Credit Cards

• Call your credit card companies to let them know you’re traveling abroad, so they don't flag your card.

• Be sure to bring something besides an American Express, many places only take Visa, MasterCard or cash.

 Cellular Data

• Check your international data and calling plan details.

• Cellular data can be astronomical in some countries, best to understand and prepare in advance.

• For unwanted data charges, turn your phone on airplane mode in case you have apps running in the background eating up your data.

• Your cellular company may also force you to 2G or 3G speeds, so don’t be too reliant on Mr. Google.

• You may want to pick up a prepaid phone when you are there if you don’t want to go without high-speed data.

  PRO TIP: T-Mobile has free international data while traveling in Europe and most of South America.

Passport

• First thing, check your expiration date.

• Take a picture just in case you lose it so you’ll have the number (assuming you don’t have your passport and phone in the same place).  Otherwise, print a copy and tuck it away in your suitcase.

• Always lock it in your room safe.

  PRO TIP: The night before you are checking out, put something in the safe that you have to use in the morning (toothbrush, hairbrush, one shoe) so you’ll be sure not to leave it behind.

 Plug Adaptors

• Make sure you have enough adaptors for all of your devises and the appropriate one (ie; South America is different from Europe).

 Car Rental

• I use the Kemwel website to compare the best rental car rates and easy booking.

• If you are renting a car, check if your lodging has a parking garage.  Often they do not, so it's good to know the location of the closest overnight garage

  PRO TIP: Use Google Maps to add all of your lodging locations and parking garages (any place you may be using as a destination; ie, wineries).

Travel Apps

• Triposo – my favorite.  You can download a city map, and it has all the top sites to see as well as restaurants and bars.  You can save the ones of interest and then create your own city walk – it maps out the best route.  This route mapping saves a lot of time, and you don't set out aimlessly.  It's also easy to add in drink or food stops around the sites you are visiting.

• Ulmon – you can download three maps for free (region or city) and with the potential of spotty data coverage, or if you are trying to keep your data charges to a minimum, you may need to do your own navigation, so this comes in handy.

• Google Translate – the camera feature is a game changer for ordering food, although this can take all the fun out of dining surprises!