How To Be Prepared When You Arrive At a Foreign Destination

Find out whether special visas or vaccinations are needed for entry to the country or countries you’re planning to visit.

Arrange accommodations for at least the first night of your trip. You’ll probably be jet-lagged and disoriented when you arrive – not the best time to wander around with your luggage, looking for a hotel.

Make several photocopies of your passport, leaving one with a friend or relative and packing at least two in your luggage.

Buy or borrow a tour book with maps and key foreign phrases. Learn the most essential ones and, just in case your accent leaves something to be desired, flag the important pages—like those that tell you how to find a bathroom.

If you’re packing electrical equipment, such as hair dryers, be sure to see if you’ll need to bring a voltage adapter and/or special plugs.

Set your watch to the destination time as soon as your flight takes off. This tricks your mind into thinking that you are already in the new time zone.

Carry some local currency with you, preferably in small denominations. That way, if your flight touches down in Prague at 1:30 a.m., you won’t have to hunt down an ATM just to pay the cab driver.