Before You Go - Its All Here

Trip Insurance Tips & Travel Advisories

Check for travel advisories at your destination

If you’re planning on a trip abroad, you should always check the US Department of State or the UK’s Foreign & Commonwealth office website for the latest in travel advisories for the countries you are visiting.For more detailed information about what’s happening in the country your about to visit, another great resource is the Overseas Security Advisory Council.They have links to recent news stories in the country that may affect your travel plans.

Travel insurance is always a good idea

Travel insurance is a must if you’re traveling internationally. While you may think that you’re invincible, trip insurance can keep your trip from being ruined. Whether it’s a bad case of the flu, or a twisted ankle, you don’t want to be without insurance. Most people think that their health insurance will cover them anywhere. That’s not necessarily true. Do you really want to come up with $1500 in cash to pay for a doctor in Singapore? Do you want to spend two weeks in a hospital in Poland, or would you rather be in a hospital at home? Evacuation insurance is usually part of better trip insurance policies. Remember that if you do end up needing medical care while you’re gone and can’t pay your bill in full before you leave, you may not be able to leave the country your in.

Don’t Procrastinate
So you can make sure you have maximum coverage for your trip, you’ll want to buy insurance as soon as you make your first trip payment or deposit. Many policies offer lesser coverage the longer you wait. Travel insurance varies in price based upon your destination, how long you’ll be gone, your age and how many people you’ll be insuring. You’ll be surprised at how inexpensive it is. For medical only, you’ll probably pay around $39 or so for a week long trip. Make sure to shop around for the best rate and options that fit your type of travel. Before you buy insurance, check with your current medical insurance carrier and regular insurance agent to see what coverages you may already have when you travel abroad. That way, you can just buy the insurance coverage you need.

Where to Buy Insurance
There are many different places on the web to buy insurance. You’ll want to make sure you stick with reliable companies, so that you don’t end up uncovered. All companies that sell travel insurance in the US are rated by AM Best. AM Best rates all insurance companies, so you can be assured of the companies financial viability to pay your claims. We use Squaremouth to purchase travel insurance when we travel. It allows you to compare all kinds of companies and coverage side-by-side. For some companies, Squaremouth also will give you a satisfaction guarantee, which most individual carriers do not. If you’re planning on doing sporting activities while traveling, you should also check out World Nomads. They often cover you against potential injuries that other companies won’t.

Find the Right Fit
Just like any insurance policy you buy, there are a lot of different flavors of travel insurance. You certainly don’t want to buy more coverage than you need, but you definitely want to make sure you have the right coverage.. Where to start? Here are some features of the major basic coverages:

Trip Cancellation/Trip Interruption
This provides reimbursement for non-refundable trip payments and deposits if a trip is canceled and/or interrupted for illness, death or other specific unforeseen circumstances.

Terrorism
Provides coverage in the event of a terrorist incident. Coverage varies widely for terrorism, so make sure to read the details closely.

Financial Default
Even the best known companies can have unforseen financial issues. This covers you if there is a complete suspension of operations by your tour operator, airline or other travel provider due to financial circumstances whether or not bankruptcy is filed. Coverage details vary based upon many factors so read the fine print carefully.

Hurricane & Weather
Covers you if there’s a travel delay coverage due to a mandatory evacuation; complete cessation (meaning the destination airport has been closed for a certain amount of time)of either a common carrier (ticketed public transport) or travel supplier (hotel, condo manager etc.) or your accommodation at destination being rendered uninhabitable by weather (meaning it has either been flooded or so damaged that you cannot stay there).

Missed Connection
Will reimburse you in the event of a missed flight connection or for the additional costs to “catch up” to a cruise if the cause of delay is an accident or bad weather.

Travel Delay
Travel Delay provides reimbursement for meals and accommodations when a trip is unexpectedly delayed.

Baggage & Personal Items Loss
Provides reimbursement for lost, stolen or damaged baggage or personal items.

Baggage Delay
Can reimburse you for clothing, toiletries and other essential items if luggage is delayed for a specific amount of time.

Emergency Medical & Dental
Reimburses you for the cost of treatment associated with a medical or dental emergency incurred while traveling.

Medical Evacuation & Repatriation
Emergency Evacuation arranges to medically transport you to an appropriate medical facility. Medical Repatriation arranges for you to return home to receive care. Repatriation of Remains arranges for return of your remains back to the place of your residence.

Life Insurance
There are various flavors of Life Insurance coverage, so read your policy carefully. Basically it provides cash payment for accidental loss of life or limb while traveling.

Rental Car Damage
Collision loss/damage insurance for rental cars covers the costs of damage to, or theft of, a rental car. You may want to check with your credit card company to see if they will provide this coverage at no charge.

There is a Difference
In addition to checking for the type of coverage you might need, you need to look at more than just the total price. The last thing you want when you have a claim is a hassle. Once you’ve narrowed down your choices, check to see if the companies offer these features:

Cancellation of your Trip for any Reason
Provides reimbursement for non-refundable trip payments and deposits if a trip is canceled for any reason. Be cautious, however, as some plans provide only return of premium.

Deductible
Deductibles vary by each plan and can range from $0 to $2500. Many plans offer $0 deductibles, so determine how much your willing to spend out of pocket, if you have a claim.

Hazardous Sports
This is one aspect of coverage you’ll want to pay special attention to. Most policies exclude any “activities” that are considered “dangerous”. Definitely read the fine print and if you have any “out of the ordinary” activities planned, you may want to make sure you’ll be covered.

