You want to travel like a local.
You want to travel like a local... but not at the cost of missing out on any iconic experiences! Because no matter what people say, tourism really isn't the worst.
We've made a list to make it easy for you.
GET FAMILIAR WITH PUBLIC TRANSIT
Navigating this is just another walk in the park for you
Knowing how to get around the (sometimes complicated) public transit systems is the easiest way to feel at home in a new city. If anything can make you feel that local glow, it's being able to give directions to someone who has absolutely no clue where they are going. Study up on your maps and you too can point people in the right direction... I think? Or was it back the other way?
VISIT A LOCAL MARKET
...or 100. I seriously just love markets. Wandering through a local market and finding the perfect souvenirs, local food, or art is a travel must everywhere you go.
EAT STREET FOOD
We thrive on danger. Which basically means we'll eat almost anything put in front of us. Like anything. Street food is often the most delicious and iconic food for a city and country. Currywurst in Berlin? Yes, please. Sew-Ew from a street cart Thailand at 2:00 AM? Still yes. Sign us up for cheap and delicious, if-possibly-a-bit-sketchy, food.
EAT A LUXURIOUS AUTHENTIC MEAL
You don't have to be a foodie to enjoy a luxury meal abroad. We ate crayfish in Kaikoura (you can read our NZ travel diary if you're interested in our experiences in New Zealand!) and we would have missed out on one of our favourite meals if we had skipped it. Plus, now we get to annoy people by talking about eating expensive crayfish in Kaikoura.
GET LOST
Ha, you thought you knew your way around? Wrong. That's what you get for being so arrogant. Luckily, getting lost in a new city is a fantastic feeling, once the panic subsides. Enjoy the detour and explore an area of the city you probably never would have ended up in otherwise.
TAKE CHEESY AND ICONIC PHOTOS
Are you going to tell me you don't want drool worthy instagram photos? If so, I think you're lying. Secretly, everyone wants one of the cheesy iconic photos whenever they travel. So hold that leaning tower in Pisa high, my friend.
LEARN THE BASICS OF THE LOCAL LANGUAGE
After time abroad you should hopefully have the basics down pat: hello, please and thank you, bye, and where is the bathroom? I've never actually had to use any of these phrases, but either way it is fun to say thank you in the local language even though you probably butchered it.
DRINK THE LOCAL ALCOHOL
Because we love to drink. We want to try Sake in Japan, wine in France, and loads of tequila in Mexico. I'd say it makes you a local, but it mostly just makes you drunk.
We like being both.
BUY A RELATED BOOK
You caught me, I am obsessed with books. But reading a book about a destination you bought in that destination, or by an author from that country is a seriously cool keepsake. Every time you read it you'll be transported back.
HAVE ONE MISADVENTURE WORTH REMEMBERING
It's time to ponder the ancient and important philosophical question: if I don't have at least one story worth telling when I come home, did I even leave?
I want to know what you did, but I don't want to hear you read out of a guidebook. And don't your mistakes make the best stories? Sure, follow your guide and budget and itinerary, but at the end of the day make sure your trip was yours and have stories worth remembering!
So tell me, what do you have to do every destination you visit? Share yours in the comments!
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