When travelling abroad, and particularly when you choose to visit some of the more off the beaten track destinations, it is a good idea to scan your eye over the foreign travel advice website provided by the UK Foreign Office. Within this site you are able to select your destination and it will provide you with specific up to date regional guidance on:
- Safety and Security
- Terrorism
- Local Laws and Customs
- Entry requirements
- Health
- Natural Disasters
- Money
- Travel advice and support
Some other tips and guidance can be found below.
Medical and Medical Insurance
- Vaccinations. Depending on your destination you should ensure that you have all the advised vaccinations and inoculations.
- Prescription medication. If you take regular prescriptions, ensure that you renew them in plenty of time to allow you to take enough for your trip away.
- Medical insurance. Ensure that you have medical insurance in place and that the policy covers you for overseas emergencies. If not you should consider taking out additional coverage.
Passport
- Take a photo copy of your passport. If you passport is lost or stolen you will need to be able to get back into the country, or be able to prove your citizenship
- Leave a copy at home. It’s worth considering leaving a copy of the passport at home or with a trusted friend. It’s also worth keeping an electronic version available from anywhere, whether via email or with in a note or similar on your mobile phone.
- Register with your embassy. This may seem a little extreme but it is certainly worth considering, particularly if you are intending to visit a destination of the beaten track. If there is a problem in the country, this will make it easier for the government authorities to contact your and repatriate if necessary.
Money
- Conversation rates. To avoid a surprise when you arrive in the country, check out the international monetary conversation rates to avoid a nasty surprise.
- Ensure your credit card will work in the country you are visiting. With the majority of European banks having switched to chip-and-PIN technology, fewer businesses are accepting the rapidly outdating magnetic-strip cards.
- Visit a bank or ATM in the country you’re visiting. Conversation centres in the airports and around the city have a tendency to be rip-offs. You won’t get charged as many fees at an ATM or in the bank, and the conversation rates will be exact.
- Local cash. Always ensure you have some local cash with you. Not every place takes credit cards. This especially important on trains or buses, and within smaller shops and street kiosks. Also local coins may be required for parking charges.
- Inform your bank or credit card provider. If the banks security systems think that your card is been used fraudulently they can (and often do) turn your card off as a security measure. If you live in the UK and you suddenly start to make transactions in Russia for example.
- Country entrance/exit fees. Some countries require travellers to pay in order to enter and exit. These fees are not included in your airline ticket price, and can range from £10 to £150.
Local Research
- Buy tickers in advance. If there are particular attractions that you wish to visit, it is worth looking on line to see if you can purchase entry online, and skip the queue. You may be able to get a combined deal for a number of attractions.
- Guidebooks. Local and regional guidebooks usually provide you with details on attractions, sometimes even providing enough information to allow you to avoid buying a pamphlet at the venue. Guidebooks can come in the form of books such as ‘Rough Guides’ and ‘Lonely Planet’, or can be in the form of apps downloadable to your mobile phone. It is worth ensure that you have any apps downloaded before you travel to ensure that you don’t incur unnecessary data download charges.
- Research events in the area you are heading too. Spending a little time doing some research will ensure that you don’t miss out on events going on. Things like festivals, ceremonies and natural events can give you an extra special memory, that can make a holiday.
- Local cuisine. Take the time to investigate what the locals eat and drink, and know where the best places to try it is. It would be a shame to leave the country without experiencing what it is known for.
Electronics
- Charging adapters. Different countries have different plugs and voltages. Ensure that you bring with you suitable adaptors to ensure that you can charge or mobile phone or tablet. A multi port USB charger, international adaptor, and a selection of spare cables to ensure you never forget them. Perhaps consider having a spare charger for your smartwatch also. These can be left in your luggage between trips to ensure they are always ready.
- Check device voltages. It’s worth checking the voltage of any electronic devices that you wish to take with you such as hair dryers and straighteners, as these will not function if the voltage is not high enough.
- Phone settings. Ensure that your mobile phone is set up in a manner that will allow it to operate correctly in your destination country. Many countries are covered by EU roaming (correct as at 29th June 2019), giving a fair usage limit of 15GB (if your data plan as enough data available).
- MiFi device. If you intend to visit a country that is not covered by EU roaming, a MiFi device may be the solution for you. This simple little box allows you to purchase a mobile data SIM card for one of the countries telecom providers and use this across WiFi to any of your phone, tablet or laptop devices. Remember to turn off Mobile Data on the device to ensure you don’t get an additional unexpected bill.
Luggage and Packing
- Pack a set of cloths in your carry-on bag. If you are unfortunate enough to have your hold luggage mislaid by the airline you’ll at least have some clean cloths to wear.
- Check a bag or not. Every airline has its own set of rules regarding how many bags you can carry on for free, and what you have to check. To avoid costly surprises at the airport ensure you understand the airlines rules. If you are using connecting flights check the rules and regulations for those carriers also.
- Snacks. Bring some small snacks to tide you over until your find a suitable restaurant or bar.