I was recently talking with a friend of mine who is going on an amazing trip to Spain at the end of the month and was asking me advice on how to get ready and prepare for her trip abroad. I remember going abroad for my first time 6 years ago feeling very overwhelmed with not only what items I needed, but everything to do right before I arrived. In this post, I break down different sections of questions people normally have before going abroad and how to prepare for them.
Money
International Credit Cards:
Right now I use the Capital One Venture card as my go-to card for international travel. The great part is that they have two options with this card. The first one, the Venture Card has no foreign transaction fees, $500 of credit if you spend $3000 in the first three months (easy to do), and you get 2 points per every dollar you spend with the card with every single purchase. Don’t be fooled by that you have 2,000 points = $2000, sadly it is divided by 100 so it would be $20. It also has a $95 annual fee. Their other option is the VentureOne card and the plus side of that card is that there is no annual fee. It still has the benefits of zero foreign transaction fees but you only get 1.25 points per every dollar you spend and the signup bonus is less.
Bringing Money Abroad:
People always wonder how much “physical” money they should bring abroad and honestly it depends on where you are going and what type of traveler you are (it’s okay if you don’t know this yet). My first tip would be don’t get currency at the airport or in the country you are going to, get them ahead of time and at your current bank! Most banks you can call ahead to see if your branch has the currency you want on hand or one nearby normally does. If they don’t have it on hand, you can order it to your branch! Why you should get it ahead of time is because the exchange rate your bank has here is usually very equivalent to the international one, and they don’t have charge you extra fees like you would if you were at the airport or abroad. My rule of thumb is $200 USD or currency equivalent per week. Most places internationally today take credit cards widely but having the hard currency on hand is always a good idea, because many of the local places only take cash and souvenir places as well. The worse that can happen if you have a lot of hard currency at the end of your trip, then just pay with everything in cash compared to the card. You would rather that than the opposite of having to pull out more last minute!
Do I need to let my bank know?
Yes! The best part if you can easily let your bank know online and it takes less than a minute to do. Most banks on the main menu online it will say “manage travel plans” and you can input your exact dates when you are gone and give the exact countries you will be in. This is super important to do before you leave because if not they will shut off your cards while abroad and that is very hard to turn back on without normal cell service.
How do I store my money while abroad?
This is super important because a lot of times people are not very careful and sometimes get pick pocked while being abroad. Some of my best options would be to only ever have max $40 USD worth on hand at all times. For example, if I was in Mexico it would be around 800 pesos or if I was in Europe it would be around 35 euros. Also where you store your money while traveling is so important.
#1: Money Pouch–
Super tacky and touristy but it hides under all your clothes and has RFID protection for your cards. It holds your phone, passport, money and more so that no one can take your stuff! Love the mesh material on the back of this one and the different colors you can get! Cost $15
#2: RFID Wallet:
In case you don’t want a pouch. Making sure you still have your cards protected is important with a wallet that has RFID protection as well. I also think having a wallet that has a place for coins is important because, in many other countries, coins are more significantly used than here in the US. I also love that is is very compact. You normally don’t carry more than 2-3 cards or some cash when abroad. Cost $20
#3: Perfect Purse:
If you are wanting to carry a purse ladies you need to make sure your purse either has a flap that makes it hard to get into or a clip to make it difficult to unzip for pickpockets. It’s okay if it has outside pockets but never put anything important in there. Also, it is great to have a purse that is also RFID protecting and knife resistant {it’s crazy what people try and do}. This purse comes in lots of different colors and is only $25 which is a steal! And it has the carabineer to lock the zipper so no one but you can get in without noticing.
These are some hacks to hid that extra money, not on you!
#4: Under Your Hairbrush:
A great place to stash that cash you aren’t having in your main purse or bag is in your luggage but you don’t want to make it obvious where it is easier. Having it in an envelope or in money back will make it easy for a thief to find. No one would think to look inside a used hairbrush! Cost $15
#5: Empty Lipstick/Chapstick Case:
Next time you run out of a tube of chapstick or lipstick keep the bottle and utilize it!
