Originally posted, November 26, 2008, 6:46 PM:
Huh?
Where the heck did this topic come from?
Well, I have traveled internationally before and there have been several posts to various forums, photographic and sports, I subscribe to about how to prep and what to do when on the ground. So here are my thoughts.
If you are reading this because you are getting ready to go on a trip outside of your own country, congratulations on the opportunity! Lucky dog.
Get to Know the Country
First things first learn about the country you are going to be traveling to. Don’t bean “ugly American.” Take some time to bone up on the history, the weather, local customs, cultural do’s and don’t's. I would suggest starting with the Lonely Planet site. You can download travel guides and also get some good information from those who have already been “on the ground” in the location.
Another site I recommend is the International Travel Information page from the Department of State here in the US. Whether or not you like our form of government or our ways of doing things, the reality is this page gives you the broadest range of intel on a country including security alerts and Country Backgrounders.
Clothing?
Okay, this is going to sound odd at first. Wear nondescript clothing. Think about this and it makes a lot of sense. Be aware of the clothing you are taking and how the colors may be viewed politically or socially.
I’m a good example. I love my Scarlet Knights and I have bunches of shirts that are red in color. While they may be fine to wear on gameday or when I’m on campus, I need to be aware of the world around me and how the color red is viewed by those outside the US. For example, when I was in Buenos Aires in 2007 for a business meeting, I knew I could not be seen wearing red in South America because it was the color of Hugo Chavez’ regime.
Likewise, if you are going to Ireland, try not to wear orange in Catholic sections of the country, especially during Marching Season and on St. Patrick’s Day. You’ll just anger the locals.
At the same time, you do want to dress appropriately for the locale. To that end, I would suggest looking at what you already have and making sure that what you are bringing is going to be comfortable, utilitarian, and not too bulky (unless you are planning to go to the Arctic or Alaska during the winter.
While a few pairs of jeans may work if you are going on vacation, keep in mind you may also need shorts or khaki pants. You’ll also need a few changes of shirts that are breathable. But again, be aware of the country you are going to. Nothing screams tourist like loud colors and overly stylish wear. Keep it simple and don’t draw attention to yourself.
Get a Will
So you are going on an international trip. I don’t care if it is for business or pleasure. You need to think about some legal issues. First and foremost, do you have a will prepared. Huh? you say. What do I need a will for? All I’m doing is going on a vacation or going on a short business trip.
And what happens if, God forbid, the plane you are on crashes? What happens if you wind up in a situation where you might be in significant personal danger? Just as if you are in your home country, you need a will to tell those who you leave behind what you want done after you are gone. So, get in touch with a good lawyer and either establish or update a will. Let people know what you want to happen with your personal effects.
Custodian and Contact
Next, take time to consider who you want to be the custodian of the will and who do you want to be the first point of contact should anything happen to you while you are outside of your home country. Huh? you say. Why do I need to do that? You need to do that so in case the plane goes down or you are held hostage or the hotel you are staying in goes up in flames and you can’t be located, there will be a point of contact who can be alerted to the situation. This person needs to be someone you can trust with important matters. The person needs to be reliable and someone who can be contacted with relative ease.
Once you think you know who this person may be, talk to them and let them know what you are asking of them. Let them know you are going to be putting their name and contact information (their home or business address and their phone number, usually their cell phone number) in your passport for reference. Make sure they agree to be the contact person while you are out of the country for this particular trip. Just because they may have agreed to do this six months ago doesn’t mean they may be able to do this now. So ask them each time!
