It's all in the details....Tips for Traveling Abroad
Have you planned your amazing adventure abroad? Are you all but ready to hop on the plane?
Think about these few details before you cross the pond...Passport: Now it's pretty obvious that you won't be going anywhere if your passport is expired but you need to check that expiration date carefully. Although the U.S. allows you to use it until the exact expiration date, many countries will deny you entry if your passport expires in less than six months. It seems silly but they are just preparing in case something unfortunate happens during your travels.
Bank Account: You should definitely notify your bank that you are traveling overseas because this is really your only access to cash via ATMs abroad. The last thing you want is being locked out of your account minutes after landing overseas. Be aware that many U.S. banks will charge a hefty fee for ATM withdrawals abroad...so your options are: take a large amount out initially, paying the fee once, however, having to carry a large amount of cash is unadvised OR look into a checking account that requires no minimum balance and few to no fees for international ATM withdrawal (Charles Schwab, Fidelity).
Credit Cards: Most Visas and Mastercards are accepted overseas and actually have pretty good exchange rates.. however, the same rules apply..you must notify your credit card company of travel to avoid a lock-out situation and most companies charge steep foreign transaction fees. There are several credit cards out there that do not charge this fee so it may be of interest to you if you're planning a long trip abroad or were interested in opening a new account. Also, if anyone (hotels, restaurants, tickets, etc) offers to convert the charge to USD for you prior to payment, definitely decline! It is almost always a bad rate and you will pay more.
Mail: It might be a good idea to notify the postal service to hold your mail, especially if you own your own home. Mail and packages overflowing from your mailbox is a big signal to everybody you are not home...especially thieves.
Cell Phone Usage: Contact your mobile provider to see the fees for international usage. Many providers offer the option to change to an international plan for the duration of your trip. If you have an iPhone, you can leave your phone on airplane mode and pick up WiFi (pretty easily) to send iMessages and FaceTime family and friends back home. Another option if you're planning to be abroad a little longer and really want data availability, is to purchase a pay as you go SIM card. Most cell phones from the U.S. are now pretty standardly unlocked (you should check this with your provider first, before you go this route). You can purchase a 30 day SIM card with data for under $30 paying with a credit card. For example, when we first moved abroad, we did not have a UK bank account and therefore couldn't start a cell phone contract with a provider. I purchased a 30 day pay as you go SIM card with 2GB of data, unlimited texts and 500 minutes of calls (UK only) for only $22. You can iMessage and FaceTime with the 2GB of data, although it will use it up quickly.Regardless, of what plan you decide to take, if you want to stay in touch with family and friends back home, you should all download the app Whatsapp. It connects through WiFi (or data if you have it) and allows you to text internationally.
Packing: Now if you're anything like me and you've just planned an amazing trip abroad, all you can think about is all the beautiful outfits you're going to pack! Ah, the old me. I do still think about beautiful outfits to pack, just less of them. And that is my biggest tip for packing....less is more. Especially if you plan to gallivant city to city because that backpack is your new best friend, it won't be leaving your side with late afternoon check-ins and early morning check-outs.Also, if you plan on jet setting around Europe on smaller or budget airlines, again less is more. Actually, less is less in regards to cost. Most airlines will charge fees for checking any baggage and the fee will only increase until the day of travel. Some airlines will even charge a fee for a large carry-on bag!
Know where you're going...I always try to have very explicit directions from the airport to the hotel...now this is obviously easy if you plan to just cab it because most drivers will know the hotels but if you plan to take public transportation and especially if you're traveling out of an area with your primary language, it is important to know the specifics..what train or bus, where the pick up location is, how many stops before yours, the name of your stop, etc. I also will screenshot any walking directions so I have it saved on my phone.As you're checking in, be sure to grab a hotel business card or ask the concierge for a tourist map and ask them to circle the location of the hotel! This will be SO helpful later. If you are staying in a hosted house or flat, I would purchase the first map you see and have your host do the same.
Read about some great travel apps here!Just starting to plan... read this!Packing can be rough, read this for summer packing and this for winter!Happy travels dear friends! Xx