After having visited 15+ countries it's safe to say I have accumulated a substantial amount of knowledge when it comes to travelling. I thought it'd only be suitable to share some of the top tips I have learnt! I definitely am no expert but these are the things that might be very helpful to you on your travels. 

1. Avoid bringing a bulky carry-on bag onto the plane 

When you fly it is easy to fall into the trap of bringing a lot of unnecessary things which leads to a bulky carry-on bag. My advice is to go as simple as possible: phone, wallet, travel wallet, iPod, headphones, an extra jumper (cause we all know planes ARE freeeezing), lip balm, a book, and maybe some snacks. Usually I just bring my Longchamp le pliage backpack which is small enough to fit under the chair but big enough to fit in all the essentials. I just find it's a lot less stressful having one small bag with limited items rather than having to haul around a bulky bag with a bunch of unnecessary items. As airports can be quite stressful places it is best just to simplify everything as much as possible. 

2. Buy a travel wallet

Best. purchase. EVER. I used to work at a stationary store (Kikki K) and we would sell these gorgeous leather travel wallets. I ended up getting one (of course) and I have found it to be the most handy thing ever when traveling. It has a space for: passport/s, boarding passes, cards such as travel money card, and international money. It's just nice having everything in the one place.

3. Read up about scammers
Unfortunately this is a real thing. One time in Paris we read up about a scam where a con-man would walk up behind a couple, "pick up" a ring, ask if it is theirs, give it to them anyway..and then a few minutes later walk back over asking for money for the ring. Sneaaaaky! There are so many different types of scams! Common ones include people approaching you with clipboards saying they are raising money for a certain cause..people "helping" you figure out public transport machines and then demanding you pay them for their help..etc. I don't want to scare anyone but just read up on them and be aware.

4. Find the balance between taking photos and enjoying the moments
The balance is actually really important: because photos are great for the memories but with taking lots of photos comes to issue of living through a camera. I've watched people stand in front of the Eiffel tower for over an hour with their selfie stick trying the get the most "instagramable" photo and it just frustrates me. I do think it's important to get lots of quality photos of your travels though. As a general rule of thumb when I travel I try and spend the first few minutes getting photos and then I put my camera away and just look around and explore. So try and find that balance so you're actually soaking it all up but still getting lots of great shots you can look back on.

5. Try to be flexible
No matter how planned you may be, when you travel things don't always go to plan. Planes can be delayed, hotel rooms may be double booked etc. The best thing to be is someone who can just roll with it and be flexible - whether it's by being patient or making other arrangements. I've found the best stories can come from situations where things were unplanned and spontaneous.

6. Live like a local
Sometimes this can be a little tricky if you're only in the city for a few days but when you can try and take notice on how the locals live their life. Whether it's by the locals getting up early to grab an espresso and croissant or drinking sangria at 5pm in the afternoon, try and take on those things and implement that into your time there for a more authentic experience.

7. Stray from tourist locations every once and awhile
Just because you are a tourist doesn't mean you have to be like a typical tourist. Sure, it is great to see lots of the worlds famous monuments and museums but try and divide your time up with being half tourist and half explorer. For example, when I was in Paris I walked everywhere. Even though there was the metro I could have easily taken I preferred walking the streets to the destinations as along the way I found many hidden gems. Come to think of it: 90% of the time the best moments I have had travelling have been in the un-touristy areas. Would definitely urge you to give it a go (but common sense is advised, don't be walking into any shady back alleys or areas! ha).

8. Let yourself rest
Sometimes you can think traveling is all GO-GO-GO but it doesn't have to be like this. It took me awhile to realise this as I had the mindset that I needed to be doing something 24/7. Realistically: if you're traveling for a solid amount of time you need your rest.  Traveling is blooming exhausting. You walk for most of the day, you do many things, see many things..and by the end of the day you'll most likely feel exhausted. So don't push yourself too hard when you're tired otherwise chances are you won't be enjoying yourself cause you are,.....well, tired. Instead let yourself relax: read a book in a coffee shop, watch an episode of Friends on your iPad, have an early nights sleep. By doing this you won't get burnout and will have more quality time exploring the next day.

9. Disconnect yourself from social media
Now i'm not saying give it all up completely where you're traveling, because it's nice to still message friends occasionally and post a nice photo, but limit yourself on it. As hippy as this will sound: traveling is one of the best ways to grow in yourself and find clarity because you can disconnect yourself from your world and find yourself lost in anothers. By constantly messaging people and checking your facebook/instagram/snap feeds you aren't really allowing yourself to disconnect. One of the best things traveling can do is give you a new perspective so don't take that for granted.

10. Read travel blogs
There are tons and tons of great travel blogs out there which have been incredibly helpful. Gone are the days of solely relying on a lonely planet book to inform us of what to do/where to go but now are the days of travel bloggers. By doing this I have learnt a lot of useful information, such as: you should pre-book tickets to tourism spots to beat the MASSIVE queues. So whenever you're struck with the question "what should I do in this city?" turn to the travel blogs to give you lots of inspiration and ideas.