Want to pick up a camera and start vlogging your holidays, or even just discover new places in your home town? The Travel panel at Summer in the City 2019 had all the advice you’ll need!
The panel was chaired by Sanne Vliegenthart and featured Evan Edinger, Chandler Alexis, Simon Wilson, Brogan Tate and Toba Courage of London Hacks.
So without further ado, here are their best travel tips!
1. Travelling solo can be an amazing experience…
Simon usually travels alone for his videos. He thinks there’s something powerful about the experience. “When I’m with friends I have a laugh and we speak but when you’re on your own, you’ve got to speak to other people”, he says, adding “you’ve got to get out of your comfort zone.”
Chandler also prefers travelling alone as you can plan your own time and see everything you want to see.
She made an analogy to a fairground, saying “when you go to an amusement park with 10 other people you’re probably going to be waiting for an hour in lines and it’s going to take longer to figure out which rides you wanna go on.”
2. …but travelling with friends has its perks too
Evan’s favourite trips are the ones he takes with friends. “I like travelling alone but it’s much more fun to be able to share the experience.” He mitigates the feeling of missing out by nominating himself as the chief planner arbiter for any group trips.
“Solo travel is amazing, having that independence, I can definitely see that,” added Brogan, “but for me, with my videos, it definitely adds more substance having someone else’s opinion and bouncing off of somebody.”
Toba and Evan both mentioned that it’s trickier to film when you’re alone.
Chandler seconded that point, saying that the vlogs she prefers are usually filmed by a second person. “I think its more magical. You see the whole person and instead of looking at it through their eyes it like you’re with them.”
3. Keep safety in mind
Chandler pointed out the importance of safety, recommending that you research the place you’re travelling to beforehand and keep a fully charged phone with you that all times.
“Just make sure that someone knows where you are” is her advice, especially when travelling alone. “I’ll talk to someone before I leave the hotel and let them know when I return.”
4. To plan or not to plan… it depends what you’re after
“I plan my vlogs to a tee,” said Toba. “I like to know every single thing is going to work”. He doesn’t like to call his videos are educational, “but I try to show that you can do this.” So for him, research is key.
Brogan is also very much a planner. “I know the trip, I know the plan, and then I’m almost kind of editing it in my head.”
However, Simon, whose favourite content is challenge vlogs, does the reverse. “I don’t plan anything, I just turn up and see where life takes me.”
5. Even the professionals make mistakes
One of the worst experiences Simon’s ever had was also airport-related. “I needed to get to Mexico so I had a connection in LA. My two year ESTA, so my tourist visa for America, ran out on the 24th and I landed on the 25th.”
He waited two hours in customs and was interviewed by two customs officers. However, there was a happy ending is his case: “They were really cool to be fair, so they let me go.”
Sometimes, mistakes can be blessings in disguise, especially for Toba who loves making survival videos. “I was in Amsterdam about two months ago and I missed my flight back to London,” he confessed, “then I just challenged myself to survive in Amsterdam for five days with no money.”
6. It’s ok to dip into your comfort zone
Self-described “unconventional travel vlogger”, Chandler, loves to explore new cultures, but won’t steer completely clear of her favourite fast-food chain.
“I have been to Sweden, Norway, Spain, London, and in every single one of those vlogs, I’m in McDonald’s. McDonald’s is home for me, that’s my comfort zone. I love McDonald’s.”
“I’ll second that” added Simon.
7. No money? No problem
Chandler’s advice is to start small. “I feel like everyone thinks that in order to do a travel vlog you have to take a flight to a different city or country, but I actually started doing travel vlogs in my own hometown.”
Brogan agreed, saying “sometimes I’ll just do a whole vlog on a trip down to Cornwall or if you’re going camping or a spa weekend. A travel vlog is whatever you want to define it as.”
Evan praised public transport, which is more environmentally friendly, helps you get to grips with the local culture, and is also a great money-saver.
“Anywhere I go I don’t ever get a taxi. I try and get the train, the tram… I try and figure out how the system works so I can be more like the people of that country.”
He also suggested using the app Hopper or Jack’s Flight Club to find cheap flights.
Photos by Emma Pamplin.
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