Traveling Abroad: What to know
International traveling is an experience best prepared in advance, and not just when it comes to booking flights and packing. Sure, turning up at your gate without a passport or lacking melatonin for your red-eye flight might bring a damper on your long-awaited escape, but most of your planning should be dedicated to ensuring the health, safety, and financial needs, making sure they are covered fully. Moreover, you need to make sure all your other appointments are well taken care of. If you are a student or an author, stuck with due work of your class or work, you can always hire content writing services for yourself.
We’ve assembled this foreign travel checklist for your next long-distance journey to save you some preparatory time. By going through this list, you are maximizing your enjoyment by pre-preparing your arrangements.
Safety Comes First!
Ever heard the phrase, Safety Comes First? One of the simplest and most relevant items on a travel checklist abroad is arguably often the most overlooked. Travel insurance and warnings from the State Department can be extremely useful in emergencies abroad, but many visitors bet they won’t become part of the small percentage of travelers seeking emergency assistance or hotel or flight cancellation cover.
Subscribing to the STEP updates for your destination from the State Department will help you stay up-to-date on future and existing travel restrictions, strikes, and areas of political unrest. Any warnings you get will tell you whether to prepare ahead for any unforeseen obstacles or not, giving you a head start on your journey.
Travel insurance will pay as little as a few dollars a day of flight and cover everything from fixing a damaged camera to emergency medical services, potentially saving you hundreds of dollars or even thousands. It’s always advisable to think this through.
Get Your Passports, Cash, Documents In Order!
Confirm that your passport and travel documents are up to date. Some countries allow a passport to be valid for at least six months after your scheduled return. Make sure, due to an expired passport you won’t be turned away or delayed at customs.
If you plan to rent a car during your travels, it’s important to obtain an international driver’s license. Check the specific requirements of the country you’ll be visiting, as some destinations may require this documentation. Having the proper documentation is essential for a smooth and enjoyable driving experience in a foreign country.
Keep physical and digital copies of your passport and all your documents in case anything is misplaced. Send family and friends copies as well as your itinerary and phone numbers that you can call in the event of an emergency. The key is to be prepared.
Notify your bank and credit card companies of your travel dates. This will ensure they don’t reject your transactions. Also, inquire about international ATM fees so you can find out which ones do not charge you. Bringing several cards, should one stop working, is also a smart idea.
Don’t underestimate how useful your passport’s mobile picture can be. If you’re going to the consulate and reporting it missing, or just filling out a customs card and having your passport number, it’ll probably be handy. In case your phone runs out of battery or is lost, email the picture to yourself for an extra digital copy. You need a relaxed journey ahead, so prepare everything wisely.
Vaccinate Yourself and Your Family!
Are you traveling alone? Or is it a family trip? The best way to go about it is to get vaccinated beforehand. It is best to get out of the way the requisite vaccines as soon as possible, because it may take a couple of weeks to build up maximum immunity. Some also require several doses, which can be given over days, weeks, or even months. Speak to your doctor about getting the vaccines recommended by the CDC, since the vaccine schedule differs by region. For example, if you’ve been to at-risk areas, hundreds of countries need evidence of a yellow fever vaccination. A travel clinic will help you figure out which medications and vaccines you can need.
Keep your certificate of vaccination in your carry-on in case customs allow you to show it when you reach the country.
Get To Know Your Destination!
If you’re a travel aficionado or an individual with a paperback guidebook, it’s invaluable to have some information about your destination. Read about the region you’re traveling to in advance to get insight into important information such as currency exchange rates, useful phrases, tipping standards, appropriate clothing, and cultural/legal customs. It is best to be prepared so you don’t end up in a situation of compromise.
Make Sure Your Home Is Taken Care For
There’s nothing worse than remembering that you forgot to stop delivering your mail. Maybe you forgot to ask someone to water your expertly tended plants in the kitchen while you’re away from six time zones. Until you leave, make sure your regular duties are protected. Ask a trusty friend to do them for you while you are away.
You can also find someone to do chores for your house online. There are many services that can offer you such services.
Get Roaming Services
Would you like to keep in touch when traveling abroad? When you haven’t already taken your phone abroad, contact your mobile provider to make sure it works in the country you’re visiting, and inquire about future international phone plans. If the plans are costly for your network, a mobile hotspot may be a cost-effective option.
Download the Necessities For Your Adventure!
Perhaps the most important thing you’re going to pack is in your pocket rather than in your bag. We are talking about smartphones. If it comes to traveling with little data or power, offline maps are your best friend. Wi-Fi can be found in many locations, but downloading offline maps via Google Maps or CityMaps2Go will allow you to follow your GPS without the need to use battery life and roam data.
Downloading entertainment on-board might also save you if your TV isn’t an option on the long-haul board. Streaming would not be available without reliable in-flight Wi-Fi (which you can never rely on), but you can pre-download movies and TV shows through Amazon Prime, and music streaming service Spotify allows paying users to download tracks for offline use by pressing a button.
Don’t forget to have a charger and power bank for backup. Watching your favorite TV show for hours would certainly drain your battery power. There’s nothing worse than eventually finding a Wi-Fi spot just to get your phone dead.
Pack These Essentials
Although the contents of your checked bag will depend primarily on the area you are visiting, in your carry-on, you’ll want most of the necessities of your trip on hand. Begin with this checklist of international travel items to pack:
- Passport and visa
- Medications
- Insurance and ID cards
- Cash, debit cards, and credit cards
- Pen to fill out customs forms
- Portable charger
- Earplugs, eye mask, and sleeping pills
- Electrical converters and adapters specific to your destination
- Headphones
- Antibacterial wipes
- Sweater/scarf in case the plane is chilly
- Cell phone and charger
Consider taking pictures of your packed suitcase (in and out) should it get misplaced. This way, airline workers will know what to look for, so in case you don’t get it back and decide to lodge a claim, you’ll know what was inside. Also, remember to use article writing services for your classwork or office, if you are to leave early in the morning. Their experts will take care of everything while you are away enjoying your vacation.
Finding Help with Moving Professionals
We hope you found The Ultimate Checklist for Traveling Abroad useful. After your trip abroad, make sure you read Preparing for a Long-Distance Move – Here’s a Guide How to prepare for moving back!
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