Essential Tips for Stress-Free International Travel

Hello friends, and thanks for stopping by to check out essential tips for stress-free international travel.

I’ve done a fair amount of international travel over my life. Most of my relatives live in England and Scotland and I travelled there frequently as a child. Into adulthood my favorite travel spots changed and I prefer Hawaii, California, Nevada and Latin American countries.

We used to be able to cross from Canada into the United States with no ID, and then over the years we had to produce something to prove citizenship like a birth certificate. All that changed on 9/11 and we need passports even for quick day trips in the car.

Travel is usually meant to be a relaxing experience, and when we travel to new countries and discover we’ve forgotten documents, it can turn into a nightmare. Put these tips on your checklist for a smoother experience for international travel.

1. Know where your passports are

Don’t be a fool and keep your passports in your safety deposit box at the bank.

One time a couple came into the head office of a financial institution where I worked, and they were flying to India that night. Their passports were in the safety deposit box of a branch that was closed on Monday. The man offered to pay whatever amount of money it would take to have staff open the branch for them to get in. We contacted the business manager, but he said the vault is on a timer and couldn’t be opened until the following day.

Before you pay any money for an international vacation, make sure you have your passport in hand and put it somewhere you won’t lose it. Like your sock drawer.

2. Check if you need a visa

Some countries require visas that have to be purchased or issued prior to entering the country. Other countries can issue a visa at the border crossing or point of entry. When you book your trip, check your visa requirements. Canadians can check the Travel Advice and Advisories web page and Americans can check the Americans Traveling Abroad website.

3. Traveling with children

If both parents aren’t traveling with the children, this can be a challenge because the country you’re departing from may suspect a possible kidnapping. In most cases, it’s just a case of bad planning. Too many sad stories of grandparents taking the kids on a Mexican vacation and being refused entry due to missing documents. At the very least, a notarized letter of consent from the absent parent(s) must be produced. Information on required forms can usually be found on the web pages for visas.

Read my article No Departure, No Refund on how I saw a father travelling with several kids be refused entry into the United States.

4. Vaccinations

You might require certain shots plus proof of vaccination before visiting some countries. And not just Covid! A yellow fever vaccine is still required for some countries. Links for more information on health requirements can be found on your country’s web pages for visas and other travel information. You can also check with your doctor. Although vaccinations might not be required for entry, it’s a good idea to take precautions against diseases like malaria and hepatitis.

5. Local currency

There’s a lot of advice about always having some currency on hand for the country you’re travelling to, but this is not always possible.

In early 2024 I travelled to St. Vincent and the Grenadines for several months. The currency is the Eastern Caribbean Dollar. Not an easy currency to find and buy from other countries! I arrived there with no local cash, figuring I could use my credit and debit cards, only to discover St. Vincent and the Grenadines are pretty much a cash only society.

It’s really hard to find businesses that will accept credit cards. Even those darned ferries to travel to the Grenadines – cash only – which sucks because a one way ticket costs $120 between St. Vincent and Mayreau Island. A person must keep a lot of cash on them because banks are only found on St. Vincent. That, being the case, I did get to a bank with an ATM to withdraw cash the day after I arrived.

Other countries are easier to find banks and ATMs, sometimes as soon as you arrive. A quick online search of your destination airport can provide this information.

I avoid currency exchanges at the airport because they have outrageous rates. I’ll look around for a major bank’s ATM if available, and take out the equivalent of $100 or so in local currency to get me started.

Years ago it was smart not to leave home without your American Express traveller’s checks, but these days they’re not widely accepted.

It’s easiest to use your bank card at ATM machines. but be aware before you travel how much your bank dings you for foreign transactions.

6. Call your credit card companies

Some credit card companies will flag and possibly decline payment in foreign companies, as possible fraud.

Before you leave on a trip, call your credit card company and tell them where you’re going so they can put a note on your account. One of my banks lets me do this online. Other financial institutions don’t really care about your travels even when you phone in to advise of your plans.

Don’t get caught without local cash and no way to access your credit cards. Sometimes your card might not be set up for foreign transactions until you phone in advance and request that. There’s a lot of credit card fraud in foreign countries.

7. Make sure someone knows your plans

It’s just good sense to let someone know where you’re travelling to and when you expect to be home – unless of course you’re eloping to Las Vegas!

In addition to letting someone back home know your plans, you can also leave a note in your hotel room or car with that day’s itinerary.

You may even need to register your trip if your country has a travel advisory for your destination. You can also register with the consulate at the country if you’re planning a long stay. Or not. It’s up to your comfort level and how much you want others to know where you are.

Even though I have had a Facebook account since close to the beginning of its inception, I hardly ever posted. Once I began travelling full time I posted regularly, pretty much daily, so my friends would know I’m OK and still alive.

Some travel advice goes to the effect of don’t post on social media when you’re travelling because it leaves you up open to having your house robbed while you’re out of town.

I’m a nomad. I don’t have a house. I travel with all my worldly belongings.

If someone wants to rob me that badly they’ll have to figure out exactly where I am! Ha ha!

8. Research transportation

How will you be getting around? Plane, train, automobile?

Unless you have your own sailboat, to reach any of the Grenadine Islands, one must take a ferry. They don’t operate every day, so always know how you will get somewhere and the schedule.

Do a little research before you leave. Sometimes you can get a deal when you buy train passes in advance. Eurail passes for seniors are 10% cheaper than an adult’s pass.

If you’re over 60, you can buy a senior’s pass for lower rates on train travel around Great Britain. I didn’t know until I was checking into fares that visitors outside Great Britain can buy a digital pass.

9. Book your accommodation

On the same vein as knowing how you’ll get around, book accommodation at least for your first night. You’ll be tired from your trip and want a good night’s sleep and a shower.

