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Online Booking
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Travel Tips |
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Travel Links |
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What type of research
should I do before I travel?
Where can I find some online resources
to do some research for my trip abroad?
What services does the U.S. State Department
offer to help me to prepare for my trip?
What do I need to know if I plan on
driving a car in a foreign country?
How are rentals outside the United States
different from those here?
How can I get an International Driver’s
Permit?
What can help me prepare if I’m planning
on driving while in Europe?
How do I deal with the language barriers
when I travel?
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What type of research should
I do before I travel?
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Do some research, learn as much as you can
about your destination.
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Check to see what type of weather the area
has so you can plan accordingly.
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Check with the U.S. State Department concerning
safety warnings for U.S. tourists at your destination.
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Find out if you will need a passport to
enter the country. Make sure your passport is up to date and
valid. Some countries will not let you in if your passport will
expire within six months of your return home, extend it, if
you are close to expiration.
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Find out if you will need any visas to enter
the country.
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Check to see what other type of paperwork
and documentation you will need to travel.
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Find out what type of diseases are common
to the area you’ll be visiting and take actions to prevent your
exposure to those diseases.
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Find out what types of vaccinations you
will need to enter the country, there may also be medications
you’ll need to take before, during and even after your trip.
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Find our what type of electrical outlets
the country uses, you may need a special converter or adapter
to use your electrical appliances.
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Check your own medical coverage to see what
type of coverage you’ll have when away from home. Consider purchasing
trip insurance.
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Do some research about the costs of local
items so you can set your budget. Don't forget to budget
for taxes and tipping, many governments charge high taxes for
travel related services.
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Check the financial section of your newspaper,
they usually post exchange rates and checking in advance can
give you an idea of how much you’ll need to budget.
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Do some research with U.S. Customs to find
out what you can take with you and what you may bring back.
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Build some basic language skills in the
local language.
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Check the dates of local major holidays,
since services may be limited on those dates.
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If you plan on driving, investigate the
local road conditions, laws and other driving requirements.
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Most of the world uses the metric system,
so try to become familiar with this system. 1 kilometer = .62
miles so 100 kilometers per hour = 62 miles per hour.
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Where can I find some online
resources to do some research for my trip abroad?
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Research Links
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Check out our research links page. This internal
page contains links and descriptions of many sites that are helpful
in planning a trip abroad. For your convenience, many of these
links are also placed in appropriate sections of this site, but
this page condenses all these links to one location.
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What services does the U.S.
State Department offer to help me to prepare for my trip?
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www.state.gov
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The U.S. State Department’s homepage.
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www.state.gov/www/services.html
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The U.S. State Department’s Services web page.
This site contains links to the services the U.S. State Department
provides to travelers; many of these web sites are also individually
linked to this web page for your convenience.
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travel.state.gov/travel_pubs.html
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The U.S. State Department’s Travel Publication
web page. This site contains links to foreign travel publications,
produced by the U.S. State Department, that are available on-line.
The publications address a wide range of issues for both the business
and vacationing traveler.
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What do I need to know if I
plan on driving a car in a foreign country?
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If you plan on driving a car, you’ll need
to check out the local driving regulations.
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You might need to obtain an international
driver’s license or need special insurance.
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If you are renting a car, check with the
rental company to make sure you’ll meet the local requirements
and be able to pick up the car. Some countries’ car rental companies
have upper as well as lower age requirements.
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You may have to pay a permit fee that allows
you to drive on their roads.
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Road signage may be in unfamiliar languages
and the colors and shapes of those signs may be different than
those in the United States.
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The direction of the lanes may be opposite
of those in the United States.
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Gasoline is usually considerably more expensive
and is often sold by the liter, 3.78 liters=1 gallon.
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Road conditions can be considerably more
dangerous than those in the United States.
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Some countries with modern highways allow
much higher speeds than the law allows in the United States.
Therefore, it is especially important to stay out of the fast
lane, unless you are passing or willing to travel at these high
rates of speed.
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How are rentals outside the
United States different from those here?
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Every country has its own rules, but here’s
a list of some items you may want to consider.
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You may need an international driver’s license
or permit, in addition to your U.S. driver’s license.
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The rental contract may not be in English.
See if they have rental contracts or at least an explanation
of contract terms available in English. Also, see if they will
have any English speaking counter personnel available to assist
you when you arrive.
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Your personal insurance or credit card coverage
may not be valid or acceptable to the rental company, so you
may need to purchase extra coverage.
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Most rental car fleets outside the U.S.
are made up of much smaller cars.
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Many foreign rental fleets have a large
percentage of manual transmission automobiles.
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Gauges may only read in the metric system,
100 kilometers=60 miles.
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Many countries have even higher taxes on
rental cars than those in the U.S.
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Some countries have both a minimum and a
maximum rental age.
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How can I get an International
Driver’s Permit?
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www.aaa.com/vacation/idpf.html
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The American Automobile Association’s International
Driving Permit web page. This site contains information on how
to get an International Driving Permit. This permit, used in conjunction
with your valid U.S. driver’s license, is valid in 150 countries.
Check out the site’s IDP FAQ link for further information.
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What can help me prepare if
I’m planning on driving while in Europe?
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www.travlang.com/signs/
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This site contains information on traffic
codes, road signs, parking, and road vocabulary for those planning
on driving in European countries.
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How do I deal with the language
barriers when I travel?
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Build a vocabulary in the local language. Learning
even a few words and phrases of the local language in advance of
your trip can greatly increase your enjoyment, safety and comfort
during your stay in a foreign country. Here’s a suggestion list
of a few words and phrases you might consider researching to build
your new vocabulary.
First, the complicated bathroom, this can be
a complex issue when you probably don’t have the time to deal with
complications. Asking for a "badezimmer", literally a
bathroom in German, will get you a room for taking a bath. But,
it might be lacking the toilet you were seeking. Find out what they
call it and ask for it. It is always best to keep it simple and
direct.
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How do I get to ….?
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How much for……?
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How many….?
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May I have….?
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Where is the…….?
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When is the…..?
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What time is…..?
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I need help.
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I don’t understand.
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Would you please speak slower.
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I don’t speak much …
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I would like to speak to someone that speaks
English.
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Please, thank you, you’re welcome, excuse
me, may I?, hello, goodbye.
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Yes, no, accept, decline, agree, disagree.
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The names of any foods to which your are
sensitive or allergic.
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The names of any of your medical conditions
or allergies.
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Fire exit, emergency exit, help, police,
doctor, hospital.
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Telephone, taxi, bus and bus terminal, train
and train station, airport, rental car office, auto repair.
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Toll Road, prohibited, forbidden, exit ramp,
entrance ramp, detour, parking, danger, construction, closed.
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Post Office, Tourist Office, Customs Office,
Bank, Embassy, Consulate
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Basic numbers, at least one to ten.
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Restaurant, hotel, bar.
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Left, right
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North, South, East, West.
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Section: MONEY ON THE ROAD
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