Dos and Don'ts of Packing

If you only read one sentence of this blog post, here it is, "Travel light!"
Traveling internationally may entail a completely different strategy when packing your bags.

For example, when I travel domestically, I usually pack a few granola bars and/or read-to-eat snacks just in case I get hungry.  When I travel internally, I refrain from bringing any food products as most countries will want to do a customs inspection on anyone bringing in food or animal products.

Here's a quick list of items to bring:

• Prescription medication in original containers.  Any medication you bring with you should be clearly labeled as to its contents.  Anything that is questionable could be confiscated by authorities.
• Photocopies of your travel documentation (passport, visa, reservations), driver's license, and credit cards.  I also scan in my travel documentation and upload it to a secure online location.
• Charging cords (and proper AC adapters) for your electronic devices.
• Mobile Device - Even if you don't plan to pay roaming charges for your mobile device, it can still be used over WiFi and/or as a travel alarm clock and calculator.
• Unlocked Mobile device - If you are going to be traveling for a while, you may want to invest in an unlocked device and purchase a SIM card for local use.  If your current mobile device is 'out of contract' then you can request the 'unlock code' from your carrier.  It is a good idea to let your carrier know that the reason you are asking for the 'unlock code' is for international use and not for use with a competitor.
• Travel Converter/Adapter Set
• Hand Sanitizer
• Pens & notepad - You will need to fill out customs forms on the plane. Don't be that guy who didn't bring a pen.
• Digital Camera and memory cards
• Walking shoes - Comfortable shoes.  There will be walking on your trip.
• Appropriate Clothing
• Toiletries
• Umbrella/Poncho/Jacket - Appropriate outerwear depending on where you are going
• Pocket-sized tissues and/or disinfecting hand wipes
• Swimsuit & flip flops- Even if you are going to the coldest place on earth, there is usually a hot tub at the hotel.  Depending on your hotel, you may decide to wear flip flops while you are in the shower.
• Backpack / small bag to carry souvenirs while walking around
• Moneybelt

Items to avoid:

• Expensive jewelry
• Clothing that screams, "I'm an American."  You want to try to blend in.
• Shoes that scream, "I'm an American." Again, you want to try to blend in.
• Your Hairdryer - Hairdryers are notorious for being the wrong voltage and/or blow up your conversion adapters.
• Food products
• Any contraband / prohibited items by the local authorities

If you are cruising, I also recommend bringing a power strip and/or extension cord with multiple outlets as most cabins only provide 1-2 outlets.

I previously recommended bringing toilet paper, but I have not used that item on my last 5 international trips.

It's 2014 and Cash is still KING

One of the most important tips (beyond your passport and tickets) I can give you about traveling internationally is to have a plan for cash.  In this day and age where I can "charge" almost everything in my normal daily life, when I travel internationally, I find myself in situations where credit cards are not accepted.  Specifically on my last international trip (Brazi), here is a list of items I could only pay for
in cash.

1. Taxi
2. Public bus transportation
3. Bottled Water / convenience store purchases
4. Bed & Breakfast accommodations (I stayed at the #1 ranked TripAdvisor B&B in Rio and they only accepted cash).  Most hotels will accept credit cards as a valid form of payment.
5. Kanga vendors (vendors selling beach wraps and food)
6. Tips
7. Most restaurants accepted credit cards, but some smaller places only accepted cash.
8. Generally speaking, the smaller the amount of money needed, the more likelyhood that only cash will be accepted.

Cambodia

Cambodia was a very interesting country as they are literally a young country.  Their main form of currency is the US Dollar.  An ATM machine in Cambodia will spit out US dollar bills.
When we entered Cambodia, there was a mix-up in our tour destination and (long story short), we ended up having to buy a last minute plane ticket from Phnom Penh to Siam Reap.  The Cambodian airline only accepted CASH for this last minute plane ticket. 

Local Currency

Assuming the country you are visiting does not accept your home country currency (i.e. US Dollars) as their main form of currency, you will need to exchange your money for foreign currency.  There are a few methods to do this.

1. Contact a local money exchange agent in your local area. In the US, you can visit an American Express office to obtain foreign currency.
2. Contact your local bank for foreign currency.  This usually requires you to fill out some paperwork, pay a processing fee and/or make an appointment with your local bank or go to your bank's headquarters to obtain your needed currency.  This method usually does not net you the best exchange rate either.
3. Bring your local currency (and/or travelers checks) and exchange cash at the airport or any money exchange office.  Many countries I have visited have money exchange stores in strip malls.  Airport exchange offices are notorious for poor exchange rates.  Note about travelers checks: With technology advancement and rampant fraud, travelers checks are not quite as popular as they were 15-20 years ago.
4. ATM - My most preferred method for obtaining local currency is using the local ATM.  There are a few caveats to using a foreign ATM and safety concerns, but all in all it is a standard practice these days.  If you jump into a cab without any cash, most cab drivers will be happy to take you to the nearest ATM.

