Home Three tips for traveling abroad
Local News

Three tips for traveling abroad

Contributors
business travel
(© GVS – stock.adobe.com)

Traveling abroad for the first time is incredibly exciting, but it can also cause some anxiety. You are surely worried about what might go wrong while you’re in a strange new place.

You may also be wondering whether you’ll be able to maintain some of the comforts of home while you travel. Here are some tips for traveling abroad to keep you safe, comfortable, and enable you to have a great trip.

1. Pack Wisely

Setting yourself up for success when traveling abroad starts at home. Careful packing enables you to bring less but get more from what you do bring. Here are some tips for packing wisely:

  • Choose clothes that match one another. You want to be able to pull a top and a bottom out of your suitcase and be on your way. Worrying about coordinating outfits and figuring out which top was supposed to go with which bottom will cause you frustration. Pick a color palette and stick to it.
  • Take your favorite products. It can be surprisingly comforting to have your own face wash or shampoo available while you travel. You also might find it hard to buy products that work for you in a new place. Just put your products in tiny containers so that you’ll be able to bring them with you without taking up too much room.
  • Eliminate bulk. Bring as few heavy clothes as possible. Bulky clothes are frustrating in your suitcase, and they’ll annoy you as you try to keep track of them while you’re out and about in a foreign place.

2. Stay Organized

One of the hardest things to do while you’re traveling is to stay organized. You may start with the best intentions and a carefully packed bag, but before you know it, your suitcase will barely close on a jumbled mess of clothing. Here are a few tips to help you stay organized when you travel abroad.

  • Use baggies. You’ll be amazed by how many baggies come in handy while you’re traveling. You can use baggies for soiled clothing, keeping your socks separate from your underwear, and all kinds of other uses.
  • Everything in its place. The best way to avoid losing anything important, like your passport, is to keep it in a designated place. Choose from quality passport holders that also provide slots for your credit cards, cash, and other things you need to have on hand.
  • Make lists. You might think you have a great memory, but it is easy to be frazzled while you’re traveling abroad. Make a list of everything you need to take with you on from your hotel, the things you don’t want to forget on an outing, and anything else you’re worried you might forget.

3. Be Zen

You can spend as many hours agonizing over planning your trip as you want; you cannot stop things from going wrong. Traveling abroad is wrought with potential disasters.

However, the mishaps you experience on your journey can only ruin your trip if you let them. Do your best to prepare, but don’t think that everything is ruined if something goes wrong. Remember that traveling abroad is about adventure, and adventure is not dependent on your plan.

Have Fun on Your Trip

Be sure you plan carefully, pack with thought, and keep yourself organized on your next trip abroad, and you are sure to have a lovely trip. When things do inevitably go wrong, do your best to maintain a Zen attitude and be patient. You may find that some of your best adventures are things you never thought to plan for at all.

Contributors

Contributors

Have a guest column, letter to the editor, story idea or a news tip? Email editor Chris Graham at [email protected]. Subscribe to AFP podcasts on Apple PodcastsSpotifyPandora and YouTube.