Traveling to a foreign country, especially if it is your first time can be exciting and can be the opportunity of a lifetime! To be prepared for your trip you need to be smart and you need to do everything you can possibly think of to play it safe. Here we look at some things to think about before you step onto the plane and head off to a faraway destination!
There are some items that you travel with that should remain with you when you are on the airplane. These are your essentials such as your glasses and any medications that you may take. Both prescribed medications as well as over-the-counter meds should be packed in your carry-on bag. In this way you do not have to worry about any of your essential items getting lost.
To avoid running into any problems as you are going through customs in terms of your medications, it is advisable that you keep all of your medications in the original and labeled containers that they first came in. Bring copies of your prescriptions with you if you can as well as the generic names for the medications in question.
If you are taking a medication that is a little out of the ordinary then include a letter from your physician that explains that you require the drug. The same can be said if you are traveling with a drug that contains narcotics. If you question the legality of traveling into a foreign country with a specific type of drug then your wisest course of action would be to get in touch with the consulate of the country in question or the embassy to find out if you will not be breaking any laws.
What else do you need to think about when you are packing for the airport? Always make your safety a priority in every way. Travelers’ checks are a much safer way to make purchases than are cash. As well taking one or two major credit cards is also a safer option than is carrying money with you.
Here is one that many people do not think about but should. Bring an extra set of passport photos with you. In the same way make a photocopy of the information page of your passport and bring it with you. If your passport goes missing or is stolen then getting a replacement that will allow you to get home will be much easier to do.
Every piece of luggage that you take with you should have your name, address and telephone number on the inside and outside of it. Covered luggage tags are the best as they are less likely to be casually taken notice of by others. If it is at all possible, see to it that your luggage is securely locked.
As far as what you should not take with you on your trip, do not bring anything that it would tears to your eyes to lose. Leave anything that is valuable to you at home, such as a favorite ring or necklace. In fact you should not bring any expensive jewelry with you at all. Do not bring any family heirlooms with you and leave unnecessary credit cards at home. Leave any cards in your wallet that you will not need where you are going at home.
Provide a family member or friend with a copy of your itinerary and any pertinent phone numbers in the event that an emergency arises while you are gone. Before your trip make two photocopies of these items- airline tickets, your driver’s license, the credit cards that will travel with you and your passport identification page. One copy should be left with a loved one or close friend. The other copy should accompany you on your trip but should be packed separately from the original.
