If you have already traveled abroad, you know that tickets, accommodation, and visas are three main things to take care of. When everything is ready, it seems like you can relax. However, there are numerous other things to consider before setting sails for the lands unknown. Some would say these are optional – I say they are a prerequisite for comfort and peace of mind while you’re on the road.
1. Finding Out All the Nuances Regarding Local Currency
Before traveling to any country, you need to find out in what currency you will pay, where to get it at the best exchange rate, and what payment methods are available. There are simply too many caveats to list here. For example, when traveling to Japan, it is more profitable not to exchange your currency for yen back at home but to go with dollars and look for a cheap exchange point at the airport. You will see the same figures everywhere, but in one place, they show a purchase rate, in another – the rate for sale, and in the third, they take a commission. In the Netherlands, you can be unpleasantly surprised when they say at the checkout that you have some wrong credit card and you cannot pay with it. In Middle East countries, you will be offered to change the currency at a hotel or airport, but it is better to do this at a money changer in the market. And in North Korea, you can only buy local money at a hotel, and it doesn’t matter what currency you have; the rate is good in any case. It is better to study the issue of exchanging money in advance than to unknowingly lose some of the funds that can be spent on vacation.
2. Planning Your Transfer to the Hotel
It would seem that upon arrival, you can breathe out and relax. However, if you have not taken care of your first route in a foreign country, then there is a possibility of running into overpriced expenses. If you bought a tour with a transfer, then there should be no problems. If you organize everything yourself, then you may have a choice:
- Walk (good if everything is nearby).
- Call a taxi.
- Give in to the touting taxi drivers.
- Take city transport.
- Take advantage of the hotel pick-up (often free).
- Car rental at the airport.
Surprisingly, any of these options can be the cheapest or the most expensive. In Europe, taking a taxi from the airport will be prohibitively expensive, while in China it will be very cheap. You can take a bus and go to the wrong place, etc. 20 minutes of your comfy time on a couch can prevent these and many other mishaps.
3. Figuring Out the Most Convenient Means of Getting Around
If you’re staying at a hotel by the sea, all-inclusive, and you do not want to get out anywhere, then this does not apply to you. And if everything’s the other way around, then a choice arises as in the previous paragraph. Make a list of interesting places with addresses in advance and study which transport will be the most efficient for you to get to them. Renting a bike can also be a great option in European cities.
4. Installing Google Maps or Other Navigator
If you’re still traveling with a paper guide map, try entering any address on Google Maps or some other similar service. You will see not only this place but also all possible options for how to get to it, the price and duration of the trip.
This is especially true for large cities with an extensive transport network – knowing the necessary means of transport and the names of stops, you will definitely not get lost. Having tried it once, it is impossible not to use it further. Often in such applications, you can save the map to use it without the Internet.
5. Studying Your Options for Staying Online
Speaking of which, neither your Maps app of choice nor instant messengers will be available abroad by default. It is strategically important to figure out the easiest way to provide yourself with Internet access. It may sound like an easy task, but try finding an open Wi-Fi hotspot in Barcelona, and you’ll see what I’m talking about.
6. Making a Draft Travel Plan
Some of us may prefer the easy way here and hope to sort it out on the spot. Well, firstly, you may get even lazier once you get there. Secondly, you don’t want to waste your precious vacation time scrolling through travel guides frantically. Make plans for each day of your stay. Most local trips, visits to museums and theaters, observation decks, and other sights can be booked online in advance. This saves you hours in queues. Find out the opening hours of the places you are interested in; there may be days with free admission. Don’t forget to explore the local cuisine, so you know in advance which menu items to look out for. Travel time runs out very quickly, so it pays to put in the planning effort to make the most of it.
