1. Stay at a hotel with WiFi
If you don't buy a SIM card, you'll have to stay in a hotel that has WiFi. As a result, you can use your smartphone to connect the WiFi network. The smartphone is useful as a communication device as well as a tool for looking information.
2. Download the google translate
You need to download the foreign language after installing the google translate on your smartphone. For example, if you want to go to China, you have to download the Chinese language. That is because you can use it even if you don't have access to the internet.
The application is very important because you can use it as a communication tool. Don't aspect that everyone knows the English language. I had bad experiences when I was in Korea and China. It was too hard to find people who can speak English. As a Malaysian, we should be thankful because we have to learn English as a second language and our government encourage us to learn more than two languages too.
3. Take pamphlets about the tourist attraction
You must take any free pamphlets that you discover at an airport and any tourist information centres because they are useful when we have a communication barrier. When you wish to go to a specific tourist attraction, simply show the driver the photograph on the flyer. You don't have to speak, he can understand and he will inform you when we get at our location.
4. Where to stay??
If you travel for shopping, better for you to stay near the shopping spot. Meanwhile, it is preferable to stay near tourist attractions if you travel for visiting interesting places. As a result, you can save your budget for transportation. You can choose to stay near facilities too like money changer, train station, restaurants and so on.
5. Universal adapter
Universal adapter allows a device from one country to be plugged into the wall outlet of another country. It is very important to us to make sure we can use our devices like a smartphone.
6. Bring food
As a Muslim, we have to carry food when we want to go to a non-Muslim country. Don't aspect that we can find halal food immediately when we arrive at the destination. We can bring a snack, bread, cake, keropok, biscuit and so forth. Malays who cannot separate with rice can bring a small rice cooker like the picture below to cook. It can cook for two people.
A small rice cooker
7. Print out rail transit line, subway and train map stations
People who travel independently must have the maps because we use the public transports when we want to go to many destinations. The maps are important to make sure we can arrive at the destination correctly.
8. Search information about the destination
Climate is one of the important information. If you want to go to a country with four seasons, you have to check its season and make preparation to face it, for instance, if you plan to go on winter, you have to bring suitable clothes.
You have to know about their culture, attitude and lifestyle too to make sure we do not feel weird and shocked.
9. Advice and opinion
You can ask for advice and opinion from people who have been in the country. If you do not know even a person, you can get the information from internet. You can use them as your guideline and preparation to go there.
10. Search information about money changer
If you want to save your budget, you have to search which money changer offers the cheapest rate for exchange.
11. List down the places that you plan to visit
After listing down the places, you have to find information about the places like visiting hour, entrance fee and how to get there.
12. Clothes
If you go abroad during spring, autumn and winter, you do not need to bring more clothes because the weather is cold and we will not sweat. We can wear the same clothes several times.
13. Search information about ways to save money
Certain country offers a discount card, for instance, South Korea offers T-money Card for use on subway, bus and taxi. We can get a little discount when we use it.
Certain places offer combo tickets, for example the Paris Attraction pass grants you free entry into an additional 13 attractions and tours.
14. Activate your debit card
Of course, you can use your debit card to make any kind of payment in abroad. But first, we need to activate the overseas consumption.
The card can be activated either at an ATM machine or online. When your debit card has be activated or authorized, you can make payment and withdraw your money abroad.
15. Loss passport
Make sure to have copies of your identity card, passport, flight ticket, and passport photo ready before you go in case your passport gets stolen. I never experienced with losing of passport but based on information I got, the embassy needs all the documents to give us Sijil Perakuan Cemas (SPC)
16. Wise Card
If you like travelling abroad, I advise you to have the Wise Card because it is cheaper compare to other debit card for international transactions. We can use this card in store, online or withdraw from ATM machine in local currency like a local. With the Wise card, we never have to be concerned about exchange rate markups, or high transaction fees when we spend abroad.
17. Touch'nGo eWallet
Wherever you see the Alipay logo, you can use your Touch'nGo eWallet in making any payment
The information mention above is crucial for those who travel alone and do not use any travel agencies. You will not need to worry if you travel with a travel agent because they will arrange every thing.
