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First Time Travelers: Six Things to Know Before Traveling Abroad

johnlupez347 April 10, 2018

“For the born traveller, travelling is a besetting vice. Like other vices, it is imperious, demanding its victim’s time, money, energy, and the sacrifice of comfort.”-Aldous Huxley

Traveling is no doubt an exciting prospect you might have. But while you are psyched about this upcoming excursion, this is no reason for you to leave common sense at home. Regardless of where you might be going, it is still best to be adequately prepared. This is especially true if you are traveling internationally as this could mean your foreign country might not have the same practices as you do back at home. In any case, if you are traveling abroad anytime soon, here are some tips to keep in mind before you start scouring for cheap hotels in Cebu or wherever it is you might be going:

SECURITY AND HEALTH

  1. Check-in with your doctor and insurance carrier

Before traveling abroad, it is best to double check and ensure that you have all the necessary vaccinations and that you have adequately stocked your prescription meds. Nothing can be more catastrophic than traveling to a country that might not carry your prescription meds—most especially if these are critical meds you need. Moreover, it is best to discuss with your medical insurance provider whether or not your coverage includes overseas emergencies. If it does not, you might want to add a supplemental insurance as you will never know whether or not you might need it. Better be safe than sorry.

  1. Bring copies of your passport

There are so many scenarios where you might lose your passport. While it is not a favorable possibility, it is still a possibility nonetheless. To ensure that you do not hit any major travel snags and that you can still get back into the country you came from, bring several copies of it.

Money

  1. Look up conversion rates

Before booking your airline ticket, it is imperative that you look up the monetary conversion rates. After all, you do not want to be traveling only to be surprised how expensive everything would actually be. Do you math before you travel and have an accurate sense of where the conversion rate is at. In this way, you would not go way over your budget.

  1. Make sure your credit card works in the country you are visiting

Nothing can be more frustrating than visiting a souvenir shop and finding out that your credit card would not be accepted. To ensure this does not happen, contact your bank first and ask if your credit card would be accepted internationally. Moreover, check if the country you are visiting to have switched to the more secure chip and pin technology instead of those outdated magnetic strip cards.

  1. Always have local cash

Depending on where you might go, local cash might be needed. With this in mind, it is always best to have a few of your money changed before you go to the country you are visiting. You might not know it but cabs or other eateries might not accept credit for payment.

Local Research

  1. Buy tickets in advance

If there are any shows you wish to catch or attractions you want to see, it would be best if you bought them early on. In this way, you might score discounts and even find deals that would work to your favor. Furthermore, you would be able to skip the long queue.

  1. Research events

When you are already in the country, surf the net and look for local events that might be happening in your area. Make sure that you would not be missing anything. You might not know it, but you might have visited just in time for a grand festival, ceremony of event. While we are on that, be sure to try some of the national dishes as well. After all, you truly have not experienced a country until you have sampled some of their food.


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