Security

Thus, you may need to carry around large amounts of cash during your international travels.  For security, I recommend keeping cash in a money belt tucked inside your clothes. 

 

After your trip

If you find yourself with foreign currency cash after your trip, you have a few choices.  Best case scenario, you budget yourself perfectly and have no cash left, otherwise...

1. Keep the currency for your next trip.
2. Sell the currency to a friend or someone you know who is about to go there.
3. Take it to your bank and deposit it into your account.  The exchange rate will not be the most ideal but it is the most convenient method.

How to Save Money on Travel Guidebooks

I'll admit, I love travel guidebooks. I love travel guidebooks that provide self-guided walking tours, history and etiquette rules.  I love having a printed book in my hand instead of playing technology roulette with my mobile devices.  The writers of these guidebooks spend months/years compiling the information in these guidebooks for comprehensiveness and accuracy, recommending the best spots for staying, dining, shopping, and touring.  Unfortunately, once the guidebook is printed, it will be out of date because businesses will close or change their name and/or location.

My trip planning always includes a combination of online research and carrying at least one guidebook with me.

My first dilemma is always how to chose from the plethora of guidebooks available on the market.  One method I have found to "sample" books prior to purchase is my local library.  I was absolutely amazed at the number of travel guidebooks available at my library.  Additionally, if your local library is part of a system wide collection, you can reserve books from other libraries and have them delivered to your local library branch.  Prior to my Brazil trip, I was able to check out at least 12 separate books about Brazil and/or specifically Rio de Janeiro from my library.  My library was also a great resource for check out language guides both in print and audiobooks on CD.  My library allows its members to check out books for a month at a time, so you could check out the guidebooks prior to your trip and then return it to the library when you get back.  I personally don't recommend this method as you could accidentally lose the book while you are on your trip and then you would be required to pay the library back full price for the book.

Another method of saving money on guidebooks is to buy used.  After I admit to myself that all travel guidebook will be outdated in some form or fashion, I turn to my local used bookstore and/or online bookstore (i.e. Amazon) and purchase my guidebook used.  After my trip, I usually resell that same travel guidebook online.  If the guidebook you want was just published yesterday and there are no used copies available, then consider purchasing the book new and then reselling when you get back.

Save Money and Time with Hotel Perks

You may be surprised by the perks that a hotel will provide and it may be worth your while to do a little extra research on these perks when making your reservations.  These little 'perks' can save you both money and time on your international vacation.

1. Breakfast - If you start your day with breakfast, this will be very important to you, not to mention the time you will save from not looking for a place to eat in the morning.  Many international hotels know that they are catering to a very diverse crowd and will put out a huge selection of breakfast buffet items. We found that hotels in Asia provided the most diverse breakfast buffet to accommodate almost every ethnicity in the world!
2. Airport Transfers - Some hotels will include airport pick-up and drop-off in their list of perks.  San Jose, Costa Rica, Siam Reap, Cambodia, and Foz do Iguacu, Brazil were a few cities where airport transfers were included in the hotel rate.
3. Loyalty Program points - If you are a member of Hilton Honors, Marriott Rewards, IHG, and other hotel rewards program, points and point redemption work both domestically and internationally.
4. Welcome Drink and Snack - We found that many hotels in Asia will offer a complementary drink and snack upon check-in.

We found that the Golden Temple hotel in Siam Reap, Cambodia offered the best perks including 1-hour massage, welcome drink and snack, and airport transfers.

Since our visit, Golden Temple hotel has upped their game to include a full meal.

Trip Planning Checklist

There are many decisions to be made when planning an international trip. Research the place you would like to visit. Here's a checklist of items to consider. 

1. What is your travel budget? 
2. Length of travel / visit?  How long will it take you to get there and how long do you plan to stay?
3. Check government travel warnings.
4. Check travel documentation requirements.  Do you need a passport?  What are the passport requirements?  Most countries require at least 6 months validity between the time you enter the country and the expiration date on your passport.  Check the US government travel website for instructions on how to apply for or renew your passport here.
5. Is a visa required? Check the US government travel website on specific visa requirements by country. If a visa is required, some countries will let you purchase the visa upon arrival while other countries will require you to obtain the visa at the embassy (or consulate) of the country that you will be visiting prior to your trip.
6. Currency?  What currency is used in the country that you will visit and how will you obtain cash currency?
7. Language(s) - What language(s) are spoken in the country and specific area you will be visiting?
8. Method of travel? Car, plane, train, boat...
9. Join a tour group? Tour groups can be great if you are looking for a structured itinerary and you don't speak the native language.
10. Where will you stay? Hotel, Bed & Breakfast, Hostel, etc...
11. How will you get around once you are there? Public transportation, walk, drive, etc... 
12. Etiquette / Customs.
13. Food allergies / Food restrictions.
14. Medical concerns and required or optional travel vaccinations.  Many destinations in Africa require additional vaccinations.  Check the CDC website for specific vaccinations for your destination.

