1. Light package There is nothing worse than having to carry your things across the country. I have seen people travel with a giant backpack on their back, a smaller one in front, a fanny pack, and dragging a suitcase. Trust me. You DO NOT need to bring that much on your trip. I used to pack a lot and realized I didn’t use half of the stuff or could have easily bought it anywhere. Ask yourself: Do I really need this?

2. Make sure your documents are in order. Your documents will be your lifeline.

a) Make sure your passport is not about to expire – obvious right? Still, you would be surprised how many people forget to do this. Once my friend and I were going to travel to China and what do you know? His passport had already expired. When did we find out about this? IN THE AIRPORT! Needless to say, he was not a happy camper.

Some countries check if your passport is about to expire in 30-60 days. Make sure you don’t fall into this category. If you do, be sure to apply for a passport as soon as possible before your departure.

b) Find the visa for your country – Different places require different visas. Sometimes obtaining a visa can take months. You don’t want your travel plans to be interrupted by this. Call your local embassy for more information.

c) Scan and email all important documents – it’s smart to make copies of your passport, insurance, dipolma, driver’s license, etc. It’s even smarter to scan them and then email them to you. So even if you lose everything, as long as you can access the internet, you will have access to all your relevant documents.

Now you may ask why you should scan your college diploma. Well, you never know if you will fall in love with a country and want to live there for an extended period of time. Having a copy of your diploma saves you the hassle of having to ask someone to email it to you. This is doubled for each and every document you may need on your travels.

3. Research where you are going If you plan to travel a lot, research the areas you will be traveling to. Make sure you have a little information about where you are going. If they speak a different language and customs, try to learn as much about them before

exit.

Recently, a friend traveled to Venezuela without doing his research. It turns out that the current president, Hugo Chávez, had changed the official currency exchange rate, which means that my friend was scammed every time he took money out of an ATM. If you had done your research, you would have known how to take US dollars and exchange them on the black market.

a) Make calls – Can you take the cell phone you already have and buy a SIM card? Or do you have to buy a new phone? You can consider getting a phone that works in many countries and then making calls using Wifi.

b) Electrical Plugs – Make sure you have the correct plug for electrical plugs. Also, watch the voltages. I blew up a $ 200 electric toothbrush because I’m an idiot. It turns out that Korea uses 220 volts instead of 110.

c) Do you need a round trip ticket? – some countries will not allow you to enter without a return ticket. Google is your friend in finding this information.

d) Also, Lonely Planet travel guides will help you. I’m the type that likes to go to a new destination without a real plan and just touch it by ear. Regardless, travel guides will save you a lot of headaches by telling you where to stay and what to do.

4. Budget your trip Make a budget of your expenses and how much you will spend on your trip. It’s good to budget so you don’t overdo it. Be careful when traveling with other people. Getting into discussions about money makes everyone mad. Be sure to discuss how you will share the expenses. Keep track of the division of money and write it down.

5. Speak the language Even a couple of sentences will help. In some places you will find a large number of English speakers, usually the youngest in universities. Other times, you’ll be completely screwed.

6. Renew all your cards If you plan to travel for an extended period, try to renew all your credit cards, licenses, etc. Most credit card companies will not issue your card internationally. Therefore, you will have to ask a friend to send your new credit card to your new address (if it is there long enough). That means that you will be dealing with the mail service of other countries. And trust me, this can be a real headache.

7. Travel insurance This will be a personal choice. I’ve heard nightmare stories about travelers getting into accidents and having no way to pay for them. Personally, I have never traveled with insurance and have had no problems … until now … Make your own decision. There are many plans to choose from. Use Google and find out which plan is best for you.

8. Be sure- It is worth being sure. Invest in money belts, mini locks, traveler’s checks, and exomesh.

a) Money belts – When I first arrived in Colombia, one of the locals told me not to take out my wallet. Smart idea. Another smart idea is to buy a money belt and then put your important documents and most of your money in it. If someone robs you at gunpoint, you can give them what you have in your pockets. Hopefully they won’t tell you to get buck nekkid.

b) Mini locks: use these to close the zippers. If you are traveling on a budget, you will likely share rooms with other travelers. Most of the travelers you meet will be great. Others will want to kick the garbage. And then there are the sons of bitches who will take your things. The mini lock is the first line of defense against this. This way you know that no one rummaged through your bags.

c) Exomesh: your backpack will not go anywhere with the exomesh unfolded. Exomesh is basically a wire net that wraps around your luggage and secures it to something that moves. If someone wants to stiffen my backpack, they have to cut the radiator first.

Pacsafe is a company that sells exomesh and general travel insurance equipment.

d) Traveler’s Checks: The traveler’s check can be your emergency backup if you lose all your money and credit cards. If you stay in one place for some time, keep your traveller’s checks there. The beauty of traveler’s checks is that even if you lose them, you can call the bank that issued them and replace them.