Preparing For International Travel

When prepping for an international trip, there are so many aspects to consider. Don’t forget the most important items on your to-do list; read on for a list of recommendations for how to prepare for international travel.

• Check that your passport is up to date and whether or not you need to make any final visa preparations.
• Scan and photocopy all important documents in case you are to lose anything.
• Double check regarding any necessary immunizations or medications you might need. Also confirm that you have the quantities of your personal medications to last you through your trip.
• Consider buying travel insurance if it makes sense for your plans and your trip.
• Get your finances organized. If you want to obtain the country’s currency beforehand, make arrangements accordingly. Alert your bank, consider bringing credit cards without foreign transaction feeds, and save the number for your card companies in case anything gets frozen.
• Confirm your budget ahead of time to be realistic while traveling.
• Educate yourself on a few key phrases in the native tongue of the country you are visiting.
• Unless you have an international phone plan, make sure roaming is turned off to avoid high fees.
• Pack what you think you will need for your trip and evaluate realistically to minimize overpacking.
• Let family or friends know where you will be in case of emergency.

Click here to read the full article by Caroline Duke for Time.