Many people fantasize about travelling to exciting new locations. While there are many places to travel to, it’s important to plan and know where you’re going. The following tips will help you travel like a pro.

Make notes of all the details of your trip. Include your embassy’s web address, physical address and phone number. This is the place to contact should you run into any issues while traveling. They can help you with problems that occur.

When traveling abroad, rather than doing local currency exchanges, use ATMs to make withdrawals. Many times these banks offer exchange rates that are better than individuals get. You can save a lot of money later by doing this.

Use a list to help you pack your essentials. Make your packing list weeks before you leave for your trip. If you get in a rush and have to pack right before you leave, this list will ensure that you have everything that you need, and that you do not forget something.

When traveling abroad, be on the lookout for criminals who may be posing as law or government officials. Do not ever give someone your passport; they may steal it. If they want you to come with them to a police station, make sure that you walk there. Don’t enter a vehicle with a local you don’t know.

Pick the proper camera for your trip. If you want to go backpacking, you’ll want to pack a rechargeable battery. You’ll want a model that you can turn on and focus quickly to allow you to catch every shot.

Don’t bring a lot of valuables on any trip. The more valuables you bring with you, the more chance you have of losing one or more of them or possibly having them stolen.

Look for a hotel that offers free parking and stay the night before leaving from a port city, on a cruise. Be sure to ask about parking deals in case they are not published.

Bring along a door stopper to provide an extra measure of safety when you stay in a hotel. This will add to the level of security that you have. Put a doorstop under your door if there isn’t a deadbolt.

Try to go to the gym prior to getting on a flight. Long flights can be tedious. Your back and legs can start to cramp up after sitting for such a long time period. If you get a quick workout before boarding the flight, it can help to reduce the chance of getting leg cramps. If nothing else, try stretching a little.

If you have to have vaccinations in order to travel to a country, make sure you bring the vaccine certification with you while traveling. You may need this if you try to enter or exit a country, and even when you go from city to city. If you don’t have proof, they cannot verify you have received any vaccinations and you may be quarantined.

Keep your travel items together. Don’t have the hassle of searching for travel essentials for every trip. Instead, keep a bag packed with these essentials and you can be ready to go that much quicker. Under-the-bed containers help keep your things hidden, but prepared when you need to keep going on your adventure.

Stores tend to overcharge for these items, and the space saved is minimal, so save the money. Look for innovative ways to fold your clothing in a manner that saves space. This can free up some space for other things you will need.

Rush Hour

Before traveling, verify that your passport is not going to expire soon. Most countries have explicit rules regarding your passport. If it expires within a certain time frame, they will not allow you to come into their country. These times can be three or six months, or even eight months to a year.

Do your best to avoid traveling during rush hour when you are driving. If you are unable to avoid rush hour entirely, use that period for much-needed rest stops. It’s a great time to grab something to eat and let the kids run off some energy for a bit.

You can survive a red-eye flight using sleeping pills. This can help you to sleep in a situation that many are uncomfortable in, on board an airplane. Take a sleep aid to help yourself get through a long flight much simpler. Don’t have the pill before the plane takes off, as a delay or problem may require that the plane returns.

Not everyone can afford to stay at the Ritz, and sometimes you get stuck at a less than one-star hotel. If the area isn’t palatable, make sure you have a rubber doorstop with you. You can wedge it in under the door to your room overnight (in addition to the lock and chain, of course). Burglars will be able to break the door’s lock, but entry will be extremely hard if you have such a doorstop engaged.

Pre-book your airport parking space in advance. It can be more expensive to book this parking the day you fly. If you live close to the airport you may want to take a taxi instead of paying for parking.

Do you often forget things while traveling? Simply jot down notes on the mirror with a dry erase marker to help you remember. It is much harder to lose or ignore a note on a mirror than one written on paper. Dry-erase markers can easily be removed from the mirror.

Now that you’re equipped with all the tips in this article, you will have much less confusion while planning exciting trips. This knowledge can earn you respect from the people you travel with. Each tip is designed to help you have an enjoyable trip.