What are your general travel recommendations?
After reading a thread posted this morning, along with the responses, I thought I'd open a thread for general travel recommendations in foreign countries. Many of us here on the site are medical missionaries who often travel outside our country of origin.
Following are a few general recommendations that have been suggested by some seasoned missionaries I know.
Never travel anywhere alone.
Make two copies of your passport. Keep your passport with you at all times. Put one copy in your luggage and leave the other with a trusted individual at home, preferably your point of contact.
See your doctor for all the necessary immunizations several weeks in advance to insure all the necessary immunizations have time to allow your body to develop the necessary immunity.
Consult the CDC.gov website to see what is necessary for the area you will be traveling. Consult your doctor if this is not available or if you have questions.
Ask your doctor to prescribe an antibiotic to take with you in case you need it. One doctor I spoke with yesterday says he takes 250 mg of Cipro the day he leaves and every day until he returns home. That may not be a good recommendation for everyone, but he has never gotten sick on any of his trips.
Tell your bank you are going out of the country. If you plan to use your credit or debit cards, let them know. Otherwise, their security will likely not authorize the transaction.
These are a few of the recommendations I have heard recently. Does anyone else have some good, sage advice for traveling abroad?
P.S. - You don't have to agree with me. If you think some of these recommendations are not good, please let me know.
13 Answers
My own:
- Travelling alone can be interesting sometimes, but also boring and/or dangerous.
- Avoid tourist areas.
- Avoid eating in a place that has the menu translated for you.
- Go to places with many local people and no foreigners.
- Ignore must-see things, get lost and stay where you enjoy staying.
- Keep a low profile: Do not let them know that you are an ignorant foreigner.
- Try to use their language, if only for polite sentences.
All that applies to me, of course, but for other people my advice is: "Do what you really feel like doing!"
Billygoat said:
Personally I generally dont like to behave like a tourist. Visiting New York City is a good example. I like to ride the subways and visits different parts of the city, however, I do some studies first to ensure that I dont find myself in neighbourhoods where - lets just say -
A tourist to NYC can be spotted a mile away. Avoid the following if you don't want to fall into this trap:
Avoid holding or wearing a camera around your neck.
Don't wear anything that says "I Love New York."
Don't look overly happy or excited.
Don't hesitate when crossing the street, even when taxis and cars are rounding the corner in anticipation of the light changing.
Don't look up or around....only look at the ground.
Don't look shocked to see a homeless person dressed from head to toe in garbage bags or aluminum foil (complete with matching hat).
Don't be shocked to see a guy playing the guitar in his underwear out on the street.
In general, look down, walk quickly and look completely disinterested. However, for the most part, New Yorkers are great people. If you are lost, they will help you find your way. 
All the posts here are good advice, I would like to add the following notes,
Passport copies and informing your bank are very important. especially with the new security measures. I have color copies of both sides of my credit cards and leave them with a trusted contact, in case one is lost a phone call can fix the problem.
But remember also a few strong pain killers, a toothache or a twisted ankle could present a problem until you find a doctor or dentist.
The antibiotic recommendation does work quite well for a short trip, If you are out of country for a long period you will just use them as needed.
Immodium as well, as water and food may upset some travelers.
Never keep all your money and credit cards in one place. If you lose one you still have the other.
Treat others as you would like to be treated , that works everywhere.
I have lived and worked in 11 countries over the last 25 years and always do my best to " fly under the radar" This approach has always been successful.
This is all excellent advice Dogwood and very timely for me. I will land in Mexico in approximately 68 hours for vacation. We return on the 26th of June and then head to the Dominican Republic five weeks after that.
The last time we traveled to the DR, one member of our group notified the U.S. embassy in the DR that we would be visiting, giving the names and basic information of everyone in the group. He is a marine and has traveled extensively, so I took it that this was a good idea.
In addition, the missionary we worked with stated this about 100 times...."Don't fall in love!!!!" He was especially talking to several of the young ladies who were with us with blonde hair and blue eyes. He said that they might be a target for young men interested in finding a way to the U.S. We didn't personally run into anything like this, but it does happen.
It is also wise to inquire about the local customs such as modesty (or lack thereof), and anything that might be considered offensive in the country to which you are traveling.
The one thing that I struggled with was people (or should I say, tiny adorable five year olds) who were begging me for money. We were warned repeatedly about being careful of this. Yes, there are many financial needs, but it is important to be selective. Don't hand money to anyone you encounter on the street. Look for direction from the people or ministry you are working with. They will know who legitimately is in need of financial support and the best way to give it to them.
I know I have other tips, but can't think of them right now. I'll probably be back. 
If you plan to use credit/debit cards, keep a copy of the customer contact numbers stashed away along with a photocopy of the first couple of pages of your passport. Dress unostentatiously. And always remember: Expect good things!
It really depends where you are going and what you intend doing. A golden rule for me is always have some idea\info on the areas you are visiting and try to blend in with your surroundings. Personally I generally dont like to behave like a tourist. Visiting New York City is a good example. I like to ride the subways and visits different parts of the city, however, I do some studies first to ensure that I dont find myself in neighbourhoods where - lets just say - I shouldnt be lol. Always stick to the main streets, never overtly flash money etc around. Also, only carry what you can afford to lose. I often put some money in my sock just incase im mugged or get pick pocketed.
Another golden rule for me is, follow your natural instincts. If something doesnt feel right, then perhaps it not right, and it might be better to get the hell out of there!
Thank you Dogwood. These are all great recommendations. Thanks for making this post. I am going to keep these in mind for my trip to Peru. God bless you, Dogwood.
Travel as lightly as you can and try to get clothes that wash and dry quickly. The airlines are charging $35- $50 per bag and you cannot exceed weight limits. What a ripoff, they made billions last year just on baggage charges.
In a foreign land *anonymity** is a virtue
I always pack a fake wallet with fake credit cards and a little cash plus an old ID in case I get robbed (been there). I keep all the important stuff (Credit card, passport, cash in two places. One is a small pouch that straps around my leg (you can buy at any sporting good store) and the other is a sock with a zippered sock sewn into it. (you can buy online). If you get held up just give them your wallet and they will be long gone before they know it is fake. I keep the day's worth of spending money in it also and let everyone see my using it. The worst case is that you lose a day's spending money.
Be kind and respectful. There are a lot people who misbehave overseas. Don´t do anything you would regret later.
I take a business card from the hotels where I stay: if I get lost, I can show it to a native to help guide me back. This is especially useful in countries where I don't speak the language, am baffled by the alphabet, or where hotels don't have addresses. I get lost quite often, so I tend to carry a map and a compass. Fanny packs and backpacks are useful mainly for carrying hats, water, suntan lotion, tourist information, etc. Because, like unsecured pockets, they are easy targets for thieves, don't use them to carry cash, identification, or credit or debit cards: secure pockets and money belts are a much better choice. If you're carrying a bag (camera, backpack, slingbag, or purse) in a touristy area, put it over the shoulder closer to the buildings--away from the street--to avoid its being snatched by thieves on bicycles or Vespas. This practice may be considered peevish: in crowded areas, (including busses and trains) people tend to step on my sizable feet when I'm not moving. So when standing, I tend to lift the foot on the crowd side so protect it. You'd be surprised how many people are annoyed that they've bumped into an elevated shoe.
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