#6: Bottom of Your Shoe:
Another great place is at the bottom of your shoes! Underneath the sole, if you can pull it up easily a great option!
Electronics
Do I need to bring a converter for my phone/laptop?
Yes! Most other countries don’t have the exact same power systems as we do so our normal chargers don’t work in other countries. You have to bring a power adaptor or it will fry your electronics! This applies to all phones, laptops, camera chargers, etc. Make sure before you leave it plugs into your actual charger correctly! Also, I know it seems crazy but buy two different ones. Sometimes the hotels or hostels you might stay at they might not work like they are supposed to and it’s something you wouldn’t know until you got there.
Recommended Ones to Buy:
#1: Love that this one has usb ports on the side to plug into along with a regular plug so you can plug in multiple things at once. Normally most hostels or hotels only have one outlet at a time so this one is great! This one works in Europe, Australia and Canada. And it’s only $15
#2: This adapter works in the common places people travel as well like Europe and Australia. But I love that is also comes in a compact case so it’s easy to find in your luggage. Cost only $13
#3: For one that is a little bit more expensive but has great reviews and even works in Asia and South America. This is this great product from Target. Cost $24
Can I bring my hair styling items abroad?
Most American hair styling tools like hair dryers, straighteners and curlers work on different voltages of power compared to other countries. If you really wanted to you can get a power convertor to bring but many times I’ve heard of people’s hair dryers getting burnt out and stop working. Many hotels come with hair dryers and your best bet is normally to buy a cheap one when you get there at a drug store. Or just go all natural with your hair because you’re on vacay!
Will I be okay to use my laptop abroad? Is it worth it to bring it?
Bringing your laptop abroad is totally fine! If you buy the power adapters mentioned earlier charging and making sure it works with wifi is not a big deal at all. But, what you need to think about is will you really use it? Majority of the things you need to do technology wise are on your phone these days and a phone is way smaller to pack and carry around when traveling. I’ve noticed that about 75% of the times I bring my laptop on a trip I regret it because it is more than a hassle/space taker-upper than the amount of times I used it. If you know you will use your laptop multiple times a day on your trip for blogging purposes, downloading photos, having to work with it abroad then take it! But if you are just going for fun and not wanting to be tied down by more items you have to take out of your bag through security, I recommend leaving it at home.
Will I be able to get around without internet?
Yes! Thankfully many places are making it easier and easier to navigate their cities with free internet in local touristy spots. But if you are trying to save on that phone bill while abroad here are some suggestions:
While on wifi before you leave your hotel, hostel, etc. you can look up the place you are going and have the route set up. Having location services enabled on your phone you can still follow the route even when you leave and get off wifi to make sure you get there. A great feature not many people know about!
This amazing app I heard about my second time I was abroad from some friends. You just have to download the city’s map you want ahead of time on wifi and it utilizes location services to track where you are with street names and helps you navigate without having cell service. It not only is a map, but it is also a great travel guide because it’ll show you great spots inside of a city while you are walking around as well.
This is another great app that I have heard about that is a little bit more detailed and doesn’t have touristy stops pop up like Triposo does. You do have to download the city map before as well but it has the main stops you need being a beginner tourist.
Arrival
How can I make sure I won’t get lost in the airport/getting to my hotel/hostel/airbnb?
I think this is the biggest mistake people make when getting ready to travel abroad is not figuring this step out first. Landing in a new place is already overwhelming and you are most likely super jet lagged and you just want to get to your “home” for the time being ASAP. Planning ahead on this aspect with make you less anxious and worrisome when you arrive.
Tip #1: Be realistic about what time you will arrive. De-planning and going through customs is always a toss up internationally when it comes to time. I usually pencil in about an hour to get off the plane, get through customs and find the exit of the airport.
Tip #2: Determine the easiest way to get to your location. Easiest might not always be the cheapest. In Paris the easiest way is to take a taxi cab to the city but taking the train is about half the price. You need to decide which is the most important to you, time or cost in this scenario.
Tip #3: If taking public transit to get to your location whether it be train, metro or bus, try to see if you can buy your ticket ahead of time or at least know the price of the ticket ahead of time so you have that amount of cash or your card ready to go.
