Ask A Baltimore Expert: Tips For Traveling Internationally

Summer is the time for travel, and this summer, you might consider seeing the world. With a little budgeting and planning, it's not as expensive as you might think to spend a little time in a brand new place. Here are a couple of tips to travel internationally on a budget from Scott Babus, a long-time expert in round-the-world travel and a travel consultant at Baltimore-based travel agency Going Places.

Scott Babus
Going Places
28 Mountain Road
Glen Burnie, Md. 21060
(410) 787-1100
www.goingplacesinc.com

Scott Babus is a travel consultant for Going Places, a full-service travel agency in business for more than 40 years. Going Places has offices at Eastpoint Mall and in Glen Burnie and specializes in cruising and vacation packages, although the agents will work to get you the best deal on whatever type of trip you desire. Scott Babus was kind enough to share some of his expertise to help readers feel more comfortable when preparing for their first trip abroad.

Separate Your Passport And The Photocopy

Always keep a photocopy of your passport separate from the passport itself. One of the major reasons to have a photocopy of your passport is in case you lose it. This will help you attain a temporary one much faster. However, if you keep the two in the same location, you risk losing them both.

(AP Photo/Martin Meissner, File)

Tell Your Credit Card Company That You're Traveling

Inform your credit card company that you will be out of the country so they can monitor the activity on your account. If you don't let them know, you may find your credit card turned off after only a few transactions, since most companies flag international spending immediately. Make sure to use your credit card and not your debit card, as you have limited liability with your credit card.

Arrange For International Use Of Your Cell Phone

A quick call to your cell phone company's customer service line a few weeks before you travel can be helpful. Most cellular companies offer international service for an additional rate. This won't make international calls free, but it will greatly reduce the per-minute rate in most countries. Some American cell phones have a SIM card slot. While traveling internationally, you can purchase an international SIM card at most airports. Pop this SIM card in your phone, load it up with minutes and this will allow you to use your own cell phone in that country. One final option is to purchase a disposable international cell phone, also available in most airports.

Related: International Trips You Can Do In A Weekend

Do Not Post On Social Media That You Will Be Out Of The Country

Traveling to exotic destinations is exciting news, so tell your trusted friends and family members. Be sure, however, to keep the news off the web. Plenty of people can see your personal news, and many of them are people you don't know. The information that you are going to be gone from home for days or weeks is good news for a certain kind of opportunist, and you may just find some of your stuff missing when you get home.

Purchase Adapters For International Current

Most countries in the world use a type of power socket that none of your cell phone chargers, laptops or other travel essentials will be able to plug into; or they operate at a different current than U.S. sockets. Worry not. International airports will have power adapters available for purchase. Be sure to check into this and get the right kind for where you're going, because nothing's worse than checking into your hotel, only to find you can't use any of your electronics, except, perhaps, destroying your electronics by plugging them into the wrong kind of current.

Related: Best Summer Vacation Activities In Baltimore

Joel Furches is a freelance writer and researcher for The Examiner and Logos Software, and also manages his own catalog of writing on Hub Pages. Joel is on the board of directors for Ratio Christi. He has a bachelors in Psychology and a Masters in Education.