Trip Duration
Many policies limit the amount of time you can be away. A trip starts when you leave your home and ends when you return to your home regardless of the number of destinations in between.

Pre-Existing Condition Exclusions
Some companies may cover pre-existing conditions after a specified waiting period, while others may not provide any coverage. Read the fine print.

24 Hour Assistance Service
This is one of the most important. When you have a problem, you want to reach someone….NOW. Move companies that offer a 24 Hour Hotline to the top of your list.

Money Back Guarantees
Money back guarantees are provided to allow you to decide if the policy you purchased is right for you. Your guarantee or “free look” period can last for up to 14 days depending on insurance company although it expires as soon as you use the policy by making a claim or reaching your departure date.

IAH TIP: World Nomads is one of the few insurance companies that will cover most sporting activities. You can check them out here.

Travel checklists you can download

We use a travel checklist to make sure our trip goes smoothly. Whenever we start planning at trip, we use this Pre Travel Checklist, that you can download by clicking the link. We use this Packing Checklist, so that we don’t leave anything essential behind.

Travel tips for phones, laptops and cameras

We have some great travel tips for traveling with all of your electronic gear. With just a bit of preparation, you and your phone, laptop and camera will be ready for just about anything in any country. We’ll also include security tips on keeping your data secure. After all, you never know what may happen when you travel.

Phones, smartphone and tablets

We take the view that vacation is vacation and it’s good to remain “disconnected”. There are occasions when it is handy to have a wireless phone when traveling internationally. If you think you’ll be taking your phone, before you leave make sure you:

Verify your phone will work outside of the country
Most foreign countries outside of North America use GSM technology. Most Smartphones utilize GSM, but many regular cellphones in the US do not. Check your carriers website and look at your destination’s wireless coverage maps. You’ll find roaming maps for major US and UK carriers here: T-mobile, Sprint, Verizon, AT&T, Vodafone, Orange.
Make sure your phone is activated to work on international networks
Most carries levy an extra surcharge for this service and it must be activated before you leave.
International cell phone and data roaming can be expensive
Make sure you check with your carrier and see what roaming rates are at your destination. Data transfer adds up quickly. You may want to turn off your email and web browsing capability while outside your home country.
Set a device passcode
Travelers lose or leave behind items every day. Just in case you forget your phone, make sure to set a passcode on the device. This will not only protect your phone from being used in a foreign country, but it will also help protect your valuable data stored on the phone.

Another alternative, based upon your destination, is to purchase a world cellphone or rent a sattelite phone if you’re traveling to extremely remote areas.

Buying SIM cards at your destination can be cumbersome and some phones no longer have SIM cards that you can change. If you’re going to be in a destination for a month or more, consider just buying a disposable cell phone when you get there with prepaid minutes.

IAH TIP: Mobal Communications is our world cellphone carrier and has reasonable rates for most countries. You pay no monthly fee, only for the time you use the phone. They also rent sattelite phones if you’re going to be in remote areas. We’ve used their service for over 4 years and have been very happy with both the service and call quality.

Laptops and tablets

If you’re going to be traveling with your laptop or tablet, here’s a few tips:

Backup it up before you leave
That way if you lose it or it is stolen, you’ll have a current backup of your data
Secure it
Setup a Logon ID and/or passcode. It’s one extra layer of security that can help protect your data if it is stolen or lost.
Setup remote wiping
If you have the ability to setup remote wiping of your laptop or tablet, enable the functionality before you leave.
Plan on alternate protection.
Hotel safes vary in size. Sometimes there’s not a safe at all. Sometimes safes aren’t safe. Plan on an additional way to secure your laptop if necessary. Pac-Safe gear is one way to protect your electronic equipment if a safe isn’t available.
Power supply and adapter.
Make sure you have the right electrical adapter for your destination country.

Using the internet in other countries

Anytime you use your laptop, tablet or smartphone outside of your home, you should always be aware of keeping your surfing and data secure. That’s especially true when you’re outside the country. That hotel your staying in or internet cafe you’ve stopped into, may not take data security as seriously as you do. Plus, you never know who may be trying to sniff

your data from nearby locations. To protect yourself, consider getting a personal VPN.

A personal VPN protects your information once it leaves your computer. Your firewall and virus protection don’t do that. When you use an internet connection or hotspot, you don’t know who may be “sniffing” that traffic just looking for personal information, credit card numbers, etc. Who knows who’s in the hotel room down the hall that’s monitoring your internet traffic on the hotel network.

We’ve used WiTopia for PersonalVPN service for over five years. It’s extremely reliable and really doesn’t have any affect on internet speed. It’s very reasonable at around $60 per year and it’s easy to install and use for both Windows and Mac users. Plus, you can also enable a WiTopia VPN on your tablet or smartphone.

Leverage “the cloud” when you travel

What happens if you lose your hotel confirmation while you’re on your trip? Worse yet, what if you lose your passport? While everyone should always take copies of important documents (like your passport) with you when you travel, as well as copies of itineraries, confirmations, etc., it’s easy to misplace or lose them.

