Avoiding Disaster: Things You May Not Have Considered When Planning Your Vacation Abroad

Preparing for a trip abroad can be an exciting and overwhelming experience. It is important to carefully consider everything you do from getting the best hotel deals to packing your bags. When you finally arrive at your destination, everything might seem to be going great until, however, you realize you have been pick-pocketed, fallen ill, or accidentally gotten arrested. Having lived and traveled overseas throughout my life, I have personally experienced quite a few distressing moments abroad. The following tips can help you prevent a major disaster on your first international traveling experience.

1. Health insurance and emergencies. Check what your health insurance would cover, if anything, if you were to end up in a hospital abroad. Depending on where you are going and what kind of insurance you have, you may want to purchase additional coverage. Always know who to call and where to go in case of an emergency and be sure to check with your doctor and review the World Health Organization website to ensure you have all of your immunizations and vaccinations before you leave home (http://www.who.int/ith/en/).

Have copies of all of your emergency information in at least two separate places, including the phone numbers and addresses of your hotel, airline, and local embassy, as well as your banking information and phone numbers to cancel your cards in case your wallet is stolen. If you are planning on an extended stay in one area, you might also look into what doctors will take your insurance or if any of the hospitals are in the area have international admission departments for foreigners who do not speak the local language.

Traveling can lower your immune system’s ability to fight off an illness. Out of my four last trips abroad, I sought medical attention in two different countries. Fortunately, I knew my insurance was accepted overseas and did not have to worry about those unexpected trips to hospital clinics.

2. Currency. Forget the travelers’ checks; they are expensive to purchase, cashing them involves even more expensive fees, and these days they are more of a hassle than anything. If your are smart about how and where, you can use your check card and credit cards in many countries and save yourself money and time. Check with your bank on their policies, fees, and exchange rates and decide what card(s) will work best for you. Your bank card may work at some ATMs overseas but not at others, so be prepared to try different ATMs if the first one will not take your card.

American Express and Discover cards are still not widely accepted, despite what they may advertise; Visa cards are your best bet overall worldwide, but you should also take more than one credit card with you. A friend of mine in told me a story about going to visit friends overseas with only one credit card in his pocket. While in the air, his bank noticed unusual activity on his card and froze his account as a pre-emptive measure to stop potential fraudulent use. When he got to his hotel, they declined his card, and he had no back up plan. Fortunately his friend was able to meet him at the hotel and pay for the room until things were sorted out with the bank, but it is generally a good idea to have a back up credit card with you wherever you go.

3. Transportation and hotels. Plan your transportation according to where you want to go in coordination with what hotel(s) you choose. Make sure you check a few different websites where people have given reviews on their stays at the hotels you are considering. Look at the majority of comments to get a good idea, not the one or two extreme good or bad comments.

Do not be afraid of public transportation in your travels abroad. Gas prices are higher in many parts of the world than in the US, and rules and regulations for driving are different from country to country. Weigh the costs to the convenience. In some cases, purchasing a train pass in advance can save you money, too. US citizens can purchase a Eurail pass online for train travel throughout most of Europe, but you have to buy it before you leave on your trip (http://www.eurail.com). Japan offers discount train passes, as well, as do many other countries. If you are a student or young adult, you may qualify for additional discounts, too.

Know how to get to your hotel from the airport before you get there. One way to find the best route is to call the hotel and ask in advance. If the hotel does not offer a shuttle bus to and from the airport, consider taking a taxi to your hotel first instead trying to take a train or other form of public transportation. Carrying two weeks worth of luggage for a mile or two while you look for your hotel is not fun, trust me on this one.

A thrifty answer to lodging in many countries are youth hostels and campgrounds with cabins for groups or large families. You can cut your costs considerably, but be wary of youth hostels in questionable neighborhoods and campgrounds that might have, shall we say, “customs,” that some may be offended by such as minimal clothing and public bathing requirements. Such cultural differences are clearly important to recognize when traveling abroad in many other ways.

4. Cultural Issues. Know the culture’s customs, what to do, what not to do, any special laws, and be aware of any civil unrest. We have all heard this before, of course. You may have seen the show, “Locked Up Abroad,” produced by Raw Television for the National Geographic Channel, which tells extreme stories of foreigners ending up in jail for breaking a local law or worse while traveling abroad (http://channel.nationalgeographic.com/series/locked-up-abroad). Putting the obvious aside, there are a few things you may not have considered.

As a college student I went to South Korea for a semester in a student exchange program. I knew that South Korea was a thriving, modern country with a fast growing economy, happy people, and a democratic government allied with the United States. I did not find out about the protests against the US Military until after I saw police dressed and armed with riot gear lining up on the street in Seoul. As it turned out, I frequently had to get off the bus or subway early or walk a longer route to avoid an ongoing protest; sometimes there were rallies at the university that I did not need to be around. I learned to take note of the daily news while I was there and to pay attention when I saw police setting up for the day.

Be aware of any civil unrest, even if it does not relate to your country or personal self. It is easy to end up in the wrong place at the wrong time if you are not prepared. More recently in the news you may have heard that Israel banned the iPad and was confiscating them from everyone upon entry into the country for two weeks before reversing the decision (http://www.cnn.com/2010/TECH/04/25/israel.ipad.ban/index.html). My last tip for traveling abroad goes into more detail about what to pack for your trip.

5. Packing. The most important thing to pack carefully is your passport and wallet contents. Find something small enough that you can wear under your shirt either around your neck or waist, to store your most valuable items, including your passport. I will admit that a passport is a little big to wear comfortably under your shirt, but it is the safest place on your body. Each morning, take out only what you will need for the day to carry in a more accessible location, but leave your passport and other valuables stored all day, hidden under your shirt. Never pull your passport or entire wallet out in public if you can help it.

Pack modest clothing that does not attract attention and is not bright, revealing, or culture-specific. Be sure to check the weather forecast for the region and pack clothes that are temperature appropriate. If you plan on doing a lot of sight-seeing, make sure to have a pair of comfortable walking shoes, too. Do not count on being able to use your electrical appliances from home in the hotel; around the world, different countries use different voltages and/or types of electrical outlets. Now that some airlines are charging for checked and carry-on luggage, they may not be worth the extra weight or space they take up in your bags.

Finally, whenever planning a trip, I always recommend spending a few minutes compiling two lists. One list is simply a packing list to include everything you are going to squeeze into your luggage and carry-on bags. The other list is a list of things to do before you leave. Why make lists? How about when you are riding a camel in Egypt or on a mountain trek in Chile and you suddenly realize you forgot to pick up a refill for a needed prescription medication? Lists help us remember everything so we do not have any regrets or waste our precious vacation time.

Question by crushedice: How much should I tip to an airport shuttle bus driver?
I paid $ 50 for one way, from my house to the airport in advance. How much tip should I pay to the driver when he/she comes to pick me up? This is a ride share type shuttle bus, so there will be other people in the bus to go the airport. I have one large size luggage but its not that heavy.

Best answer:

Answer by Jenny T
$ 3-5 dollars if it were me. Depends on how the ride was, was the driver helpful with your bag, did they make it a pleasant ride?

Add your own answer in the comments!