My Experience in Traveling Abroad: Nine Tips to Ensure a Safe, Fun and Hassle Free Trip

Recently, I traveled abroad for the first time and before, during, and after discovered some great tips that can ensure that everyone has the same wonderful experience that I enjoyed.

1. Passport

If you're planning to leave the country, every American needs a valid passport. A passport card is valid only for traveling in and out of Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Bermuda by land and sea, while a passport book is what you need if you're traveling to those areas by air or any other country in any capacity. Passports are issued at your local courthouse. However, if for some reason your courthouse does not offer them, they can tell you who in your area does.

When applying for your passport you will need several things. Include two identical photos that are 2x2 inches in size. These can be taken at most local places that offer photo developing, such as Walgreens or Wal-Mart. For identification you'll need any prior passports, your original birth certificate (or naturalization certificate or certificate of citizenship), and your current driver's license or some other form of government or military i.d. You will also have to pay your fees right away. Fees included, the book and card is $120, the book alone is $100, and the card alone is $45. If you're flying out of the country, the first, and sadly more expensive, option is what you'll need. Passports take around four to six weeks to process normally, so if you're planning on a last minute trip you'll have to pay an extra $60 to have it expedited. This cuts the processing time down to about two weeks.

When filling out your passport application you must be very careful to avoid even the slightest of errors. Make sure that the name you put on your passport matches exactly with that on your ticket. The difference between Mary J. Smith and Mary Jane Smith on different forms of identification is a great deal of airport hassle.

Once you have your passport, guard it with your life. Make one copy for every piece of luggage you're carrying on your trip and one for family or friends to keep while you're away. Having copies will ensure that if you do lose your passport the American Embassy in the country you're visiting can issue you a replacement in just a couple of days. Make sure that it stays on your person at all times. Don't accidentally put it in your checked luggage -you'll need it for every layover on your flight.

2. Registering your trip

Even though it's not a law, it's incredibly important when traveling overseas to register your trip with the State Department. This can be done at https://travelregistration.state.gov/ibrs/ui/. Registering your trip means that the American embassy or consulate in the country you're visiting knows that you're there and can help you should any disaster, big or small, occur. Registering is easy and as long as you know the basics of your trip -i.e. how long it will be and where you'll be staying, it's quite easy and takes very little time. All information you include is private, however you can check boxes that will allow them to release your information to certain individuals or groups if you so choose. Some of the choices include your family, congressperson, and the media.

3. Packing

When packing for an overseas trip there are several things to consider. First, check with your airline to see how many bags you're allowed to take, how much they can weigh, and what the fees are for going over the limit or bringing an extra bag. One thing I noticed while traveling that I've never seen in other lists of travel tips deals with carry-on luggage. I flew American Airlines and noticed that, often, a passenger's bag would not fit in the overhead compartment, but instead of insisting they check it and pay the extra fee, the flight attendants simply stored it in the front of the plane. So if your bag is just a little big, don't spend your pre-trip time worrying about it. Just be nice and apologetic to the attendants and they'll help you out. Also, the weight limits for carry-ons were much less strict, so if your checked bags are a little heavy, throw some items into your carry-on.

No matter what, don't rely on your trip mates to tell you what the weather will be like. "Oh, it'll be pretty hot" or "it's going to be pretty cold" are not good indicators for what your body is used to. Instead, look up the weather forecast yourself and pack accordingly to what the actual temperatures say. Before my trip, I was told that the weather was going to be quite cold, so I packed lots of sweaters. However, what was cold to most of the people on my trip was quite comfortable to me, so I mostly wore the same short sleeved shirts every day. Of course you can always buy clothes on your trip, but who wants to clog up their suitcase with a bunch of useless clothes?

Even though everyone always says to pack light, I think it's important to pack a variety of things for a trip. Of course you should leave room for the souvenirs you'll buy, but you should always have options for what to wear on your vacation. Socks and underwear for every day is a must, along with at least one shirt for every day (with a few extras in case of spills or tears), a few pairs of pants, one or two skirts, and at least one nicer outfit for nighttime. You'll need at least one comfortable pair of shoes for walking, so make sure the clothes you're packing match them, but if you're packing dressier clothes you'll want a pair to match them as well. If you're expecting cold or chilly weather, bring a coat or light jacket, but don't take up room in your suitcase by packing it. Instead, wear it on the plane where it can double as either a blanket or a makeshift pillow, because even though most airlines issue those things, trust me you'll need it.

If you're bringing along anything electrical like a hairdryer or cell phone charger you'll need a power converter. These can be purchased in most stores or online for around $20. However, if you know where you're staying, do a little research and see what amenities they provide so that you don't have to waste space packing them. I checked the website of my hotel before my trip and discovered that they provided hairdryers, which was one less thing I had to worry about. Although most American hotels offer shampoos and soap, my European one did not, so make sure to pack some just in case yours doesn't. Make sure that everything liquid you pack is sealed in a tight bag so that if there are any spills your clothes don't get ruined or damaged.

Also, make sure you include plenty of batteries for your camera, alarm, and any other items you're bringing. By a long shot, the best ones are lithium batteries as they last much longer than regular ones, which means you get to pack fewer.

