I find it very peaceful and look forward to traveling to get to sit down and indulge in an enticing story, write away any inspiration I’ve found in my new destination, or catch up on shows. We are all so busy in our daily lives, so embrace the forced downtime that comes with traveling. Think ahead right before going abroad about some books you can download to your portable reading devices or books you can buy (lightweight books are preferred for your suitcase’s sake), magazines you would like to read, notebooks for documenting your travels, or shows you can download to your devices in advance that you’ve been meaning to watch. Not only will you have your long flight to get overseas, but you’ll likely spend some more time on trains, buses, shorter flights, and waiting in stations and airports. Other options for communication while you’re abroad are Skype, FaceTime, Messenger (Facebook app), and Whatsapp, a very popular messaging app that you can use to speak to anyone, even if they have a phone number from a foreign country. ![]() But I do have an iPhone and when I’m on WiFi, I can receive iMessages and get most of the texts I receive. I do NOT take it off of airplane mode to avoid being able to receive calls or texts and then later get charged fees for them. You can get extra support at the store, but this is all there is to it.įor the shorter trips that I take (about 10-12 days), I will simply put my phone on airplane mode right before going abroad and then access WiFi when it’s available. Once you are purchasing a SIM card, select the best plan that works for you, and put the SIM card in your mobile device. Some airports even have SIM cards available for purchase. If it is, you will be able to buy a SIM card when you arrive to your destination and buy one at a cell store. First, check with your carrier to see if your phone is unlocked. If you are going to spend more than a couple of weeks in your destination, you may want to look into getting a SIM card. Accept that you will limit your communication via your mobile phone and put it on airplane mode.Get a SIM card upon arrival in your destination.Your two main options for your phone plan when you travel abroad are these: You can also set up a pin for your credit card ahead of time so that in case of an emergency, you can use your credit card to withdraw cash. In Europe, there are ATMs all over the place so you can use a debit card to withdraw cash. I have never exchanged currency ahead of time since you can usually do so even in the airport upon arrival.įor debit card use, you can check with your bank and see if they have alliances with banks abroad that would enable you to quickly and easily access your bank accounts and money (for example, Bank of America has alliance with Barkleys in London). When it comes to currency exchange, it should depend on whether or not ATMs are easily accessible in your destination. If you are using cards other than these, it is suggested to give your bank a call so they don’t see a transaction in another country and then lock your account, leaving you stranded without a way to access your money! One thing to note about different credit cards is that Discover is not widely used in Europe, so I recommend using something else when you head across the pond. It is worth applying for a new card just for your trip alone to avoid paying percentages of the cash amount you withdraw just to be able to get around. Chase Sapphire and Capital One Travel are two popular credit cards that do not charge transaction fees when you are abroad. Having a credit card that does not charge transaction fees will make a big difference when you are pulling out cash on your trip overseas. ![]() Here’s what you need to know to do right before going abroad: Credit Cards This list below is designed to walk you through the last lose ends to tie up before you head off into the wind for your next adventure. I found myself wishing I had more time until takeoff, so making a list of logistics and things to do has really helped me break tasks down into manageable projects. Now we fly to Norway NEXT WEEK and it sure has crept up. When we booked our trip a couple of months ago for Europe, it felt like I had so much time to plan. ![]() A couple weeks right before going abroad, things honestly start to get a little bit overwhelming.
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