Provide an Itinerary
Make sure you give this person you itinerary for your trip. Don’t just tell them you are going to Country X and will be back in three months. The itinerary needs to include specific information about where you are going to be so this person knows how to try to get in touch with you if they get a phone call from the Department of State or another legal entity telling them you cannot be found. Information to include would be:
- Date and Time of Outbound Departure
- Airline and Flight number
- Airport of Departure
- Any transfers you are making
- Date and time of Arrival
- Final Airline and Flight number
- Airport of Arrival
- Contact phone number for the airline(s)
- Your frequent flyer number if you have one
- The cities and towns in which you will be staying
- The hotels and their contact information including phone number and address
- Date and Time of Inbound departure
- Airline and Flight number
- Airport of Departure
- Any transfers you are making
- Date and time of Arrival
- Final Airline and Flight number
- Airport of Arrival
Yes, it’s a lot of information, but it will help the person if for no other reason than to help them be aware of where you are relative to any situations that may crop up on the evening news during your trip.
Making Copies of Personal Documents
Now that you have the will and the itinerary out of the way, the next thing to do is to get together all the documents you are going to be taking with you. This includes:
- Your passport (that is, the page of your passport with your picture and personal information)
- Driver’s license
- Auto insurance card
- Car registration
- Credit cards
- ATM card
- Medical insurance cards (health care, prescription, dental)
- Any professional organization membership cards
- Any personal membership cards
If you can, scan in the front and back of each item. At the very least photocopy the front and back of each card. Keep one copy with yourself at all times during the trip. Provide a copy to the person whom you have designated as your contact. If possible, have your lawyer maintain a copy.
Contact Your Bank and Credit Card Companies
Next step: contact each credit card company and your bank to let them know you are going on a trip and to expect some charges from that country. Depending upon the credit card company, you may be asked to take out an insurance policy on the card. It’s a PITA but can make some of the hassles easier to deal with should the card be lost.
While I noted ATM cards in the list of card to scan above, I would not recommend bringing your ATM card with you unless that is your only credit card. While cash advances are going to incur a much higher charge with a credit card, consider that if you lose your ATM card and someone is able to crack your PIN, whatever amount you have in your bank accounts is fair game for someone to withdraw. With the credit card, high value advances are going to draw red flags, especially if they are not “normal” to your habits with the card.
Electronics?
You are more than likely going to want to take pictures and probably some video. Even if your equipment consists of a point-and-shoot camera that can take some video clips, be smart about this. Make sure you register your stuff with your Customs Agency. I would especially recommend this if you are a United States citizen traveling with any electronics equipment. I know this sounds weird, but this is your property and you want to be able to prove it when you return without having to go through lots of hassle. Take time and do this prior to actually getting to the airport for the day of your flight. It will require a trip to the Customs office, but it’s worth it. For those living in the United States who are US Citizens, you can use this link to view a sample of the form you need to complete at the Customs Office.
http://forms.cbp.gov/pdf/CBP_Form_4457.pdf
In addition to listing cameras, you should also include SD and/or CF cards, extra batteries, computers, cell phones, iPods, and the like just to be on the safe side.
What to bring?
So you know you are going to take pictures and you know you are going to need a computer of some sort to download the files because there is no way you are going to spend a couple hundred dollars on CF or SD cards. So, what should you bring? Definitely try to keep the gear to a reasonable minimum. In terms of photographic equipment, I would consider what body and lenses I am most comfortable in carrying on a daily basis. Also, what will give me the broadest range of options in terms of depth of field, wide-angle, and zoom. To figure out what you need to bring, think about what you are planning to take pictures of. With it be mostly people? What about buildings? Are the shots going to be mostly still-life or action? All of this will go into the decision-making process as to the lenses to be taken and the camera bodies.
Above all, make sure that what you bring is going to fit in one carry-on bag. While a hard case would be ideal, keep in mind that you are also going to be using the same case most likely as you roam unless you can find a carry-on hard case that can handle both your camera gear as well as your other stuff that you want to keep close to you.
A Computer?
One other piece of equipment to think about is a computer. If you are going to be in another country for more than one day, you need to have some way to get in touch with people back home and also be able to download and preserve your images. I know it can be a PITA to lug another item along with the camera stuff, but in the long run it would probably give you more flexibility to use it when you want to.
