International Travel: What to Take With You

International travel -- whether for pleasure, business, education, or work -- can be exciting. However, making it a positive experience involves some careful pre-planning.

Start by educating yourself about your destination. Learn about local laws, customs, healthcare services, law enforcement, and financial services. You can acquire this information from travel guides or travel agents. This will help determine what you need to take, from travel documents to money, medical supplies, and luggage.

Travel Documents
Your passport will be the most important document you'll take with you. Make sure it is valid, and keep it with you at all times. Make sure you have the necessary visas for the country or countries you are visiting. If you are traveling on business, you may also need work or research clearances or an international driver's license. Every international country has a consulate (an office) in the U.S. that has information on what you will need to enter and live within their country.

Make photocopies of your passport, driver's license, credit cards, airline tickets, international identity card, traveler’s checks, and any other document you will need to get you somewhere during your travels. Don't keep the copies and the originals in the same section of your luggage; if you lose the originals, you can use the photocopies to get you by.

Make sure you include emergency contact information and keep it with your other documents. Contact information should include embassies or consulates, your hotel, trip itinerary, and names of friends and physicians from back home. Leave the information with someone at home, in case of an emergency.

Money
Before you leave, learn about exchange rates, the local banking system, and credit card acceptance. Decide how much cash you'll really need to take, including money for emergencies. It's best to take traveler's checks instead of cash because traveler's checks can be replaced by your bank if stolen.

Medical Supplies
Learn about the availability of healthcare in your country of destination. Make a checklist of medical needs you have, including things you may be allergic to and sicknesses you regularly get. Here are some tips:

• Take essential prescription and over-the-counter medicines with you. Pack the items in your carry-on luggage. Keep all medicines in the original labeled containers to simplify customs processing.
• Take copies of the order forms for your prescriptions. If any medicines contain narcotics, take a notarized letter from a physician to prove you need that medicine.
• If you wear them, pack an extra set of eyeglasses or contact lenses.

Before you leave, make sure your health insurance is in order. Determine exactly what it covers and if you'll need to add additional coverage. You will need to know if doctor's offices in those countries will accept your health insurance, or if you'll be paying for doctor's bills out of your pocket.

Baggage and Handbags

• Your baggage should be sturdy, secure, and easy to carry
• Use good quality luggage that locks securely
• Make sure each piece of luggage has proper identification, both outside and inside -- identification tags should be securely fastened to the outside
• Mark your luggage so you can identify it easily at baggage claims in airports, or if your luggage is stolen and you need to describe or identify it
• Get a claim check for every piece of luggage you check at an airline
• Carry essential items or valuables on your person or in a carry-on case

Women should take handbags that can't be opened easily and that can be carried in a secure fashion to prevent easy theft. Men should carry wallets in their inside jacket pockets or front trouser pockets, not in an open back pocket.

What Not to Take
The general rule of thumb is not to take anything that you would hate to lose. As far as specifics, you shouldn’t take:

• More credit cards than you need
• Expensive jewelry
• Irreplaceable personal items