If you’re heading overseas anytime soon, you’re probably stressing out about the number of things you’ve got to sort out before you head off for your big adventure. Travel insurance, shopping, bookings, and money - the list goes on! But don’t stress. To help you sort things out, we’ve got you covered with the top 10 things you should think about before you travel.
1. Itinerary
This ones a bit of a no-brainer. No matter where you’re travelling to, plan out an itinerary for the things you want to do and see. You don’t want to be lost and wasting your travel time once you get to your destination.
2. Check-in with your doctor and insurance provider
You’ll want to make sure you have all the proper vaccinations and that you have renewed all essential prescriptions. Also, ask your medical insurance provider if your policy applies overseas for emergencies. If not, you may want to add extra coverage.
3. Manage your cashflow
First things first, call your bank or credit company and let them know you’ll be traveling overseas. Most companies keep track of spending patterns and may see an unexpected overseas purchase as credit card fraud, causing your account to be locked. Something you do not want to be stressing over while overseas!
Visit an ATM as soon as you arrive at your destination and make a withdrawal in the local currency. Most international airports will have several, but if you’re flying to a smaller airport in a developing country, there’s no guarantee that they’ll have one. In that case, you may want to think about withdrawing local currency ahead of time.
4. International SIM Card
Chances are, you’ll be documenting all your travels through Instagram or Facebook. Save the hassle and annoyance of buying one at your destination, and get one before you leave. It’ll save you time, and money. SimCorner has prepaid SIM cards with awesome data plans for most popular travel destinations, and can be delivered to your door before you travel - hassle free.
5. Check the weather
Weather has the ability to lighten or dampen the mood, depending on where you’re traveling to. Sure, you might be traveling to Europe in Summer, and are therefore expecting warm weather, but there are always exceptions to weather patterns. Knowing your weather forecast can guide your packing strategy, and failure to do so could result in you being an unhappy, and possibly, soggy traveler.
6. Research events going on while you’re there
You won’t want to miss out on the best events going on in the city - festivals, shows, or ceremonies. The best way to find out what’s going on is through one of our best friends - Google, or local entertainment listings or magazines.
7. Buy an adapter
Don’t make the rookie mistake of forgetting a charger adapter. Countries have different size plugs and voltage, so if you want to use your iPhone, make sure you have the means to charge it.
8. Check public transit maps
It’s worth doing a quick search online for the local public transport routes. It’ll allow you to check for fares to compare with other methods of travel and map out your itinerary.
9. Buy attraction tickets in advance
If you know what you want to see and explore, try buying tickets in advance to help you skip lines, and possibly find cheaper deals.
10. Download your travel Apps
If you’ve got specific travel apps you like to use, make sure they’re downloaded before you leave. Depending on where you’re going, consider downloading Google Translate to avoid language barriers, Airbnb if you haven’t sorted all your accommodation yet, or even Uber to sort your transport issues.
