Eric's Rules for Successful Travel

I started traveling at the age of three and haven’t stopped yet.  I’ve been (and worked) on three continents, all 50 states, and heaven knows how many countries.  My first extended trip on my own was a summer spent in France at the age of 17. I had a great time and learned all sorts of things not on the approved list of educational experiences … the most important being I could survive on my own when things got tough. (The next most important was to avoid white wine and stick to red, but that’s another story).

In the past five years I’ve made extended trips through New England, the American west, northern Canada, and Alaska, plus some time in Hawaii.

All of this has led me to some rules for successful traveling.  They apply broadly, but ESPECIALLY to photographers.

Rule 1.  Know your objectives.  What are you traveling for?  The answer can be anything you want – see the Alps, swim in an ocean, photograph a glacier, meet the locals — but it helps to have some objective to shape your trip and keep you going.

Rule 2. Research your destination.  The internet has made this a snap, but it helps in setting your objectives and giving you some clue as to what you’re letting yourself in for.

Rule 3. Don’t over-plan. Nothing kills a trip like trying to do too much.  “If this is Tuesday, it must be Belgium” really sucks because you won’t be able to process your experiences.  If you commit to too many stops, too many locations, you’ll be frazzled and disappointed when it rains, or the road is closed, or the bus is late.

When I travel, I like to make a list of things I want to see — and give myself permission to skip any or all of them if something really interesting takes priority.  Dwight Eisenhower said “Plans are useless, but planning’s essential.” He was right, because circumstances force plans to change – and the more detailed the plan, the more likely it is to go wrong.  Avoid over-planning to build flexibility into your trip.


Rule 4. Use tours judiciously.  


Tours can help you or louse you up.  If you have little time and no knowledge of the place you’re going to, tours are valuable. Tours can familiarize you with your destination.  They can also take you places you simply couldn’t reach (or understand) on your own.  In Alaska last summer I took only two tours:  one through Denali (you can’t really do it any other way) and one from Stewart for a wildlife and glacier cruise.  Worth absolutely every penny!

But for travelers who want to experience a place, not just see it, tours are only useful for a quick overview.  Use the next day wander around or revisit some of the places you craned your neck to see from the bus. The other main drawback to tours is the limited time you spend at a stop.  Photographers frequently need far more time than the tour guide wants to spend.

Hiring a local guide for the day may be affordable and is a great way to get access and local knowledge without jamming yourself onto a tour’s schedule.  Worth considering – even if you have to team up with a couple of other travelers to keep the cost down.


Rule 5. Make sure you can meet local people.  They are your best resource for finding great places to eat, great places to photograph, and great places to avoid.  But how do you do this?

1. Sleep in pensions, campsites, hostels, inns, farmhouses, or B&Bs rather than large tourist hotels.  The place you wind up in may be splendid or perhaps less than that, but you’re trading off luxury for experience and local knowledge.

2. Go to the bar and strike up a conversation.  Buying a drink or two makes it easy!

3. Ask at the local tourist bureau or welcome center to suggest good spots to meet locals.  I did this in Fort Simpson, Canada and wound up a day later on a free ATV trip back into some mountains, along with a really interesting conversation with some First Nation folks, and the most incredible dog I’ve ever met – but that’s another story.

4. Ask these two questions.  They work every time.

1. ”You’re from around here.  What should I photograph (or see) that isn’t on every postcard – maybe some place that’s special for you?”
2. “Who else should I meet while I’m here?”

These two questions are the absolutely best ways I know to make sure you have a wonderful trip.  (See The Marvelous Act of Asking Your Way).

Rule 6 Don’t overpack.  This is a tough one, particularly for photographers, as we NEVER travel really light – the gear weighs us down. But make the effort – every ounce you pack is an ounce you have to schlep, and they all add up!  My rule of thumb is pack so that I can carry it all at one time.  This means minimizing separate pieces by doing things like making sure your tripod fits into your rolling duffle, and that your lenses are multi-purpose rather than primes.

The truth is you WILL overpack.  But truly, it’s worth making the effort to minimize.  Really minimize.  Just don’t forget the toilet paper if you’re going into the wilderness!. 

Rule 7  Figure out how to keep your images safe. I usually travel with a laptop and a portable hard drive.  Every night, religiously, I empty my memory cards onto the laptop and duplicate them onto the hard drive.  Then I pack the laptop and the hard drive in separate locations. I usually travel on my own so I can find time to edit out trash shots while I’m at it, thus saving space.

Rule 8.  Take good notes.  I use a digital tape recorder for this … I can record locations, impressions, etc very easily for later use at home.  Keeping a geotag log is a great idea.  Your smart phone can even do this, and so can many cameras.  External geotag units are available as well.  But there’s nothing like being able to pinpoint when and where you took that superb shot of a golden eagle swooping up a gopher in the setting sun!

Rule 9.  Consider your power needs and get whatever you need before you leave home.  You have to make sure you can recharge or replace batteries, get online if you have to, have enough memory cards, etc.  Verify what power you need (110v or 220v) for instance, and match it (or get a converter rated not to fry your gear) to the power grid where you’ll be traveling.  We live and die by electronics these days, so make CERTAIN you are covered in this regard.

Rule 10 and one of the best.  Never be afraid to ask for help if you need it. Like asking your way, asking for help appeals to peoples’ best sides. The converse is also true – if someone needs help, be the first to step up and offer it  You may make a friend for life, and you will certainly enrich your karma by doing unto others.