1. Obtain and review travel insurance: The fine print might not seem all that important until there is an emergency and you realize that your insurance is not as great as you thought. Some questions to ask your insurer include: what are considered pre-existing health conditions, how much are you covered for lost baggage, and how are electronics covered.
2. Verify visa requirements: This is incredibly important because you don’t want to land somewhere and be denied entry. Check with the respective embassy to obtain details on whether you need a visa, how can you obtain one, and how much is the cost. I highly recommend you keep checking the visa requirements as things can change quickly in a politically charged climate. I had to re-route my trip from India due to a last minute introduction of a visa for Canadian travellers visiting the UAE. Also, you may need to pay to leave the country, so don’t be caught without cash (in local currency) at the airport in the early morning when most kiosks are closed.
3. Ensure proper vaccination: Take the time to schedule an appointment with a travel health specialists to get all the necessary vaccinations and any pills for things like Malaria and altitude sickness. Don’t wait at the last minute because some vaccines need multiple doses.
4. Register with your government: I never thought it was worth the time to register myself with the Canadian government to advise of my travels, especially if you have a packed itinerary (or you decide your next destination on a whim). However, I think it`s good practice and with an increasing risk of natural disasters don’t take a chance.
5. Check the Center for Disease Control and Prevention for travel warnings: It’s good practice to stay informed of what’s going on in the country or region you are visiting. Despite what the status may be always exercise caution and use your judgement.
6. Verify electricity and outlets: Take a moment to read up on the electricity for where you are visiting to determine if you need a converter and/or an adapter. If your electronics are limited to laptops and cameras, the majority don’t need a converter since they are auto-sensing and will adapt to the current. As for adapters, I think the easiest thing is get a multi-country adapter, so you will never have any troubles.
7. Make copies of important documents: Photocopy of your passport and other important IDs prior to leaving and share a copy with someone at home in case anything happens. I also suggest keeping a copy separate from the originals (i.e. keep originals in your purse and a copy in your luggage). Finally, scan and keep a copy in your email account (or other electronic source) for easy access if all else fails.
8. Exchange money into popular or local currency: Having the local currency on hand is good to get you started and avoid the awful exchange rates at the airport. In some cases it makes more sense to just exchange you money at your destination in which case I suggest carrying some US dollars as back-up because it’s accepted just about everywhere.
9. Alert your bank: Call your bank and credit card company before you leave to advise them that you will be doing some travelling so that they don’t freeze your account because of suspicious activity.
10. Print and learn some phrases and read on local customs: Learning a few key words and being sensitive to the culture can make a huge difference in the quality of the interaction you will have with people. Having a sheet with phrases can also be useful to point to if you have trouble with pronunciation.
