Nine Essential Things to Do To Prepare for an International Trip
Check your passport and visa requirements and make sure everything is up to date.
Heaven forbid you get to your destination and are denied entry! Immediately after purchasing your flight, make sure all of your documents are up to date, and check to see if you need to apply for a visa for the country you’re visiting. Currently, the wait time for passports is 8-11 weeks, and the state department is telling people to apply four to six months prior to departure. So get the process started early!
Get travel insurance.
Traveling without travel insurance, especially in the world’s current climate, is a huge mistake. Travel insurance with health coverage provides a much-needed layer of protection for everything from losing your luggage, to needing to be evacuated from an overseas destination.
Have a budget.
I’ve read a few horror stories where travelers, after an unexpected incident, found themselves on the road with absolutely no money. Don’t be that person. As part of your strategy while traveling, make sure to have at least two different ways to access cash, and create a budget before you leave.
Write down your emergency details and email them to yourself or store them on the cloud.
Having emergency information saved somewhere you can access easily is extremely important. Make sure that you have an extra copy of your passport, phone numbers for your bank and credit card issuers, contact information for family and friends, contact information for your travel insurance policy issuer, and whatever else you might need if things go awry.
Focus the majority of your attention on the three big things - your passport, your money (both cash and cards), and any medications you might need.
Just about anything else can be purchased where you’re going, so don’t sweat the small stuff.
Research local laws, customs, and basic phrases.
This small step can save you a ton of trouble! Depending on where you’re traveling, there are things you wouldn’t even think of doing that are requirements in the country you’re visiting. For example, all foreigners in Italy are required by law to carry their original passport on them at all times, and must be able to show it to police if stopped. There are all sorts of small rules like this in various countries, so be sure to educate yourself before you leave.
Let your bank and credit card issuers know you’re traveling.
This is becoming less and less of a necessity, but it’s still good to check with your bank and make sure they don’t need notification that you’re traveling. Having to deal with your debit or credit card being cut off due to suspicion of fraud probably isn’t how you want to spend your vacation.
Pre-pay or set up important bills for auto-pay while you’re gone to avoid late fees (or worse).
Taking care of bills before you go will give you peace of mind and allow you to simply enjoy your time away without worrying about small details back home.
If you’re from the US, order COVID tests for your return flight.
As of right now, the US is still requiring everyone entering the US to provide a negative COVID test within 24-hours of their return flight. These tests must be supervised, and a health certificate issued, so make sure you purchase testing kits with Telehealth services.
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hi there, I’m angi the founder of roam & gather. My mission is to curate joy-centered, small group journeys that are relaxed, intimate, and rooted in culture, community and slowness.
Roam & Gather is a small travel company offering soul-nourishing, curated travel experiences that help connect people with global communities, like-minded travelers and themselves.
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