International Travel - Traveling Thru History

How to Prepare for an International Trip

Erin — Mon, 01 Feb 2016 12:00:49 +0000

With the ever-growing popularity of international travel we see more and more people visiting countries and experiencing cultures that are wholly unfamiliar to them. Some are even venturing out without fully being prepared for what they should know, what they should have and what they should be prepared to encounter. There are so many stories about people getting arrested or detained or, like me, kicked off a flight because they don’t fully understand what they’re getting into when they start their international journey. While you can never fully prepare to make those first steps into an unknown world, there are some things you can do to get prepared for your journey and make life less crazy once you’re on your way. PASSPORT This is the most important thing you will need for your journey because without it, you can’t go. It may seem like common sense that you need a passport to travel outside the US, but I’ve run across a few people who didn’t realize they’d need one to go anywhere outside North America. COST Your US passport is issued by the US government and comes in two forms: a standalone passport ($135) and an optional passport card ($30). The passport card can be used to travel to Mexico and Canada, but can’t be used to go anywhere else. For your passport application along with photo information, visit the government’s passport information page. TIME You can expect your passport in about 6-8 week from the day you turn your application in. The best time to get one is as soon as you start talking about going on an international trip, but if you want to wait, I’d recommend sending in your application 8 weeks before you leave. Anything under 5 weeks you should probably use the the expedited 8-day service, which costs an additional $60. EXPIRATION If you already have a passport, check to make sure it does not expire in the next 6 months. Some countries will not allow you to enter the country with less than 6 months validity between entrance and departure and you certainly don’t want to have your passport expire before you get back to the US. Be sure to check each country you plan on visiting to see what length they require. If you’re using a travel agency, don’t just assume they’ll do that. I heard a really sad story about a woman who planned a trip through a travel agency and wasn’t allowed to board her airplane because her passport expired in 3 months and another one where a woman arrived at her destination, but wasn’t permitted into the country because she only had 5 months left on her passport. Check and double-check this. BLANK PAGES Most countries require at least two blank pages for their exit and entry stamps, but some countries require four. It’s a good idea to check each country you plan to visit and make sure you have enough blank pages to satisfy ALL of the requirements before you leave. The US no longer adds additional passport pages, so if you don’t have enough blank pages to satisfy your entire trip, you’ll need a new passport. If you do have enough blank pages, you may want to try this trick. Since entry stamps are placed on whatever random page the clerk flips to, it’s a good idea to place sticky notes over however many blank pages you’re required to have for the length of your trip. I’ve noticed that instead of taking the time to pull the sticky note off, the clerks will just flip to another page. VISAS There are a variety of different ways to procure visas, so it’s a good idea to research what you need to do for each country you plan on visiting. Visa requirements vary from none at all to getting them in the airport to needing one at least 30 days before your departure date. Some countries (like China and Vietnam) will want to know several details about where you’re staying and how you plan to transit from one city to the next when you apply, so be sure you are familiar with the visa requirements before applying. When getting a visa prior to arrival, always check the validity date of the visa and make sure you are leaving the country before it expires. Wikipedia has a pretty good list of which countries require visas and how long they’re valid for. That can help you plan your travel dates, but don’t rely on that information entirely. Check the visa in case rules have changed or there was an error. If you plan on staying in a country longer than the visa is valid, be sure you know the visa extension procedures before you leave on your trip. BUDGET The next thing you need to do is figure out how much money you need for your trip and create a budget. You’ll need to figure out an overall estimated total for airfare, visas, exit fees, hotel charges, attraction prices, currency exchange fees, food, tips, bribes, internet access fees, SIM cards, car rentals, gas, parking, tolls, public transportation, bars, clubs, spa treatments or whatever it is you plan on doing on your trip along with travel insurance, vaccinations, pet care while you’re gone and extra for emergencies. When we first started traveling, we didn’t pay much attention to these things. We were just having a blast exploring the world. Our first trip after moving to Malaysia was a week in Thailand. The exchange rate at the time was 30 baht to $1, so any time we saw something we wanted to do or buy, we converted it in our heads and just thought, “Wow, this is so much cheaper than in the US. We should buy this.” Or, “This isn’t that expensive, we should do it.” By the end of our trip, we’d spent almost $1,000 on Muy Thai boxing matches, tuk-tuk rides, river trips, temple tours, city tours, room service and