International Travel

International travel is a very rewarding experience that everyone should do. Learning about other cultures, seeing amazing places and meeting such a variety of people changes you and makes you grow as a person. While some would hop on a plane right now to visit a different country but others might be afraid to leave countries like the United States to go abroad. I have had many a person tell me “I have no desire to leave the country”, or “You couldn’t pay me to leave the US”. I can understand the fear especially with all the news of problems around the world. You will find though that it’s not nearly as scary as it might seem. There are many places around the world you will find that are actually safer and people are less stressed than people right here in the US. You are really missing out on a great growth opportunity by just staying in the US (do not get me wrong the US has wonderful attractions and people). If you plan things right you can easily travel internationally. Here are some of the steps I go through when planning an international trip.

1. 1. After you have decided on a country or a cruise you should check the US State Department or UK Foreign Office to see what advisories and some country information. The US State Department has a rating system from 1 to 4 where 1 is a very safe country to 4 you should not visit at all. I read through the information and make a decision if I really want to visit that country. I do take the advice with a grain of salt as sometimes I find it is worst case scenarios and I’ve found in some countries its really much safer than mentioned, but its still important information to look into as you need to be aware of possible issues.

US State Department

UK Foreign Office

   2. While looking at the State Department information you need to double check if a Visa is needed to enter the country or if there are any restrictions. Some             countries make it more difficult for Americans for example to visit. Some countries all you need is your passport and they will stamp it when you get there.           Others might require you to get a visa on arrival and others require you to visit an Embassy of that country to apply to visit. The US is actually one of the                 more difficult countries to visit from abroad with an interview required and a long process. I have talked to some in countries with no US embassy that they         have to fly to the nearest country (Barbados in this case) to handle a visit. I have also had friends get rejected to visit the US due to financial reasons. For             our trip to Jordan we sent our passport to the Jordanian Embassy in DC to get our entry stamps. Check also the tourist department/page for the                             country you are visiting as it might have more information. The US Passport is pretty powerful so you will most likely not need a visa for most countries.               The European Union is working on the ETIAS where you apply to visit Europe and pay a small fee. It is to do additional checks on people coming into                     Europe. As of this writing in August 2024 this will be active in 2025.

    3. Check the climate and weather for the season you are going to visit the country. The Southern Hemisphere has the opposite seasons as the                                    Northern Hemisphere. Some countries like in Central America don’t really have but two seasons (Rainy and Dry Season) so its important to check that out            and be prepared. Sometime shoulder season (in between a tourist low and high season) is the best time to go to beat crowds. We have done that in Alaska          and Iceland. 

    4. Check for any news about the country you are visiting. You don’t want to visit a country going through a natural disaster or unrest. Just this year we                        canceled a trip to Ecuador due to violence and unrest due to gang activity. We have visited countries where they did have some unrest at the time and its              something you have to gauge if its worth it or not to go.  

    5. Check to see what vaccinations are recommended or what health concerns there might be. We have been vaccinated for many things like Yellow Fever and          Typhoid for our travels. I check the CDC for information around that (also take it with a grain of salt as its worst-case scenarios but something to prepare              for. Going to your Primary Care Physician or a travel doctor like at Costco is the best route to prepare. We got altitude sickness medication for Peru and it              helped for sure.  

        Travelers’ Health | CDC

     6. Brush up on any laws that might be particular to the country you are visiting. Some over the counter medication here in the US might not be legal in                       another country so its best to leave it at home. Always travel with your original prescription medication bottles and I travel with a couple notes from my                 doctors mentioning medications.  

     7. A very important step is after the trip is booked to get travelers insurance. Problems can happen during any trip you go on. We have been stranded in the               US and abroad for a few days due to flight issues. Travel insurance has paid for additional flights, hotel stays and food. They also usually have help lines               as well to assist you during issues. A major item to have is traveler’s health insurance. In most cases your US medical insurance does not work overseas.             Having travel medical insurance can help if you need to be evacuated or have an issue. We have a yearlong subscription to Geo Blue that covers that. I                 used them to for telehealth when I got sick on a trip for advice. 

      8. Get advice from a local or a frequent traveler. Getting help with planning from a local or someone who has traveled there can make your trip much better                  and alleviate a lot of stress. I have a good friend who lives in Mexico named Emilio who has been amazing when giving advice on his country. He has                    pointed us to great restaurants and sights we would have not experienced without him. I have co-workers in Argentina who give great advice on South                 American travel. My first international trips I booked through tour companies so I could have a guide and help.