Sadly, this post was inspired by an Italian man who was attempting to drive overland from India to Italy. He got stuck in Pakistan, crashed at our place for two months, and ended up owing half a dozen people a few thousand dollars each (which he hasn’t paid back a year later). His first problem was that he didn’t even know where he was on a world map. His second problem: he only spoke Italian and had no language phrase books or anything to help him communicate. Subsequent problems: He was driving an old Fiat RV (pictured above) that stuck out like a sore thumb and couldn’t be fixed anywhere (no Fiat parts available), and he had no money. He was basically a travel emergency waiting to happen.

Not everyone who travels abroad is as travel-savvy as they think they’d like to be, and even the most experienced travelers can attest that a wealth of knowledge can be learned from the worst blunders.

Be Informed

The cardinal rule of world travel should be this: If you can’t find the country you’re going to on a world map, don’t go there, and certainly don’t plan to drive there yourself. You need to know about your intended destination and where it is. If you only have a two-day stopover in Paris, there’s no need to learn French or read lengthy historical essays about the French Revolution.

On the other hand, if you are planning an extended trip to a country that has a culture very different from your own, it’s best to do some background reading beforehand. Did you know in India it’s rude to show the sole of your foot to someone? In some cultures, eye contact is considered rude, inappropriate, or as a way to show you’re interested in someone of the opposite sex. Guidebooks offer helpful to tips to prevent you from getting yourself in trouble for a cultural faux pas. In some countries, you can even get arrested. Hear the story about the kissing tourists arrested in India? You don’t want your name to end up in the headlines.

Aside from cultural differences, you need to know about safety conditions, basic costs, visas and visa restrictions, weather, and what types of transport are available. Many countries do not offer visas on arrival, and waiting for a visa to be issued while en-route can cost you lots of time and money. If you have a multi-stop trip, be sure to find out about visa procedures for each country before you set out. Sometimes, you can only get visas from your country of origin, so it’s best to get these before leaving home.

Have Your Finances in Order

There are lots of blog posts out there about how to travel on a low budget. Leon Logothetis of Fox’s “Amazing Adventures of a Nobody” may think it’s cool to travel on $5 a day and mooch off other people for the rest of his expenses, but if you’re a responsible traveler you certainly won’t look to him as a role model. Wouldn’t you rather contribute to the economy of the country you’re traveling in, rather than freeload off the local people and create a bad image for other travelers?

In some places it’s dirt cheap to travel, while in other countries it can be painfully expensive. You could have a two-week holiday in Thailand for roughly the same costs as two nights in London, and you need to know what basic costs will be before you set foot out the door.

Many a traveler has been stranded for lack of money. If you’re not planning to get a job overseas and earn some money (which requires proper work visas in most places), you’d better budget yourself enough money to get home and for any emergencies.

Give yourself at least two ways to get money from home, carry cash and an emergency credit card. