Whether courtesy of clients or my own wanderlust, I’ve been fortunate enough to travel from Latin America to Europe to Asia and many points in between. Along the way, I’ve learned a few things that I think are worth passing along to all of you interested in international travel.
1. Consider a travel agent
You may not get the cheapest price on airfare and such when working with a travel agent, but in working with mine, I’ve discovered hotels and options that I wouldn’t have considered on my own. Just as there’s an advantage to hiring an experienced photographer over an Uncle Bob, an experienced travel agent will help make your trip a success
For my trip to Singapore, my travel agent recommended a boutique hotel that was more expensive than the one I’d found on Orbitz, but the free limo from the airport, free minibar, free laundry services and included breakfast, lunch and dinner actually ended up saving me money.
Agents do have their limitations however. They’re going to want to book you into accommodations where they get a commission. Sometimes the better option is to pay the agent a flat rate for helping you with the trip so that you can get the advice you need without feeling obligated to use their recommendations.
2. Using reward and travel points for airfare doesn’t equal free
You still have to pay for taxes and fees. I used air miles to cover my flight to Singapore however that still left nearly $600 in out of pocket fees that I had to pay - which was slightly less than half of the original $1,200 price.
3. Not all jet lag is equal
The jet lag in traveling from West to East is much worse than going the other direction. In other words, expect much worse jet lag if you’re traveling from the US to Europe than if you’re going from the US to Asia. This is something to consider if you’re making ambitious plans on your first couple of days in Europe. Just know that the travel will take a toll so, if you have the option, go easy when you first get there.
On the other hand, if you fly to Asia, I suggest not sleeping on the plane so when you arrive, usually at night, you can get a good night’s sleep and pretty much not even notice the time change. (Coming back is a much different story. Plan on days to recover.)
4. Hire a local guide, if even for a day.
We live in a do-it-yourself culture so hiring someone doesn’t often fit into our sense of independence and discovery. But a trained local will point out so much that you can’t possibly find on your own. In many areas, guides must be certified (as in Japan) so that you can be sure that whomever you hire is knowledgeable.
5. Don’t bother renting a car
Unless it’s integral to your travel plans, dealing with a car is often more hassle than it’s worth and doesn’t save you the money – on taxi fares and such - that you think it does. Besides, after a dinner with drinks or a long day out on the tourist trail, the last thing you should be doing is driving on a dark, unfamiliar road with other drivers who seem to be intent upon killing you and everyone around them.
6. If you rent a car, get the insurance!
When traveling in a land where people drive with no regard for their safety and certainly not yours, accidents are the norm so plan accordingly. If you’re traveling on behalf of a client, the tendency is to try to save them money and not opt for the insurance. Just charge them for it as though it’s any other cost for you to be there. Be sure to get your international driver’s license in advance too.
7. All of your bags must have wheels.
That shoulder bag that seemed pretty reasonable at home is quickly going to ruin your back and neck when you’re schlepping your luggage through endless train station tunnels or down narrow cobblestone streets.
8. Use vacuum bags for compressing your clothing.
Eagle Creek makes some nifty bags that force out all the air from the bag as you roll your clothing up. You’ll be surprised how much space you save in the process!
9. Turn off data roaming on your smart phone!
If you don’t, you could accidentally download very expensive content. That $100 cell phone bill can easily soar to $300 or $400 or more. It doesn’t hurt to add international usage to your bill before you leave, but it’s still not cheap and should only be used sparingly.
10. Keep your camera kit light.
If it’s too heavy, you won’t bring it with you anyhow. Resist the temptation to throw in that extra lens. While at home I opt for my workhorse 70-200 f 2.8 IS lens, however, when traveling I trade it for my f4 non-IS version that’s much lighter, smaller and cheaper.
11. Plan to get up early to avoid the crowds
Nothing spoils a shot more than tourist hordes smack in the middle of your scene. Though it’s tough after long travel days, getting up at the crack of dawn to visit ancient ruins or scenic vistas is often the best way to ensure you’ll get shots worthy of framing back home.
12. Research tipping practices
Find out about the norms of tipping in your destination countries before you leave. In Japan, tips are not the norm and rarely accepted which made for awkward moments as we forced tips on our hotel staff. In Cambodia, tips are optional and when offered, 10% is typical.
13. Backup photos to the internet regularly
At night, I’ll edit my raw files in Lightroom and then backup hi res jpegs to Smugmug overnight via the hotel’s WiFi. Depending on how many photos I’m shooting, I’ll usually backup just my selects since the hotel’s connection is often too slow to allow for the backup of everything. I sleep more soundly knowing that my photos won’t be lost even if my bags get stolen or damaged en route.
14. Bring backups and repair tools
A small set of jewelry screwdrivers can save your butt in a pinch if you need to make a quick repair. Bring extra batteries, cords, and lens and sensor cleaning supplies. I always like to stash a handful of old CF cards in various compartments in case I leave without my main card wallet. Sometimes it’s the little things that can make or break a trip.
On a recent overseas trip, a big dust spot developed on my SLR’s sensor. Unfortunately, I brought nothing with which to clean it. The local camera store had some funky device - that set me back $30 and that only made the problem worse. Once I got home, much of my editing time was spent just cleaning up sensor spots. Now cleaning supplies are an essential part of my travel kit.
15. Think really lightweight when traveling to the tropics
Unless you’ve got something formal to attend, limit yourself to one pair of pants and maybe a light sweatshirt. The humidity keeps temperatures high both night and day. That said, tradewinds constantly hit islands like Hawaii and Jamaica so they tend to stay cooler. Cabo San Lucas in Mexico is barely in the tropics so the temperatures tend to vary more – both to the hotter and cooler. On the other hand, mainland countries like Panama and Cambodia stay hot pretty much all day and night.
16. Bring laundry soap
Depending on how long you’re gone, think about how you’ll launder your clothes. Hotel laundry services quickly add up – a week’s worth of clothing for you and your partner can easily cost $100. That $4 bottle of travel soap that you can use to wash clothes in the sink can save you a lot of money.
17. Lose the stack of books; invest in an iPad or Kindle reader
For Italy, I brought over a load of cumbersome books that I paid for twice: once when I bought them and again when I paid for airline excess weight charges. Prior to my last 16 hour flight, I loaded my iPad with books and movies. When my headset on the plane didn’t work, I just plugged into my tablet and enjoyed the trip.
18. Bring plenty of cash and consider changing it in advance.
Generally, the longer you wait, the worse the exchange rate. By the time, you need to change the cash, usually your options are more limited and expensive. Credit cards don’t always work – and be sure to bring two of them since sometimes one can’t be read by the machine. American Express is great, but often not accepted so bring a Visa/Mastercard as well.
19. Take your meds
If traveling to a developing country, be sure to get your shots well in advance. Some vaccines take four to six weeks to take effect so don’t wait until the last minute. If you can, bring antibiotics and other medicines such as anti-diarrheals and aspirin. Antibacterial hand gel will help you out when even the water you’re washing your hands with is suspect.
20. There is no 20th tip
Other than have fun on your journeys! Travel to foreign lands is a wonderful opportunity to gain a different perspective on life and how to live it. Seize the opportunity to make it happen!
The photos in this Business Coach were taken by me in Cambodia. More images and stories on my blog. All were processed using the Toolkit Lightroom Presets. My temple shots were processed using "Whallup" from the Toy Camera Preset Kit. All content © 2011 and may not be reproduced without permission.
John Mireles