If you’re the type of person who wings it as you go, that’ll be fine for the rest of the trip, but for the first night you arrive in a strange city you’ll want a hotel room booked in advance.

I use Booking.com and Expedia a lot for finding hotel reservations.

One of the things I like both these sites is that I can save hotels I’m interested in so that I can look at them later. Hotels can be saved under a category such as “My Big Eurail Adventure” to keep them organized. The more hotel stays I book, I’m also eligible for discounts or free room upgrades or perks like free breakfast.

Tip: download Booking.com’s app on your phone. When searching hotels, I use my computer and then my phone. Sometimes there is a “mobile only” price where I can save a little more money.

If you see a hotel you like on either of these sites, look it up online as well. Sometimes it’s cheaper to book directly.

10. Plan your activities

Even if you’re a fly by the seats of your pants type of person, you’ll want to have an idea of some activities to do at your destination.

It can be as easy as typing the destination into a search bar, followed by “free activities” or “what to do in a few hours”.

You might even need to book in advance to avoid disappointment when you show up at the attraction. For example, Macchu Pichu has a daily limit of tourists, most who’ve purchased tickets in advance. You don’t want to show up in a strange country with no idea what you’re going to do when you arrive or get turned away at the gate.

One of the stops on My Big Eurail Adventure was Vienna, Austria where I wanted to see the Lipizzaner stallions at the Spanish Riding School. I booked the morning practice session a few days in advance online to ensure I wouldn’t be disappointed and unable to see the horses on the day I was in Vienna.

11. Buy travel insurance

We never think we need any kind of insurance until it’s too late.

Do comparison shopping on different travel insurance policies. You don’t want to end up in a hospital in a foreign country with a whopping big bill. Likewise if you’re in a car accident the day before you leave on vacation, you’ll be glad you have a cancellation policy and can get your money refunded.

I was very glad to have trip interruption insurance as part of my travel policy when I had to leave St. Vincent and The Grenadines earlier than planned. Good news for me because my original departure date was July 7, 2024, and Hurricane Beryl wiped out Mayreau Island and the other Grenadines on July 1.

I used World Nomads travel insurance for a year, and then I purchased 6 weeks of insurance with TuGo to cover my remaining time in England.

12. Pack your medicine

Even if you don’t have prescription medicine, you’ll want to pack motion sickness pills, pain killers, and cold medicine for those unexpected minor maladies.

I’m finding it very difficult to get my prescriptions filled abroad, mostly because pharmacies want a local doctor’s prescription. This is where travel insurance could come into play for doctor visits to get a prescription refill. Call your insurance company first. They probably can help you find a doctor at your location.

13. Make a will

We don’t want to think about dying. And we especially don’t want to think about dying when we’re travelling.

Less than 50% of Canadians have a will.

67% of Americans don’t have a will.

And yes, I have a will. It was updated just before I became a full time nomad. I used an online company called Legal Wills Canada that is inexpensive. I liked how Legal Wills Canada had a section for the care of animals if I pass away before my pet. If you’re looking to save money on lawyer and notary fees, finding an online will service is the way to go.

If you have a pet, make plans for them in your will. Hope for Paws has partnered with FreeWill to help you craft a will for free that includes your pets. Click here to read the article.

Having a will is a good thing to put in place before travelling.

14. International driver’s license

If you’re planning to drive in a non-English speaking country it’s a good idea to get an international driver’s license. It’s a small booklet written in multiple foreign languages and you’ll need to bring a passport photo with your application. I got my international driver’s license at the BCAA the first time I headed to Spain, and you should be able to buy one at AAA or your auto club.

Basically it’s a translation service for your driver’s license.

15. Power adapter

Power plugs are the same in Canada and the states and a few other places. In Europe, Asia, and Australia the electricity is different and you’ll need a power plug adapter so you can charge up your phone, camera, and other electronic devices. You can buy one at your local drugstore, hardware store, or from Amazon.

Disclosure: if you click the photos below and make a purchase from Amazon, I’ll receive a small commission for the referral.

I have two travel adapters for power outlets that I used in Spain and other countries in Europe.

And two adapters for England.

I also have an international adapter where the prongs change for multiple countries. Love the blue color. I better not leave it plugged in somewhere on my journeys!

What I love about all these power adapters is that I can plug in my appliance and also charge up my cell phone and Kindle.

If you forget to buy a power adapter, you will pay big bucks for one at the airport and in some foreign countries – if you can find one.

16. WhatsApp

In Europe everyone uses WhatsApp to make phone calls, so make sure you have that app on your phone before starting to travel.

I have WhatsApp on both my phone and laptop.

17. eSim card

And I have one more tip, especially if you’re used to outrageous roaming fees from your Canadian cell phone provider – the most expensive in the world! $15 a day for turning on your phone if you’re outside Canada???!!! No thanks!

Buy an eSim card for your travels and purchase data. I use the Airalo global eSim. 12 months for US $69 and 20GB data is a pretty good deal. It works in 125 countries, including England, Europe, Canada, and America. I have WiFi as soon as I hit the ground in the country I’m travelling to. It was easy to download the app on my iPhone and set up the eSim. I have a VOIP phone number so I’m good to go for surfing the net, using apps, and making phone calls without looking around for free WiFi.

Airalo also has country specific eSims for shorter time periods at different prices. The one year global eSim suits my needs the best. I can top it up if I use up the 20GB of data or after one year. Whichever one comes first. Unfortunately, any unused data does not carry over after the one year mark.

If you want to sign up with Airalo, please use my referral code: CHERYL4159. You will get USD $3 off your purchase and I will also receive $3.