Traveling abroad

There is hardly anything more romantic than a trip to another country. A foreign land, different cultures, new and interesting people, these things are practically irresistible. When we think of going on a trip abroad, we can become so consumed with the wonder of it all, the places we will go and things that we’ll see, that we can forget that there are a great many things that need to be planned for ahead of time. In order to keep your romantic trip from becoming a logistical nightmare, you need to make a checklist and prepare wisely. If you have a good travel agent, they will be able to help you with preparations, but many of us these days are putting together our own travel packages to save money. Keep the following suggestions in mind when planning your foreign travel, but remember, each country has its own facets and you should find out as much as you can about traveling in that country before you go.

The first and most important thing you will need before you go is a passport. Your passport is absolutely necessary to leave and enter other countries and it affords you the protection of your government when visiting abroad. While everyone may know that you need a passport to travel out of the country, not everyone knows exactly what is involved in obtaining one. Passports can take six weeks to be processed. You may be able to have your passport expedited for an extra fee however, and be able to obtain it in two weeks. There are even some places where they claim to be able to get your passport for you in twenty-four hours, but the reputability of these is questionable and if there is one thing you want done right, it’s your passport. The usual place for obtaining a passport is your county clerk’s office, but you should check with your local government offices to be sure. Before you leave, you should make several copies of your passport identification page in case your passport is lost or stolen while you travel.

One thing we might overlook when planning a trip is the Consular Information Sheets. The Consular Information Sheets contain travel warnings for U.S. citizens. At times there may be civil unrest, war and other dangers that make travel in certain places unadvisable. These sheets are available for every country in the world and you should check them to be sure you won’t be headed for trouble. Public announcements are also made concerning bomb threats, terrorism, etc. These announcements can usually be found at your passport office or County Clerk’s office.

Can you speak the language of the country you will be visiting? You might think you can fudge it by carrying a translator but it’s probably wise to take a crash course in the language before you go. If you don’t speak the language you could be in for trouble when you need to know things any more important than the location of the nearest restroom. Often, the best way to see a foreign country for the first time is to go on a group tour. Tour guides are familiar with the country and speak the language and can be there to help you out of any jams you might get into with local customs and idiosyncrasies. In any case, be sure you have some way of communicating with the native people once you get there.

Do you plan on eating, shopping or tipping your servers once you get there? You’re going to need money, and your U.S. currency probably won’t do the job in another country. It is a good idea to bring at least half of your money in travelers checks to protect yourself from theft. Many merchants in foreign countries accept travelers checks, or you can use them to exchange for foreign money. You need to familiarize yourself with the exchange rate of the country you are visiting before you go. The exchange rate is the translation from U.S. dollars to the foreign currency. This is important for you to know in order to determine if you are paying a fair price for goods and services. You need to be able to translate the amounts in your head as many times foreigners will be taken advantage of by merchants who don’t think you will notice because of exchange rate confusion. Your hotel concierge will be able to direct you to locations where you can exchange your money.

Different countries use different voltages in their electric lines. If you try to plug in your hairdryer or electric shaver straight into an ordinary outlet in another country, it will probably not be a good thing. If you don’t want to blow up your electrical appliances, you will need to obtain a voltage converter adapter for your trip. These can easily be found in electronic stores such as Radio Shack and you probably should have more than one just in case. Many hotels will have these on hand if you need them, but if you take a chance you could end up with a bad hair trip.

Be sure to have all of your prescriptions filled before you leave on your trip, this goes for any trip. It can be difficult to obtain prescriptions in another country, but not impossible. Avoid the hassle and stock up before you leave. Also, be sure to have any toiletries you need, while these are available elsewhere, they won’t be what you are used to and you don’t want to risk any unsightly skin rashes from allergic reactions. Along this vein, be sure to drink bottled water in any foreign country as your body will react negatively to any change in drinking water and you may suffer from diarrhea. This can happen even when traveling from state to state and is not a reflection of unsanitary drinking water, simply our body’s reaction to change.

With these things in mind, you should have a wonderful trip that you will remember always. If you do happen to come up against some trouble while you are traveling, contact the nearest U.S. embassy. A thorough preparation will make everything run smoothly and let you enjoy the sights and people without worry.