Here are general tips and travel advice to consider as you prepare for your trip:

Documents:

Check that your passport is valid six (6) months beyond your date of return.

Please review your vendors documents and full terms and conditions sent via email.

Be sure you have blank visa pages numbering or exceeding the number of countries visiting. This as many countries will only stamp on a blank visa page. 

Leave a copy of your passport information page and travel documents with your emergency contact at home who can forward to you in case of an emergency situation. Also, keep a copy with you. Scan a copy of the information page on your smartphone.

Take your original Covid 19 vaccination card if proof required by your vendor or countries you are visiting. 

Leave Behind:

Leave a copy of everything in your wallet – driver’s license, medical insurance card, bank and credit cards and proof of travel insurance with someone at home. Leave an extra set of car and house keys with a neighbor.

Money:

Notify your card-issuing institution prior to your travels: Contact your financial institution's customer service department to make them aware of your itinerary and avoid the risk of them suspecting fraudulent card usage and placing a block on your debit card.

Have a contingency plan for loss of your card: As a precaution against your debit card being lost or stolen, keep a copy of the front and back of your card in a safe place like password-protected cell phone and know your financial institution's applicable phone number.

Ask merchants to charge your card in the local currency: Some overseas merchants offer to convert your purchase to U.S. currency ("Dynamic Currency Conversion" or DCC), but you should refuse this offer as they often use conversion rates much higher than the going rate.

Carry backup currency and travel with multiple forms of payment - credit card(s), cash, traveler's checks in case you are unable to utilize one. 

Prescriptions:

Keep your medications in the original containers and have an original prescription in case you need to replace while traveling. Also, keep your doctor’s office contact information with you for verification purposes. Always keep your medications in your carry on not in your checked luggage!

Please check with your doctor or a Travel Clinic to see if your medications or over-the-counter drugs are banned or if a drug permit is required for your medications. This is important as bringing in banned substances may incur fees or possible imprisonment.

Take an extra set of your prescription glasses and prescription.

Baggage:

Pack your carry on bag with enough to get you through two days in case the airline loses your luggage. If they do, be sure to get a tracking number from the airline for your lost bags before you leave the airport. You canthen track your bag on the airline website.

Keep the tags the airline gives you at check in as these will help to find lost luggage.

Take a picture of your luggage prior to check in. 

Check out www.tsa.gov under 3-1-1 for details of what you can and cannot carry on board.

Flights:

Please arrive three hours prior to departure for international and two hours for domestic. 

Always check your flights the night prior to departure for last minute schedule changes.

If your flight is canceled while waiting, immediately go to the desk as first come, first served on re-booking existing flight space. Keep airlines app and numbers in your phone. 

We recommend utilizing the airlines app as it will advise you of changes to your reservation. 

Health:

Depending on where you are going it is a good idea to visit a Travel Clinic. www.travelclinicsofamerica.com or ISTM.org to find a local clinic.

There may be travel requirements due to Covid.
Look at this website to follow Covid requirements, policies and form requirements for your destination:
https://www.virtuoso.com/travel/bewise-travel-entry-guide

The CDC suggests you make sure you are up-to-date on routine vaccines before every trip. These vaccines include measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine, diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis vaccine, varicella (chickenpox) vaccine, polio vaccine, Hepatitis A and B and your yearly flu shot. To check on required vaccines, medicine and advice check http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/.

Packing:

Be aware of baggage weight restrictions by checking your airline website. International airline weight allowances vary.

Pack electrical adapters specific for your country.

If traveling with a companion, pack half your clothes in the others suitcase. If a bag is lost, you still have half your clothes. 

Put anything you must have in your carry on i.e. medicines and valuables.

Jewelry - Leave the good stuff at home or keep it in a safe place as your travel. 

Safety:

Before you travel overseas, we suggest you register in the government STEP program to receive security messages and make it easier to locate you in an emergency at: https://travelregistration.state.gov 

When you go out take a couple of cards from your hotel so even if you don’t speak the language you can always get back to your hotel by showing the card to a taxi driver. 

Beware of pickpockets. Men do not travel with your wallet in your back pocket even if it buttons. 

If in a situation with the authorities in a foreign country ask to speak with your embassy.

Communication:

Contact your cell phone provider about packages for international calls/texts and instruction on settings for your phone as you travel.

Best Advice:

Take half the luggage, twice the cash along with your sense of humor and you will have a great trip

Enjoy!

“The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page.” - St. Augustine