Day Ones

Arriving in a new city when you’re traveling can be frustrating and challenging. You may be tired from traveling all day. Arriving at a new city at night brings different challenges. Trying to find transportation to your hotel. Lugging your bags around streets that are new to you. Getting lost. Realizing the pictures of your Airbnb don’t quite meet the reality of your accommodation. These are just some examples of what can lead to a lot of frustrations, arguments and second guessing about the city you chose. If you’re traveling to multiple cities on your trip, this will be repeated over-and-over.

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But don’t lose faith! When we travel and experience these same frustrations, I always say ‘Day One’ out loud. It probably gets on Lindsey's nerves, but it’s intended to refocus/reset our perspective and attitude towards our situation. It means that we’ve done this before, experienced these same frustrations and it’s always worked out. You’re not supposed to be the master of a new city. It takes time. It reminds us to take a deep breath. That everything will be just fine.

To reduce Day One frustration, we recommend that when you arrive to a new city (by bus, train or plane) to take an Uber (which are generally available in most cities) or a cab to your accommodation. There’s no need to be a travel hero on Day One. Trying to navigate buses or transportation will only add to your frustration. Leave public transportation to Day 2.

Another tip would be once you’ve arrived at your accommodation, take the time to get settled. Take a break. You’re in a safe space. Unpack. Connect to WiFi. Once you feel settled, create a plan with yourself and/or your partner on what’s next. But on Day One, keep it simple. Stay around your accommodation. Get something to eat. Walk around the neighborhood. Start to gain your bearings. It’ll increase your confidence, reduce anxiety and make you feel more relaxed. ‘I’ve got this’ and ‘this isn’t that difficult’ is how you’ll start feeling.

If you’ve arrived early enough, we would recommend taking some kind of tour. We prefer a walking tour, but hop-on and hop-off bus tours do the trick as well. On a walking tour, a local guide will guide you through the attractions of the new city. This will include the top tourist destinations, restaurants and history of the city. You’ll become more familiar with your surroundings and how to get around the city.

In addition, it also brings to life the buildings, streets, monuments, etc. of the city. What once was just a building is now where history took place resulting in a lot of ‘ah-ha’ moments. Guides will provide their recommendations on what to do while you’re in the city to include the best restaurants, bars, museums, etc. Walking tours are easy to find. We use Airbnb Experiences and/or Trip Advisor. The Tourist Information Office is another great resource to find both guides and other useful information. If you’re not able to secure a tour on Day One, we recommend to book one ASAP afterwards.

Finally, we recommend to add an International Data plan to your mobile phone carrier. When I first started travelling in 2001, we had to reply on maps and internet cafes for information and to find where we were going. Today, it's all available on your phone. Google Maps and Apple Maps take all the guessing out of navigating a city. It has saved us much time and frustration. International Data plans are a reasonable cost and some countries don't require an International Plan (AT&T).

Remember, you’re in a completely new city. Things aren’t supposed to be familiar. It’s going to take time. However, if you follow some of the suggestions above, it’ll reduce frustration and reduce the time it takes for you to get familiar with this new destination. If things aren’t going your way, try to refocus by telling yourself or your partner ‘Day One’. Things will get easier.