Travel Tips With Turtle-whisperer and Experienced Traveler Dr Claire Petros

In our previous post(link), we caught up with Dr Claire Petros about her mission to help conserve the world’s original nomad – marine turtles.  As a biologist, veterinarian and conservationist, Dr Claire has traveled to places like Indonesia, South Africa, Thailand, the Caribbean and more. Her favorite memories include diving with giant Manta Rays off the Komodo Island and watching Leatherback Turtles nest in the sands of Granada.As a well-seasoned veteran of all kinds of transport, we asked Claire for her top tips when heading off on any far-flung adventure. Without further ado, here they are!
Travel light
I used to take everything with me and my bag would always weigh too much! The value of keeping things simple and improving my packing technique is something that has come with age. Figure out exactly what you need, stick with it, and have a set spot for anything that is essential.

Take a spare set of clothes in your carry on
I always take an extra change of clothes with me in my hand luggage, just in case of lost bags, flight delays, or even journeys that last more than 24 hours.

Separate your money
Having all your money in one spot can be a disaster if you get robbed. I take two debit cards with me and usually hide the second one somewhere in my main bag, just in case my handbag gets stolen.

Use a local SIM card
I have an unlocked phone so I can buy a SIM card from the country that I’m traveling to. It’s much, much cheaper that way and I often travelled alone, so it’s a good way of making sure I have a way of getting in touch with home and also the people that I may be meeting there.

Secure your liquids
I’ve also learnt from many disastrous spillages to put all liquids in travel plastic bags to stop my clothes from being shampooed or toothpaste. It’s so easy for that to happen, especially in backpacks.

To read more about Dr Claire and her work, head to this interview(link), or go to http://oliveridleyproject.org/