CHECKLIST TIPS
» First things first please check the travel documents, tickets, passport (with sufficient validity period), currency, insurance, valid visas etc.
» Medicines with the prescriptions, carry suggested alternatives to deal with emergencies
» Children stuff goes first
» Gadgets wont work unless charged, so pack your chargers for camera, ipod, mobile, ipad etc etc
CLOTHING TIPS
» Coordinate your clothes around one or two basic colors. This cuts down on the number of shoes and accessories
you have to bring.
» Take as few clothes as possible. Plan on laundering. One person suggested one week's worth of clothes. I take
fewer unless they are my washable silks.
» Wear and carry washable silk clothing whenever possible. It is as warm as and as cool as cotton. It dries overnight
and 10-15 pieces take no more room than two pair jeans. There are some other manmade fabrics that travel as
well if not better, but they cost quite a bit more.
» Plastic rain coat can double as a bathrobe or windbreaker.
» Take older clothes that can be discarded along the way. Great for growing children. Many places, the local people
are pleased to get these castoffs. There are travelers who take nothing but old clothes so they have that much
more room for bringing souvenirs home.
» Jeans - I never take them as they take so long to dry. If both the time and money for laundering are concerns, take
lighter weight pants.
HEALTH TIPS
» If you have any food allergies, learn the names of those foods in the languages used in the countries you'll be
visiting. This way you'll be better equipped to stay on the look out for them.
» Find out what types of diseases are common to the area you'll be visiting and take actions to prevent your exposure
to those diseases.
» Find out what types of vaccinations you will need to enter the country, there may also be medications you'll need to
take before, during and even after your trip. Get your vaccinations early in case you have a reaction and need some
recovery time.
» You should consider a dental appointment if you haven't had a check up in a while.
» Be careful what you eat and drink.
» Carry complete health information with you on your trip.
» How can I protect myself from traveler's diarrhea while traveling abroad?
• When you are traveling abroad, don't forget that drinking another country's water can be dangerous.
• Stick with bottled or boiled water and carbonated soft drinks.
• Remember that the ice in your drink turns into water, so order them with out ice.
• Wipe off the tops of cans before you drink from them, or better yet, bring some straws to use for drinking.
• Avoid raw foods, as they can also be a good way to get sick.
• Only brush your teeth with bottled water and keep your mouth shut when you're in the shower, even an accidental
spray can get you sick.
MONEY TIPS
» Take your major credit cards, such as, Visa, Master Card and American Express.
» Make sure they are really credit cards and not just debit cards with a credit card company's logo on them. Many
locations require a credit card and will not accept a debit card, so they may have limited use on your travel.
» Leave all your local store credit cards in a secure location at home; there will be no need to carry them with you.
1. Why should I contact my credit card companies before I leave?
You want to notify them of your trip. They may delay you if they are unaware you are traveling. The unfamiliar spending patterns might cause them to suspect that the card is being used fraudulently and delay your approvals.
They will be able to explain many of the services that they can provide while you are on your trip.
2. How can my credit card company help prepare me for my trip?
You can arrange to pay bills that will come due while you are gone.
They will be aware that you will be making charges from another country.
They will be able to give you an idea of how acceptable their credit card is in that particular country.
They can verify acceptance at certain foreign locations.
They'll be able to see if your PIN number will work in the countries you are visiting. They can also issue you another PIN number if your current PIN is unacceptable to the foreign bank's system.
They can explain cash advance, ATM, foreign purchase and foreign exchange rate policies and fees.
They can explain any services they offer, such as, extra insurance for your rental car, luggage or purchases. Make sure the coverage offered extends outside the United States and will be valid in all the countries where you'll be traveling. Also, be sure to note any other exceptions.
They may need to give you another phone number to call in case you need to reach them. The 800 number listed on the back of your card may not work from foreign locations.
You can find out if they charge a currency conversion fee, so you can find the most economical card on which to place your foreign purchases.
3. Should I use my ATM card while traveling?
Yes, you'll have access to cash during your trip so you won't have to take as much cash with you and using your ATM card can also be a good way to get cash in foreign countries.
The ATM will issue money in local currency.
You should exchange at the bank's wholesale exchange rate. You may still want to shop around to different banks since some will charge a high usage fee for their ATMs. Although, even high ATM fees may be less than others will charge for currency exchanges.
Don't wait until you're out of money to go to an ATM, the machines can run out of money or break down.
4. What should I know about using travelers checks?
If the particular brand of travelers checks are accepted in the country you'll be visiting.
How widely they are accepted within the countries you'll be visiting.
Any fees for purchasing and using the travelers checks.
The travelers check company's loss, replacement and refund policies.
5. How can I protect my travelers checks while traveling?
Take the same precautions you would to protect your cash. Be sure to learn and follow the procedures required if you lose your travelers checks. You'll also need to make copies of your travelers checks before you go and keep separate from them the following information.
The serial numbers of the travelers checks.
The denomination of the travelers checks.
The date and location of their purchase.
The phone number to call to report them missing.
No comments:
Post a Comment