How do you go anywhere in Minecraft?

You will need tools. A stack of logs, a stack of torches, a stack of coal, a row of stone picks, an iron pick, a sword of iron or diamond, and as much armor as you can make are essential tools for exploration. One effective way to avoid getting lost is to pick a direction and stick with it steadfastly. The Sun offer a good guiding point, just follow it until noon, then keep it at your back once half the day is out, or whatever orientation you prefer. It also helps to leave a torch every 16 blocks or so, to reduce the hostile mobs that will spawn along your path and to mark it for future travels. If you're feeling especially industrious, you can even build yourself a path. Short, shallow bodies of water can be easily bridged with some construction blocks, but whether or not you WANT to bridge it is another matter entirely. Boats, fortunately, are cheap and easy to produce, and break apart into useful materials. If you travel in a boat across large bodies of water, you will want to start early in the day, as reaching land at night can be very dangerous. For rapid access from your old home to your new one, consider building yourself a Nether portal and walking the distance back to your old home. You can also build yourself a minetrack with powered rails between your two homes, which is the fastest way to travel from point to point beside the Nether.