How To Ease The Shock Of International Travel
Jumping across the pond for a vacation can be very invigorating and exciting, but the time differences can set anyone back. Showing up at a great location can be practically ruined if you end up dealing with jet lag or other consequences due to the time differences, and that's only the start. Foreign languages and customs may also throw you off, causing you to have a bad time on your trip. Here are a few ways to make international travel a lot easier.
If you're planning on visiting a location where your native language is not spoken, then it's a great idea to practice speaking the language of that area before you head off on your trip. Now, learning the language fluently might be a little unrealistic, but you can learn some basics words and phrases to help you communicate while on your journey. The good news here is that you'll remember the new language for a lifetime.
You will also need to read up on the different customs of the area, including big holidays. If you have a trip planned that coincides with a country's festivals or other celebrations, then you might end up with no place to stay, crowded eateries, and too much foot traffic to get around. Then again, you may want to go to other nations just to party with the locals. Either way, you should check beforehand to avoid any potentially negative situations.
You never know when you're going to lose your luggage or misplace important documents like your passport or medical history. If you're caught in a foreign country and do not have your passport with you, that's a sign of some bad times ahead. You could be held in a foreign jail or government building for days or even weeks. Always make sure that you have copies of your important documents when you're traveling to a foreign country.
Although it's certainly not something you want to think about, you could end up a missing person in another country. Kidnapping is always a concern in some areas, and simply losing your way is quite common for foreign travelers. Make sure that someone at home has your complete itinerary. If you do not check in for a certain amount of time, people at home will be able to help locate you in another country. It's an important step you shouldn't skip over.
To avoid that troublesome jet lag situation, you should start at home by gradually adjusting to a new time. For instance, if you're traveling from California to Italy, that's a 9 hour time difference. Start about a week in advance by setting your clock an hour differently at a time. This might be hard if you're still working, but just try to get up a little earlier, and see if you can hold off going to bed on the weekends until a little later.
Traveling abroad doesn't have to be a painful situation. Follow along with the tips listed above and you should be able to travel anywhere you choose without running into any issues.
