NO matter how much you’ve travelled in your home country, the thought of taking your first trip overseas may feel both thrilling and nerve-wracking.
Going somewhere completely new may be initially scary and confusing but it doesn’t have to be. Follow these simple tips of things to do before traveling internationally to ensure smooth sailing.
1. Prepare your travel documents
The most important tip to avoid unnecessary stress is to apply for your passport well in advance. Without your passport or a travel visa, your potential travel radius is limited significantly.
Passport
This can be an oversight for some people, but a passport validity of 10 years can make people complacent, forgetting that it actually requires renewing. Many countries may not even let you enter if you have less than 6 months validity on your passport and your request for a visa may be denied if you don’t have enough free pages in your passport.
Visa
You’ll need to check in advance whether you need a visa which is a document issued by the destination country granting you entry. Showing up to your flight without the necessary visa may lead to you being rejected, especially if you cannot apply for one on arrival.
2. Research your destination
It is important to invest plenty of time in researching your destination to optimise your experience. While it may seem more fun to travel spontaneously, it is far more practical if you are able to anticipate some of the nuances of your destination country by studying the tips for traveling abroad for the first time.
Aside from differences in language and culture, laws may vary too. Did you know that chewing gum is illegal in Singapore?
Or that it’s illegal to feed pigeons in Venice? If your plan was to ride a cow while intoxicated in Scotland, you’ll find that that’s prohibited, too. Foreign countries are full of laws that may be strange to you, but that’s only because it is not your culture. Knowing them ahead of time can keep you out of trouble.
3. Address money matters
Before you set off for your far flung destination, you will need to notify your bank to let them know that you are travelling. That way, your bank doesn’t suspect fraud when they see your card is suddenly being used at a market in Thailand.
4. Book everything in advance
If you are certain of your itinerary, the best time to book your trip is whenever you have the money and the commitment to travel. While it is nice to have the freedom to make the last-minute choice of where to stay, don’t be surprised if accommodation is scarce or suddenly very pricey when you show up at your destination.
