We want to believe that traveling and already forgotten, ordinary life will return to normal very soon. However, while we have to wait patiently, you can do a little more than just dream. For example, one of the most important points of a travel plan is finances. Someone may already be familiar with these suggestions but sometimes things get forgotten and it is good that there are notes to look at.
Eating:
Food is an essential part of travel, but it does not have to rule out the possibility of being on budget and having three meals a day. One way to save on a FISOM trip is using the opportunity to eat the meals offered by the tour chefs. It is definitely the cheapest way to ensure a complete diet throughout the trip. Of course, we all have different tastes in food and need to decide for ourselves what to eat for lunch. In this case, approximate meal planning is the answer. Firstly, it will help the body to adapt more quickly to a new lifestyle and secondly, it reduces the risk of “accidentally” buying different sweets and snacks, from which you can not really get full. In addition to the previous point, it is a great idea to research the traditional dishes of each country and decide which ones you definitely want to try. It will allow you to plan and reduce costs on days when traditional food can be replaced by something simple and cheap. It is certainly worth reminding - do not eat in the city center! There prices are the highest and not always the high price means good quality. It is useful to know that many cities have public, free water-filling places, so it is not always necessary to buy water. The final suggestion in this article is to prepare breakfast/snacks before the trip. It must be taken into account that the journey is long, and the bus can not provide the optimal temperature for food to stay as fresh as in the refrigerator, it needs to be safe against both conditions. For example, you can make breakfast bars by our own “Našķoties Zane” recipe - they are high in nutrition and easy to store.
Exploring the cities:
When it comes to getting to know cities, one way to reduce costs is to plan city routes in advance. We suggest gathering the sights, which definitely need to be seen, before the trip, so there isn’t a need to use public transport, which is especially expensive in metropolises.
Also, FISOM offers each participant audio tours, which include:
information about the history of countries and cities, sight-seeing objects, and other suggestions, as a way to replace the guide. Nowadays, when maps in physical form are rarely used, Google Maps is a must-have. However, the amount of internet is limited, and a useful option is to explore the cities in groups, where every day someone else can be the guide - it is definitely a lot more fun. From personal experience, I can say that by asking the locals for advice, you can save time and money. For example, about unoccupied tourist attractions, public transport, places to eat - locals won’t eat at tourist prices and will know the best places. As well as a recommendation specifically for FISOM travellers - walk, walk and walk.
Every city has so many hidden gems and not always expensive museums, art galleries, and popular tourist attractions are the must-haves. Of course, they have a high added value but for a FISOM type of trip with limited financial and time resources, it is sometimes more valuable to spend money on, for example, untasted food than to visit one museum.
Of course, everyone’s travel habits, expectations, and needs are different. What works for one, will not work for another. Nevertheless, we hope that any of these recommendations will come in handy. While we wait patiently for the beginning of new adventures - health, good mood, and strength for all of us!