10 Tips to Making International Travel a Breeze
- Get the a-okay before you go. Check-in with your embassy to ensure your destination is safe to visit and to get a list of any vaccinations required or suggested. And while you’re at your doctor’s office, make sure you have all essential prescriptions ready to go for your trip.
- Bring copies of your passport. If your passport gets stolen or lost you want to be sure that you can still get back into the country, or be able to prove your citizenship.For extra security, leave a backup copy of your passport with someone you trust and email yourself a copy.
- Tell everyone your plans. You should always register with your embassy. If anything happens it will be much easier for your government to contact you and get you to safety. Be sure to call your bank and credit card company ahead of time to let them know you’ll be out of town and when they can expect you to return. Doing this will help you to avoid a shutdown on your cards. Some companies no longer require a pre-departure alert, but better safe than sorry!
- Think ahead about money. Look up conversion rates and make sure your credit card will work in the country you’re visiting before you go. Finding out that one Danish Krone is equal to just 19 cents … not so fun. Make sure you do your math before you travel to get a sense of how much you’ll need to have a good experience.
- Always have local cash. Not every place takes credit cards. Especially important places like trains or buses, so withdraw cash from a bank or ATM in the country you’re visiting. The conversion centers in the airport or around the city tend to be huge rip-offs. You won’t get charged as many fees at the ATM or the bank, and the conversion will be exact.
- Make an exit plan. Some countries require travelers to pay an entrance or exit fee in order to enter or leave the country. These fees are not included in the price of your airline ticket, and can range from $25 to $200.
- Research events going on while you’re there. This will help you make sure that you’re not missing the best events going on in the city — fun things like festivals, ceremonies and natural events. Also be sure to research as a few national dishes to try. You don’t want to leave the country without experiencing what it’s known for.
- Get your electronics in order. Bring a charger and voltage adapter. Countries have different size plugs and voltage. So if you want to use your iPod, make sure you can charge it. A power strip can be a way to cheat and charge multiple devices off of one adapter. Activate your phone’s global capabilities or purchase a pre-paid SIM card when you touch down. Don’t rack up roaming charges, you’ll be a very unhappy camper when the bill comes!
- Pack smart. Bring an extra set of clothes in your carry-on bag. It’s no secret, sometimes airlines lose luggage. Prepare to be one of those unlucky souls and pack a backup in your carry-on.
- Do yourself a favor and bring snacks… for the flight and those moments when you realize dinner doesn’t start until 8 o’clock in some countries.
