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What type
of research should I do before I travel?
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- Do
some research, learn as much as you can about your
destination.
- Check
to see what type of weather the area has so you can
plan accordingly.
- Check
with the U.S. State Department concerning safety
warnings for U.S. tourists at your destination.
- Check
with the U.S. State Department concerning safety
warnings for U.S. tourists at your destination.
- Find
out if you will need a passport to enter the
country. Make sure your passport is up to date and
valid. Some countries will not let you in if your
passport will expire within six months of your
return home, extend it, if you are close to
expiration.
- Find out if you
will need any visas to enter the country.
- Check
to see what other type of paperwork and
documentation you will need to travel.
- Find
out what type of diseases are common to the area
you’ll be visiting and take actions to prevent
your exposure to those diseases.
- Find
out what types of vaccinations you will need to
enter the country, there may also be medications
you’ll need to take before, during and even after
your trip.
- Find
our what type of electrical outlets the country
uses, you may need a special converter or adapter to
use your electrical appliances.
- Check
your own medical coverage to see what type of
coverage you’ll have when away from home. Consider
purchasing trip insurance.
- Do
some research about the costs of local items so you
can set your budget. Don't forget to budget
for taxes and tipping, many governments charge high
taxes for travel related services.
- Check
the financial section of your newspaper, they
usually post exchange rates and checking in advance
can give you an idea of how much you’ll need to
budget.
- Do
some research with U.S. Customs to find out what you
can take with you and what you may bring back.
- Build
some basic language skills in the local language.
- Check
the dates of local major holidays, since services
may be limited on those dates.
- If
you plan on driving, investigate the local road
conditions, laws and other driving requirements.
- Most
of the world uses the metric system, so try to
become familiar with this system. 1 kilometer = .62
miles so 100 kilometers per hour = 62 miles per
hour.
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Where can
I find some online resources to do some research for my
trip abroad?
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Check out our
Guides
& Advise links page. This internal
page contains links and descriptions of many sites that
are helpful in planning a trip abroad. For your
convenience, many of these links are also placed in
appropriate sections of this site, but this page
condenses all these links to one location.
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What
services does the U.S. State Department offer to help me
to prepare for my trip?
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www.state.gov
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The U.S. State
Department’s homepage.
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www.state.gov/www/services.html
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The U.S. State
Department’s Services web page. This site contains
links to the services the U.S. State Department
provides to travelers; many of these web sites are
also individually linked to this web page for your
convenience.
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travel.state.gov/travel_pubs.html
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The U.S. State
Department’s Travel Publication web page. This site
contains links to foreign travel publications,
produced by the U.S. State Department, that are
available on-line. The publications address a wide
range of issues for both the business and vacationing
traveler.
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What do I
need to know if I plan on driving a car in a foreign
country?
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- If you plan on
driving a car, you’ll need to check out the
local driving regulations.
- You might need
to obtain an international driver’s license
or need special insurance.
- If you are
renting a car, check with the rental company
to make sure you’ll meet the local
requirements and be able to pick up the car.
Some countries’ car rental companies have
upper as well as lower age requirements. Note:
Big cities have better rental rates and try to
rent before you leave the United States (If
you're American, of course) as it's often much
cheaper.
- You may have to
pay a permit fee that allows you to drive on
their roads.
- Road signage may
be in unfamiliar languages and the colors and
shapes of those signs may be different than
those in the United States.
- The direction of
the lanes may be opposite of those in the
United States.
- Gasoline is
usually considerably more expensive and is
often sold by the liter, 3.78 liters=1 gallon.
- Road conditions
can be considerably more dangerous than those
in the United States.
- Some countries
with modern highways allow much higher speeds
than the law allows in the United States.
Therefore, it is especially important to stay
out of the fast lane, unless you are passing
or willing to travel at these high rates of
speed.
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How are
rentals outside the United States different from those
here?
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Every
country has its own rules, but here’s a list of some
items you may want to consider.
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You
may need an international driver’s license or
permit, in addition to your U.S. driver’s license.
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The
rental contract may not be in English. See if they
have rental contracts or at least an explanation of
contract terms available in English. Also, see if
they will have any English speaking counter
personnel available to assist you when you arrive.
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Your
personal insurance or credit card coverage may not
be valid or acceptable to the rental company, so you
may need to purchase extra coverage.
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Most
rental car fleets outside the U.S. are made up of
much smaller cars.
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Many
foreign rental fleets have a large percentage of
manual transmission automobiles.
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Gauges
may only read in the metric system, 100
kilometers=60 miles.
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Many
countries have even higher taxes on rental cars than
those in the U.S.
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Some
countries have both a minimum and a maximum rental
age.
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How can I
get an International Driver’s Permit?
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When
traveling overseas, carry an International Driving
Permit ... even if you're not planning to drive. Should
you need to communicate with foreign authorities, this
recognizable form of identification can help you get on
your way more quickly. The American Automobile
Association’s International Driving Permit web page.
This site contains information on how to get an
International Driving Permit. This permit, used in
conjunction with your valid U.S. driver’s license, is
valid in 150 countries. Check out the site’s IDP FAQ
link for further information. http://www.ouraaa.com/travel/other/idp/index.html
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Driving
while in Europe
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Four
wheels can be great fun in Europe (and especially
economical if you're traveling with a few friends).
Continental Europe drives on the same side of the road
as the U.S., so no sweat. If you're in England, prepare
for some miscues as you figure out which side of the
road to stay on (hint: use the word "left" as
a mantra as you drive, and consider having a friend or
two to navigate and keep you straight as you drive. This
site contains information on traffic codes, road signs,
parking, and road vocabulary for those planning on
driving in European countries. www.travlang.com/signs/
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How do I
deal with the language barriers when I travel?
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Build a
vocabulary in the local language. Learning even a few
words and phrases of the local language in advance of
your trip can greatly increase your enjoyment, safety
and comfort during your stay in a foreign country.
Here’s a suggestion list of a few words and phrases
you might consider researching to build your new
vocabulary
First,
the complicated bathroom, this can be a complex issue
when you probably don’t have the time to deal with
complications. Asking for a "badezimmer",
literally a bathroom in German, will get you a room for
taking a bath. But, it might be lacking the toilet you
were seeking. Find out what they call it and ask for it.
It is always best to keep it simple and direct. |
