Traveling out of the country can be overwhelming and even scary if you've never done it before. Here are some of our tips for traveling out of the country. Some of these are lessons learned or things we picked up along the way.
TIP 1: USE GOOGLE FLIGHTS TO COMPARE PRICES
We use Google Flights to compare prices and to see which dates are the cheapest to travel. The more layovers you have, the cheaper the flight. Direct flights are usually more expensive. Make sure you pay attention to the travel time before you book your flight. Most are 1 day of traveling but if you have a layover, check to see if it's less than a day or 2 days of traveling. This will cut into your vacation time so plan accordingly.
TIP 2: DIRECT FLIGHT VS LAYOVER
If you're like me where you like to make stops in other places before heading to your final destination, book your 1 stop at a place you've never been to before. If there is time to explore, you can venture out to explore before coming back to the airport. But make sure you check to see if you need a valid Visa to explore (ex: we had a layover in China and needed a temporary visa to leave the airport). Having a layover also helps those who don't like long flights. It's a temporary break for you to stretch and get of the plane. Make sure to check your airline if you need to take your luggage with you (overnight layover) or if it'll be waiting on the airplane for you the following day.
If you don't like layovers, book your flight directly to your final destination. Make sure you bring a couple of things to help keep you busy during your long flight such as a book to read, adult coloring book, puzzles, games, etc.. Most international flights offer movies you can watch right at your seat. You can also bring an eye mask to help you sleep during the flight.
TIP 3: RESEARCH AND BUDGET
So you've booked your trip, what's next? The next thing I always do is research. Research what to do in that area, things you want to see, food you want to try, transportation, currency, etc.. Once you have a list of things you want to do, split it out into the days that you have booked. Sometimes you can't do everything, so you can always put the ones you want to see the most on your itinerary and put other places on the "if I have time" list. Sometimes some places take you less time than you think so you're able to go to the ones on your "if I have time" list. When you're researching, make sure to take down costs for tickets, costs for food, and costs for transportation. Once you have an estimate, budget and SAVE!! If you know food is going to be costly, budget a couple hundred and save for it.
TIP 4: PRE-BOOKING ATTRACTIONS, SHOWS, TRAIN TICKETS, ETC
If you plan on going to museums or places that need tickets, book your tickets ahead of time. We always use Viator when we're booking attractions in another country. Mostly because most of the sites are foreign so your transaction will most likely be flagged by your bank or credit card company. Once that happens, your transaction is declined and sometimes your card is put on hold or even canceled. Viator is a much safer option to book tickets and attractions. We've used it in South Korea, Japan and Paris.
If you're planning to take a train to go to another country or region of the country, make sure to check if there are rules or regulations that you need to follow. Check to see if you need to book train tickets ahead of time.
TIP 5: USE A FOREIGN FEE FREE CREDIT CARD
Most places take chip embedded credit cards, so only carry as much cash as you need and use your credit card. We recommend a credit card that doesn't charge foreign fees because fees can add up. If you have a Costco Membership, you can get the Costco Visa Credit Card because they don't charge foreign fees. If you use your bank debit card, most banks charge 1% foreign fee per transaction.
Most importantly, make sure you notify your bank and credit card companies that you'll be traveling overseas. If you don't, they will think your card is stolen and will cancel your card. You don't want to be stranded overseas with no funds available.
If you decide to take out cash, get familiar with the currency. Learn what their denominations look like and if they use coins. You want to make sure you get the right change back when you're using cash so recognizing their currency is very important. Also, look at what the currency exchange rate is. We usually exchange some currency at the airport but if you don't, the other options are to find an ATM that takes foreign cards, Bank that will exchange currency or a Money Exchange place in the area.
TIP 6: RENT A POCKET WIFI
So how do you stay connected with everyone while you're abroad? There are basically two options: Pocket wifi OR cell phone carrier plan.
So what is a pocket wifi? A pocket wifi is a device that you carry around with you to keep you connected at all times to the internet using just your wireless. If you book airbnb, you can check to see if the person you're renting from is offering a pocket wifi for you to use. If they do, you can use their pocket wifi for the entire stay and usually it's free of charge (we did this for South Korea and Japan). If they don't, you can rent a pocket wifi. For Iceland, we rented Tep Wireless which only worked in the big city but not in rural places. But if you're only going to be in the cities, Tep Wireless is actually not that bad and is not that expensive.
The other option is to purchase an international plan through your phone carrier. We have T-Mobile so fortunately it's included in the plan we currently have so we don't have to pay anything additional to use it overseas. We relied on this while in Iceland since our Tep Wireless did not work in rural places.
TIP 7: USE OUR ULTIMATE PACKING LIST TO PACK
Here is a link to our blog about our ultimate packing list:
https://tinaehtravels.wixsite.com/tinaehtravels/blog/the-ultimate-packing-list
Pack what you need and what fits for you. But make sure you pack a plug converter for your electronics.
TIP 8: LEARN A LITTLE OF THE LANGUAGE
Learning how to say basic hello, goodbye, thank you, and you're welcome will help you go a long way. People tend to be friendlier if you show some effort in trying to speak their language. Most people will help even if you can't communicate in English. No matter what, you will encounter some rude people but don't let it put a dent into your vacation. Just let it go. Most of the time, its because of the language barrier.
Remember you're in their country. They have no obligation to learn English or even speak it to you. You should be the one learning their customs and language. Being in their country is a privilege not an entitlement. So respect their culture and customs.
TIP 9: TAKE THE METRO
Most of the time, you'll need an international driver's license to be able to rent a car and drive it around the country. In Iceland, we didn't need an international driver's license and were able to rent and drive with a US driver's license. But if you're in other countries and don't have an international driver's license, you should plan to look up how to take the metro (trains, subways, buses). They're usually easy to read and easy to take. Most of them will have English written underneath the words on the signs. Use Google Maps App to help as well. It's pretty accurate in telling you which trains to take and how many stops till you get off. Most places will have a pass for you to purchase. Just do some research to see what the they offer.
The other option is to take a taxi or uber. Not all of them speak English so make sure you have the destination you're going to written in their language so they know where you want to go.
Make sure to research how to get from the airport to your hotel/Airbnb stay. Airports usually have buses and trains that will take you to the main city or you can take the taxi.
TIP 10: KNOW WHERE THE US EMBASSY IS LOCATED IN CASE OF EMERGENCY
Always carry your passport with you for identification. If you lose your passport, go to the US Embassy. Anywhere you go, make sure you know where the US Embassy is located. It's important to know in case of emergencies or if anything happens.
TIP 11: DON'T FALL FOR SCAMS!
Fortunately we have not encountered this but just be careful of scams! We've heard horror stories of travelers getting scammed by locals (kids, teens and adults). So I would recommend to just keep walking away and keep items near you in case of thieves.
TIP 12: TIPPING - NOT NECESSARY MOST OF THE TIME
In the countries we've been to, tipping is not necessary because the servers are already paid a regular wage so they don't depend tips. You do save quite a bit from not tipping.
Don't expect them to bring you your bill. In Iceland and South Korea, after you're done eating, you have to go up to the register to pay. In Japan, we paid via vending machine tickets so you just give the cooks your tickets for them to cook your meal.
TIP 13: GET LOST IN THE CITY
Have fun and get lost in the city! That's the best way to explore. Try everything and do something new. You're in a different country so take full advantage of everything.
I hope these tips are helpful. If you have more questions, feel free to comment below or email tinaehtravels@gmail.com ..
Happy traveling!
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