Our backup plan is to use the “cloud”. There are many different cloud-based services you can use, such as iCloud or Dropbox. These sites allow you to securely store files in the cloud and then access them from anywhere that you can logon to the internet. You can store copies of your itineraries, passport, travel insurance documents, visas, etc, then be able to download or print them from wherever you are. Your files are safely stored and accessible only by you. As an extra measure of precaution, we store all of our files in PDF format and encrypt them with a password. Even if someone were to find out our login credentials to the site, they’d also need to know the password to the file to open or view it.

Cameras & video gear

There’s nothing better than getting back from a trip and reliving your travel experiences with your photos & video footage. Before you leave on your trip, make sure:

You have plenty of memory cards.
The last thing you want is to miss out on being able to take photos half way through your trip.
Don’t put your eggs all in one basket
While it might be more convenient to buy one large capacity memory card, we prefer to use a few smaller capacity cards. That way if your camera or card are lost, you don’t lose all your photos.
Make sure you empty your memory card
Before you go, make sure your memory card is empty and you’ve downloaded past photos.
Make sure your camera’s batteries are charged before you leave
That way you can hit the ground running and don’t have to worry about charging your batteries right away.
Make sure you have the right power adapter for your destination
You want to make sure you can recharge your batteries once you get to your destination.
Lens cloth
Make sure you take a small lens cloth. If you get the right one, you won’t even need any lens cleaner and you’ll be ready for any dust, dirt or fingerprints that may get on your lens.

Traveling with credit cards & debit/ATM cards

Traveling with credit cards and debit/ATM cards can be confusing. Will they work overseas? What extra fees will I pay? Do I need to take all of my cards? In addition to having local currency, we always take at least 1 or 2 credit/debit cards. That way if we have unexpected travel issues, we’ll have access to money to help us get back on our way. You don’t need to take a whole raft of other cards. Why risk them getting lost or stolen? Take only the cards you absolutely need or intend to use. Leave everything else at home safe and sound. Plus, you won’t have that bulky wallet in your pocket just tempting someone to steal it or take it from you.

What cards should I take?

Contrary to popular thought, all credit cards are not accepted everywhere. You’re best best is to carry a Visa, Mastercard or American Express. Discover, Diners and others are not always universally accepted in foreign countries. We always carry our American Express card, simply because we’ve never had any issues using it and it seems to be accepted at many more places than any other type of card. American Express also has excellent customer service and can usually arrange for a replacement card to be delivered in a matter of hours to you while you travel.

Debit only cards vs credit/debit cards

It’s always better to carry a credit/debit card versus a “debit only” card. Why? Sometimes “debit only” cards may not work in foreign countries. With a credit card, you’ll have an easier time disputing charges and also zero liability protection, should your card be lost or stolen. Also, be aware that in foreign countries, you PIN number may not work on your card. If traveling in Europe, you should take special precaution. European debit/credit cards are moving to a 6 digit PIN along with a security chip embedded in the card. Some travelers have reported that they have had difficulty getting some merchants to accept their cards. As long as your card has a VISA or MASTERCARD logo on the front, the merchant is required to accept your card.

Fees, fees, fees

Remember that there’s a cost to using your credit and debit cards outside of your home country. You didn’t think the credit card companies were going to pass up this opportunity to make money did you?

You should check with your credit card company to see what “foreign transaction fees” they charge. Foreign exchange fees can be up to 3% or more on your transaction. And that’s in addition to the standard VISA or MasterCard fee of 1%. Capital One currently does not charge any foreign transaction fees and absorbs the 1% MasterCard fee. The foreign transaction fee is added to your purchase after it is converted into local currency. That foreign exchange rate that the credit card company is usually higher than the rate you see on Yahoo or displayed on other rate services. These are fees that are automatically added to your purchase (on your monthly statement), in addition to the “banks” foreign exchange rate to convert the transaction into your local currency. These fees can add up quickly.

You can see how quickly you can be paying alot more for your purchase. Take this example on a €100 purchase. The raw exchange rate may be $1.35, which would make the purchase $135. But the credit card company marks that up to $1.45, which now adds another $10, to make it $145. Now, add the 3% foreign currency transaction fee and you’re $135 purchase, just became almost $150. Now assume with all of the hotel, food and souvenir purchases you make on your credit card and you can end up spending alot more than you planned on your vacation. The worst thing is you don’t realize until you get home and get your first statement.

Tips on traveling with cards

There are a few simple things you can do in less than 10 minutes, that will help you ensure that you’ll have access to your cards when you travel.

No matter what cards you take, call the issuing financial institutions/companies a couple of days prior to leaving.
That will help prevent your transactions from being blocked, since many banks block foreign transactions to reduce theft. The last thing you want is to be abroad and find out your card has been declined.

Look on the back of the cards you’re taking and make sure they have overseas contact numbers for the card issuer.
If you don’t see one, call the company and get one. Then, write them down on a piece of paper and make a copy. We also put them in our address book in our phone. Leave one copy behind with someone at home you can easily reach PLUS put one elsewhere in your luggage (not in your wallet. What if it’s stolen?) They’re just phone numbers, but at least you’ll have them available if your card(s) are lost or stolen. The last thing you want is to be spending money calling directory assistance trying to get the number for your institution.

Consider lowering your daily withdrawal or spending limit on your credit or debit card.
It’s easy to do and can be done by simply calling your financial institution. First, consider how much you’ll be spending on average each day on your cards. You certainly don’t want to be caught “short handed”. The advantage to doing this is if your card is lost or stolen, at least the risk of losing a lot of money is minimized. Remember, with debit cards, it takes a lot longer to potentially get your money back. Can you really afford to be without a large amount of money for weeks after you return? When you get back, call your financial institution and have them raise your limit back to where you’d like.

