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Travel Tip #32: Pack a Map

No one wants to look like a lost tourist. As such, we all tend to shy away from walking around with huge paper maps unfolded in our hands. But that doesn’t mean that you can’t pack a map on the sly.

Smartphones can access real-time maps and information on the go. Guidebooks may look dorky, but you can easily tear out the small maps or make photocopies. Notebooks are great for drawing simple (or perhaps crude) maps of neighborhoods and the maps make for great journal entries when you look back on your trip. My friend Derrick cleverly keeps maps on his camera’s memory card that he can then access anywhere.

You may not want to look like a tourist, but you also want to find that restaurant that your friend recommended. So, swallow your pride and find a way to navigate without looking like an amateur.

How do you discreetly carry maps with you on the road?