It is always a fascinating experience to travel overseas. Some seniors began traveling to other countries when they were younger while others got their first taste of traveling abroad after they retired. Seniors should prepare their trip well, and they should be careful in their new surroundings.
How to Travel Overseas – 8 Tips to Make Seniors Happy and Safe
1. Make an Itinerary – Itineraries don’t need to be written in stone, but they are helpful when you travel overseas. You can list some of the attractions that you plan on visiting, how much you will need to budget, and how much time you plan on spending at each location. These can all be adjusted later, but they give you a general idea of what you can expect. You can also save money by planning your travel in advance to get the best savings.
2. Learn Local Laws and Customs – There are certain things that are accepted in the United States. Unfortunately, the same practices can be frowned upon or even illegal in other countries. You might take off your top or go nude on a beach in some places in the United States, but you could be fined or jailed in some countries abroad. Chewing gum, eating on the subway, or in the subway station in Singapore can get you fined as much as $ 500. This is why seniors should do their research and understand about the local laws in the country that are going to visit.
3. Check Your Insurance Policy – Does your insurance contain an amendment for traveling overseas? If your insurance pays for everything in the United States, don’t expect that it automatically covers you when you are abroad. The problem is that you need to ask your insurance company about it first because they usually don’t give you that information in advance. If you need to pay for the extra amendments to your current policy, it’s a worthwhile investment because you need to have coverage.
4. Copy and Guard Your Important Documents – Seniors should make scans and photocopies of their important documents before they travel overseas. If you ever lose a passport, credit card, or birth certificate, it’s much easier to get a replacement if you have the complete information from your lost document and a copy to verify it.
Some countries give you a separate tourist card when you enter the country, and collect it when you leave. It’s a good idea to photocopy these, and carry the photocopy of it around with you and not the original. That’s because if you lose the original, you sometimes have to pay a fine before you leave the country. Play it safe and leave your original documents in your hotel safety deposit box if you are going to be traveling around town.
5. Use Phrase Books When Possible – You don’t need to learn a foreign language when you travel overseas. However, you shouldn’t expect many people to speak English unless they are working in the travel or financial industry. Therefore, if you are shopping at local markets, it is a good idea to know how to ask “How much is that?” and powerful phrases such as “Please” “Thank You” and other greetings.
Phrasebooks provide a quick reference to general phrases that can help people understand you better. When you cannot pronounce all of the words, you can show the phrase to a local, and they will understand what you mean. These books also teach you how to count in another language, which helps when you are trying to bargain. There are now electronic translators that are available, and the some models even translate phrases using the sound from a speaker of that language. All are very helpful for seniors.
6. Use the U.S. Travel Advisory List – The U.S. State Department provides a travel advisory for countries that they consider dangerous around the world. They often don’t deem an entire country dangerous but usually list the hotspot areas. You can find the list here:
http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/tw/tw_1764.html
Their current list is up-to-date and includes places to avoid and embassy and consulate numbers that you can contact in case of an emergency.
7. Always Dress it Down ” Try toning down your choice of clothes when you travel overseas. That includes leaving the fancy jewelry and watches at home unless you want someone to take them from you. If you use expensive clothes, you are making yourself an unnecessary target. If you are in a country that you can make yourself look like a local, then you should attempt to do so.
8. Know about What You Should Declare – When you return to the U.S. and pass through customs, you need to know if the souvenirs that you have aren’t illegal to bring back to the U.S.
For instance, In some African countries and others around the world, some souvenirs might be made from elephant ivory or other endangered species, such as sea turtles, which are banned around the world. You might also have trouble leaving the country you visited because some items might be considered rare national treasures, and you could be accused of smuggling them out. It’s always good to do some research and find out what you are allowed to bring back to the U.S.
In addition, when you travel overseas, you should know how many dollars worth of merchandise you are allowed to bring back duty free. Anything over that, you will need to pay taxes. Always keep your receipts for anything you bought. You can later use these as evidence when dealing with U.S. Customs.
How to Travel Overseas – Conclusion
Without the proper planning, traveling overseas can become more complicated. The fact is that seniors can prevent most problems by getting all of the right information before they leave the United States.