As a full-time traveler, I have definitely made all of the stupid mistakes you can make, and these are some my top travel planning tips that I’d recommend to any traveler.

Traveling can often be full of chaos, but these quick good-to-know tips can help avoid catastrophes on the road!

To use data while traveling, setup eSIM plans on your devices before departure.

Make sure to finish the setup completely, follow all the instructions, including to toggle data roaming on in settings menu, activate it, and test it out.

You want to troubleshoot any payment, installation, or activation problems ahead of time, so that on arrival you can switch on data and have instant connectivity in a pinch.

Setup local ride-share apps before departure so they’re ready to use when needed.

This includes downloading the apps, setting up your profile, confirming your email, adding your payment method, and even saving your destination address.

This can be essential because then your address information is already saved and you’re not stuck fumbling around on your phone on the street instead of getting a ride.

It’s also helpful to download local map apps just in case Apple Maps or Google maps doesn’t work in that location.

While cashless travel is pretty much the norm now, you should still either withdraw or change currency at your departure airport into your destination country’s currency before departure.

This can be essential because a multitude of things can go wrong upon arrival.

You may have to pay a visa fee or arrival fee in cash, the arrival airport may not take your current currency, the currency counters may be closed or out of the currency you want, the ATMs may be out of order or not accept your card, or local ride-share apps may not work or may give payment authorization issues when activated in a new country.

If any of these things happen, then you need some cash to get out of the airport.

Here’s another good case for having some cash on hand.

Airport taxis, and some ride-share apps alike, often increase or straight up double their rates after dark so that means you need to have double the cash.

This rate increase can happen literally when the sun sets, so often as early as 5-6pm.

Whether you’re already expecting to land at night, or your daytime flight gets unexpectedly delayed into a nighttime arrival, you should be prepared to have a bare minimum of twice as much cash as you expect to need for a ride.

In case ride-share apps don’t work correctly or give connection or authorization issues, then a taxi may be your only safe ride out of the airport.

If the taxi service doesn’t accept cards, or in case your card doesn’t work, or the transaction doesn’t go through due to Wi-Fi or connectivity problems, then, yet again, you need cash.

You need to be able to get a ride out so you’re not stranded landside at the airport overnight, which is not a safe place to be, because you could be a target for opportunistic theft or tourist scams.

If you need some cash at your destination, always go to ATMs at local bank branches during daytime office hours.

This is safer because during the day, employees can help if something goes wrong, if there is problem during the transaction, or if the machine eats your card then they can open it up and retrieve it.

Local bank branches also usually have CCTV and security guards on staff during the day so it’s generally safer to both use the ATMs and also to carry the cash away without instantly getting robbed. 

This can be extremely helpful to stay safe, because whenever you use an ATM, you have to have to be hyperaware of your surroundings since you are a prime target for theft.

Being at an open bank, during office hours, with a camera and a guard, you’re less of an easy opportunity and more safely protected.

The more you know!