So you’ve flown into a new country… awesome, good for you!!!
But you take your first steps into the airport and you’re bombarded by taxi drivers, rental agents, tour guides and money exchanges.
Suddenly the relax of stepping out of your comfort zone into a new country is not so soothing.
How can you avoid this feeling? In the words of Scar the villain of my fav movie Lion King… Be Prepared.
Here’s five tips on avoiding overwhelm when you arrive in a new country:
1. Have your transportation planned
You don’t necessarily have to have it booked. But go ahead and do you research on what the best method of transportation is in that country and while you’re at it, look to see if there are any prevalent scams going around.
For example in Mexico, we learned that the taxi drivers would upcharge tourists, but you can price haggle there. And in Costa Rica, we learned that there has been a flat tire scam going on for years, so we knew to be careful with any maintenance issues. Having transportation carefully planned gives you the confidence boost you need to say no to any hagglers.
2. Cash out, outside of the airport
I have yet to find a country where the exchange rates are fair within the airport. In Costa Rica, the cash exchange agents actually lied to us and told us that banks were closed that weekend and we were screwed out of $40.
Just wait to get your cash from an ATM, and make sure your credit cards are set to use outside of the country.
Travel Tip: Charles Schwab doesn’t charge international ATM fees, so we use them for our checking account.
3. Keep an eye on your bags
Whether we check a bag or only have a carry-on, we always keep an airtag in our bag. This gives a huge peace of mind, as it allows us to always check on our bags location. Our luggage has only been left behind once, but we knew it’s location BEFORE the airline could tell us! We carry an airtag in every single bag now.
Grab your apple airtag here:
4. Have your accommodation ready for night one
I’m all for winging a trip! But there is nothing more exhausting than a day full of layovers, stinky planes, and rental agencies. Go ahead and know where you are going night one so you can have an evening of rest. That way you aren’t sitting on an airport floor flipping through pages of hotel guides.
5. Take a breath
Enjoy every moment! Remember craziness is a part of it and sometimes it won’t go your way, and that’s okay. You just may end up with a good story to tell… Promise it will be funny in a few days after the sleepiness has worn out of your eyes!
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8 Responses
I always have somewhere booked for the first night! It saves soooo much worry and stress
Love this! I always follow this tips and it helps a lot 🙂
I agree, getting cash in an airport is never a good idea! Horrible exchange rates!
Great tips! I always get cash from an ATM. I seldom use the currency exchanges anywhere; inside or outside an airport.
This is great! I was so overwhelmed when I went to Costa Rica. When I landed in San Jose I was told that I had to take a taxi because the buses were no longer running. Not true. It was a long day and I didn’t feel like looking into it; I just wanted to get to my hostel. Thanks for sharing these tips!
Great tips! I agree about having your first night’s accommodations sorted out. Nothing worse than getting to a new place and having to walk around looking for somewhere to sleep!
Great tips. I always try book transport from the airport so it’s one less thing to worry about.
Great tips!! Having somewhere to sleep for at least your first night is a must to avoid stressing out when you arrive in a new place 🙂