Tip #4: Know super basic vocabulary words in that language so if you need to navigate a ticket kiosk or talk to a bus or cab driver you can. Words like “yes” , “no” , “confirm” , “ticket” , “cost” , “stop” are very important on a simple machine.
Tip #5: Have a screen shot of your address on your phone or a paper copy easily accessible. If for some reason you panic and get confused on where you are going you can show this exact place to someone and they can help you.
Tip #6: Don’t be afraid to ask for help if you panic. Most airports, train stations, taxi cab places have someone around to help tourists like yourselves. Other words that might be important could be “excuse me”, “can you help me”, “I don’t speak ____”. But always talk to someone in uniform and never try to put yourself in a sketchy situation.
How can I let someone know I have arrived safely?
Many times when traveling abroad someone knows that you are there. Always send at least one person whether it be a mom, dad, spouse, sibling, friend your flight information just incase of an emergency. I always have a google doc of my flight information and where I am staying and I just share that with my go to person. Also the good thing is many airports have free wifi that allow you to let someone know you have arrived. A great app also to use is WhatsUp, just make sure you and that go to person has it downloaded before you leave!
Clothing/Accessories
What are some must bring items when going abroad?
Consider what types of places you are visiting. In many countries to visit churches and important historical places your knees and shoulders need to be covered. If you are going somewhere that there is a history of mosquitos or other bugs, always good to have skin covered. This is the one thing you need to do a little bit of research on before you leave because it changes from place to place. These are the tops things me and a group of friends I surveyed to make sure you bring abroad:
#1: Feminine Products – many remote places don’t have pads or tampons easily accessible. Ladies if your time of the month is coming one or twice go ahead and plan for that. Don’t just pack a box, take the products out of the boxes and stuff in those small crevices of your bags to save space.
#2: Sheet Set – many times the hostel or hotel you are staying at might not have the rave reviews that you saw on the internet and that happens. Utilize this small compact sheet set to know that you are sleeping on anything funky. It’s currently $50 but right now it’s 30% off. 
#3: 2 Quality Locks – One to lock your actual bag (small one for a backpack) or a larger one for regular luggage. And a second lock to lock your items in a locker. Most hostels don’t provide them! Don’t pick a generic code either, make it unique! 1-1-1 or 0-0-0 are not the best ideas even if you are in a hurry.
#4: Things to help for sleep– If you know you struggle sleeping on moving things, make sure you bring some things that will help you. I always recommend a great neck pillow (that could double as a real pillow if you get a crappy one at a hotel or hostel), ear plugs, and melatonin to help you get your jet-lagged self to sleep those first few nights.
#5: Compression Socks– my sister recommended these to me when her boyfriend got her some for Christmas. You will most likely be on some sort of long plane ride at someone point coming from the US and blood flow is very important. These socks keep blood flow moving in your legs during those long journeys.
#6: Portable Charger– this is a must have when abroad. You most likely won’t be spending a lot of time at your place of stay but roaming around the city taking pictures and taking in all the sights. A portable charger is necessary to keep that iphone or adroid going to make sure you find your way back home after a full day of tourism. I love this charger because it is the size of a deck of cards and it has about 3-4 charges in it and lets you know how much juice is left with it. Cost $30
#7 : Quality Water Bottle– being abroad and walking and traveling non-stop it is super important to stay hydrated. Buying a different plastic water bottle every time you go somewhere new can get expensive so just bring your own and fill it up as you go! Yes it is a pain to carry around but I promise it’ll save you money and dehydration throughout the day.
What types of shoes should I bring?
My rule of thumb is to only bring 3 pairs of shoes. Anything more is a waste of packing space that you can utilize for other things. That super cute pair of heels will most likely only be worn once and you’ll regret bringing them! These are my go to recommendations:
#1: The go to comfortable shoe. This shoe you can wear with everything. For me this is a solid pair of sandals, toms or keds. They can be dressed up, they can be dressed down, you in theory can wear them with every single outfit on your trip if you wanted to and you would be comfortable.
