August is the busiest month for vacations and global travel. There is a good chance you made your hotel reservations and bought your airline tickets. Before you pack your bags, check out these top tips from world travelers.
Bring copies of your passport
If your passport gets stolen or lost, it can turn into a nightmare. You want to be sure that you can still get back into the country without days of delays. For extra backup, take copies of your passport with you, leave a copy at home. Make a digital copy you can store in your email account.
Staying connected makes a world of difference
How many times have you heard, “when I’m on vacation, I want to be unplugged and off the grid.” Really? Think about it. You don’t want to be able to hail an Uber driver, or buy tour tickets online? You may not be able to load photos into your account. You will not be able to use Google maps or call for help in an emergency. What if you lost your passport? How would you contact a U.S. Embassy? Does your smartphone work overseas? Are you able to crack it and insert a local SIM card? Today, reliable WiFi is essential for international travelers.
The Sapphire international mobile hotspot keeps you connected
Sapphire’s Cloud SIM technology connects you to local carriers all over the planet, saving time and money you would have spent searching for a local data store, swapping SIM cards and buying data scratch cards. Sapphire simplifies all that. Connect in 100+ countries SIM-free, using your favorite smartphone. It has a high-capacity battery and can last over 12 hours on one charge. Learn More (button to Sapphire web page)
Wear a comfortable pair of boots or hiking shoes
On trips to Europe and Asia, you will do a lot of walking. Go for comfort over style with sturdy, thick-soled boots or shoes with ankle support. Break in your shoes before your trip to prevent blisters. Wear your boots at the airport to help lower the weight of your luggage.
Pack a set of clothes in your carry-on bag
Pack an extra set of clothes in your carry-on luggage. What if the airline lost your luggage? It happens. It could take days to get your luggage. You don’t want to have to buy touristy logo wear.
Check with your doctor
Double check and make sure that you have all the proper vaccinations for the countries you are visiting and that you have renewed your prescriptions.
Bring an International plug adapter with USB ports
When you travel overseas, there’s a good chance you’ll need an adapter to match your devices’ plugs to outlets. Countries have different size plugs and voltage. So, if you want to use your iPod, make sure you can charge it. There are very basic adapters you can buy for a couple of bucks at discount stores, or you can splurge $15 for an all-in-one adapter. The adapters are much more expensive at airports and tourist destinations overseas.