Keep a list of your credit card numbers.
You should leave this with a person at home that you trust. That way, if your cards are lost or stolen, you’ll have access to the numbers so you can quickly report them as lost or stolen. The quicker you have the information, the less chance you’ll have of major loss. We also keep these numbers on an encrypted file on our phone, as well on an encrypted website and file on the internet. That way we always have immediate access to our information.

Keep an eye on your card at all times.
Think twice before sending the waiter away with your card. It only takes a minute or two to “clone” your card. You may be a victim of theft and not even know it until you return home. Worse yet, you may find out while on your trip when you try to check in to your next hotel and your card is declined. In some foreign countries you’re in luck as they bring the credit card machine directly to your table, so you always have your card in your possession.

Using your ATM card overseas

Don’t expect an ATM on every corner in some foreign countries.
Based upon where you’re traveling to, they can be a challenge to find. A good thing to do is check for ATMs in your destination country/city before you leave home. Plus, don’t forget they’ll need to be on your “network”. You can find the network on the back of your ATM card. Two of the most popular are “PLUS” or “CIRRUS”.

Don’t expect an ATM to always work.
Even if you find an ATM that’s on your network, don’t necessarily expect it to work. In order for ATMs in foreign countries to give you cash, they need to connect to your network to make sure you have available funds. We can tell you from experience, that it’s amazing how many ATMs have been “offline” or are having “network difficulties”. If they can’t connect, you don’t get cash.

Use ATMs in a bank if possible.
ATM’s located in major banks outside of your home country are probably the safest ATMs to use. ATMs on streets, in bodegas or small shops may charge large fees or worse yet, supposedly “not be able to connect to your network”, but capture your card information and PIN.

Don’t overuse ATMs.
Every time you use an ATM overseas, you could be charged a fee by not only your bank, but the bank’s ATM that you’re using. In addition, you’re withdrawal will be converted at the “bank’s exchange rate”, which is almost always higher than the “base exchange rate”. By taking small withdrawals out often, you’ll be racking up fees on each transaction. It’s better take a bit more money out (as much as you feel comfortable carrying) than making multiple withdrawals over a day or two.

Make sure your PIN will work overseas.
Many foreign ATMs now use 6 digit vs 4 digit PINs. It’s best to check with your financial institution to make sure your ATM card will work overseas.

Call your bank.
With card theft on the rise, many banks will automatically decline transactions that originate in foreign countries. To make sure you don’t have any issues using your card when traveling out of the country, you should call a few days before you leave and let them know where you’ll be traveling to and how long you’ll be gone. That way, you won’t have a rude surprise waiting for you when you need money.

Don’t expect ATM’s to use English.
In many countries who don’t use English as a primary language, you can’t expect ATM’s to serve up prompts in English. While most airports will have prompts in various languages including English, as you move into suburban or remote areas, they may be harder to find. It’s a good idea to look up basic ATM terms (i.e. withdrawal, checking, savings, deposit, etc) in the native language before you leave.

IAH TIP: Also think about reducing your daily withdrawal limit while you’re away. That way, if you lose your card while traveling, the chances of having your accounts drained of cash are reduced. Also, if you’re traveling to higher risk areas like Rio, Sao Paulo, Naples, etc, and be held up and taken to an ATM to withdraw money, you’ll limit the amount of cash that will be stolen. Don’t think it can’t happen. It has to people we know.

Travel frequently?

We travel to other countries almost 6 times a year, sometimes to remote areas. We opened an account at HSBC. HSBC is a large worldwide bank, with locations in just about every country on earth (except for most of the US). You can do all of your banking online and we’ve never had trouble using our ATM card in any country. Plus, even if some of the most remotest areas of the world, there’s an HSBC ATM or bank location. They also offer credit and debit cards as well. Check them out at www.hsbc.com.

Foreign currency travel tips

Before you leave on your trip, here are some foreign currency travel tips that can help save you money and avoid unnecessary fees. Foreign currency doesn’t need to cost you an arm and a leg, if you plan well. With a little research, you can use the money you save in fees and charges for your vacation, instead of giving it to foreign currency exchange offices.

There a lot of different options to get foreign currency before you leave home and after you arrive at your destination. It’s a good idea to have at least some local currency with you when you get off the plane. We make sure we have enough to last us until we can get to our first hotel. Beyond that, you’re probably better off trying to get to an ATM as soon as you can. Remember through, that you never know when you’ll be able to get to an ATM that works with your ATM network. Some ATMs in foreign countries do not connect to international networks. And, even if they do, they may not be “online” with your home country bank.

Rates, rates, rates

The key to know if you’re paying a fair rate for foreign currency is to check the base exchange rate. Don’t trust the exchange services themselves, check the true rate. You can do that easily by going to Yahoo Finance or just about any other financial news site. XE gives you live, up to the minute conversion rates.

Once you know what the “real” rate is, then start looking at the different foreign currency sites, like American Express, Travelex, etc., to see what their exchange rates are. The difference between the two, or the “spread” is part of the premium your paying for the right to buy the currency (think of that as just one piece of the exchange services profit). The smaller the difference between the two, the better off you are.

