Organized Travel Abroad

I'm baaaaack!! I know this sounds crazy, considering the paradise I was just visiting, but it's good to be home. Don't get me wrong, I love to travel, but let's be honest, traveling can be stressful, intimating, and exhausting. That's why I'm going to share a few tips for traveling abroad with you this week. Now, I am in no way an expert, considering my first time traveling abroad was only 4 years ago, however, I have learned a thing or two the hard way so in order for you to avoid the same mistakes, here are my top ten tips!
1. Paperless. Shmaperless.

Although the world is moving into a more paperless environment {which I fully support} there are still some times when paper is better/necessary. Traveling is one of those times. Making copies of your passport, ID, reservations, and even credit cards, can really be a lifesaver when traveling abroad. Pack the printed documents in a separate bag than your original documents. This way of you lose one, you still have a back up.

Also, if you're traveling for your honeymoon, make sure that your name is the same on all documents. If you're planning to go on your honeymoon immediately following the wedding, book the tickets in your maiden name {more information on name change process here}

2. Show me the money!

Inform your bank and credit card companies where you will be traveling. Ask about any additional fees you may be charged for using your card abroad. Understand the exchange rate and find an inexpensive place to exchange your money, typically this will be in the country you're traveling in. A bank is an easy and usually inexpensive place to exchange your money. Using an ATM to withdraw the local currency does carry a fee, but for the most part it's no more than the commission the bank would charge. Using a credit or debit card is the simplest way to exchange money on transactions, however if you're traveling to a developing country, all locations may not accept credit cards yet. There may be a fee associated with it as well, depending on the type of card you own.

Cash in your coins for a little extra spending money. We have a coin jar and before any big vacation, we cash it in. It's like found money and allows me to feel less guilty purchasing things like a carved wooden Tiki man, that we clearly needed.

3. Charged Up

In addition to checking the exchange rate, it is also important to look into what types of outlets the country you're visiting uses. Purchase a universal adapter so you can still plug in. For those of you who use blow dryers, flat irons, and curling irons, look into how well these will fair in the country you're traveling to.  Typically the hair tools don't preform well in other countries due to the difference in power. They can either be too weak, or can blow because of too much power.

4. Phone a Friend

Traveling abroad used to mean completely disconnecting from your home country, except for a thoughtful postcard or an expensive phone call. However, nowadays there are numerous ways to stay connected during your travels. For starters, most places offer Wi-Fi, and with that you can use many forms of communication through apps like Viber, WhatsApp, Skype, GroupMe, and using FaceTime Audio for phone calls.

To avoid additional fees to your bill, turn your phone on airplane mode. You can still use Wi-Fi, however you will not receive any unwanted phone calls or messages that may cause additional charges.

5. Pack Wisely

I've talked about packing for travel before on this blog, {here and here} and it's worth it to mention again. Packing for travel abroad can be challenging, especially if you're venturing to multiple locations where the weather differs. Packing versatile items like scarves, cardigans, and basic tees can seriously help reduce your risk of over packing. Also, plan out your outfits, down to the accessories, to feel more organized and prevent packing more than you'll need.

Research your ability to do laundry while away, or pack some travel laundry sheets to do your own laundry {a much cheaper option}.

Carry-on: if you're checking luggage, be sure to keep some key essentials in your carry-on.

• Extra undergarments, in case your luggage doesn't arrive with you
• Phone charger and adapter, again, if that luggage doesn't make it you can still charge your phone and have a way to be in contact with the airline when your luggage arrives. An external battery is also not a bad idea, if you really want to play it safe with cell phone battery. 
• Lotion, I always make sure I have a good travel lotion with me on the plane {I carry L'Occitane hand cream} My skin dries up like an elephant on longer flights. 
• Socks, on most overseas flights the airline provides you with a little "survival kit" {socks, eye mask, ear plugs, etc.}, but I make sure to pack my own just in case they forget. 
• Snacks, little granola bars are a go-to for me. I always like to have something to snack on, even though the airline will pass out pretzels, at least. I just don't like taking the risk of being on a flight for several hours without some kind of backup. 
• Water bottle, you can get through security with an empty water bottle and then fill it up at a drinking fountain once you're through. This saves on purchasing water, but also keeps you hydrated while on the plane {which can be risky if you're not one who enjoys the bathroom on a plane}. Staying hydrated can help to prevent jet lag as well. 
• A pen, I always like to pass time doing the Sudoku or Crossword in the magazine on flight. But a pen is also useful when it's time to complete the customs forms. Having this done before you get off the flight saves some serious time by avoiding being the last person in the inevitably long customs line. 

6. Vitamins and Vaccinations

The air on a plane can get dry and stuffy, especially on longer flights. Taking some proactive measures, such a increasing your Vitamin C intake before you fly, can help to ensure you’re well on your trip. Of course, if you follow me on Instagram you saw that illness struck me no matter how proactive I was. BUT, with a fabulous recommendation from the pharmacist, I felt 100% better during our honeymoon. So if you do happen to have a cold, Claritin-D and Mucinex DM are my/ the nice pharmacist at Spring St Duane Reade recommendations. Note: both of these meds run near $30. Which is absolutely ridiculous, but they really, really work for a congestion, cough, and a nose that can't decide whether to run or clog.

Also, if you're traveling to a developing country, check to see if there are any vaccinations necessary for you to get. Talk with your doctor about any risks that you may need to be aware of. 

7. Know your way around

From the second you get off the plane, it is helpful to know exactly what your next step will be. Do you need to get a taxi, ferry, bus? What is the best way to travel to your final destination and how much will it cost? It's easy to forget that you won't be able to freely use your phone or have access to the Internet when you're in a foreign country. Having a plan in place before you leave can help prevent a lot of headache. 

8. Tell somebody

If you're not traveling with everyone you know and love, let someone at home know where you're traveling. Provide them with the information for where you're staying and maybe the phone numbers of some of the people you're staying with, just in case. If you have an itinerary, it can be helpful to share that as well. Don't forget to have either the post office hold your mail, or ask a kind neighbor to pick it up for you.

Note: Not to take a negative turn, but be careful about posting on social media that you're going to be away from your home for long periods of time. This can be a clue to some sticky fingered foes to help themselves to some of the valuables you've left behind. Not to say that you're connected to people who would do this on social media, just something to be mindful of. 

9. Avoid Jet Lag

Jet lag is the worst, but there are some steps you can take to prevent it. Staying hydrated, as mentioned before, can help to decrease jet lag. Try to adjust your eating schedule while you're traveling to the meal times you would follow in your destination. Also, if you're flying on a red eye and it's nighttime in your destination, sleep as best you can on your flight. If you're traveling during the day, try to stay awake. Exercising also helps with preventing jet lag. Your body will adjust about 1 hour per day, so don't be discouraged if you're falling asleep at dinner the first night you get there {or in my case, falling asleep three times at dinner, while sharks feast below}.

10. Home again, home again

Coming home from vacation is never easy. Often times it's depressing, depending on how the vacation went of course. I find that coming home to a clean home makes things a little easier, so I always try to tidy up a bit before we leave. Having some easy food on hand is beneficial as well. That way when you get home at midnight on Sunday you don't have to raid the only store open at that hour in search for some decent food {this was the mistake for our trip}. I will say I'm quite impressed with what we came out with.

If you're really good, you can leave some booze waiting for you too. Just to keep the vacation going a little bit longer.

Those are my ten tips for traveling. Do you have any tips to share that you've found useful when traveling?

Thanks for visiting!