Seven Essential Foreign Travel Tips

A foreign holiday can be an exhilarating experience, full of adventure and great memories. But it can also be daunting, as you find your way in a new culture with foreign people and customs, dealing with airlines, hotels and businesses in an unfamiliar place with different currency. Follow these essential travel tips for a worry-free travel experience:

Check your cover

Check if your health insurance covers you for overseas emergencies. Most Indian health insurance policies don’t, so purchase travel insurance to cover yourself. In any case, you should purchase specialist travel insurance to protect yourself from non-medical emergencies like baggage loss, flight delays etc.

Contact the Indian Embassy

Register yourself with the Indian Embassy or High Commission in the country you’re visiting. If there’s an emergency or you need assistance dealing with local authorities, this will make it easier for the Indian government to contact you, offer consular assistance and evacuate you if necessary.

Passport details

Keep print and digital copies of your passport so that you have some basic form of national identification if your passport is stolen or lost. Also make doubly sure your passport is valid (some countries require them to be valid for six months after your travel dates).

Check that your card works

Check to see if your debit or credit card is valid in the country you’re visiting, and find out about the fees for overseas usage. Also remember that most banks overseas have moved to chip-and-PIN cards, so few businesses will accept old-fashioned magnetic-strip cards.

Keep some cash

Many local businesses won't take cards. Besides, you'll need cash for public transport, washrooms etc. But avoid converting money at the airport (as the fees are comparatively higher). Exchange money in the city or just withdraw from ATMs.

Watch out for the electrical fittings

Different countries use different plugs and have different voltages. Carry a universal travel adapter so you can keep your devices charged. And check your appliances and devices to ensure the voltage they require is high enough for the standards of the country you’re visiting.

Luggage guidelines

Know your airline's baggage allowance and weigh your check-inluggage to ensure you're not hit by excess baggage fees. Also, there’s a small chance that airlines will lose your luggage, especially if you're taking a connecting flight, so carry some clothes in your carry-on bag.