souvenirs. So, before every trip you go on, make sure you know how much it’s going to cost, what the exchange rate is and what your budget is. You can blow through a lot of money really fast if you don’t have a budget and hold yourself to it. EXCHANGE CURRENCY Once you’ve figured out how much money you’ll need for your trip, you’ll want to look into what currency you’ll need in the countries you are visiting and where to exchange your currency. A lot of people we’ve run into just exchange their currency at a bank before they depart, but this practice can actually cost you more. In Asia we found we got a better exchange rate in-country than at a bank in the US. Different banks or exchange centers have different rates, so it would be wise to do a little research and figure out where you will get the best value for your exchange. It was pretty fantastic when we were on our way back to the US and needed to exchange our ringgit for USD and found an exchange place that had a surplus of USD. The surplus pushed their exchange rate lower, so we ended up making a little bit of money off the deal. That won’t always happen, but when it does it’s pretty great. HEALTH & WELLNESS Another item people don’t pay too much attention to is health insurance while you’re traveling. Whether or not you think you’ll need it, you will want to at least look into travel insurance and travel health insurance. We were quite fortunate that the only medical emergency we had during our 13 months in Asia was in Malaysia where Troy had health insurance through his work. Had he needed to go to the hospital in any other country it would have been an insurance nightmare. If you don’t want to splurge for the international health insurance, at least look into what your current health insurance will cover while you’re traveling and see if they have the option for short-term international coverage. Whichever way you go, be sure to make copies of all pertinent documents and keep it in your suitcase. While we’re on the medical subject, I’ll give a quick tip about allergies. Not all countries have the same level of understanding about allergies and food sensitivities. Troy has asthma and is allergic to flour. We had such a hard time trying to communicate that in some countries. I finally had the epiphany to translate this information into different languages and hand those papers to servers at restaurants. Once we started doing that the level of understanding increased dramatically. If you have any type of allergy or medical issue, write up a little blurb about it, translate it into any language you may come across on your trip and make several copies to keep with you at all times. It really will make things much easier if you find you need to communicate your issue in a country that speaks limited English. VACCINATIONS & MEDICATIONS Speaking of things medical, some countries have requirements for certain vaccinations while others just recommend them. Be sure to look up which shots you need prior to starting your trip and get those as soon as possible. There are many travel medical clinics that can walk you through which vaccines you need and which are optional. I used Passport Health and they did a fantastic job of walking me through the different vaccines required for the countries we might visit and then administering the shots I decided to get. On top of getting the required vaccines for you trip, you should also speak to your medical provider about any prescriptions you need to take with you. If you need an epi pen, inhaler or any other type of limited-use emergency equipment, ask if you can get an extra or see if your doctor can recommend a reputable place to get a refill overseas. Troy lost his only inhaler while snorkeling in Thailand and while we were fortunate enough to be in a country that didn’t require a prescription for an inhaler, it could have been worse had we been in Myanmar or Vietnam. FIND THE EMBASSIES It’s always helpful to know where the nearest embassy is and how to contact them. You never know when you’ll run into an issue and need help. Keep a list on you and in your suitcase. COPY PERTINENT DOCUMENTS Once you have a passport, visa, health insurance and vaccinations you will want to make copies of all of it. Make copies of your passport information page, your visa if you already have it, your health insurance information, your shot record and the front of all credit or debit cards you will be taking with you along with the international phone numbers for each bank. You should also make up a detailed itinerary including flight numbers, hotel confirmations, activities, your international contact information, emergency contacts and US embassy information for each country you will be in. Leave one copy with someone you trust back home and take at least one copy with you to keep in the hotel safe. This is important for if you lose your passport, your bank cards get stolen, there is a natural disaster, you go missing or any other type of emergency. LAWS & CUSTOMS Another important part of preparing for international travel is becoming familiar with local laws and customs. Certain hand gestures are offensive, or even illegal, in other countries. Some countries find certain behaviors distasteful while others are more accepting. Did you know that in China it is offensive to offer to tip someone who has helped you? Or in Thailand it is offensive to sit with your feet facing a Buddha statue? And in many countries with monarchies they will be highly offended if you speak badly about their governing body. It is also against the law to speak badly about the Chinese government, for foreigners to be in the vicinity of a political protest...