Fees, fees and more fees

The “spread” in the rate is just one part of the profit companies make on foreign currency. Next will be the transaction fees. Make sure that you pay little or no transaction fees on your foreign currency transaction. Remember, they’re already making money on the spread. Make sure to add these “transaction fees” in to your total cost of buying your foreign currency. Also, if you’re having your currency shipped to you, make sure you’re paying reasonable rates for shipping.

IAH TIP: Don’t forget to check foreign exchange rates at your local bank or local American Express travel office (in larger cities). Sometimes, their rates can be competitive, plus you can pick up the currency yourself, avoiding overnight shipping fees. Remember though, that these local offices probably only carry the major foreign currencies (British Pound, Euro, Canadian Dollars, etc.). Other foreign currencies may need to be special ordered, so make sure you allow enough time.

Calculate and compare

So, now that you have all the ammunition you need to, calculate exactly what that foreign currency is going to cost.

Amount of currency multiplied by “exchange services rate”, plus the fees (transaction and shipping) DIVIDED by Amount of currency

Now compare that result to the “base exchange rate” from the financial services websites (XE, Yahoo, etc.) That’s what your real rate of exchange is.

IAH TIP: If you’re going to get foreign currency before you leave, it’s probably better to get a reasonable amount. You certainly don’t want to spend $10 in fees to get $100 in currency at a high rate. On the rare occasions we get currency before we leave we usually get between $500-$1000. You should determine how much you feel comfortable carrying, what your willing to lose (pickpockets, stolen from hotel room safe, lost, etc) and what you reasonably need to have for at least the first part of your trip.

Leftover foreign currency

Whether you took too much foreign currency with you on your trip or just come home with some, think twice about exchanging in back to your home currency. What you learned above works in reverse. When you “sell” your foreign currency back, you’ll be given a lower rate than what the “real” exchange rate is. Remember, you probably paid MORE than the exchange rate and now you’re going to get LESS than the exchange rate. That’s a wide spread. Plus again, you may be charged a fee in addition to the lower rate. It’s get’s expensive, fast, even on small amounts.

IAH TIP: If we know we’ll eventually be headed back to a foreign destination eventually, we just keep the extra currency (assuming it’s a reasonable amount). That way, when we go back, we don’t even worry about getting money before we leave and we’ll already have some in our pockets to get us through the first day or so of our trip without needing to exchange money or find an ATM.

Travelers Cheques: the alternative

The big advantage with travelers cheques is that if they are lost or stolen, you can get them replaced quickly. While it is a pain to keep track of each one as you spend them, it’s still safer than cash. The biggest name in travelers cheques is still American Express, Thomas Cook and Visa/Mastercard. American Express travelers cheques are available at any American Express Travel Office, banks, your local AAA office or online directly from American Express. Thomas Cook cheques are available online and some banks, while Visa/Mastercard cheques are available online, at some banks or your local Citicorp branch.

IAH TIP: Make sure to leave a list of your travelers cheque numbers at home with someone you can reach. That way if they’re lost or stolen, you can have the information handy to have them replaced.

Travelers cheques fees & the exchange rate

Travelers cheques certainly aren’t free. Usually you’ll pay a percentage fee based upon the dollar value of the cheques you purchase. You may qualify for reduced or fee free travelers cheques if you’re an American Express card member or member of AAA Motor Clubs.

When you take cheques overseas that have are in US Dollars, you’ll be at the mercy of the place where you use them to give you a fair exchange rate. And, you can almost bet it will not be “fair” or near the true exchange rate. The good news is cheques are also available in popular foreign currencies as well, such as British Pounds or Euro. While you want be at the mercy of the merchant cashing your cheque when it’s in the local currency, you will pay the issuing companies exchange rate, which will probably be more than the real exchange rate, but less than what a merchant may charge you.

Many places will charge you to cash your cheque, if you’re not using it for merchandise or a hotel stay. With American Express or Thomas Cook, you can go to one of their local offices and cash your cheques with no additional fees. If they are in the local currency, you also won’t be jilted by an unfair exchange rate. You’ll find Thomas Cook or American Express Travel offices in most major US and foreign cities. Banks will also usually cash travelers cheques and may or may not charge a fee.

IAH TIP: Remember foreign banks have much different hours than most US banks. There are many different bank holidays when banks are closed and banks in some countries have very short daily business hours or may be closed in the middle of the day.

Travel documents

Without the right travel documents (passport and/or visa), you won’t be going anywhere outside your home country. One of the things you should do while in the initial planning stages of your trip is make sure you have all of your paperwork in order for your destination. How do you know what travel documents you’ll need for where you’re headed? A good place to start, if you’re a US citizen is right here. If you’re a UK citizen, try starting here.

Passports

You now need a passport to travel anywhere internationally. If you don’t have a passport, make sure you start the application process in plenty of time to get your passport before your departure. The late spring and summer season have the longest wait times. US citizens can find out more about applying for a passport on the State Department’s website. Residents of other country should check with their local passport authority. You’ll want to make sure that your passport has at least six months left on it as well as enough blank pages for entry/exit stamps from the country you’re visiting.

IAH TIP: You should make at least two copies of your passport before leaving. Leave one at home in case your passport is lost while traveling. Keep the other with you and carry it at your destination and store your passport in your hotels safe. We also store copies of our passport in a password-secured, encrypted file on a website so we can have access to it from anywhere we can access the internet.