My thoughts on post-cruising - Disembarkation

I recently posted my thoughts on cruise embarkation.  Now I will share my thoughts on disembarkation.  For international cruises, such as the Mediterranean cruise that we sailed, we did not drive ourselves to the port, nor did we have a family member pick us up from the port, so we had to find our own way to the airport to get home.

Generally speaking, you can count on the boat being on-time / on-schedule for disembarkation.  The end of your cruise signals the ship crew that they need to efficiently get everyone off the boat, clean and prepare for the next set of passengers.  This is a crucial day for them and they can't afford to start this day late.  Their goal is to have a smooth and drama free day for everyone.  Therefore, they will offer transportation to the airport for an additional fee.  The advantages of taking the airport transfer from the cruise company is that you will probably get priority disembarkation and a smooth ride to the airport.  The cruise ship will strongly encourage you to take this option with announcements such as, "There will only be a LIMITED number of taxi cabs available from the port."  The truth is that the cruise company has zero control over how many taxis show up when they dock.  In our experience, every taxi cab in the city will line up outside the port ready to take passengers to the airport.  When the cruise ship uses the word, "LIMITED," they really mean "finite" as in "not infinite" number of taxi cabs. 

Bottom line: Cruise company charged $40 per person for airport transfer. Additionally, the cruise ship's airport transfer was a large charter bus which took a much longer amount of time to drive to the airport.  We took a cab for less than $40 total for 2 people.  We saved at least 50% by taking a cab.  Word of caution: Unfortunately there are a few unscrupulous taxi drivers out there.  One of our fellow cruise passengers was taken for a ride (literally) by their taxi driver.  Fortunately, this family was alert, realized the problem and asserted their request to go directly to the airport to their taxi driver.  If you are completely risk adverse and don't mind the extra cost of the charter bus, then you may want to take the cruise ship option.

Our first cruise (Alaska) was another disembarkation story all together.  We docked in Whittier, AK.  We booked a group charter bus (not with the cruise company) to take us from Whittier to Anchorage.  Since we did not book our transportation off the boat through the cruise company, and we were not VIP, we had practically the lowest priority in getting off the ship.  Additionally, since the crew needed to start cleaning our rooms, we had to vacate our rooms.  The disembarkation process took so long, we started getting paranoid that our independent chartered transportation would leave without us.  I'm somewhat ashamed to say this, but we ended up leaving the boat by pretending we were part of an official cruise boat excursion group.  Essentially, we did not wait our turn, and followed another group off the boat.  We did not miss our independently chartered transportation.  The charter bus company is very familiar with cruise boat disembarkation process and patiently waited for all of the other passengers who had also booked travel to get off the boat.  No one was left behind.

Baggage - Not that I don't appreciate the hard work and services provided by the ship crew, but the baggage system has never worked for me (personally).  The last night of the cruise, you are expected to have your luggage packed and placed outside your door by 9 PM.  Then you have to search for your bags at the port the next day.  If the cruise boat gives me the option, I always opt to take my own bags off the boat.  I see it as a win-win.

My thoughts on Adventure Tours

I recently shared my thoughts on taking group / day tours.  Now, I will share my thoughts on "adventure tours."
"Adventure tours" meaning organized tours that involve at least 1 strenuous activity such as biking or hiking.

During my most recent international vacation (Brazil), I booked an adventure tour through Rio Hiking.  Each tour has a 'rating' of Easy, Medium, or Hard.  These 'ratings' are to be taken seriously.  We booked the Tijuca Hike tour which was rated "Medium."  The round trip hike was 4.6 km / 2.85 miles and a total time of 2.5 hours.  Read my detailed blog post about the hike here.  The hike was so strenuous that I was actually thankful I had trained and completed a half marathon prior to the trip.  Here is a video from the hike.

In conclusion, 'adventure tours' are great if you are looking to get in your workout while on vacation and see spectacular sights that are not so accessible to the general public.

My thoughts on group tours / shore excursions

I'll admit, I'm the type of traveler that likes to "freestyle" my vacations, while packing in as many activities as possible.  (Unless you count my 2-month study abroad trip to Europe when I was in college,) I've never been on a multi-day, all-inclusive group tour.

