That fear of the unknown is what makes travelling to a new city either exciting or frightening. Whichever the case is, there are ways to make it less daunting. For one, you can book for pre-arranged tours, so you'll have one thing less to worry about. Just have Groovy Grape Australian outback tours or similar services.

For another, travel smart and avoid any of these crazy stunts!

Don't schedule your arrival in the middle of the night

Early flights may be offered cheaper by most airlines, but make sure you're not too early coming in. Arriving at midnight or 2 AM is a really bad idea, especially if you decide to wing it. If hotels are fully booked and the timetable of transportation doesn’t open until morning, you'll be forced to sleep in the bus or train station. Not exactly an exciting prospect, right?

However, if a car hire is waiting for you and your accommodation is already booked, early (seriously early) arrival won't be a problem at all.

Don't travel short on cash

What's worse than having little cash? Travelling with an empty wallet. Even if you know that cash machines are aplenty in your destination of choice, don't risk it. You should at least have two days worth of cash, so you'll get to eat, buy something you need, travel, and sleep somewhere decent. Make sure you know how to access your money when overseas. Also, don't assume that hotels in the area will change travellers cheque or accept credit cards. So, having cash really trumps all.

Not knowing how to get to your hotel

Which of the fancy accommodation below do you want to book?

• A tropical resort (南国　リゾート) in New Caledonia
• Stanthorpe accommodation
• Nasa Vegas Hotel
• Unwind Hunter Valley Australia
• Derbyshire Country Cottages in the Peak District
• Banyan Holiday Resorts in Thailand

If you make online reservations, you should make an effort to check the location and the ways to get there. Do you need to take a bus, train or cab? How about having airport transfers arranged with your booking? Even with a really good GPS system, you still have to determine how long the trip will take from the airport, and how much it will cost you.

Here's a great solution though, hire a rental car that comes with several perks, such as pick up or drop off at the airport, maps and insurance.

If you're bringing your precious pet, make sure that the hotel you're booking is a pet-friendly establishment. Investing in PIA dog insurance can be a good move that will help protect your travel funds or personal savings in case you need emergency care for your beloved pet.

Don't leave home without learning four key phrases

Hello. Thank You. Please. I am sorry.

You only need to know how to say these in the local language and you'll be fine. Easier said than done, right? Considering that some dialect sounds like tongue twisters, learning to speak these four phrases can be a real challenge. But do try. Who knows? These could help make your trip more enjoyable than you can imagine. Once you've mastered them, learn how to enumerate numbers next. You do want to know how much this and that really cost, right?

Travelling for the first time is undoubtedly exciting. Whatever apprehensions you feel, you can avoid when you take note of the tips listed above.