Travel Visas

Don’t know if you need a visa for your destination? Start by checking right here. An important thing you need check is to see if there are any limitations as to how soon you can get your visa before you actually enter the country. You don’t want to get it too soon or it may not be valid. You don’t want to get it too late, or you won’t have it in time for your trip. If you’ll be needing a visa, you’ll need to make sure that you have a blank page for each one required as each one requires a single page. When getting a visa, you’ll be sending your passport off for to a consulate or embassy for a few weeks, so make sure you won’t need it while it’s out of your possession.

We’ve never used a passport or visa service. Unless you’re traveling last minute, they can be very expensive for something you can easily do on your own. You should make a copy of your passport before sending it off, just in case something goes awry. You’ll also want to send your passport to the consulate using certified mail with a return receipt or express mail.

IAH TIP: Once you receive your visa, look at it and make sure that it is signed and that no required information is missing. There has been an occasion when we received a visa that was not signed. The last thing you need is an issue at immigration in a foreign country.

Itineraries & Confirmations

You should take a copy of all your confirmation emails from airlines, hotels, car rental firms, etc., and not just the confirmation number. When traveling internationally, it’s always better to have the complete confirmation to avoid confusion. This is especially important if you booked through a third party and not directly with the airline or hotel. Some foreign airlines require you to have your e-ticket receipt. You may also need it to prove to immigration in the country you are visiting that you have an outward bound ticket.

IAH TIP: You should register your destination and trip plans with the US Department of State before you leave the country. In case of a national emergency or problem in the country you are visiting, the local embassy will know where you are.

Make sure to leave a copy of your itinerary with a friend or relative. In case of emergency it will make it easier for them to contact you. An easy way to manage your itineraries is to use tripit.com. You can build your itinerary piece by piece as you make reservations and when you’re done, you can automatically post it on the web, share it with others via email or PDF and more.

IAH TIP: In addition to taking paper copies of our confirmations, we also upload encrypted copies to a secure website as a backup.

Travel Immunizations & Medications

Travel immunizations & medications

You can’t plan far enough in advance for travel immunizations. The US CDC recommends checking with your doctor AT LEAST 4-6 weeks before you travel to see what immunizations you may need for your intended destination. Even if you don’t want to get certain vaccinations, you may not have a choice. Certain countries, Saudi Arabia for example, actually require you to have some vaccinations before you’re allowed entry into the country. The last thing you need is to spend hundreds or even thousands of dollars for an airline ticket, only to be turned away at your destination.

You’re never too old or young to have basic immunizations. At a minimum, you should at least be vaccinated for Hepatitis A and B, plus be current on your Tetanus shots. Adults should have a Tetanus booster every 10 years. You’re highest risk while traveling is Hep A. Hep A can be contracted in areas of poor sanitation or from infected people who handle food. Hep A and Hep B can be contracted via unprotected sex or from IV drug users. Tetanus could be easily contracted by simply stepping on a rusty nail. Many people contract Hepatitis without even leaving the country, so even if you travel domestically, it’s a good idea to get vaccinated.

IAH TIP: When you get your vaccinations, ask for a vaccination record card. File it away in a safe place at home so you’ll have a handy reference for what vaccinations you’ve had and not had.

Vaccination Requirements for your Destination
It’s easy to find out what you need as far as vaccinations for your destination. You can check the US CDC website or the UK NHS Fit For Travel site. Both have very detailed information about what you need and things you should be aware of for every country on the planet. You may also want to check with you regular family doctor or your local County Health Department. If you belong to an HMO, they may have a travel clinic that can help you as well.

IAH TIP: Disease outbreaks can happen at any time. The CDC maintains a a “Travel Notice” section of their website that has up-to-the-minute health information for every destination. Check it out right before you leave!

Traveling with your medications
One thing you don’t want to forget when you leave home, is any medications that you take on a regular basis. If you’ll be taking prescription medications along, it’s always advisable to check and see if they’re allowed in the country your visiting. It’s also helpful to make sure you’re name appears on the bottle to help avoid confiscation at your port of entry. You can check the State Department website for the country you are planning to visit. You certainly don’t want to have your medications confiscated or worse yet, be stuck in jail in the country your visiting for violating local laws.

IAH TIP: Make a list of the medications your taking before you leave and carry the list with you. Better yet, enter it in your wireless, so it’s always handy. That way, in case of emergency, you have a list of everything you taking at hand.

You never know what will happen on your trip, so you should always take a few extra days worth of medication. You never know when your flight may be delayed or you decide to spend a few extra days (expected or unexpected) at your destination. Also, make sure to pack your medications in your carry on not your checked luggage. Your checked luggage may take a different route to your destination than you do and you don’t want to be without your meds.

Before leaving, have your doctor give you duplicate prescriptions for your medications. That way, if you lose your medications on your journey, it will make it easier to get the necessary refills. Also, you should take a copy of your current prescription for each medication that your taking. That way, if you’re stopped in immigration and your destination, it will help prove that the medications are yours and not illegal.

IAH TIP: Never put a majority of your medication in your checked baggage. If your bag is delayed or contents stolen, you’ve got a problem. Put most of your medication in your carry-on. You may still want to put a small amount of your medication in your checked bag, just in case you lose your carry-on. Never put all of your eggs in one basket.

IAH TIP: Put your doctor and/or pharmacists phone number in your wireless address book. That way you’ll have it handy if you need to contact them in an emergency while you’re away.

