Travel can be one of the most rewarding experiences that you ever grant yourself. There is so much to see out there and so much to learn. However, it’s smart to be prepared before you embark on any kind of travel adventure. Having the correct documents ready is just the first step.

Before leaving on a trip, find out and write down the addresses of the American embassies in the countries you’ll be visiting. While the embassy is not a traveler’s aid office, they can help you if your passport is stolen or if you find yourself in some kind of unexpected legal trouble while overseas.

Instead of putting your liquids in a plastic bag to prevent them from leaking, try unscrewing the lid and putting a piece of plastic from a grocery bag over the top and screwing the lid on over it. While a zip-lock bag will prevent spills from ruining things, this method will prevent things from spilling in the first place.

If you will be traveling to a foreign country where English is not the primary language, please make the effort to learn at least a few basic phrases, and make sure your pronunciation is as close as possible to the real thing. If you start out in THEIR language, most non-English speakers will quickly realize that you don’t actually speak their tongue, and will meet you more than halfway in a helpful attempt to communicate. Starting out in English, on the other hand, sends the message that they need to communicate on your terms, which is impolite.

If you are traveling abroad you can be easily the target of a crime. Make sure you don’t wear any expensive or conspicuous jewelry and carry an extensive amount of money. Following these two tips will lessen your chance of being pick-pocketed or being the target of a petty crime.

If you plan on traveling, especially to another country, you should subscribe to a travel insurance. A travel insurance will reimburse your tickets if your flight is canceled. It will also help you fly home if you or a member of your family gets sick in another country. Most travel insurance also insures rental cars.

To save money you want to plan your trip as far in advanced as you can. Both plane and hotel tickets will most likely be cheaper if you purchase them months before your trip takes place rather then a couple of weeks before. You can use the money you saved to enjoy yourself better on your vacation, or you can save it to go on another.

If you are not interested in striking up a conversation with your seat mates, make sure you bring along big, noise-cancelling headphones. Most people will not try to strike up a conversation with someone who is obviously not interested in talking. These have the added bonus of blocking out the sounds of babies crying or people chatting while you relax.

In conclusion, make certain you are armed with the proper information for your trip and your destinations. Travel will be so much more rewarding if you avoid any negative incidents that could crop up along the way. Preparation and knowledge are key ingredients to having a wonderful travel experience.