Sage Sheep Travel Tips

1. Don’t miss out on opportunities! You may not get a second chance to do something you have been wanting to do.  If you have the chance to do something, go for it right then and there!

2. Stay safe – be aware of your surroundings. Act as if everyone is trying to steal your belongings.  We have experienced people’s backpacks being stolen right in front of them in the train compartment while someone was chatting with us to distract us so we would not notice.

3. Go where the locals go.  Try to see the area from a local point of view.  We walk A LOT and ride bicycles – you can see so much when you are not whizzing by in a motorized vehicle.  You smell and hear real life.   you may be able to rent a bicycle – or go on a bicycle tour.  We love AirBnB experiences.  These adventures are usually put on by locals who can share so much about their city.  Even if you are not staying in an AirBnB, you can still book an AirBnB experience!  

4. Try a program like Workaway so that you meet people, work and experience the local life.  You typically work 4 or 5 hours per day in exchange for room and board.  Each experience is a little different.  Be sure to read the reviews before choosing your adventure.

5. Don’t try to do too much.  If you pack 10 cities into 10 days, you will barely remember where you were and what was unique about each place.

6. When traveling abroad, try to learn at least a few words of the local language – it makes the locals feel better about you and makes them smile.  Its ok if your pronunciation is horrible – at least you are trying!  We are pretty sure we told someone that we liked their girl legs – at least that’s what google translator told us we were saying when we tried it out after a person laughed so hard at us.  It gave us many laughs.

7. Bring layers of clothing – be ready for changes in the weather with inner and outer layers.  Have undershirts and overshirts for layering and a good rain jacket. We were caught off guard in Switzerland in May – having to buy hats and gloves to stay warm on our adventures.  Check out capsule wardrobes on Pinterest – that can be mixed and matched with only a few pieces.  Always bring a great pair of sturdy walking shoes. My wardrobe is grounded by the color black so I have a couple pairs of black shoes that go with everything.

8. Don’t count on having luggage carts or baggage porters – only bring what you can carry onto the train by yourself and keep track of.  If you use a backpack, don’t put any valuables in the outside pockets.  Rolling bags with wheels are really nice – as long as the wheels are super sturdy – you may find yourself traversing a gravel path to get to your destination. Its worth spending a little more to get a quality bag if you will be on the move.

9. Look for adventures in your own city.  As residents, we often overlook great opportunities in our own backyards.  We often use Meetup or Facebook groups to find out about local events to participate in.  There are usually outdoor adventure groups, kayak groups, religious groups, political groups, book clubs, hiking groups, dog playdate groups – almost everything you can think of!