This is the core information that I begin with when planning a new trip. It’s primarily geared toward travel from the U.S. to Europe, but should be useful for any trip. I also have a recommendations section that will be periodically updated.
Passports
Check your passport and make sure it is valid for 6 months after the last day of your trip. If not, renew immediately. If needed expedite the application! Lately, passport renewals are being handled pretty speedily, but you always want to look at when your trips are planned and how much time that allows you for a renewal.
When you renew, it’s not a bad idea to request a passport card as well. You can’t use it to fly, but it could come in handy another time – many places ask for your ID as collateral or for verification purposes, and I would much rather hand over the card than the book. If nothing else, it’s a secondary government ID.
Also, make a photocopy of your passport and keep that in a different place than your actual passport when you travel.
Electronics
Plug Adapters
Each country has different plug sockets and a different flow of electricity. When looking for an adapter, look for the words adapter AND converter. The converter will change the voltage level that reaches your device.
Here is what I have. There are probably lower-priced items, especially if you’re not looking for a kit that covers all countries, but if you don’t feel like searching, I’ve been very happy with this one.
I don’t use hair dryers or flat irons anymore, and I never did learn how to correctly wield a curling iron, but when I was researching for a soror, I finally threw in the towel and went with a travel sized dual voltage flat iron/curler combo, and a travel sized dual voltage blow dryer. It wasn’t very expensive and the price is probably well worth the extra suitcase space and the removed stress of having something you really like end up fried to a crisp.
Portable Batteries
If you are worried about your phone or other device dying in the middle of the day, and not having this happen is something that is important to you, you might want to get a battery pack. I have this one (it is not pocket-sized) and I can usually get several charges out of it throughout the day. There are also smaller ones like this or this that are good for maybe half to a full charge. Look for something with at least 7000-10000 mAh.
Money
Things to find out as soon as possible:
Foreign Transaction Fees – does your bank and/or credit card charge extra to convert USD to another currency?
If the answer for a credit card is yes, do not use that card while traveling. Either make sure there is plenty of cash in your checking account, or find/apply for another card.
If the answer for a debit card is yes, do not use it to make purchases – only use it to take money out of an ATM – and even then you will end up paying some type of fee. I would suggest opening an online checking account (recommendations below).
ATM fees – Does your bank charge for ATM fees?
This is very important. It is sometimes possible to get hit with double fees – one from your bank, and one from the ATM. Most bank-branded ATMs in Europe do not charge ATM fees, so for there, you’ll mostly be looking at fees from your bank.
If you have a bank that charges ATM fees AND foreign transaction fees, I would strongly suggest opening a different bank account.
Withdrawal Limits
Verify the daily withdrawal limit imposed by your bank. If it is very low (less than $300), ask that it be raised for the duration of your trip.
I learned in Bali that it’s important to understand the typical withdrawal limits of the ATMs in the country you’ll be visiting. I didn’t realize before I went that due to the exchange rate the most I’d be able to withdraw per transaction would be between $37 and $225 USD, depending on the machine.
Chip Card
If you have now identified one credit card and one debit card that do not have foreign transaction fees or ATM fees, check to make sure they are chip cards and not the traditional swipe cards. Other countries are ahead of the US in the conversion to chip cards, so it is very very difficult to find places that will accept a traditional swipe card. Most U.S. cards have converted to chip technology by now, but it’s good to double-check.
Sometimes the chip cards still aren’t compatible (U.S. chip cards tend to be chip + signature instead of chip + pin, so make sure to check with your bank that your chip is compatible with the other country’s system.
Notify your bank & card companies of your travel dates, and all locations to be traveled.
This can usually be done online, but if not, call or visit your bank.
Know your debit card’s PIN
It would really suck to be in a strange country with no convenient way of getting money, so make sure you’ve checked that you have the correct PIN before you go.
Always take out money & charge purchases in local currency
They charge more to convert it for you. For credit cards, always charge in the local currency – some businesses will ask if you want your purchase charged in USD or the local currency. The USD option will never be in your favor. If you’ve already verified that your credit card does not charge foreign transaction fees, then always choose the local currency when given an option.
