All My Travel Do's and Don'ts (For Now)

So in my packing for my upcoming adventure (one week left!), I realized that packing for Europe is a lot harder than it seems. It's not like travel books tell you much. Normally, they say pack whatever then cut it in half. They fail to consider that there are two breeds of packers, the ones that naturally pack heavy, and the others that pack lightly. They also say to get your finances in order, but fail to tell you exactly when things should be done or even how to get the finances to fund your trip. So, In my recent musings about travel, I have come up with a temporary list of do's and don'ts for packing and preparing for a long-term trip. These aren't "the rules" that everyone must follow. In fact, it is more of a list of things that I have found to be helpful while preparing for my trip to London. So, with no further ado, here are my travel suggestions.

1. Funding
Funding a trip can be intimidating for anyone. If you are doing a study abroad program, do your own leg work to find financing solutions. After you have done that, call your financial aid office to make sure that you have gotten all your options covered. There may have been something you overlooked in your research, and there also may be loans your school does not tell you about. Once you decide on a loan, communicate with your school to find out how much money you can take out. Make sure your school has direct deposit, so that way when the funds come in from the loan company, the school forwards them into your account.

2. Flights
Once you get your funding straightened out, it is best to look at flights to your destination. Like shopping for loans, flights also require a lot of leg work. Travelocity, Kayak, and Orbitz have great rates for flights if you are searching on your own. It also doesn't hurt to go through a travel agency. For booking my flight to London, I went through Student Universe which is a travel agency that gets discounts for students, faculty and persons under the age of 26. I ended up purchasing a ticket from Boston to Heathrow for $500 on Vrigin Airlines with everything included. Other people I know, spent double that. If you find a bargain jump on it! They don't normally last long! (An important side note to the traveler on a budget, most discounts happen on Tuesdays).

3. Packing
Packing proves to be difficult, even if you are flying domestically. A happy medium to the too light/too heavy packing is to pack multiple items that are versitile. Camis, shrugs and dresses work great. If you are going to experience the transitioning of seasons, it is best to pack for the summer and fall and save room in your suitcase to buy items to wear in the frgid cold of winter. Do not pack too much of one thing! Shoes, for example, are available everywhere! How cool would it be to not pack enough shoes, and buy a bunch during your trip! (You can later tell people about the place they came from if you wish).You don't need to bring ten pairs! Make sure, however, everything is versatile, just in case. So that the dress you packed needs to be able to work with warmer stockings.If something happens and you are caught in cold weather off guard you will be sorry. Also keep in mind that you will buy gifts when you travel, so keep a lot space open in your suitcase for them. You don't want to go over with two fully packed bags and have nothing to bring home to friends and family because you overpacked!

4. Credit and Debit Cards
Do not forget to contact your credit card company and bank before leaving. They need to know about your impending travel in case you use your cards to make withdrawrals or purchases. Most banks and companies only cover three months of travel, so if you are gone for longer than that, make sure you have someone stateside who can extend your accepted travel time with the bank or credit card companies. Also make sure that you know what fees you will have when you use a card internationally. MasterCard charges an approximate rate of 2%, Capitol One has a 0% rate, TD Bank has a 5% fee, Bank of america has a 0% fee when you go to a Barkley Bank in England.

5. International Health Insurance
Most European countries have socialized medicare, but you must be in the country for a certain period of time before they apply to you. Many American insurance companies will cover you, but they will only do it for thrity-one days. There are companies out there like Travel Guard or CISI that cover you for extended amounts of time, but for a price. Again, with anything travel related, always read the fine print and do your research before comitting.

So, that's all the advice I have to potential travelers now. If you guys have anymore, feel free to leave them in a comment below! Next weeks topic.... LONDON ADVENTURES!!! Ahhh! I can't wait! Til then, have a great week everyone!