International travel has a lot of potential. It can be the best time of your life, or it can be a nightmare. The latter situation usually transpires when people don’t do their homework before they catch their flight. These are typically rookie mistakes, but they can cost the intrepid traveler much in the way or time and money. Here are some ways to make sure you don’t get caught napping overseas.

• Divide Your Cash. There are pickpockets and muggers who prey on tourists in many international locations. This is the reality, but you can insulate yourself from disaster with one simple method. Put one-third of your cash in your wallet, one third in your backpack/handbag, and one thing in your luggage. This way, even if one is stolen, you won’t lose all of your money.

• Have Your International Currency Exchange Company Picked Out. International currency exchange is necessary when traveling overseas. But you don’t want to pay more than you have to. All of these companies take a percentage of your transfer; it’s how they make their money. But some take a lot more than others, and these are the ones that are typically posted up in convenient locations where you don’t have any other options. Plan ahead and save.

• Buy the Phrasebook. You don’t have to be some kind of language genius to get around just about anywhere with a different language. Just buy a phrasebook at a local tourist shop or online. This simple tool will help you get directions, find food, find the bathroom, and even meet some friendly locals (who might even know some English).

• Invest in a Solid Portable WiFi Hotspot. We are never so alone as when traveling overseas with no WiFi. Don’t let this happen to you. In the best case scenario, this might save you boredom when traveling on long public transit excursions in a foreign land. In the world case scenario, it might mean the difference between being lost after dark and finding your way back to your hostel.

• Carry an Extra Change of Clothes in Your Carryon. Luggage gets lost frequently. You don’t want lost luggage to prevent you from changing your clothes. Lost luggage is typically resolved in a couple of days, but make sure you have extra clothes to tithe you over in the interim.

• Research. Don’t trust one guide or another to direct you to all the cool stuff in your area. Ask questions, check out Reddit conversations, dig until you find the cool, off-the-beaten-path stuff. Your trip will be better for it.

• Buy a Local Sim Card For Your Phone. Your smartphone will be your best friend overseas, but you don’t want to deal with the excessive charges incurred from using big data in a foreign land. If you have a phone where this is possible, buy a local sim card and enjoy the savings you get on powerful data and information.

There are lots more where these came from, but you’ll have to find them on your own. The travel community is full of handy tips and tricks for international travel, so just look around.

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