Now that traveling has opened up much of the world, people are getting out of town as fast as possible. However, traveling abroad can be daunting. There is so much to see and do but how do you get it all in.
Here are 12 tips when traveling abroad:
- Plan before you go — Don’t wing it. Research blogs and travel books. Find out what the highlights are and how to get there.
- Pre-book Before You Go – If you want to see that famous Dali or Renoir painting, make sure to reserve the museum before you go. It will save you a lot of time standing in line. And besides, it may even save you from getting into the museum.
- Reserve Restaurants – Don’t just walk around endlessly trying to find that perfect restaurant. Make sure to research and find that spot that will work for you. Again, this will save you a lot of standing around waiting to get a table time.
- Learn about the Culture – Each area has very different customs and cultures. Find out about the customs before you go. For example, many of the places that you will go to in Europe have dinner after 8 pm.
- Find out key phrases – It’s important to know how to say, “where is the toilet?” or “where is the nearest taxi stand?”
- Get a map – The tourist office is located in all of the cities and will have maps. However, you may want to depend on Google to direct you to your destination.
- Watch your passport and wallet – Tourists are targeted and you won’t even know when someone steals your wallet. You may feel a gentle tap. Make sure to look around and be aware.
- Figure out public transportation – Public transportation is the easiest way to get around a city. Download the maps for the metros and buses. Always remember your stop and mark it. Then you can map where you are going and how to get there.
- Find out if there is an additional charge – In some countries, there is an additional charge for water and for bread. Make sure before they place the bread on the table that it’s included in the price of the meal. Otherwise, if you don’t want to pay, turn it away.
- Currency – Know the exchange rate and if it’s a significant difference, write out a chart so that you know how much you are spending and don’t go over budget.
- Take a business card from the hotel in which you are staying — Doing this, you can show it to the cab driver to get you back to your hotel.
- Lastly, take a photo of the license of your cab driver and get their card – Just in case you leave something in the cab, you will know who to call.
If you have any other tips, please list them in the comment section below so that our fellow readers can benefit.
