In certain countries a popular scam in tourist areas involves a lost wallet. It works like this:
In short: When traveling abroad, if something seems too good to be true, assume it is. Especially if it involves free money.
Pickpockets and thieves are rampant in certain parts of the world. While falling prey to one is unlikely, it always helps to be prepared. I recommend activating a new credit card before departing on your trip.
Remember to notify the card company you’ll be leaving the country and always keep it in a secure spot — separate and apart from the rest of your travel money! — wherever you’re staying.
In the event your wallet is lost or stolen, you can rely on you emergency card for the remainder of your trip.
When traveling abroad, get at least a small amount of foreign currency for tips and other unexpected cash expenses before leaving the airport or crossing the border. Although many countries in Europe are now using the Euro, there are still some that are not.
Imagine our panic when we drove across the border from Switzerland — where we had been using Francs — and hit a toll in Italy before we got a chance to find an ATM for Euros. Luckily, there was an option to charge our 1 Euro toll, but other countries may not have that option.
[Ed’s note: this is a great way for train conductors on cross-border trains in Africa to earn extra money. The second you cross the border, the currency of the old country is no longer valid, and the trains will only accept currency from the new country. Changing money right at the border offers very poor exchange rates. Therefore, it’s wise to try to have currency for the destination country before boarding the train.]
Whenever I travel overseas, I always pack a stack of postcards from North Carolina and my hometown, Asheville, located in the heart of the Great Smoky Mountains.
The postcards show beautiful scenery, and they pinpoint a location some non-Americans might be unfamiliar with. By sharing my postcards, anyone can start a generic conversation (e.g., “This is where I live…”) and go from there.
Bonus: by giving someone a postcard, it becomes a souvenir from our meeting. Add your contact info on the back, and you can always stay connected.
Jetting off to the Swiss Alps or making your first trek up Kilimanjaro? Besides the basics, make a quick trip through your natural health store or local grocer and grab one last essential — a small vial of Sesame Oil.
Used extensively in India as a healing agent, and often used in Asian cuisine, this inexpensive remedy can also be used to aid breathing and prevent clogged nasal passages while in extremely cold temperatures or high altitudes.
And, while most cultures say it’s rude to insert foreign objects in one’s nostril, a quick pass with an oil-slicked finger will keep you breathing free and clear… and isn’t that always more polite than constant sniffling?