Categories: Travel

First Time Overseas Traveller? Here’s What You Need To Know Before You Board That Plane

Travelling overseas for the first time is a thrilling experience. You get to know a different culture, see some spectacular sights and meet new people. However, for a first time traveller, travelling overseas can be overwhelming, sometimes downright scary. Here are some tips to ensure that you have a marvelous time when you are travelling overseas.

1: Save Money

One of the most important things for any first time traveller is money, especially when you’re going overseas. When you have a destination decided, and before you go to the travel agent to book your flight, start saving money. This money will cover your flight, accommodation and any other expenses while you’re travelling overseas. Furthermore, you should also look at the conversion rate, as this will help you get a sense of how much money you should be saving and might be spending on your trip.

2: Passport

When you are a first time traveller going overseas, your passport is your Golden Ticket, your lifeline. Make sure you bring copies of your passport, in case the original gets stolen or lost, and keep it with you when you are flying to your destination; you will need it when you are going through customs and border security. You should also keep your passport in a safe and secure place when you are staying in a hotel or hostel.

3: Travel Insurance

If you’re a first time traveller and you are going on an expensive overseas trip, then it’s probably a good idea to get travel insurance. Travel insurance will cover any losses you might experience on your trip, from lost baggage to plane delays, as well as any medical expenses you might incur due to an illness or injury. Without it, you could end paying a lot of money and blow your savings.

4: Research

If you’re going overseas to a country you have never been to before, it pays to do some research. You can do this by looking up at events that are happening around the time you’re visiting the country, as well as buying guidebooks to help you navigate your way. This can help you create an itinerary of your trip, ensuring that you see the places you want to see. In saying that, don’t get too bogged down by the research. Half of the fun of overseas travelling is being spontaneous and planning things as you go.

5: Buy a charger adapter

Another important necessity for any first time traveller, especially if you’re going overseas, is a charger adapter. This is because countries have different voltage and plug sizes. So if your phone or camera has a flat battery and you want to take more pictures of your trip, make sure you buy a charger adapter. Moreover, it is important that you also check which adapter is specific to the country you’re visiting. Nothing is worse than going to charge your phone, camera or iPod and realising that you’ve bought the wrong charger adapter.

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6: To Pack Or Not To Pack?

When you’re a first time traveller and you’re going overseas for the first time, you want to make sure that you have everything you need. But there is such a thing as packing too much. Instead, pack the bare minimum of what you need, for example, two pairs of jeans instead of five. You’re going to buy things while you’re overseas, but there is a fine line between buying too little and too much. Let me tell you, trying to make sure your suitcase is under the weight limit is a pain.

7: Have Carry On Luggage

If you’re a first time traveller, having carry on luggage is a blessing. Not only can it help you lighten the weight of your suitcase, but you can put your essentials (passport, phone, a book, etc) in a bag that you can easily get to while you’re on the plane. You can also pack a change of clean clothes that you can change into after you have arrived to your destination. Make sure that you check the airline’s guidelines about how much carry on luggage you can take so that you avoid any additional fees.