A vacation is always something to look forward to, especially if you are getting the opportunity to travel somewhere for the first time or visit a new country that you have never been to before. When it comes to traveling internationally, there is a long check list of items that you must not forget to prepare or to pack for your travels. With so much to get ready ahead of time, you may find yourself becoming overwhelmed in trying to remember it all. Well, we’ve got you covered!
We have pulled together a checklist of things that you should prepare ahead of your international trip, before heading to the airport. Once you’ve got this covered, you can truly begin to get excited for all the adventures ahead.
Check out some things that you must do before traveling internationally:
Ensure your passport is up to date.
First thing’s first – make sure that your passport is up to date. If you have not traveled internationally in a while, you may not even realize that your passport is expiring or could be close to expiring
Make sure that you are checking on your passport months in advance in case you need to renew your passport, so you are giving yourself ample time.
If you do not have a passport, be sure to start the process early so you can ensure you will receive it before you travel internationally.
Check on COVID-19 documentation requirements.
Next, check to see if there are any COVID-19 documents that you must bring along when traveling internationally. You also want to ensure that you have checked the entry requirements of the country that you will be flying to so that you can ensure you are not getting turned away from the immigration desk upon arrival.
Each country is different when it comes to their quarantine rules as well as vaccination rules. Also, be sure to check on your home country as well, so you are adequately prepared to arrive home and giving yourself enough time to get any needed tests done.
Book a hotel or Airbnb in a safe area.
When you are booking your accommodations internationally, especially if you are not familiar with the area, take some time to do some research or ask around to see if anyone you know has visited the area and knows where the safest spots to stay are.
You also may want to consider any activities that are on your itinerary – are there areas to stay where you can easily get to these spots, perhaps even by walking instead of using public transportation or a taxi? Consider what makes the most sense and what will be most convenient to you.
Learn key words in the language of your destination.
If you are traveling internationally somewhere where you know there will be a language barrier, take some time ahead of your trip to look up key words in the language of your destination so that you can communicate and get around the area easier.
Foreign languages can be confusing and difficult to understand if you have no familiarity, so it is best to have these key words on hand ahead of time to make your life (and theirs!) a bit easier.
Create an itinerary and send it to a loved one.
When you are finished creating your itinerary, or as close to an itinerary as possible, be sure to send it to a loved one before you leave. This way, you can ensure that someone, or several people, know what you will be up to throughout your vacation.
This is a great safety precaution in case they are unable to get in touch with you or in case of an emergency.
Get an international plan for your phone.
Check in on your phone plan to make sure that you have an international plan set up for yourself so you can use your phone, even minimally texting and making phone calls, throughout your trip.
It is important to have some form of communication while you are out of the country, to help communicate with anyone you are traveling with as well as people back at home.
Pack for the appropriate weather.
Lastly, be sure to look up the weather of your destination internationally so that you can make sure you are packing appropriately. Pack smartly, but also be sure to pack some extra outfits to wear just in case you need a quick change! And of course, leave some room in your suitcase for any shopping that you will do while you are overseas.
