What are your thoughts on traveling abroad now?

It was so fun! It’s less intimidating than you would think, but still make sure to research everything ahead of time; such as, transportation, currency, and possible language barriers.

What was your favorite part about traveling?

Sightseeing was definitely my favorite! You see so many things that you wouldn’t see in the United States.

What was your least favorite?

Either the homeless animals or the haggling. The haggling and bartering would piss me off every time lol.

(Jordan here… I agree this is very frustrating in the moment. Being firm and saying “no, thank you” sometimes doesn’t work - but we tried remembering this was their income and how they supported their families. Kindness goes a long way!)

What tips do you have for the airport as a first-time traveler?

Make sure you have the correct passport (@ our mother) and make sure to give yourself ample time there. Thankfully, we were lucky with the airports and them not being too busy, but that’s not always the case.

Also, make sure to get a good neck pillow lol.

(Jordan here… Our mother grabbed the wrong passport on our first leg of the trip. I had to send Cameron on through TSA without us since our luggage was already checked, while we waited for our stepdad to bring an entire thumbprint-scanning safe to the Memphis airport).

What packing tips do you have?

Don’t overpack! I did, and will continue to probably slightly overpack because I like to have options, but I didn’t wear over half of what I brought.

What surprised you the most about traveling? Both good and bad.

It shocked me how everyone would try to take advantage of us and rip us off. You hear about it and you know that it’s probably happening, but still… it’s super annoying. However, everyone was also very friendly and I loved that. Still need to keep your guard up, but everyone was still so kind. Doing your research ahead of time about what things should cost can help with this, too.

What tips in general do you have about traveling?

Plan ahead on what restaurants and excursions you want to do (thank you, Jordan). Having a loose itinerary is helpful.

(Jordan here… I have a post on Soft vs Hard Itineraries that may be helpful).

Cameron’s Tips for First-Time Travelers