Did you know you can rent & download audio books for free if you have a library card? Zinio (RBDigital) for magazines, Overdrive (Libby) for books, and Hoopla (music/audio books/TV) are all great options. We like to listen to books when traveling by plane, train and car.
Hop on hop off buses or boats are a good way to see a lot quickly if you are short on time. It is also a good way to initially orient yourself to a city you will be spending a few days in.
To minimize your luggage for long trips, chose versatile wardrobe options so you can do a lot of mix and matching. Extra Petite has some great advice here. Search Pinterest for more inspiration, too.
Is it better to pay in foreign/local currency or your home one when given the option at the check out counter? Experts agree the conversion rate and fees are better if you pay in the local currency. So next time you get the option, chose the currency of that country and not your own. More on dynamic currency conversion here.
Plane headphones are typically really bad quality. You will likely want to bring your own on. This is especially important if you have the new iPhone with the different headphone connection than what airplane entertainment devices use.
Lead. Travel. Pray. 