International Travel Tips From Westport Credit Union
“The world is a book, and those who do not travel read only one page.” – Saint Augustine
Here are 10 international Travel Tips from Westport Credit Union:
Hotel business & address cards: The first thing you should do when arriving at a hotel overseas is take a business card from the front desk. That way, if you ever get lost, you will have the name and address of the hotel in the local language. Large populations around the world speak English, but having something in a local language that you can show locals and taxi drivers is an extra bit of insurance.
1.The six-month passport rule: The expiration date on your passport is actually a bit deceiving. America lets you use your passport up to the date inside the cover. However, several countries will deny travellers entry if the passport expires in less than six months. Why? If for some unexpected reason, you get stuck overseas longer than planned, that country wants to ensure that you have a valid passport to eventually travel back to the mighty Ireland. To avoid any horrible problems and major disappointment at the airport, always renew your passport at least 9 months before it expires.
2.Getting holiday cash: The way to get cash is usually an ATM, but many Irish banks charge steep fees for using an ATM that is out of their network. You can take out a large amount of cash at the airport ATM so you pay that fee only once, but it’s never advisable to carry large sums of cash. Plus, you risk having too much local currency left over at the end of your trip. Alternatively, before you depart you can order your Foreign Currency from any Westport Credit Union branch or online by clicking: Get Foreign Currency
3.Credit cards: The best exchange rates are often found using your credit card. However, many credit cards will tack on a foreign transaction fee, sometimes as high as 3 percent. It’s a pointless fee that no traveller should ever pay. Also, never have a hotel or restaurant convert a charge into dollars first. It’s a bad deal. Why pay more than you have to? You have to be up early in the morning to be ahead of us Irish.
4.Fraud alerts: Notify your credit card company’s fraud department of what countries you will be visiting and on what dates. This way, they won’t think your card is stolen and shut it off just when you need to pay for that dinner overlooking an exotic seafront. (You DON’T want that to happen) Be mindful also of any countries you might be changing planes in; you might need to make a charge during your layover, especially if there’s a delay.
5.Medicine: Always carry earplugs in your bag because you never know what your hotel room or resort is going to be like. You should always carry basic medicines for common upsets like an upset tummy, general pain killers for headaches & anti histamines for insect bites. Most neighbourhoods have a pharmacy. But do you want to be running around Timbuktu late at night, trying to translate “diarrhoea”? HORRIBLE!! If you’re heading to third-world countries, stocking up on the right medicine is even more important. Remember to vaccinate yourself with any shots required when travelling to developing countries a couple of weeks before you depart.
6.Travel alerts: It’s a good idea to check with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade travel warnings & alerts. It’s also smart to print out the address and contact information of the local Irish embassy. All this information can be found online.
7.Foreign airline websites: If you are on a tight budget look at overseas airlines’ sites in their home countries. Google chrome can translate them and sometimes you can pay 40% less!! NO JOKE, just remember this doesn’t work all the time and remember to read all the ticketing T & C’s yep those lovely terms & conditions!!
8.Data roaming: Set up your mobile phone to avoid international data roaming. The biggest costs can come from using data overseas. Coming home is hard enough and the last thing you want to add to that sadness is a phone bill for a MILLION EURO!!
9.Google Maps: At Westport Credit Union, we rarely need maps as we’re pros at directions ha ha. We know others aren’t as lucky, though, and have come to rely on their mobile phones to get around. Maybe use the Wi-Fi in your hotel, plot out a few routes you plan to walk that day. Then take a screenshot of those maps. You can later find the photo, zoom in, and follow the path. It’s not ideal, but it’s a work-around and has been known to work we can tell you.
10.Unwanted local currency: On the last day of your holiday try to spend all your loose local currency as this cannot be changed upon your return to Ireland. You will only be able to change local currency bank notes that you may have left. If you’re like us though we tend to come home pretty light otherwise what’s the point in holidays?
If you want to go on that SPECIAL holiday or do that once in a LIFE TIME trip, talk to us at Westport Credit Union, we can “MAKE IT HAPPEN”
Click & Fly here: Holiday Loans
Remember to travel safe, watch your wallet/bag & most importantly have FUN!!
Happy Travelling from all the team @ Westport CU.
