tips 4 1st time travelers.

If you see a sign… you’re close.

While looking at your map can sometimes get you all turned around, 
being able to look up and see signs allows you to find your 

destination without looking too much like a tourist.

Strategically planning your instagram worthy pictures.

While you obviously have to walk up to a monument and take in the breathtaking site sometimes you have to go to a higher vantage point to get that selfie. Example 1: Walking below the Eiffel Tower it was very difficult to get the picture I wanted. Later in our trip we went to Palais de Chaillot , which had an advantage point that was perfecto for the many instagram pictures that have hit my social media accounts.

Have a plan not an agenda.

Although writing out an itinerary to make sure you see all those popular destinations is tempting, being able to stop and take in the beauty of something will leave you with a memory that will last a lifetime (drops mic).

Plz bring comfortable shoes.

After bringing aching feet back with me to America, I’m definitely talking from experience. I would advice thick-soled shoes like Doc Martens that are perfect for the uneven brick that covers Paris’s sidewalks and streets. Sleek running shoes will also protect your feet from the many miles you will walk and currently very in style.

Communication is key.

Making sure there is an open line of communication with the person or people you are traveling with is so very important. Telling them your wants and needs makes any trip run smoothly. Example 2: After walking approximately 4 miles to the Eiffel Tower I expressed my hurting feet to my traveling partner. With a gruff response she said we could take a taxi back to our hotel after our adventure. Not understanding why we hadn’t taken the metro I told Kirsi of my thought. She then proclaimed that I had said I did not want to take the metro, but I told her I had been taking about another subject. Although laughing about our miscommunication, if you don’t speak your mind you might just walk 4 miles to the Eiffel tower like we did.

Pack for the worst.

Although looking at the weather is always helpful, keep in mind to back for the worst weather possible. It may save you from freezing hands and cold noses.

Be bold.

 Don’t hesitate to look like a confused tourist, stop and look at those street and metro maps. It’ll save you a whole lot of time, instead of getting off at the wrong metro station.

You will most definitely walk more than you think.

Although aching feet are my first choice, being able to get a better feeling for a different culture can be achieved by walking along the Seine or any other foreign street (as long as you know where you are going).

You can’t see London in a day.

Taking in everything you’re seeing at the moment instead of trying to squeeze in every famous site in your tourist guide. Be picky but remember to be amazed at every little thing you are coming a crossed.

Sleep in.

Remember you’re on vacation. #duh