I’ll be the first to admit that I despise international travel. The jitters you start to get about a day before you fly, the constant feeling that you’ve left something (which you most likely did but you really hope it wasn’t anything crucial), and then the uncomfortably LONG flight! Teleportation would be a beautiful thing if it existed!
But since it doesn’t—I thought I would share some things that have helped to ease a bit (unfortunately not all) of the pressure of international traveling.
Tip 1: Packing. I recently complained to my sister that packing for international travel is like playing the hardest level of Tetris—in the fourth dimension! You get one bag, a carryon and one personal bag and between those three you’ve got to arrange everything you need so it all fits, is all under the appropriate weight, and doesn’t break your back if you must lug it around an airport.
And the most frightful thing is to get to the airport and discover that your bag is overweight! Been there, done that, HATED IT! Nothing like advertising the contents of your bag to the entire airport!
So my advice: check once, check twice, have your dad check it, and then check it twice again. It seriously can,t hurt! But while you’re checking, make sure that you stick to about a pound below the limit. You may think, “But I’ve got to use up every bit of the 50 lbs!”
Well, unfortunately, our bathroom scales aren’t always accurate, and in my opinion, better to be safe than sorry!
The other advice I have for you is to always pack necessities in each bag you take. In the event that you lose a suitcase (which I hope you never will) you’ll want to make sure that you are able to live off of whatever you have in your carryon. So, even if you have large bottles of toiletries packed in your suitcase, make sure you have smaller sizes in your carry-on. I’ve found myself without essentials because of a lost bag—it’s no fun.
And finally, take pictures of your luggage before you hand it over to the checker. I was in China without a picture and couldn’t for the life of me remember the brand of my suitcase. I learned my lesson right then and there! It also helps to be able to show a picture to the guy at the lost baggage counter.
Tip 2: When traveling internationally (especially if you plan to stay for a while) you may be like me and live off of prepaid SIM cards. My last trip home from the Philippines, I decided to purchase an extra travel SIM for Taiwan (my layover) and the US. Each of those gave me cellular data which allowed me to keep in contact with my family when I wasn’t in the air.
Perhaps you’re not bothered by being alone in a foreign land—I am unfortunately. So this extra security measure calms my fear!
Tip 3: Be aware of the climate of your destination. Not just the temperature—but the humidity, average precipitation (or lack thereof), amount of sun, etc. If you have a friend already living in that country, ask her what she wears the most—shoes, jackets, long-sleeved or short-sleeved tops. It’s always helpful to not be concerned about purchasing new clothes the moment you get there.
There are so many other things to consider when traveling internationally, and I’m sure I haven’t hit them all. But I hope for anyone planning adventures around the world, these tips will be a small help!
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