| As fun as international travel may be there are | | | | cabs in the first row of an airport - not the cheaper |
| always obstacles and hidden dangers. Some of them | | | | ones in the second. At least on the first day until you |
| may hit the unsuspecting tourist by total surprise and | | | | know your way around. Most taxi drivers will offer |
| can get you in alot of trouble when you are out of | | | | you to take you around the next day or so. Pretend |
| your familiar environment. But most can be avoided | | | | you are interested in asking for their business card, |
| with the proper preparation. | | | | but say that right now you just want to get to your |
| Passport & IDs | | | | hotel. When they see, you have a general interest, |
| The proper document can save your life - or at least | | | | they won't rip you off that much. If - for some |
| keep you out of trouble. Always carry your passport | | | | reason they expect to never see you again, they will |
| with you when traveling and make sure it is still valid | | | | try to extract the most out of you. If possible take |
| at least 6 months by the time you intend to leave | | | | a prepaid cab, if this is not an option - watch out that |
| the country you visit. Always keep some type of | | | | they don't turn off the taximeter, and they demand |
| backup id - in case your passport gets lost or stolen. | | | | local currency - not USD. |
| This could be a personal ID cards (drivers licenses | | | | Children |
| don't count much in most countries) or an official | | | | When traveling with children, try to bring their birth |
| xerox of your passport. Never put your passport in | | | | certificate with you. In some countries - if you are a |
| any bag or suitcase, always keep it somewhere on | | | | woman - you are not permitted to embark with your |
| your body (a body bag is the best thing here - | | | | own children without a written permission from the |
| although it might feel ridiculous) | | | | father. (This is to prevent kidnapping and child abuse). |
| Money and Credit Cards | | | | So please know the regulations of the country you |
| Always take multiple sources of foreign currency | | | | are visiting before you travel. |
| with you and distribute them in several places - on | | | | Luggage |
| your body, in a bag, one in the suitcase. A source of | | | | Always be prepared that some of your luggage will |
| foreign currency could be and international credit | | | | get lost. This is nothing special - it happens all the |
| card, traveler checks, cash in local currency or cash in | | | | time. Usually you get your bags within 24 hours. Just |
| USD. Always be prepared that one or more of these | | | | be prepared to spend a night in a hotel with just |
| things won't work, or won't work in certain places at | | | | what you have with you on the airplane. So take |
| certain times of the day or days of the week. | | | | with you the most essential things for 24 hours - just |
| Sometimes ATMs - that you usually depend on for | | | | don't include any knife or razor blade. Consider the |
| obtaining local currency are turned off at night, or for | | | | weather you expect in the region you are visiting. |
| some unknown reason won't accept your card. | | | | Another point to know about lost luggage is that |
| (Always know your PIN - but never ever write it | | | | when your luggage gets delivered on another flight |
| down anywhere). If you are afraid of forgetting it, | | | | than you were on it has to go through customs |
| then try to hide it somewhere in your cell phone in a | | | | without you being able to answer any questions. (All |
| ways that some other person would never find it | | | | lone bags get opened by customs - no exceptions). |
| (hidden as a phone number with one or more digits in | | | | So don't include any items that are somehow |
| front of it that make it look like a phone number) | | | | suspicious (self-made packages, unlabeled bottles). |
| Some countries limit the amount of local currency | | | | Not all drinks or sweets that you take with you are |
| that you can take into the country - or even take | | | | known in all countries. If they don't know what it is |
| out of the country. Usually you should try to bring an | | | | they'll open it and maybe taste it. |
| equivalent of 100 USD in local currency with you - | | | | The Emergency Info Paper |
| and if you can't bring 100 USD in small notes with | | | | Prepare a very small piece of paper and put the |
| you. However, your first option should always be to | | | | most relevant info on it that you cannot memorize. |
| get money from an ATM, since the exchange rate is | | | | This should include your hotel address, the phone |
| much better than when exchanging cash. | | | | number of a contact person in that country. The |
| Taxi Drivers | | | | phone number of your credit card company and your |
| The taxi driver is a predator and you're the prey! | | | | credit card number (not the PIN). Fold this piece of |
| The friendlier they are the more they try to rip you | | | | paper and put it in a very tight pocket of your pants |
| off. Always insist to be brought directly to your hotel | | | | (Jeans usually have one on the right side). This is in |
| - no extra trips - or „special deals". Don't | | | | case your wallet gets stolen that you can at least call |
| expect them to accept credit cards or traveler | | | | your credit card company and notify them of that |
| checks. In most countries cash is still king, particularly | | | | instance and to call anybody you know in the |
| with taxi drivers. Try to get the more expensive | | | | country. |