International Travel Prep: Your Ultimate Guide for a Smooth Journey

Preparing for a trip abroad is an exciting time, but there are some considerations before taking off. It is ideal to be ready before your trip to enjoy every second while you are away. Here's an ultimate guide to prep for international travel for a smooth journey.

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Passport

If you need a passport, you must apply and wait seven to ten weeks from when the application is received. There is also an option to expedite this process for an extra fee if required. If you already have one, check to ensure it is not expired or does not expire in the next six months. Most countries won't allow you to enter if your passport expires within six months. Also, ensure you have enough pages in your passport. Some airlines require two to four blank pages in your book.

Visa Requirements

Check for any visa requirements for your destinations. Some destinations are simple, and others will take time and planning with documentation to get a visa.

Currency Exchanges

Ensure you know the exchange rates when going to a destination with a different currency. We always take out cash at ATMs at your destination instead of exchanging it at the airport. Airports usually don't have the best exchange rates. We like to carry at least some cash, but most destinations widely accept credit cards. Be mindful not to take out too much money than what you expect to need, or else you'll find yourself having to pay exchange fees again for any leftover foreign currency you have at the end of your trip.

Transportation

We tend to book a decent amount of long-haul transportation before arriving at our destination. Doing a little research on local public transport is ideal before getting to your destination, especially to get from the airport to your accommodations (no one wants to feel flustered trying to figure out where to go as soon as they get off the plane). Many cities have excellent and easy-to-use public transportation, which is what we tend to use while abroad.

Language Translation Apps

We always like downloading the native language of our destination in Google Translate. English is the most widely spoken language in the world, and we've been fortunate not to have too many issues with a language barrier in the foreign cities we've traveled to; thus far. But ensuring you download a language translation app is a good backup in case you need it.

Use of Technology

While traveling abroad, we ensure we have WiFi at our accommodations, but we typically don't opt to get an international cellular plan. Instead, we download our itinerary, maps, plane tickets, transportation tickets, activity tickets, etc., in Google Drive to manage everything offline. We also like to carry external chargers since everything is on our phones, so we'll always have access.

Scams & Pickpockets

Pickpocketing and theft are common in many popular tourist destinations and major cities. Thieves are smart and use a variety of clever ways to use nearby distractions to take personal items (purses, jewelry, wallets, phones, etc.). And sadly, their main targets are travelers and tourists, who can be off guard in an unfamiliar foreign place. We recommend researching to make yourself aware of common scams at your destination and learn of ways you can best avoid them. Unfortunately for us, we've personally had an experience with pickpocketing. After a sporting event, a thief used the environment of a crowded subway stop to snatch Johnny's phone from out of his front pants pocket. So, always be mindful of your surroundings and trust your gut. To be safe, you can also get a travel belt or anti-theft bag to help ensure your money, credit cards, passports, etc., are out of harm's way.