Even if you are staying at business-oriented hotels, the business centers in most have craptacular computers that are two days older than dirt. And going to an Internet Cafe is not going to the easiest option. Keep in mind that no matter the computer, the operating system (OS) for that computer is going to be in the native language of the country which you are visiting. So unless you are fluent in the vernacular of the country, you aren’t going to be able to work through the use of the OS even if you have a general sense of where things are on the menus.
Whatever computer you bring with you, make sure it can burn DVDs and make sure you have a stash of blank DVDs too.
How To Get To The Airport
Okay. I’m sure there are some people laughing at this, but hear me out. Think about what you are going to be carrying with you. You’re probably going to have at least one carry-on bag with your electronic equipment and maybe a second one with some clothes. Depending on where you are going for the trip, you may also have a bag to be checked. So how are you going to get three bags to the airport?
1) You could try driving there by yourself, but then you have the matter of paying the exhorbitant prices for long-term parking.
2) You could take mass transit, but you have the charge for the train or bus.
3) You could take a cab – more fees.
4) You could hire a car – but this only works if you are on expense account.
5) You could have a friend drive you there. This would work best if you are on a budget.
Just keep in mind that you are going to need to get ot the airport at least three hours in advance of the departure time of your flight so you can clear the check-in counter and security with plenty of time to get to your flight’s gate.
Mapping Your Route
This may sound odd, but take time to map out your route. And I mean from your door step back to your door step. Even if you are flying with a group or you have done a trip before, it helps to familiarize yourself with the stops along the way.
This is especially true of the main routes from the airport in the country you are visiting to the hotel where you are staying. Get to know at least some of the names of highways, thoroughfares, etc. so you have a sense of what routes might be taken. Nothing is worse than to get on a bus and find out the driver doesn’t know where he is going.
Also, be aware of the approximate miles and kilometers each leg of the trip will probably take and try to identify major milestones along the way. It will help you to be aware of your surroundings.
Never flown before? Here are some tips.
In terms of flying, here are a couple of things to consider.
I’m going to presume you will be flying coach and not business or first class. If you are flying business or first, you are a lucky dog.
Obviously your flight has to leave from an international airport (one that is designated to permit flights into and out of the country to land and take off from its runways). But to get to that airport, you may be taking a commuter plane from a regional airport. My comments about getting to the airport three hours in advance still are valid.
Buy Water
Once you are to the international airport, find your gate, then find a nearby newsstand or food store on the concourse. Buy at least three 24oz. bottles of water. Carefully put them in your carry-on. You will want to drink them during the flight.
Once in the Plane
Once you board the plane, get your stuff into the overhead bin ASAP and get into your seat. Nothing screams “newbie” like those who stnad in the aisle dumbly looking around as if the flight was just for them. When you are seated, take a look around the airplane and identify where the emergency doors are located. During the pre-flight check, the crew or the video they run will tell you more about them. But you want to have a clue in your head as to how to get to the one nearest to you in case of an emergency.
In the Air
Once the flight is up in the air, give yourself about a half hour to get used to the sensation of flight. If you can, get up at least once every half hour and walk the length of the plane. Obviously, be reasonable in your walks. If everyone is asleep, don’t get up but do try to do some stretching of your legs to keep them mobile. Most international flights are going to last anywhere between nine and twenty-one hours. This is why you want to walk the aisles of the plane every half hour or so except during the overnight portion of the flight.
Also, drink those three 24oz. bottles of water I mentioned earlier. You want to keep yourself hydrated during the flight, even if you wind up going to the lavoratory. Just keep on drinking as much water as you can.
Comment About Ear Plugs
Ear plugs are given out by most major airlines to help in reducing the noise from the jet engines, but they are only contoured foam and do not give you silence. I’ve found the best money I spent (except on glass) was on my Etymotic Research ER6 ear phones. You can find out more about them at:
http://www.etymotic.com/
Yup. Long post, but I hope it helps people to enjoy international travel.
