Introduction
Traveling to a new country is exhilarating. I love stepping out of the airport to soak in the sounds of foreign words and getting swept up in the hustle of fellow travelers coming or going. I find these are the moments when I’m most aware of what it means to feel alive.
However, I also know that this can be an overwhelming experience. Oftentimes, we are tired after a long flight or nervous about being in a new place. So, along the way, I've developed a well-honed routine: A set of five essential steps that guide me whenever I step foot into a foreign land.
So, whether you're a seasoned traveler or about to embark on your very first international journey, this checklist will help you get grounded so you can kickstart your trip with confidence.
1. Connect to Airport Wi-Fi
My routine starts before I even leave arrivals. After all, I’ll need to figure out how to navigate myself from the airport to Point B on my journey. So the first thing I do is find a spot to sit down, collect myself, and connect to Wi-Fi.
One of my top priorities is to update my family. I like to send out a mass WhatsApp or Snapchat message, just letting everyone know I landed safely. I like Snapchat because it also allows me to share my rough location with my loved ones.
Oftentimes airport Wi-Fi is slow so I’ll use this downtime to charge up all my devices and figure out transfer to my hotel.
2. Secure Important Downloads
Part of my airport Wi-Fi process is to download an offline map of my destination. I use Google maps so I can always have the map on my phone. It is worth noting that offline maps only provide directions. You won't have access to traffic info, alternate routes, or lane guidance unless you connect to Wi-Fi and use a live map. However, I still find this step to be crucial when navigating new places.
Here are the steps I take to download a map:
Open Google Maps and search the city I’m exploring.
Click the white slider at the bottom to expand the info about the location.
Click the icon at the top right (the three, vertical dots) and select “Download offline map”
Adjust the map selection box to encompass the whole area you want.
The map is now downloading. You will get notified when the download is complete. To access the downloaded map:
Open Google Maps and select your profile icon at the top right.
Click “Offline maps“ to view all your downloads
This is also where you can delete downloads after you’re done needing them. Offline maps can take up a lot of free space on your phone, so after my trip I tend to delete the offline maps I used. This is also really easy to do through the Google Maps mobile app.
As an additional measure, I like to download Google Translate, which is free and also has an offline mode. You can simply download whatever languages are spoken in your destination and have a virtual dictionary no matter where you are.
3. Exchange Currency
After that, I like to check the current exchange rate and familiarize myself with the language of the country’s currency. I recognize that it’s often more cost-effective to exchange currency before leaving home, and I have done that.
If you want to exchange currency in the United States, your local bank or credit union will be your best option. These smaller institutions have access to the best exchange rates and usually charge fewer fees than international exchange bureaus.
I must admit, however, that the convenience of exchanging at the airport has grown to outweigh the additional fees I have to pay. So, oftentimes, I simply find a currency exchange kiosk at the airport.
Currency I obtained for my trip to Iceland.
This may not seem like a crucial step, but it is. Even in countries where I plan to use my travel credit card (which has no foreign transaction fee), I like to have the equivalent of at least $50 in the local currency for emergencies or for places that don’t accept credit cards. Further, though many stores abroad accept USD, paying with local currency is more cost-efficient.
If I still haven’t used all these funds toward the end of my trip, then I’ll incorporate them into whatever expenses I have left before I leave.
4. Settle Into Accommodation
With money and maps in hand, I make my way towards my accommodation. Sometimes that’s through public transit, sometimes that’s through Uber. I usually have an idea of this before I land so it’s just a matter of setting the wheels in motion, and airport Wi-Fi is a godsend for booking Ubers or confirming directions via train or bus.
Many hotels allow early or late check-in that coincides with your flight arrival. I usually reach out to the hotel via email about a week before I’m set to arrive and ask if that’s an option. In my email, I state I will land about an hour after I actually do. This hour of downtime gives me a chance to complete steps 1-3.
In my email, I also ask how they recommend I get to them. Sometimes the hotel offers a free shuttle to guests that wasn’t overtly listed on their website. Sometimes they provide detailed instructions for public transit. If I have neither of those first two options, then I’ll book a taxi or Uber. Either way, I try to confirm this information before I leave home.
In the off chance that I can’t check in for multiple hours, then I will swap steps 4 and 5.
5. Book a Walking Tour
The first “activity” I like to do is a walking tour.
I find this is the best way to familiarize myself with the destination and, often, these tours take me past the major tourist sites on my radar anyways.
Walking tours are a gold mine because you can ask your guide (oftentimes a native resident) for insights on cultural customs and how to stay on the good side of locals. I ask where they like to eat and hang out, which results in experiences that take me beyond the cliche. This is also an opportunity to move and get some fresh air after sitting on an airplane for hours.
Walking tours also help me decide what I want to focus on during the rest of my trip. Maybe, as I was building my itinerary, I set aside too much or too little in certain areas that, after going through the tour, I want to reconsider.
Conclusion
I recommend tailoring this checklist to your comfort level. You can download offline maps and translation apps before you leave home. You can exchange currency before or after landing at the airport. You can take an hour or two to decompress in your hotel before venturing out.
By following these steps, in whatever order suits you, you can get centered enough to fully embrace the beauty of a new place.
So, as you embark on your next adventure, whether it's your first or your fiftieth country, remember these steps. This checklist has guided me through some of the most rewarding and fulfilling trips of my life. I’m grateful I was able to be fully present because I had the peace-of-mind that stemmed from this routine.