5 Things You Should Do Before You Plan Your International Travel
Do you like traveling? Or are you the kind of person who has to travel frequently? If your answer is yes, then here are some safety tips that you should follow before you make your plans to travel abroad.
1. Familiarize Yourself
First of all, before making any plans for your international travel, try to familiarize yourself with the country that you intend to visit. How is the country that you plan to visit? Any kinds of political instability? How are the crime levels and terrorism threats? Would you be putting your safety at risk visiting such country? How bad is the language barrier? For instance, if you intend to visit China and don’t know anything about the Chinese language, you need to make sure you’re going to have at least one or two tour guides, as very few people speak English in China.
Try to familiarize yourself also with any travel warnings that has been issued for the country you are planning to visit. For example, if you are touring in India by train, you can check your PNR status online so you’ll be able to know your travel information, journey details, stop points, or waiting list status.
2. Know Where Your Embassy Or Consulate Is
If you plan to leave for any international destination, you should also check where the location of your embassy is in the country that you’re visiting. It will always be in your best interest to be able to contact your embassy or consulate in case of any emergency – at least it will make things a lot easier and safer if you are able to determine where your embassy or consulate is.
3. Check The Latest Exchange Rate
It is also very important to know about current exchange rates. Do not assume that US dollars can be used anywhere. Most of the people in foreign countries do not take US dollars, so it is always better to exchange currency right before you visit a destination. You can exchange currency also upon arrival at the airport, but don’t roam around trying to exchange dollars for local currency – you’ll then be attracting local thugs towards you.
4. Be Acquainted With The Locals And Their Culture
After you make sure currency is not going to be any problem, the next thing you need to know is about local laws and culture. You sure don’t want to land into trouble just because you didn’t know the culture. If you’re visiting Japan, the best practice to greet is by bowing and not giving your hand. It is very important to learn basic culture to get better acquainted in a foreign land. If you are going somewhere in Central America, learning a little bit of local language for general terms is also highly recommended especially if you plan to rent out in any Panama, Belize, or Costa Rica real estate or vacation houses and have a longer vacation.
5. Secure Necessary Documents
Make sure you have all the required documents to travel a foreign country such as Passport, Visa, and any pertaining information or letters that are important to enter a country.
After everything is arranged, before you leave, make sure you have done the necessary precautions to secure your home, such as installing good locks in your entrance-ways and other proper home security products. It is highly recommended to give your trustworthy neighbors your contact information when abroad so that they can contact you in any case of emergency.
Needless to say, while traveling, you need to be extremely vigilant and aware of your surroundings and your belongings. If a situation can be avoided, learn how to avoid rather than confront each and every situation and invite trouble. Remember, things do not always go as you plan, so it is always a good practice to remain silent and be safe, especially when you are traveling abroad. Instead of dealing with “unwanted” people directly, try to report to an authorized person immediately to tackle a situation.
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