By kenreVyes September 21, 2015 - 4:07am

Sometimes traveling may be stressful. There are some common troubles that usually happen to many tourists. Some of them are minor while others are not. Still, all of them make you worry and can rain on your parade. In order to release you from a headache, I have prepared 9 simple yet helpful travel hacks. So take a pen and write them down.

1. Roll your belongings.

You have to pack a lot of clothes in a small suitcase. It seems like the mission is impossible. Really, how to do this? In fact, there is a way. Roll your clothes. Consequently, your trousers, shirts, and sweaters will occupy much less space in your travel bag. What is more, they won’t be wrinkled. If you hate ironing as much as I do, this will be a real boon for you.

2. Choose private apartments over hotels.

Depending on your budget, you book cheap hostels or expensive hotels. But the majority of them are alike in many countries. So my advice is to book a private house or a room in the point of your destination. Doing so, you will be able to see how local people live in their real life. It will be much more exciting. In addition, the hospitable host can show you the city and wine and dine you with local food. You're gonna love it.

3. Mark the luggage as fragile even if it is not.

You probably know how airport staff usually throws the travel bags. After that, some of them get dirty, while others may be even torn. As a result, you have to throw them out. But take it easy. Your creativity can help you a lot. For instance, the mark "fragile" will make airport staff handle your suitcase very carefully.

4. Scan your documents.

One of the worst things that can happen to a tourist is the loss of documents. It is very unpleasant even in your mother country. But in a foreign country, where you do not know anyone, this is a real disaster. So you should scan your passport and ID in order to have copies at any time you need them. As the saying goes, it is better to be safe than sorry.

5. Do not change money in the airport.

You just got off the plane and already want to get local currency? Fool's haste is no speed. Are you familiar with this proverb? Don’t be such a fool and don’t change money in the airports. They have very high interchange rates so you will lose a lot of money. You'd better use AMTs to do this. It will be a wise decision.

6. Show your command of the local language.

Do you speak the local language a little? Perfect! Show your mastery to local people even if you know only a few words. Don’t be ashamed of your pronunciation or grammatical mistakes. It is of no consequence. When the locals see that you try to speak their language, they really appreciate it. Vendors may even reduce the price when you’re buying vegetables at the market.

7. Plan your itinerary in advance.

Even if you love spontaneous traveling, you should plan a route in advance. I do not mean a drawing-up the detailed plan with all rates. You have to check at least basic information. In order to prove my point, I’ll tell you what happened to me. When staying in Budapest for 3 days, I planned to visit local museums on Monday. It was a bad idea. My plans have failed. Only the next day, I read at well-way.com that museums in Budapest are closed on Mondays. If you do not want to get into a hobble, you should check out the information beforehand.

8. Do not dress too flashy.

You're an alien in a foreign country. People will pay attention to you in any case. So don’t attract even more attention to your dress. It can serve you a dirty trick. For example, in some poor countries, local beggars may give you no peace, considering that you're a rich foreigner. This can cause a great discomfort.

9. Choose cross body bags or backpacks when exploring the city.

Unfortunately, not all cities are safe. Keep it in mind. In some places, street theft is a common thing. In order not to push your luck, you’d better put your things in a backpack or a cross body bag. Thus, the thief will not be able to snatch it out of your hands. Your wallet and cell phone will stay safe and sound.

When going to your next trip, use these travel hacks to supercharge your traveling experience. They will help you avoid some potential troubles. What travel hacks do you think everyone should know? Do not hesitate to share your thoughts.