So you’ve decided to head overseas for the first time. To put school, work, a relationship break-up or something else behind you and spread your wings. Travel broadens the mind, helps you learn about yourself – not to mention other cultures – and leaves you richer for the experience (though perhaps financially poorer).
It’s an exciting step. But travelling has its pitfalls. There’s a lot the first-time traveller needs to know to stop even simple tasks becoming too intimidating.
The following tips from experienced travellers may come in handy:
Before You Go
1. Do your homework. Knowing what to expect of your destination means you’ll have a much better chance of coming back in one piece.
2. You need at least six months’ validity on your passport to enter some countries so check ahead.
3. Contact your bank to make sure your ATM/credit card will work overseas. It’s also a good idea to tell bank staff you’re heading away so they don’t freeze your card due to unusual activity.
4. Gettravel insurance. Most policies will cover your medical expenses, baggage loss, legal costs, personal liability and cancellation or disruption of travel plans.
5. Get a drop box account (Google Cloud, iCloud and Dropbox are examples of free cloud storage hosts) and scan all tickets, passports, driver licenses and important documents such as travel insurance policies into it. If anything gets lost or stolen you can easily access the copies. Leave a copy of essential documents at home or with someone you trust, too – just in case.
6. Take a travel card with your foreign currency preloaded. You can then withdraw cash via ATMs, which you’ll find all over the world. A foreign money card is convenient, secure and replaceable.
7. Ensure any vaccinations you need are up to date. Specialist travel health clinics can help with this.
8. Renew all essential prescriptions and take any medication you need with you. Medication names often vary between countries.
9. Familiarise yourself with currency conversion rates (XE.com is a great site) so you can keep an accurate track of what you’re spending.
10. It’s worth registering your travel plans with the Safe Travel website. If there’s a problem in the country, this will make it easier for the government to contact you and get you to safety.
11. Pack an extra set of clothes in your carry-on bag. Airlines have been known to lose luggage and you don’t want to have to buy a gaudy, expensive airport outfit that instantly identifies you as a tourist.
12. Take a guide book on your destination. Lonely Planet, Frommers, Rough Guides – it doesn’t matter. With information on food, currency, customs, language, sights, accommodation and much more, a guide book is your bible (especially handy when you don’t have ready internet access).
Getting There
13. Airports are stressful places. It sounds obvious, but ensure you have passports, boarding passes and so on handy when needed. The last thing you want is a queue of impatient people behind you while you dig to the bottom of your bag for those vital documents.
14. Don’t joke with security staff. It’ll just land you in trouble.
15. Think about where to sit on the plane. Personal preference varies, of course, but an aisle seat can be a good idea, especially on long-haul flights. It’s nice to be able to move around the plane without having to disturb people beside you.
16. If you have a pair of aeroplane socks, use them. You don’t want swollen feet; the socks do make a difference.
When You’re There
17. Don’t wear a bum bag. It’ll only make you stand out as a tourist.
18. Be careful what you eat and drink. It’s best to stick to bottled water in some countries.
19. Take your dress cues from the locals, especially in countries where equality of the sexes may not exist.
20. If you’re planning a big night out, go with people you know, stick together and beware of too-friendly strangers.
21. If you’re hopping between countries, check airport exit fees. You’ll need to pay to leave some countries. Take it from someone who once had to bribe a Vietnamese official to get out of Hanoi: you need to be prepared for this.
22. Carry a small amount of cash in the local currency.Not every place takes credit cards, especially train and bus stations.
23. Buy tickets in advance for places you know you want to see. You’ll be able to skip lines, and you might get a better deal.
24. Check what festivals and other events are on in your destination; attending these is a great way to learn about different cultures and meet the locals.
25. Relax and enjoy!
Featured image by Angelo De Mesa
