laugh often!

Things happen when you travel. @TheTravelExpert

Much of the time, the easiest way to convert cash-

-is simply by withdrawing from a ‘Plus’ ATM. (@dragonsbehere)

There is nothing worse…

…than slowly sobering up in an airport lineup. (@dragonsbehere)

Carry a map so that you and the people you meet can mark all the best spots for later.

It’s also a great icebreaker. (@dragonsbehere)

I believe one of the best ways to explore a culture is through food and drink.

Every place I go, I try to take a cooking class and learn about the local tipples. (@WhyGoChicago)

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#1 travel tip: Relax!

Travel should be fun so don’t over-plan. The best adventures happen when you go with the flow. (@mnjess)

Want more tweeted travel advice?

Here are @100 tips from the best@BudgetTraveller)

I love travel because in an age where communication is increasingly digital…

…there’s still nothing that connects people like life on the road. (@stevebram)

“How I Travel” is a BootsnAll series publishing every Tuesday in an effort to look at the unique and diverse travel habits of some of the world’s most well known and proficient road warriors. Got ideas for who we should talk to? Drop us a note.

You’ll find links to all the “How I Travel” articles on the How I Travel archive page, you can become a fan of “How I Travel” on Facebook, and you can follow the @howitravel profile on Twitter to get updates as soon as new features in this series are published.

Photos by: Vegetable Market – Baikonur, Kazakhstan — Photo by Shane Shrader; St. Peter’s Through The Keyhole – Vatican City — Photo by Gary Arndt; Ta Prohm – Angkor Wat, Cambodia — Photo by Kim Walker; Smiling Camel at Festival au Desert, Mali — Photo by Sara Swanberg; Northern Lights – Abisko, Arctic Sweden — Photo by Kim Walker; Ha Long Bay, Vietnam — Photo by Chuck Kuhn; Downtown Aguas Calientes, Peru — Photo by Roger Wade ; Wrinkles & Creases; Ranthambhore, India — Photo by Sarah Bachhuber Peroutka; Meerkats, Namibia — Photo by Kim Walker