Money
•Communicate your travel plans to your bank and credit card companies. If you fail to do this, their well-meaning anti-fraud and consumer protection measures could leave you without access to your money for as long as it takes for you to get the matter straightened out.
•Have some cash on hand with you in local currency before arrival at your destination. You may need to make a phone call or a buy a sandwich before you have the chance to change money in country or find a local ATM.
Health
•Get the recommended vaccinations. Visit your local doctor or international travel clinic to make sure your routine vaccinations are up to date as well as to ensure that you receive all the vaccinations recommended to travelers with your travel itinerary.
•Take out travel health insurance. Many health insurance plans will not cover you when you are outside your country of residence. So first check to make sure what your health plan will and will not cover in case you need medical treatment abroad. If you do not have sufficient medical coverage abroad or if you would feel more comfortable having additional medical coverage, then buy travel health insurance for the duration of your trip and in the cities and countries you plan to visit. You might want to make sure that the plan includes transfer to your country of residence in case you cannot be adequately treated in the countries you will be visiting.
•Be prepared to take local health precautions. Talk to your doctor regarding strategies to stay healthy on your trip, as travel to different countries connotes different health risks. This may include covering your limbs and wearing insect repellent to avoid getting sick with malaria in malaria-prone areas or only drinking bottled water and avoiding raw fruits and vegetables to avoid water contamination illnesses in countries that do not have broad access to potable water.
Travel Documents
•Check that your passport is valid and adequate for your upcoming trip. Make sure that you have enough blank pages in your passport for the border authorities to stamp or for the embassies to affix visas. Note that some countries require that your passport be valid for at least six months from the date of entry; otherwise you may be refused entry. And if you need a new passport, apply for one as soon as possible, as it may take longer than expected.
•Be prepared to secure a visa. Find out the visa requirements for visitors of your nationality to the countries you wish to visit by inquiring at the countries' local embassies. Visas for some countries may only be applied for in advance of your trip, while visas for other countries may be purchased on arrival, or may be waived altogether.
Communication
•Register your expected travel itinerary with your country's local embassies closest to your destinations. In case of an emergency the embassy may be able to assist you or provide you with timely information.
•Give your expected travel itinerary and contact information to friends and family. This way they will be able to contact you in case of an emergency or locate you if you have problems along the way.
•Compile a list of important addresses and phone numbers to keep with you. Include items like your local embassy, any local contacts you may have, the local emergency phone number like 911 in the United States or 112 in Europe, and contact information for your loved ones at home. Keep a paper copy on your person but also keep a digital copy in your e-mail inbox or in a digital file folder that you can easily access.
Preparation
With sensible pre-departure preparation, you can make sure that your trip abroad goes as smoothly as possible.
ไม่มีความคิดเห็น:
แสดงความคิดเห็น