Toms: Pros – light weight, go with everything, great for those with arched feed like myself. Cons- don’t work well if they get wet, smell because you wear them barefooted, get worn out quickly. Cost $30
Keds/Faux Keds: Pros- light weight, if you get a neutral color they go with everything, wear socks with them, come in a variety of colors Cons- get gross when rained on them and if you buy a knock of pair won’t last very long. Cost $40 or at Wal-Mart for like $7
Born Sandals: These are more expensive but are a “cutter” pair for women have great comfort on them for all the walking you will be doing. Cost $70
#2: The shoe to wear when it’s raining. Nothing is worse than having a pair of shoes you bring get ruined by being in the rain. Understandable if you didn’t know if was going to rain and a pair gets ruined, but if you can prevent it that is always the move. Also if you are traveling on a budget you are most likely staying in a hostel with community showers where you are going to want to wear flip flops or a water type shoe in the shower as well.
Chacos: This is a super southern shoe that is bought but they are awesome for all types of travel especially if you like the outdoors. They are great for hiking and regular walking and work great in the rain and shower too. Worth the investment because my last pair lasted me 5 years and they have great warranty. I always try and snag the one’s on sale because it’s such a good deal Cost $60-$100
Teva: A little big cheaper then Chaco’s but they still get the job done for rain shoes and hiking/adventuring. The straps are normally a little bit thicker. Cost $50-$80
#3 The comfy shoe when your feet hurt or you are traveling from place to place. This depends on each person. For me this shoe is my tennis shoes. They provide the most support for me on those days after 20k steps and allow my feet to re-set on planes, trains and automobiles.
Trendy New Block Shoes: I’ve seen these shoes every where recently. They are super in right now but I know they can cost a chunk of change so I found these one’s from wal-mart for a quarter of the price! I’m going to get these for my trip to Iceland in a few weeks!
How can I pack if I’m going to cities with different weather?
Layers are your friend. A lot of times weather can change and that is super hard to predict but always pack in layers. Make sure all of the tops that you bring are very lightweight and thin incase it is really hot in a city you are visiting. Bring cardigans or light jackets that you can layer on top of for when it gets a little bit chilly. Scarfs are also a great packing item. They can be used to keep you warm on the neck area or cover your shoulders or legs as well.
Communication
How can I stay in touch with friends and family while abroad?
The best option is normally through messaging apps because sometimes with spotty wifi text messages don’t always go through. I-messages are great but sometimes take for ever to send. Utilize facebook messenger, What’sUp, or even instagram DM’s to send a quick message to someone while abroad. Make sure to let them know you won’t be able to respond when exploring or traveling from place to place and always let them know what time zone (hour difference) you are for them that always helps!
How can I keep track of friends in case we loose each other in a city?
This is super important if you decided to go exploring on your own or you loose track of someone in a busy city. Before your part ways decided an exact meet up spot and a meet up time. Without those two things you could be walking or trying to find each other for hours on end. Also make sure you both have the location you are staying at starred or saved in your maps or phones just incase you want decide to meet up back at the hotel,hostel, airbnb etc. If you are abroad for a long period of time and decide to buy a sim card/data plan, find my friends app can work if you both have data even while abroad!
Documents
What documents do I need to bring when going abroad?
The main and really only document you need is your passport. Make sure you passport will not expire while you are abroad either! As US citizens we always carry our drivers license around but you do not need that while abroad. If your stuff were to get stolen it’s easier to replace one item instead of both. Always make 2 copies of your passport. Why? Just incase you lose it or your passport gets stolen this is your guide to get back into the country. Keep one copy hidden in your luggage at your place of staying and have the other copy on hand with you at all times. I normally bring my passport every where I go but I always keep it in a RFID case so that no one can swipe my information.
RFID Passport Protector and Card Protectors for $6
Make sure you double check the list of countries to see if you need to get a temporary visa to enter into. This is something that takes around 2-3 months to get in so hopefully you have planned ahead. Check out the full list here.
Hopefully this post has you feeling a little bit more prepared for your trip and answered most of you questions! Comment below if you think there is anything else someone should know before leaving the country!