Vacation Packing Tips For Your Trip

Packing for your trip

Vacation Packing tips can save you a lot of time and your back. Packing for a trip is almost an art. Everyone learns the more they travel, what they absolutely have to have and what they can do without. By putting a little thought into packing, you’ll reduce your chance of excess or overweight baggage charges and won’t have to worry about lugging all those bags around with you. Our years of traveling and varied destinations have taught us to pack wisely. Here’s some tips about what we’ve learned that may help you as well.

Do you really need to bring it?
Think about your destination when packing. What’s the weather like? Where are you staying? What will you be doing while you’re at your destination? Do you really need to bring your best shirt, finest dress or in some cases, the kitchen sink? Our motto is never bring anything we can’t give up or leave behind. Your bag could get lost. Someone could take clothes from your room. Leave the best stuff at home.

IAH TIP: If you can, take more than one bag , pack a bit of each clothing item in each bag. That way should a bag be lost, you’ll still be able to hit the beach or go out to dinner in fresh clothes when you arrive at your destination. It’s also a good idea to pack at least one change of clothes in your carry-on should all your bags be lost.

How much stuff do you really need?
When we first started traveling, we made sure to bring a change of clothes for every day we were gone. In some cases, two changes of clothes. Those days are long gone. All it does is add up to more weight and luggage to carry around. For warm destinations, you don’t need a different swim suit each day. A different one for every other day is fine. There’s so much clothing options that are made of easy care fabrics, that make travel easy. Whether your staying at a hostel or a five-star resort, you can always find a place that you can do laundry or will do laundry for you.

Everyone has a tendency when packing to overpack. If you have the right travel clothing, you can even wash your clothes yourself, right in your hotel. We always carry a small 3 ounce bottle of Woolite or Tek-Wash in our Ziploc bag. You’d be amazed at what you can wash in your hotel sink. Plus, if you have clothing with the right fabrics, it will dry in no time, even if you’re in the hot, humid Amazon.

IAH TIP: We use compression sacks to maximize space in our luggage. If you pack them correctly, you’ll also minimize wrinkles. They also work great to repack dirty clothes, so they’re separate from your clean clothes.

Is your clothing travel friendly?
The best tip for packing travel clothing is pick anything that’s lightweight, wears well, is low maintenance and easy to care for. And, it should look good without the need to iron when it comes out of your bag. Here are some of our favorites:

For shirts/tops: Get those made with polyester blends, Coolmax, Cool-dri or wool (yes, there’s summer weight wool as well, that will keep you surprisingly cool). They’re all lightweight and don’t wrinkle.

For pants/bottoms: Light cotton, polyester or those made of sport-friendly fabrics work well. The last thing you want to do is iron and you never know when that unexpected rain shower will hit. Jeans and heavy cotton items won’t dry quickly and you’ll be a wet mess.

For underwear (T-shirts/bottoms/socks): You can’t go wrong with anything made from Merino wool. We’ve traveled in all types of weather and worn cotton, polypropelene, nylon and polyester blends and just about every other “fabric” known to man (or woman). We switched to Merino a couple of years ago and have never looked back. It’s lightweight, can be washed and dried in less than 2 hours and no matter how much you sweat down there or amount of heat you encounter, it never stinks. We’ve worn ours for 2-3 days at a time without washing (not necessarily by choice) and at the end, they feel as fresh as they did on day 1.

For shoes: While you’re on vacation, make sure your feet can relax, too. Comfortable shoes are a MUST when you travel. You never know when you’ll have to run to catch that connecting flight, or walk a lot farther than you thought to that hotel. One bad thing about shoes is how much room they take up in your bag. We try to take just 1 pair of shoes, in addition to the pair we wear on the plane. If it’s a warm weather destination, we’ll also take a pair of sandals. We make sure one pair can be worn in both casual and not so casual situations. (Think all brown or all beige/brown walking shoes) and the other a tennis/outdoor hiking type shoe (think Keens/Ecco).

For outerwear: Regardless of the weather (rain, snow, wind, cool) take something that’s lightweight and packable. A good lightweight jacket that’s made of Gore-Tex with Windstopper, will get you through almost any type of weather from warm to freezing cold. Get a color that matches everything (like black), so that it will go with anything that you have. We’ve taken the same jacket from Antarctica to Thailand. Sure, they cost more than a regular jacket, but if you only need one, it’s a worthwhile investment.

Some of our favorite brands for travel clothing are ExOfficio, North Face, Cloudveil, Arctyrex, REI, Helly Hansen and Icebreaker.

IAH TIP: Check out our GEAR REVIEWS section for some of our favorite items. We’ll also tell you where you can find these brand names at great prices.

What else?
For a lot of incidental needs, check out Minimus. Minimus has just about everything you can think of in travel size. From cosmetics to health care, food to survival items, Minimus has it.

Another great source for nifty packing and travel items is Flight 001. You’ll find them not only on the web, but also in San Francisco, Chicago, New York and Sidney. A store geared to all things travel related, Flight 001 has some hard-to-find items. While it is somewhat expensive, they do have good sales from time-to-time to customers who sign up for their email list.

IAH TIP: Look on our LINKS page in this section for more places to find great deals on everything you need for your trip.