Banks with low/no foreign transaction or ATM fees
These are the two that are most often recommended.
- Charles Schwab – This is typically viewed as the best. They refund all ATM fees worldwide.
- Capital One 360 – 360 doesn’t refund, but they also don’t charge, so if you withdraw from a machine that does not charge, then you will essentially have fee-free checking.
It’s a good idea to write down the international phone number for each debit and credit card for reporting lost or stolen cards and/or make a photocopy of all your cards to keep separately, along with the copy of your passport.
Baggage
Try your best to pack lightly! It’s much, much easier to take trains and just travel in general when you’re not weighed down by baggage. I would suggest taking a carry-on and maybe packing an empty duffel in case you decide to buy stuff there and want to check a bag on the way back.
I have the smaller, non-expandable 18″ version of this bag, and it is the best bag ever – it went with me to Europe for nearly 3 weeks. Here are some other carry-on recommendations (I also have the 24-inch checked bag version of #2). When looking at a roller bag, the qualities I would prioritize are:
Wheels – 4 spinners
Spinner wheels are the BEST invention for traveling. It takes all of the effort out of maneuvering your bag in any situation. I will never buy another bag that doesn’t effortlessly rotate.
Weight
The actual weight of your bag is important. If your bag is heavy even before you fill it with stuff, going anywhere will be incredibly annoying. If you’re looking for a new bag, look for something as close to 5lbs as possible.
Height
When I was researching my trip to Europe, the standard carry-on size for many European airlines was 18,” unlike the 22″ standard in the US. This might have changed, but it is important to look up the size limits for each form of transportation you plan to take. I ended up buying a bag to fit the most restrictive policy.
The folks over at Travel Made Simple have made a really cool reference chart for this.
Phone Service
You can check into international plans offered by your phone company, but that is usually expensive, unless you have T-Mobile. During my last several trips, I got a wifi hotspot through either Tep Wireless*, Roamingman, or XCom Global (XCom Global is restricting operations to only cover Japan effective 11/30/2017) then I left my phone on airplane mode the whole time I was there and only used apps over wifi. Tep devices typically have unlimited* data, and up to 5 devices can be connected at one time. (I say typically because they see to change their pricing structure once or twice a year).
*It’s not actuallllyyy unlimited since they throttle the speed if you use too much, but it’ll do to keep from being too lost at inconvenient times. Also, the link is to my referral, so I benefit if you use it. Tep was super spotty in Bali & Manila. If I went again I would try out Skyroam or a local company that offers airport pickup.
Another alternative is to get a local SIM card when you arrive. This can usually be done at the airport on your way out. I don’t typically go this route because I like being able to connect multiple devices to a hotspot. However, on a recent trip I used knowroaming‘s SIM Sticker to turn my regular SIM into a dual sim, so now when I travel I should just be able to buy a data package in their app.
I found the following apps to be useful:
- Viber – for phone calls or texting. I think I loaded my account with a few dollars, and was able to make phone calls to the US over wifi for 1 cent per minute. You can also call/text other Viber users for free.
- Whatsapp – Similar to Viber, but more people already have it. You can call/text other users over wifi, though no calls to others who don’t have the app.
- Duolingo is good to download now and study basic language skills before the trip. It only asks you to commit about 10 minutes each day.
- Phrasebook – Quick reference for languages
- Whichever airline you’re flying – good for keeping track of any flight notifications and airport info
Guidebooks
I’m not usually a fan of walking around with a full-sized guidebook, but I am a fan of pocket guidebooks. I found the Eyewitness Pocket Guides and the pocket version of Lonely Planet books to be incredibly useful for navigating a new city.
Packing Tips
Check out this article for tips on how to pack a small bag, and this one for general tips on light packing. Whatever you think you need for your trip, odds are it’s too much.
If you plan on visiting churches/sacred spaces, many of them have strict modesty rules. They will not allow you in without appropriate clothing. It’s a good idea to pack layers and have something available to cover shoulders/legs if requested.
Here’s a comprehensive packing list, and another comprehensive packing list (Italy). You won’t need everything on either one, but it’s good to look over. This packing list is geared towards women and longer trips, but is still useful.