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 International
travel can be a rich and rewarding adventure. Whether you have waited
a lifetime to take the perfect trip or are an experienced world
traveler, here are some tips to help you plan a safe and healthy
trip.
American
consuls at US embassies and consulates abroad are there to help
if you encounter serious difficulties in your travels. They are
happy to meet you if you come in to register your passport at the
Consular Section of the US embassy or consulate. But it is also
their duty to assist American citizens abroad in times of emergency--at
hospitals or police stations, for instance.
Preparing
for your trip
Start
early
Apply
for your passport as soon as possible. Three months before your
departure date should give you plenty of time. Check your local
phone book for the passport office (or other offices designated
to accept passport applications) nearest you. Call them to find
out what you will need to apply for your passport, or renew your
passport if it has expired, or click on http://travel.state.gov/passport_services.html
for passport, visa, and other travel information.
Many
countries also require a visa - an endorsement or stamp placed in
your passport by a foreign government that permits you to visit
that country for a specific purpose and length of time. Ask your
travel agent, or click on the website listed above to find out whether
or not you will need a visa and how to obtain it.
Learn
about the countries you plan to visit
Before
you go, read about the culture, people, and history for the places
you will travel. Bookstores and libraries are good resources. Travel
magazines and the travel sections of major newspapers tell about
places to visit and also give advice on everything from discount
airfares to international health insurance. Many travel agents and
foreign tourist bureaus also provide free information on traveling
abroad.
For
up-to-date travel security information, including any US Department
of State Consular Information Sheets, Travel Warnings, or Public
Announcements, all of which provide information about conditions
that would pose risks to the security of American travelers, contact
the Overseas Security Advisory Council by clicking on http://ds.state.gov/osac/.
Emergency
identification kit
Create
an "emergency identification kit" in case your passport gets lost
or stolen. This kit will help you get a replacement passport, as
well as other important identification information.
Photocopy
the data page of your passport, write down the addresses and telephone
numbers of the US embassies and consulates in the countries you
plan to visit, and put this information along with two recent passport
size photographs in a place separate from your passport. You may
also want to include a photocopy of your driver's license, social
security card, and other identification information, as well as
bank account numbers, and a detailed itinerary of your trip.
You
can also fax in this information to your PersonalMD.com's Health
Manager Efile. If you create a folder called "Passport" or "Travel
Information", you could access your travel information if needed,
by using the directions on the back of your PersonalMD.com ER card.
What
to take on your trip
Clothing
and personal items
Carefully
consider the clothing you take. Don't pack more than you need and
end up lugging around heavy suitcases. Wash-and-wear clothing and
sturdy walking shoes are good ideas. Consider the climate and season
in the countries you'll visit and bring an extra outfit for unexpectedly
warm or cool weather. A sweater or shawl is always useful for cooler
evenings and air-conditioned planes and hotels. Dress conservatively--a
wardrobe that is flashy or too causal may attract the attention
of thieves or con artists.
Include
a change of clothing in your carry-on luggage. Otherwise, if your
bags are lost, you could be wearing the same clothes you were traveling
in during the entire time it takes to locate your luggage--an average
of 72 hours.
Don't
pack anything that you would hate to lose such as valuable jewelry,
family photographs, or objects of sentimental value. If you take
jewelry or other valuables, use hotel security vaults to store them.
It is wise to register such items with US Customs before leaving
the United States to make customs processing easier when you return.
Money
Bring
most of your money in traveler's checks. Have a reasonable amount
of cash with you, but not more than you will need for a day or two.
Convert your traveler's checks to local currency as you use them
rather than all at once. Once you are abroad, local banks generally
give more favorable rates of exchange than hotels, restaurants,
or stores for converting your US dollars and traveler's checks into
foreign currency.
You
may also wish to bring at least one internationally recognized credit
card. Before you leave, find out what your credit card limit is
and do not exceed it. In some countries, travelers who have innocently
exceeded their limit have been arrested for fraud. Leave unneeded
credit cards at home.
Automated
teller machines (ATMs) are becoming increasingly popular. Often
these ATMs can be accessed by your local bankcard depending on which
service is available. The exchange rates are comparable to the going
rate of exchange. Check with your local bank to find out which ATM
service is available in the countries you plan to visit. Because
ATMs may not always be available, this should be used as only a
backup method and not depended on solely for all your financial
transactions abroad.
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