4. Security

Like most people, I was a little worried about the whole airport security process. It's always described as a pain and a hassle and I was so worried I would bring the wrong thing through, like a bottle of soda, and get in trouble. However, once I went through it I saw that there was absolutely nothing to worry about. The key is to be prepared and know what you have to do.

Check http://www.tsa.gov/travelers/airtravel/prohibited/permitted-prohibited-items.shtm for information about what you can and can't carry, but most of us aren't going to have to worry about transporting leaf blowers and spear guns. For the average person, the most important thing to know is that all pocket knives and similar sharp items should be in checked baggage along with anything liquid that is over three ounces (like shampoo, lotion, or perfume). Liquid makeup is fine in your carry-on provided that it is under three ounces and everything is kept together is a clear quart sized bag. Things like baby food, medication, and breast milk are fine in larger quantities as long as you declare them at the security checkpoint. Having them out before they discover them and think you're trying to sneak something is the best thing to do. Absolutely make sure that all prescription medicine bottles are kept in their original packaging with your name written clearly on the side. Not doing so will hold up the line like nobody's business and put everyone in a foul mood.

When you approach the security line you're given a bucket to put all your belongings in like your shoes (make sure you're wearing socks -the floors tend to be dirty!), purse, and the contents of your pockets. Other things to make sure you put in the bucket are belts, change, cell phones, and even ipods (I say this from a slightly embarrassing incident at a museum where I forgot mine was in my pocket). Carry-on bags go through by themselves. Once all of your things are put through the scanner, it's just you and your clothes walking through the detector, so be aware of what you have on your person so that any forgotten metals don't set the alarm off. If the alarm does go off, they will either scan you with a different mechanism or give you a pat down -no one will haul you off to jail- but holding up the line for other people is no fun. The main thing when going through security is to keep a positive attitude and know that these security measures are in place for a good reason and having your things checked is nothing personal, we all have to go through it.

5. Food

I must admit, I didn't think the airline food was as bad as all the horror stories -to me, it was basically like any other frozen dinner. However, if you don't like it or if you're like me and flying makes you ravenous, make sure to pack lots of snacks. While you're free to pack as much food as you like in your checked luggage, with certain restrictions on meats and fruits, carry-on food is a bit trickier. You may bring food in your carry-on luggage, but it has to be wrapped and has to go through the x-ray machine. The easiest thing is to wait until you go through security and then purchase food from the secure area past it. Depending on your airport (and every airport's website will tell you at least some of what they have), the options for food past security are cafes, fast food, snacks, and sodas. There are also usually several stores and souvenir stands and again, because it's a secure area, none of what you purchase has to be put through security. Overseas flights are long and monotonous, so even though you may not be hungry when you get to the airport, I guarantee you that by the halfway point you'll kick yourself for not picking up at least a bag of chips.

6. Hurry up and wait

It's incredibly important to get to the airport at least two hours before your flight. This will ensure that you get your tickets, know what gate you have to get through and have time to get there, and have enough time to brave the security lines. On my way back into the country our layover before boarding for our final destination was only about an hour and a half, so after getting off the plane, getting our luggage, taking it through customs, going through security, and taking a shuttle to our gate, we arrived just in the nick of time as our plane was loading. Unless you want to spend untold hours on a plane, sweaty from rushing around, plan ahead if possible and give yourself ample time for arriving and layovers.

7. Money

The prospect of using foreign currency can be daunting if you don't know how to go about it. If you don't want to use cash, you can use your debit or credit card at most places. However, you'll have to make sure to inform your bank that you're traveling, so that they don't assume your card has been stolen. If you don't want to use a card, there are ample opportunities for exchanging currency. While many local banks can't do it, airports and banks and currency exchange shops in foreign cities can easily do it for you. If you want a better exchange rate, avoid the airport exchanges unless you absolutely need money right at that second.

8. Telephones

If you plan on using your cell phone overseas, talk to your provider about paying the nominal fee to get overseas calling on your phone. If you don't do that, your phone will be useless and not even the clock will work. So if you were planning to bring your phone along just as a clock, forget about it and break out your actual watch. You can also purchase calling cards in either this country or the one you're visiting for a very reasonable fee. However, unless you absolutely cannot be without a phone, I found that going with a phone was a very freeing experience. Check to see if your hotel offers free Internet and, instead, utilize email to keep your friends and family back home updated.

9. Plane entertainment

Some of the most important advice I can offer is a no-brainer: have plenty of entertainment for your plane ride. Even if the airline offers constant movie showings, I found my planes' choices to be sub-par at best and on my way home, the speakers didn't even work! Therefore, to avoid cabin fever and keep from pulling your hair out you'll want to bring along at least two books (make sure they're dissimilar so that if you get tired of one you'll want to pick up the other) and an ipod, which in addition to the music that will drown out annoying seatmates will usually at least have solitaire as an option. Laptops are allowed in carry-ons, so if you have one, bring it, because even though you can't access the Internet, in your boredom you'll find something to do, even if it's just cleaning out your hard drive.