Being a traveler is one of the best things you can do for yourself. However, it can also be very challenging and taxing on you, both mentally and physically. Novice travelers often come across problems that result in them contacting the nearest embassy and calling it quits out of health and safety concerns. Before you do that, let’s take a look at some practical survival tips that will help prepare you for your next trip.
1. Gather Up Your Medical Essentials
If you have a chronic issue such as diabetes or asthma, you must pack enough medical supplies for the trip. The place you are about to visit may not have the same medicine you are used to, and you may experience serious issues without it. For diabetics they are always looking for places that sell diabetic suppliesshould they need some while travelling.
Pack your medicine in an easily reachable spot in your backpack where anyone can access it. In case of chronic issues, you visit the best certified translation services and have your diagnoses written and translated in different languages to be safe. Additional things you should pack regardless include painkillers, vitamin food supplements, and similar “just in case” medicine such as alcohol and band-aids.
2. Pocket Travel Guide Can Go a Long Way
Visiting a new travel destination can be intimidating, especially if you don’t speak the local language and travel alone. With a pocket travel book in hand, those worries can be somewhat alleviated.
Visit your bookstore or places such as Book Depository and look for travel guides for your location. You can get both country and city-specific guide books which will help you get a handle of where you are. Likewise, a small dictionary can also be useful to have on you.
3. Learn a Few Local Conversational Phrases
Speaking of languages, you should invest some time in learning a few words and phrases in a foreign language. If you visit France, Germany, Spain or other countries with popular languages, all the better, as you will find learning resources more easily.
Apps such as Duolingo are amazing at teaching you how to speak a language enough so that you can communicate with locals during your trip. You can also use Google Translate and similar text-to-voice alternatives for moment-to-moment survival abroad, but try to prepare before you leave regardless.
4. Never Set Out Without Travel Insurance
You never know when you might run into trouble with your health or belongings when abroad. That’s why travel insurance is essential before you set out. Travel insurances come in different packages and features, so visit your local agencies and inquire about your options.
You can also translate documents before you set out to make it easy for local doctors and clinics to read them without knowing your language. Don’t risk traveling without insurance, and you will feel much more comfortable during your trip than you would otherwise.
5. Be Mindful of your Allergies and Intolerances
It’s very difficult to resist local cuisine, drinks, and sweets when traveling to a new country. Before you indulge in new and exciting foods, you should be mindful of your allergies and intolerances. Get a doctor’s appointment before you travel and do an allergy check just to be safe.
You don’t want to ingest a nut or milk and have an allergic reaction in the middle of the street somewhere in Europe or Asia. If everything is okay with you – all the power to you. If not, you will know in advance and not risk consuming something that may harm you.
6. Have Some Extra Local Cash on You
Depending on where you go, dollars or euros may not be accepted as valid currency by locals. Check a local exchange office and get some currency of the country you are about to visit.
Stash your cash away somewhere safe so that you can easily access it in the middle of the street. You never know when you might need cash for some food, a city bus, or a souvenir, but don’t keep too much on you for safety.
Making the Most Out of Your Travels (Conclusion)
Being well-prepared is half of what makes traveling as enjoyable as it is. Even if you travel inside your country, you should still research where you are going and get in touch with your lodgings before arrival. Once the trip begins, you will be thankful to yourself for preparing as well as you did with these practical travel survival tips.
Bio: Melony Hart has slowly built up a career as a content writing specialist, copywriting expert, and editor for digital publications. Her writing portfolio consists of articles, case studies, and how-to guides, as she strives to provide her readers with up-to-date tips and information. Melony enjoys traveling and journaling about her trips abroad in her spare time as well as learning new languages while doing so.
