Plan out Day One – International travel tip

by Gadling Staff on

When traveling across time zones, have an itinerary upon arrival: take a walk in the park, grab a coffee, and familiarize yourself with your temporary stomping grounds on Day One. Not only does this make the most of your time, it also combats jet lag and keeps your mind stimulated, allowing you to go to sleep at a regular hour.

Best way to start: go online and look at websites for your destination. Pick out a few low-key places you’d like to visit, and write down their addresses and entrance costs, if applicable. Keep this sheet with your other travel documents, and pull it out when you reach your destination.

Use social media to plan your trip – International travel tip

by Gadling Staff on

Social media provides the easiest channel to prepare for a trip and gather information from friends — or from individuals you don’t even know. Let’s face it, people are willing to share their personal information.

On Facebook, update your status and ask friends for advice on places to see, food to eat, and more. Return the favor, and let everyone know how about your experience by posting updates via comments. Don’t forget to share pictures, too.

Another popular site, Twitter, can be used to perform keyword searches from the homepage. You won’t even need to build a network to find the most current information on any destination.

Hint: Be sure to follow Gadling for travel tips on Facebook and on Twitter.

Host foreign exchange students – International travel tip

by Gadling Staff on

This may not help with your trip next month, but think about it for the future. When my husband and I traveled to Europe, we had a home away from home (not to mention local tour guides) in France, Germany, and Denmark.

Hosting foreign exchange students gives a family the opportunity to learn about other cultures and the possibility of visiting them in the future. Just think, when your French sister gets married one day, guess who will be on the guest list?

Bonus: you’ll already have some experience with French culture from living with her for 6 months.

Play sports with the locals – International travel tip

by Gadling Staff on

When you travel abroad, it can be hard to meet locals, especially if you don’t know the language. But if you play a sport — soccer, swimming, football, even ultimate frisbee — then you have a head start.

Before you go, search the internet for a tournament or scheduled practice. Chances are you’ll find a welcoming crowd, whether you’re traveling to Bogata, Prague, or Morocco. Join a friendly game of soccer. Show up for a master’s swim practice. Find a frisbee tournament in the town you’re visiting. Almost every large city internationally has a Hash House Harriers club. Jumping in will give you a workout — and an instant link to local culture.

RELATED: Road trip tip: “Frolf” away the fidgets

Use a prepaid travel card – International travel tip

by Gadling Staff on

Everyone knows about taking traveler’s checks when they travel, but what about taking prepaid travel cards? They’re easy and convenient to use, and many major credit card companies offer them now, like Visa and MasterCard.

They work just like debit cards, and you can use them the same way you use an ATM card. They also offer the same security as traveler’s checks without having to exchange them every time you go out.

Bonus: you can easily keep your expenses in check by putting a predetermined amount on the cards.