9 Things to Do Before Traveling Abroad
Traveling abroad as a tourist always brings excitement and anticipation. But preparations can be very stressful especially if you don't know where to start. The last thing you want to happen is to get too stressed which ruins the excitement. Here are nine items you should include in your international travel checklist:
1. Check your passport and visa
Your passport and visa (if applicable) are the most important documents for your international trip. Without them, you’ll never get even past the airport of your place of origin. But checking these documents shouldn’t only be done a few days before your trip. It’s highly recommended to get them ready a few months or even a year before to prevent unforeseen issues from happening.
When it comes to passports, some countries prevent their citizens from traveling abroad if passports are a few months away from expiring. As for Visas, multiple countries require incoming travelers a specific type of visa depending on the purpose of the travel. These are just some of the checklists you should work on. Always seek help from the embassy or an accredited travel agency to help you obtain these documents.
2. Save and print important documents
Passports and visas aren’t the only documents in your packing checklist when traveling internationally. Check-ins, tickets, and accommodation bookings are as important, and all of these should be saved and printed before your trip. Aside from convenience, printing these documents beforehand will give you an added sense of security in case the original copies get lost or stolen. The importance of your personal safety and security can’t be stressed enough, and having these documents will ensure you’ll be ready for whatever issues may occur.
When you’ve already reached your destination, always keep these documents with you at all times. Since you’ll likely be carrying a bag when you’re out, find a space where you can insert these pieces of paper. This also prevents you from carrying your passport which can get wet in your bag. Alternately, you can save the files on your phone if printing is too inconvenient. Just make sure you don’t delete them any time during the trip.
3. Plan all your daily activities
Traveling is fun but it becomes stressful if you don’t know where you’re going or can’t decide what to do next. It becomes more complicated if it’s not a solo trip and you’re with a group. You can argue all you want with your travel companions back home but not during a vacation. Too much fighting will just ruin all the fun.
That is why planning all your activities ahead of time is a must, not just to prevent conflicts but also to save money and time. Remember that you only have a limited schedule so maximize every minute that you have. To help you with the planning, check out travel blogs on the destination you’ll be going to. You can also seek assistance from family or friends who’ve traveled to the location before.
4. Check exchange rates and ATM fees
Imagining allotting a specific amount for your daily activities but discover you’ll actually be bringing a much smaller amount due to high exchange rates or ATM fees? Avoid this dilemma by checking rates and fees ahead of time. This is one of the best travel hacks to help you save money and also enjoy whatever funds you have for the trip.
When exchanging money abroad, stay away from conversion booths in the airport as they mostly don’t offer favorable currency conversion rates. Go with banks or currency booths outside the airport instead. As for ATM withdrawals or credit card purchases, check with your local bank’s foreign fees and the ATM fees in the place you’re traveling. This can easily be done online.
5. Check for weather forecasts
Freezing cold and scorching heat may feel fine on paper, but they’re completely different when experienced first hand. Walking around with either of these temperatures is no fun at all and you’ll only end up getting sick. Always check for weather forecasts before traveling so that you can accomplish all your activities and also avoid getting stuck in bed the entire day.
When traveling to countries having different seasons, avoid summer or winter as the weather can get very uncomfortable. Spring or autumn are your best options as you’ll be accompanied by sunny or cloudy days having just the right amount of cool or heat. Alternately, choose dates where temperatures are manageable when traveling to tropical or polar destinations.
6. Maximize public transportation and free activities
Traveling abroad can be very expensive. And if you’re not careful with your expenses, you may end up broke and riddled in debt once you get back. There are two ways to significantly decrease costs during international travel: using public transportation and enjoying free activities. With these two options, you’ll be amazed at how much money you can save for the trip.
It’s true that every country doesn’t offer an effective public transport system but you can always do research ahead of time on the routes to avoid getting lost and spending too much on public transport costs. Google or Apple Maps can help you tremendously in this situation. As for free activities, these mostly pertain to sightseeing activities such as walking tours, landmark visits, beach visits, or hiking activities, among others. Even with free activities, you can experience the culture of the country you’re visiting.
7. Prepare prescriptions for your medications
You want to avoid getting sick for your trip as much as possible. But in case the sickness bug does bite you, make sure that to follow highly recommended safety tips so that you’ll be up and running in no time. One tip is to visit your doctor a few weeks before the vacation to give you updated prescriptions for your usual medications.
Even if you don’t get sick, you can always use the medications once you get back. This will save you money in the long run. This will also prevent you from buying medicines from another country which can be very difficult.
8. Get travel insurance
Getting travel insurance is not mandatory when going abroad. But there are numerous benefits should you choose to get one, including but not limited to coverage for medical and juridical expenses, theft and robbery, lost luggage, and canceled flights.
Of course, you don’t want to experience any of these things during your vacation but it gives you a sense of relief knowing that you’ll be compensated in case issues might arise. Travel insurance is always an added cost for any traveler but you can save up on insurance by getting quotes from different insurance providers. If you already have one (most likely life insurance), ask your provider if they’re offering coverage for travel. Also, check your airline carrier since most are offering insurance for international travelers.
9. Clean your home
You may get too excited about your trip that you forgot you have a home to get back to. And nothing translates to “welcome back to reality” than seeing all the trash and dirt after returning from a vacation. To avoid getting stressed while unpacking your bags, clean the house or apartment ahead of time so that it’s still spick and span once you get back.
Here are some of the benefits of doing some general cleaning before the trip: it prevents insects and pests from invading your home while you’re away; you’ll be able to check on electronics to make sure they’re unplugged; and you can schedule with a friend to temporarily take care of your pets. Doing some general cleaning (and housekeeping) is very helpful especially if you’re living alone.
In closing
Being a tourist is so much different compared to living abroad as an immigrant or ex-pat. It’s fun but preparations can oftentimes get very stressful. The eight items listed above should you help prepare for any situation before your scheduled trip outside of the country.
