TRAVEL PREPARATION

Thorough travel preparation provides for safe, secure access to money and a valid travel documents (passport and visa).

Travelers should also be concerned with the different languages, cultures and health problems they could encounter.

Money Exchange Issues

You must always have the means for safe and secure money exchange when you travel.

You can access and exchange your money in several different ways:

1) Automatic Teller Machines (ATMs) - The Best ATM Card for Travel

2) Travelers Checks - Travelers Checks

3) Credit Cards - The Best Credit Card for Travel


Familiarize yourself with the foreign money (bills and coins) that you will encounter. Teach yourself how to quickly recognize the different denominations. Become as familiar with the foreign money as you are with your own.

Why?

Because foreigners are prime targets for being cheated when they buy something.

If possible, avoid buying things for the first few days after you arrive in a foreign country – this gives me some time to adjust to the money.



Travel Documents

There are major travel documents that you are likely to require at some point in your travel life. These are:

1) a passport - The Passport

2) a visa - The Visa

Thorough travel preparation requires that you determine if one or both of these items are required to enter a foreign country.

If you require a passport and/or a visa, leave yourself enough time to acquire them before departure. This may require 6-8 weeks.

Travel Medicine

Visit a travel medicine clinic as soon as you are certain you will travel.

The more lead time you have (at least 6 to 8 weeks), the safer you will be if vaccinations or anti-malarial medications are required. You may require more than one dose of a particular vaccine as well.

For more information on Travel Health, click here.



Language and Culture

Part of the attraction of visiting another part of the world is coming into contact with another language and culture. You don’t have to leave your own the country to experience another culture however. Remember Cajun culture in Louisiana or Polynesian culture in Hawaii?

If you do visit a foreign country, don’t judge it by the standards of your own country. You are sure to be disappointed with your destination and likely better off by staying home.

In less developed parts of the world, the locals will be just as curious about you as you are about them. Therefore you want to make a good impression. Have the mindset of trying to blend in like a local at your destination.

Find more information on Language and Culture.

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