However, I have been on several guided group tours.  I have found that joining a 1-day tour group can save time and money if:

1. The location is not accessible by public transit or walking.
2. I'm on a tight schedule (i.e. cruise ship port).
3. I'm super interested in learning the history of the area and I don't think my guide book will cover it

If you've never been on a guided group tour, I've included a video from my Ephesus, Turkey visit including footage of our amazing tour guide, "Bill."  "Bill" really knew his stuff.  I took this tour during my Mediterranean cruise, when the boat docked in the port of Izmir. Just to be clear, this was not an official cruise ship excursion, our group was formed prior to the cruise on the discussion forums of CruiseCritic.com.  Carolyn (a fellow cruiser) was our unofficial leader and organizer of this tour.  She setup everything with the tour company and got us organized and ready to meet our tour guide on schedule.  The tour company and tour guide was fully aware we were on a cruise stop.  Tour Guide "Bill" managed our time efficiently so that we could see everything on our agenda and get us back to the port on time.

Here's a list of a few day tours I have enjoyed:

• Ephesus, Turkey
• Chichen Itza, Mexico
• Victoria, British Columbia
• City Tour of Frankfurt, Germany
• Corcovado and hiking Tijuca National Forest, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Myths about Cruising

Prior to the cruises I took, I received lots of advice from friends, family, and the Internet, some of which were just not true in my experience.

Myth - You must make all of your travel arrangements through the cruise company or you might miss your boat.  Unless you are perpetually late and completely risk-adverse, you can make travel arrangements on your own.  The cruise boat company will make it crystal clear as to what time you must be on the boat in order not to be left behind.  It is up to you to ensure you are on the boat on time.  The boat will not leave early.  If for some reason you miss the boat, you can still embark at the next port.

Myth - You must book all excursions through the cruise company or you might miss your boat. (In my experience cruising, I have never witnessed the boat leaving late because a boat coordinated excursion was late.)  On my 2nd cruise, I joined group excursions with folks from online message boards for half the cost of the same excursion through the boat.  We worked with reputable professional tour companies that delivered us back to the boat on time.  Some places you visit will be small enough for you to walk, and larger cities may offer public transportation.  Do your research before you go.

Myth - Cruising is cheaper than booking the same vacation on your own because everything is included.  First of all, everything is NOT included.  There is a mandatory service charge per person per day that is charged to your credit/debit card at the end of the cruise.

Other items not included in your cruise fee:

• Alcohol and sodas
• Bingo / Gambling
• Spa treatments - Facials, massages, etc...
• Internet access / Long Distance phone calls
• Medical services.  There is an infirmary on board.  Their services come at a price.
• Premium Dining Restaurants
• Miscellaneous activities such as rock climbing and surfing.

Myth - A cruise boat is so large, you will not get seasick.  You will not get seasick if you are not prone to motion sickness and/or if the waters are calm.  I experienced 30 foot waves on my cruise and got seasick.  The entertainment show was canceled and almost everyone I saw was seasick.

Tips for saving money while cruising

Here are some of my personal tips on saving money while cruising:

DIY Spa Day

1. Instead of paying for the 'soda package,' bring your own.  Most cruise companies will let you bring your own sodas on board.  At meals you can request a cup of ice instead of water and the fill up the glass yourself.  On all of the cruises we have sailed, we bought sodas at the ports of call and brought them on board the boat.  No cruise boat employee ever questioned us or gave us a hard time about it.  On the flip side, do NOT try to bring your own alcohol on board.  You can only consume alcohol purchased on the boat.
2. Don't book your excursions through the cruise boat company.  You can explore each port on your own or arrange a group tour with others on your cruise by joining a cruise forum such as CruiseCritic.com.
   
3. Instead of spending Sea Days paying for extras (i.e. spa treatments, Bingo), we would work out in the gym (included), hang out in the buffet area playing cards, or enjoy the hot tub or pool.  The cruise boat usually has a small buffet going on all day and will let cruisers hang out in the general breakfast dining area even if there is no food currently being served.  Plan your own spa day by packing your own mud mask and moisturizers.  You can even make it a group spa party in your cabin with a few friends. 
4. Add-on dining options add up.  The first cruise I sailed charged $5 to $10 per person per meal for "premium dining restaurants."  My next cruise charged $25 per person / per meal for "premium dining."  I stuck with the "included" dining options.
5. Unplug!  Instead of paying for Internet on the boat, find free WiFi hotspots while you are at port.  Look for coffee shops and businesses advertising "Free WiFi."
6. Arrange your own transportation (on and off the boat).