Travelling: Tips, Hacks and Myths.

On this same day last year, I decided to intentionally start visiting different cities in Italy. I used to think that the excitement that comes with travelling is only felt when one moves to another country. After exploring some cities here , I realized,  there are always lots to discover in every place and that’s what makes every experience exciting and beautiful. Lots have since then changed and here are a few myths, hacks and tips that I now consider important for travellers.

TIPS AND HACKS.

I. Having and Understanding your Why. 

Prior to visiting a place, one has to define their reasons and that helps very much in the planning. There are different kinds of travellers which include those who travel for professional reasons, retreats or vacations, exploration and discovery. Identifying the category in which you fall in helps a lot in knowing what to pack, activities to try, how much to spend and when to do things according to your personal schedule as you travel. Personally, I am more of an explorer since I do not have a fixed source of income yet. For this reason, whatever is mentioned in here is from an Explorer Perspective. 

The first city that I visited was the Trentino region for work reasons. Trentino is a mountainous city found in the Northern part of Italy. To get there, it on average takes five- six hours by train from Rome. I mostly lived in Pergine, a small part of the region whose cleanliness made it look like Kigali. Though it is usually not my area of interest, I learnt a lot from the buildings found in the centre of the region. Usually in the evenings, I went out for walks and I could see corn plantations on some sides of the roads. Since it was summer time, lots of people in this town were using bikes for both transportation and sports. I enjoyed hot pools on rainy days and a few summer festivals on weekends. I tried hiking too but I think it was my first and last time to willingly try the activity. I found it to be a perfect location because it never felt too hot, the weather remained normal.

PERGINE CASTLE

     

             

II. Seasons and Time.

Depending on the place, it is very important to care about the season and time. I would rarely plan for a trip in the Northern part during January or February because of how cold the places are. I am able to better explore places which are a little bit warm and I therefore consider winter as a threat to my travel experiences. Some periods have tickets on discount. Knowing when to visit a place also helps you book for cheaper tickets usually ahead of time.

This reminds me of the first time I visited Naples, Ischia~Forio. I had to buy tickets a month before my actual departure. It is also a safety measure especially for Ischia and Forio where I had to use boats. 

For some reasons, people may choose to book their tickets late due to their uncertain and unpredictable schedule. To safely secure a seat, looking at the cancellation terms and conditions of the agency you are travelling with can save you in case your plans are changed.

Naples which is in the Southern part of Italy, it was easy for me to go there even in December (winter). The weather is usually better compared to Rome and the place is also known for good pizzas. There is a beautiful sea close to the city centre and it is 50 minutes away from the main station (Garibaldi).

                                                                       FRIED PIZZA

                               PIZZA NAPOLETANA                           

As for Ischia, I mostly stayed in Forio which is a small part of the island. It gets very hot during the summer which makes the movements on foot very uncomfortable. For transportation, people rent cars or scooters. The buses aren’t easy to find and they don't usually pass in lots of locations as in big cities. For easy movements, it is advisable to have a driving license or at least be able to use scooters. During winter, lots of places are closed. Ideally, it is better to schedule your island trips during the summer. 

                              

                                           

III. Gather enough info before travelling to any place.

For people who move from one country to another, it is good to have enough information about the languages which are commonly used and how the prices are in general. It again helps in budgeting and in knowing what to expect. Thanks to my Brazilian friend who travels a lot, she is always a good reference that I now can use to plan for my future travels. I have again realized, there can be misconceptions even in how things work. While searching for information, make sure you are asking a person who knows you, understands your culture and financial status so they will know what kind of important information to give you about a place. 

IV. For solo trips, feel free to first travel for a few days.

As much as travelling may be exciting, it can also be frustrating a bit scary. Whenever I am in a new place, often, I easily feel homesick. One thing that saves me is to usually buy 2-way tickets. Whenever I feel anxious and uncomfortable, I force myself to stay a little longer so that I may not waste money buying another ticket. One other hack that helps avoid instant returns is to travel for professional reasons. Your working contract limits your need to quickly or easily leave the new place.

V. Double your budget.

On my way to different cities, I once lost a train and I met others who lost trains and buses. As we all rushed to figure out how can make it to our targeted places, I could see how those who didn’t have enough struggled. For safety reasons, always travel with some ‘paper’ money and your card for the rest.

VI. Connections and opportunities.

I am encouraged to visit other countries because of the diversity in languages, cultures, atmospheres that I surely hope to see. Last summer while in Forio, I met a Caribbean lady and we talked about business. I told her about my passions and she suggested online lessons to help me gain skills and knowledge for opportunities that I said I was interested in. Few days ago, I got my first two certificates in the field of ‘Digital Marketing’ which are now exposing me to lots of opportunities.

Another German lady whom we met from the hostel I was living in, left me a present which is this book on the picture below. This was a challenge since I only enjoy non-fictions but I decided to read it for the mare fact that it is a gift. I have added it to my little library and lots of new words that I took from this book are helping me teach and write my new blogs. All this to say that travelling exposes us to new good challenges.

MYTHS AND MISCONCEPTIONS.

I. Travelling is always expensive.

This for me is a myth because in my planning, I get to choose destinations that I am able to cover for. I rarely dream about places which do not fit in my budget. Usually, I write my list and start searching for information about tickets, rooms and activity costs before I even decide to visit that particular place. I did that for cities like Pisa and Florence, and I was able to save lots.

                                    

                                    

The first two pictures are from Florence. A not so big city with usually lots of tourists during the day. I was there for just a day and towards some touristic places, I saw lots of famous shops and stores (Dior, Hermes, Raybans, etc). There is beautiful architecture too which helps understand history. I even felt happier after knowing that I was one in a place where Amy and Lino's love story -From Scratch- began.

The two last pictures were taken from Pisa, which is a beautiful place too. Lots of people come for the tower, which though looking normal in the picture, it is nearly four degree lean due to its unstable foundation. It has stayed that way from the beginning and that is what attracts lots of people, to come see how such a big building can survive for that long. For the memories, I bought an ice-cream to take it with a view.

II. Famous means beautiful.

There are some places I visited with very high expectations due to how I have heard about them but they weren’t that beautiful. Nepi happens to be among the most pleasant places I have ever been to. No one had told me about, but I so much love the life style there. Lots of people eat food, fruits grown from their farms. I had a chance to again see sheep reared around people's houses. The beauty of a place can also be relative. As I spend more time in places, I only get to love them basing on how I see people behaving, quiet environments, availability of services and not just the architectures.

NEPI

I always love to look at travelling from different points of view so that I may know how to better draw my own conclusions. It is unfortunate to say that some places are beautiful but as it was once said ‘Places are only as good as the People in it’. People play a big role when it comes to the beauty of any place. Often, some also look back and think they have wasted part of their budget because of investing it in travelling, or they just give up after missing a flight, bus or train. I am here to remind you that all of those are mutual feelings to lots travelling today, so dare to always try again.

Let’s redo this next year with different countries. I hope and pray you find your way to all your dream destinations. Happy New 2023!

Tuyishime, 2022.