The Art of Traveling: First Time Traveling? Here are the 10 Rules You Should Do Before Traveling in a Foreign Place

Traveling is definitely on everyone's bucket list. Whether it is locally or crossing the seas, traveling to a foreign place gives an unexplainable excitement. But sometimes, we overlook the possible problems we would encounter as we travel. This does not just happen for solo travelers but even for a group of long-time travelers, this could still occur. Whenever we travel, we always wanted to visit a place we've never been. The surprise offers fuel more than the excitement we felt. But at least someone in the group should be knowledgeable about the place you should visit. Wouldn't it be great if it was you? Travel anxiety creeps me always whenever I leave our house for days and I don't want that to happen to you! So here are the 0 Rules You Should Do Before Traveling to a Foreign Place!

Plan early.

Some people say that planning a trip or any getaway creates a higher chance of not happening. The logic is the more we prepare, the lesser the feasibility. Since there is a long time of planning and waiting, unexpected events could hinder the long-planned trip. Thereupon, most people claim that spontaneous and unplanned trips are always the best! But believe me, this won't work if you travel overseas or to any foreign place! You will more likely be in trouble! Financially speaking, you might not be prepared. How about the tickets? Holidays are most of everyone's free time. Consequently, a lot of people are also traveling. So do not expect to have tickets soon! Some people must plan it months before you do so you might as well wait for the next holiday! There is nothing wrong with planning events. It is better! Do you want an epic fail journey?

If you are traveling with your family, visit the place first solo. 

If you plan a surprise travel with your family and you are the main host, then I suggest that you visit the place first. Simply because you invited them in the first to come and join you on a trip somewhere you have all never been at! But since you invited them, they will be dependent on you. In short, you are responsible for them. It is not that heavy responsibility, you just need to plan things so you won't waste any time once you are there! Isn't it awkward if your sibling asked you where you are going but you just reply with "Wherever you want?" This is the main rule for family trips. Someone must plan the event and everyone should be aware!

Save, save, save! Travel at your own expense.

Sometimes we are overwhelmed by the fact that finally, we are traveling! Well, to be in that state of excitement, you must also think about the expenses. This is the reason why it is important to plan things. You can look for travel companies' discounts and vouchers to save more. You should also save more for emergency purposes, just in case. You should also plan your money if you plan to buy souvenirs, have a food trip or enjoy other activities not covered in your staycation!

Learn the culture, language, tradition, rules, and regulations. 

This third rule is the bare minimum in traveling. You are going to a foreign place but you shouldn't be ignorant. Research and study the culture and traditions of that certain places especially if you are planning to visit historical places. This is also important because you are going to meet people from a different culture so to avoid unintentional harm, research the dos and don'ts and share your knowledge with your whole group. This is a basic human moral, being informed is also a sign of respect.

Schedule your whole trip: Where to go, What to eat.. etc. 

I've been mentioning this previously but again, plan your whole trip! And when I say the plan, this includes scheduling where and when to go. It is also helpful if you would create a list of local foods to try so you can know if there are foods not allowed for your family members with allergies or for you too! In terms of activities, there could be an exciting once-in-a-lifetime activity you would only do in that place! List it all down and schedule! If you can book in advance, much better right?

If the currency is different, exchange your money.

Usually, people exchange currencies in the airport once they touch down. But some problems could occur such as long lines and if it is your first time in that airport, it is troublesome. International money exchange is present in all airports. It won't hurt if you go to your flight early and exchange your money for your needed currency.

Prepare a backup plan.

In traveling, we could have the backlog thought of "What if this fails?" Hence, preparing a backup plan for each activity you originally plan is important. You should follow the social media accounts of the hotels you plan to stay in, resorts you plan to visit or events you are planning to attend. They might have last-minute changes so you should also have more than one backup plan just in case it didn't smoothly go as you planned. This usually happened, so this rule is a must.

Book hotels/Airbnb in advance.

Fortunately, all hotels and Airbnb right now are open to online booking. Less hustle and more convenience! Plus, you can use vouchers and discounts if you stay tuned for their promos. This is another reason why planning early is important! You can save more and could still be one of the best!

Get a local sim card and portable wifi at the airport.

This is the first thing you should do once you touch down on the place of choice. This is also the reason why exchanging money currency must be conducted in your country before traveling so you only have one errand once the plane landed. Everyone is tired from a long trip so if you have more errands to do in an airport you are not familiar with the first, it is troublesome for everyone. They're also a lot of trusted traveling applications online like Klook that prepare these things for you. You should also check these things out.

Plan and prepare your things beforehand, do not bring a LOT.

In traveling, one of the biggest mistakes is filling up your suitcase and bags that is why on the day of return, there is little to no room for souvenirs! We wouldn't want that! You can pay for the extra charge but if you can prevent this earlier, it is better to right? Sometimes we are overwhelmed with our clothes and shoes because of part of traveling I taking pictures! We all want the best shots of these amazing places! But only bring your best pieces that you are comfortable and sure to wear. I plan my clothes every time I travel and set them on zip locks so I don't need to scatter them everywhere especially if I am not staying in one hotel for a whole trip!

We don't want an epic fail trip even if it is a solo or a group trip. We travel to get away from the stressful hustling lifestyle we have at work so we want a smooth trip. We went on vacation to relax right? So remember these 10 Rules You Should Do Before Traveling in a Foreign Place so you can have a fun, relaxing, and memorable trip! Have a safe trip!