Size and type of luggage

Our motto with luggage, is to take the right type of luggage for wherever we’re headed. One thing we’ve learned over time is to pack light and pack wise. If we do a good job at that, we don’t have to take a lot of luggage on a trip. You certainly don’t want to be lugging a ton of luggage around with you as you travel from location to location. It never ceases to amaze us at the number of tourists who look like they’ve packed for a 9 month stay and they’re only on vacation for a couple of weeks. Here are a few things to consider:

Size Matters

When it comes to size of luggage, you have several things to consider. Most airlines now have size limitations on checked luggage. Plus, don’t just consider the requirements of the airline you’re departing on, but also those you’ll be connecting to. Size and weight restrictions on international airlines differ from those of US airlines. There’s nothing that can ruin a trip faster than paying sizeable additional fees every time you catch a flight. Charging for excess or overweight baggage is at the discretion of the airline. Don’t think that if you aren’t charged for one portion of your journey, you may not be charged on another leg. The most notorious for this practice are South American airlines like TAM, Vario, LAN and Aerolineas Argentina.

You’ll also want to consider what your transportation arrangements are when you reach your destination. Remember that taxis in locations in Europe and Asia are much smaller than those in the US. If you take a two or three large bags, you could actually finding yourself paying for two cabs, one for you and one for your bags. If you’re traveling with friends, consider what their bringing for bags as well, especially if your sharing the same transportation.

IAH TIP: Don’t forget that different airlines have different size requirements for luggage. Make sure to check before you start packing.

Hard or Soft?
We almost always take “soft-sided” luggage. You can squeeze it, stuff it, squash it which allows you to fit it in the most unaccommodating spaces and give you that little extra room when you need it. While “hard-side” luggage may be sturdier, its definitely less flexible. Whichever you choose, try to get luggage of various sizes. For some trips, you’ll find you would rather have a small and medium sized piece of luggage than one large. Sometimes, it’s the other way around. Having a good variety of luggage styles and sizes will help you prepare for any adventure. Also, make sure your luggage is in good shape. Wheels should roll and handles should be sturdy. The last thing you want is for your bag to fall apart at the airport or worse, while your rolling it around town.

IAH TIP: We usually pack an additional smaller soft-sided bag inside of a larger piece of luggage. It’s easy to do because it packs very flat and takes up very little room. That bag comes in handy as an additional carry-on, a bag for wet clothes or an additional checked bag if your have more purchases than you planned on. It can also serve as an emergency backup bag, should a piece of luggage get damaged on your journey.

Light is Right
In addition to worry about size, you need to worry about weight. Airlines have continued to be more restrictive on not only how many bags you can check before incurring a fee, but also how much they weigh. If you pack light, you won’t have an issue. One other thing to keep in mind is that you weight on your return trip may be different. Think about all those great souvenirs you’re going to buy. That shirt. That knick-knack. If you pack too close to the weight limit on your outbound trip, you may find yourself in trouble on the return trip.

IAH TIP: If it makes sense, we will pack two smaller bags and pack them one half to three quarters full, so we not only have room for purchases on our trip, but we’ll also stay under the weight and size requirements.

Tag your luggage
Make sure you tag each bag with your regular name and address, along with a cell phone number or a number where you can be reached at your destination. If your bag is lost, it has a much better chance of catching up with you if the airline can contact you. If you put just your home number on the tag, who will be there to answer it if you’re half way across the world? As a secondary precaution, put a large piece of paper in each piece of luggage with the same information. That way if the tag comes off, airline personnel can still find your information when they look in your bag.

IAH TIP: Keep your airline bag tag receipts until you have reclaimed your bag at your final destination. That receipt is the key to getting any lost or misrouted bags to you quickly.

Carry-on luggage can be a pain. First, it’s hoping that by the time you board, you have a place to put it in the overhead bin. Next, it’s just one more thing you have to lug around and keep track of in the airport, in the taxi and elsewhere. We limit ourselves to two carryons max. If we’re not taking our camera gear, we limit ourselves to one.

What’s in your carry-on

And..that’s a SMALL carryon. We leave the rollerboard at home and usually take just a backpack as our carry-on.

What goes in your carryon
No matter what your destination, you should always pack a days worth of clothing in your carry-on. You don’t have to pack your “best outfit”, but you should throw in underwear, socks, shirt and shorts or pants. You never know if your checked luggage is going to take a different route to your final destination. It’s happened to us a few times and unfortunately, seems to be happening more often. If you’re headed to a warm destination, throw in a swimsuit. If your bag is delayed, the last thing you want to do is be tied up in your hotel room or sitting by the pool in jeans and long sleeve shirt when it’s 102 degrees. Headed to a cold destination? Throw in a sweater or jacket.

IAH TIP: Note that foreign airlines can be far more strict in enforcing carry-on bag restrictions than US airlines. Make sure any variables you’re carrying on aren’t in a bag that may have to be checked.

The 3-1-1
One thing you’ll want to have in your carry-on is your Ziploc bag full of liquids. Pack it in an easy to reach part of the bag, so you’re not holding up the security line. Remember, your checked bag may not be at your destination when you get there, so always put your Ziploc in your carry-on. And remember, the 3-1-1 rule (Maximum 3 oz liquids, 1 qt Ziploc bag and 1 Ziploc per person) applies in many areas beyond the US. That includes most parts of the European Union (EU) and many parts of Asia.

IAH TIP: We always pack a couple of extra quart-size Ziploc bags in the bottom of our backpack. That way, should ours break, we have a backup. While most US airport security checkpoints have extra bags on hand, many international airports do not.