What do you need to know before traveling abroad to enjoy your vacation peacefully and reduce the possibility of getting into sticky situations? 

In my opinion, I have had the opportunity to travel quite often - there was a time when I flew about 50 flights during the year due to work, but I have also been lucky enough to go on leisure trips quite often. I have been to Rome, Portugal (I definitely recommend it), Geneva (I recommend it just as much), Paris, Berlin, and other wonderful places. But not everything has always gone smoothly.

As a result, I have collected a bunch of suggestions on what to find out before going on a trip to avoid unnecessary headaches. I will share them with you.

So, 8 things to find out before you go on a trip to avoid unnecessary headaches

I think that it is self-evident that when planning a trip, it is necessary to find out the rules of immigration, for example, if you need a tourist visa or the restrictions related to Covid. Otherwise, the trip will end at the airport. This will be a list of other, possibly lesser-known things that I make sure to find out before going to another country. Mostly because of not very pleasant personal experience.

Content:

Before you travel, find out what to do in an emergency

Do you have a plan for what to do if your passport is stolen?

Of course, we all hope that nothing bad will ever happen. But sometimes emergencies happen. I remember that when I was a child, my father's passport got stolen when he was abroad. It made it difficult for him to return home. A passerby stopped his car, asked for directions (to distract him), and tore off his bag.

Safe remains unsafe so find out:

• Find out which number to call in case of emergency
• where in your travel destination you can find the representative office of your country's embassy or other organization that could help You if there ever is an emergency. 

You can usually find the necessary information on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs website. The current link for Latvian residents is https://www.mfa.gov.lv/lvAnd there is also a special app called "Ceļo droši" available for Latvians.

Before your trip, find out if you will need an adapter

What would you do in a foreign country without a phone?

I can honestly say that I could not survive abroad without my phone. I use it for communication, navigation, and accessing my boarding pass.

Not so funny story - once my phone fell into an airport toilet (don't put the phone in the back pocket of your pants!). After this unexpected bath, it stopped working. I wasn't able to get my boarding pass. Everything ended well, thanks to the responsive airport staff. But it was a stressful experience.

Some countries use the same plugs and sockets as we do and some don't. For example, UK uses different sockets than Latvia. A simple thing like charging Your phone might not be possible without an adapter because the plugs just won't fit in.

Of course, if necessary, you could buy a converter on the spot. But, in my opinion, you will make your life easier and reduce stress if you find out that you need an adapter before you go on a trip, and not when You have 1% of battery left.

In the depths of the Internet, I found a useful article about which contact is used in which country. Read it here.

Before you go on a trip, find out if your mobile plan and internet will work at the destination

Let's continue on the topic of smartphones. There is more to it than just charging Your phone. How much use do you have of a phone without the ability to call or access the internet?

I recommend checking with your mobile operator before traveling whether your current tariff plan will work in the country you are traveling to. Maybe it is necessary to buy an international add-on.

If the answer is no, your mobile plan won't work or there will be high extra charges, find out:

• Where can you buy a local SIM card at your travel destination (supermarket, mobile operator, etc.).
• What you need to buy a local SIM card. For example, in some countries, it may be necessary to present a passport when purchasing a SIM card (even prepaid). I have experienced the disappointment of going to the telecommunications store and then running back to the hotel to pick up documents.

Before a trip, find out if it is allowed to bring the medicine you are planning to travel to within the country you are traveling to

I assume you don't want to get into trouble by inadvertently breaking the law.

Not all medications available in your country are allowed in all other countries. For some medicine, it may be necessary to show a doctor's prescription with you to show at the airport. To avoid traveling with something that could be considered illegal - check the regulations relevant to your destination before traveling. This information typically can be found on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs website. 

Before traveling, find out whether your bank card will work abroad and what are your payment limits

Imagine the following situation - You try to check in at the hotel, but the employee tells you that your card does not work and asks if you have any other option to pay.

I once got into a situation where I couldn't pay for a hotel with my bank card because it turned out that I hadn't increased my payment limit to be able to pay such a large amount in one day. But it may also happen that payments abroad are not connected to the card at all.

Therefore, before going abroad, I recommend that you find out:

• Are foreign payments enabled on your card?
• What are the payment limits, and will they allow you, for example, to pay for a hotel?
• It may also happen that the accommodation where you have planned to stay simply does not accept bank cards, and you need cash. This information can usually be found on the website through which the accommodation is booked.

Before going on a trip, find out how public transport works in your destination

Imagine the situation - you wait at the bus stop for 40 minutes, and public transport just passes you by or doesn't open the door, and you don't understand why.

I think it was in France (but maybe I'm getting countries mixed up) when 3 buses passed me by at the bus stop. I didn't know at the time that one is supposed to signal by raising their hand if they want the bus to stop and take them aboard.

So, before you go on your trip, I would recommend that you find out a few things:

• Find out where you can buy public transport tickets. In Athens, for example, you couldn't buy them on the bus.
• Find out how to board the transport. Is there a special signal, or maybe you can only get in through the front door? I have experienced all kinds of rules.
• would also recommend that you check if there is a public transport application in the city you are visiting that helps find the correct transport and correct stops where you need to get off. I have used CityMappera lot, but unfortunately, list of cities it covers is limited.

Before your trip, find out what kind of weather is expected during your trip

When I was traveling to Portugal, I saw pictures in which ladies posed in summer dresses in January. When I arrived, it turned out that I needed a coat. And sweaters. It was cold. 

Of course, if the budget allows, the missing things can also be bought on the spot as souvenirs. But a much more wallet-friendly option is to look at the weather before packing your bag, so you bring only the clothes that match the forecast. And it will help with fitting in the weight and size limits of the bag.

Before going on a trip, find out whether your drivers' licence will be valid at the destination of the trip and whether you meet the parameters of the car rental

Imagine you have planned the perfect travel route, booked accommodation, and arrived at the car rental point (or more likely, you are trying to arrange a car rental via the Internet). But the employee destroys all your dreams because you do not meet their criteria to rent a car. 

It may seem that anyone who has a driver's license can rent a car when going abroad. Not true. Different countries have different requirements for car rental - for example, experience or driver is considered. Also, not all rights are valid in all countries of the world. 

Therefore before renting a car abroad, find out:

• What criteria must the driver meet to rent a car (age, seniority, etc.)?
• Will the license issued in your home country be accepted in the given country. 

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Trips should be exciting. One can call unexpected turns adventures. And you can usually resolve all issues. But typically, you want to enjoy the trip without unnecessary headaches. At least I do. If You prepare a bit and do Your research before the trip, You can avoid many possible mishaps. So I hope you find these suggestions helpful. And of course, I wish you a great trip!