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New Year’s Travel Resolutions From International Travelers

Erin — Mon, 18 Jan 2016 10:39:22 +0000

It’s hard to believe we’re already over two weeks into the new year. It seems like just yesterday we were all celebrating the start of the year and now, here we are, two and a half weeks into it. It seems this year is going to be another fast one. As is customary with every New Year, we all make resolutions. Eat better, exercise more, be more kind, do better in school, etc. Those are staples for my New Year’s Resolutions, as I’m sure they are for many people. This year, though, I wanted to have more goals than just the typical ones. I want to things a bit different this year. For my resolutions I decided to add some for travel. Being able to travel is a wonderful opportunity and I think there are things I could do with it that I’ve neglected in the past. RESOLUTION: Take the time to slow down and appreciate the places I get to see I love to travel and have the wonderful opportunity to do it often and I think sometimes I take it for granted. Normally our trips are fast-paced and very much a whirlwind. I think we miss out on a lot traveling like that. So, this year I have resolved to slow down a bit more when I travel and really take the time to appreciate the experiences I’m having. I’d like to be able to learn more about the people and how they live along with understanding their culture better. After thinking about and deciding what I wanted to do differently as I travel this year, I started wondering if there were other travelers out there who were making travel-related goals for themselves. I asked around a bit and was quite interested in the responses I got. Stu & Eloise from Am I Nearly There Yet? RESOLUTION: Explore more of Europe 2016 is all about European travel for us! We’ve spent the past 4 years in Asia and in Australia – so we’re taking full advantage of being back in the UK for a while! We definitely missed being so near to other countries – it’s crazy that we can fly to Holland in the same time it takes to fly to the next big city in Australia! We’re thinking of multiple, short trips – working as we go, focusing on developing our businesses and focusing on our digital nomad lifestyle. First destination: Iceland! Bring it on! Patty from The Savvy Globetrotter RESOLUTION: Focus on destinations where my dog can go with me My travel resolution for 2016 involves taking more trips with one of my favorite travel companions – my canine companion. Although my dog and I have been on several road and plane trips in the ten years we’ve been together, many destinations I enjoy traveling to are, unfortunately, off-limits. Whether the flight is simply too long for him or the destination is just not pet-friendly enough, my furry friend is not always able to accompany me. This is especially unfortunate as he is an enthusiastic and well-behaved traveler who loves a good adventure. While packing for my trips, I often find him sitting in my suitcase with a big, eager smile on his face. I’m not sure if it is a stowaway attempt or he’s just trying to charm his way along but it has worked. I plan to focus many of my travels for 2016 on dog-friendly destinations my adventurer can enjoy with me. Inma from A World to Travel RESOLUTION: Push myself further Go on an epic snowboarding trip as I used to do during my twenties, and a scuba diving one. Basically, reach higher mountains and deeper oceans! Claudia from My Adventures Across the World RESOLUTION: Visit Gili again 2015 has marked the year of my first trip to South East Asia. I have been to Indonesia, and I have wandered around Java, Bali and the Komodo Islands. One of the biggest regrets I have is not having taken the chance to spend some time in Gili Island. To be honest, before going to Indonesia I had not even heard about them. Then, as I met more and more travelers who were headed there, I became curious about them and started reading and looking at pictures. They seem like my kind of place: no cars, few commodities, lots of nature and time to relax, think and enjoy nature at its best. If there is one resolution I have for 2016, that would be traveling to Indonesia again just to go to Gili. Margherita from The Crowded Planet RESOLUTION: Incorporate more walking into our trips My resolution for 2016 is walking more. I’ve always been a fan of hiking – I spent many years hiking every weekend and in 2013 I walked the Camino de Santiago, from the Pyrenees to the Atlantic Ocean. When my husband and I started blogging, we started falling out of shape and exercising less, so our resolution for next year is trying to stay as active as possible and planning a long-distance walking trip that will take us across Finland and part of Sweden for a total of 450 km – we are aiming to conclude our trip in Stockholm in time for TBEX 2016. We decided to plan a long walking trip with lots of wild camping because we love being close to nature, and when you’re on a long-distance hike the world kind of ‘slows down’ – just what we need after a hectic time blogging and travelling. Charles from McCool Travel RESOLUTION: Travel more while spending less and get back in shape My travel resolutions include visiting more places in 2016 while spending less money. That will require some stealthy and resourceful techniques, like home exchanges. Another major resolution is to lose some weight, which I honestly find easier to do when I travel. Stefan & Sebastian from Nomadic Boys RESOLUTION: Spend more time exploring the places we visit Our travel resolution for 2016 is to travel a lot slower than we have been doing. We spent the past 17 months travelling in Asia, which was awesome. But trying to maintain and grow a blog at the same time is a lot of work alongside all the travel planning, exploring, photography etc etc. At most we’d base ourselves in a place for 1 month before moving on and that was never enough. So, for our next trip to Latin America in 2016, we plan to do it over a greater period of time and basing ourselves in places for much longer. One particular way of doing this, which we’ve heard a lot about is house sitting. Lauren from #ljojlo RESOLUTION: Go to Antartcita Travel Resolutions for 2016….well there is tonnes that come to mind but only one that stands out, ANTARCTICA. Antarctica is the continent I so desperately desperately (yes two desperatelys) want to get to however I can. Therefore, the travel resolution for 2016 is to save enough money to be able to get myself on a boat from Ushuaia at the bottom of Argentina over to the exquisite white continent. Hannah from That Adventurer RESOLUTION: Explore more of the UK countryside In 2016 I want to spend more time exploring the UK’s beautiful countryside! There’s National Parks, lakes, hills and endless open fields that are waiting to be explored and it’s so easy to forget about your own back yard. My main adventure in 2016 will be tackling the Coast to Coast route by bike! This route takes you from Whitehaven on the West Coast to Sunderland on the North East Coast of England and is doable in a weekend (although I might give myself an extra day!). But, before tackling it, I’m going to have to get on that rickety old bike of mine! Me, again! RESOLUTION: Bring awareness to poverty around the world I think this is my big goal this year. Most of my travels have been centered in Southeast Asia and living there really opened my eyes to a way of life I hadn’t truly understood. I knew life there would be quite different, but it’s not until I was actually there and saw firsthand how poverty-stricken some villages are that it really hit me how blessed we are in the United States (and all Western countries). There’s so much suffering and need around the world. One of my other resolutions for 2016 is to help bring awareness to the countries that still don’t have access the clean water and basic medical care and to find some way I can help. Now that you’ve read all of our resolutions for this year, I’m curious to hear what other resolutions people are making. What changes are you planning to make in your life this year?

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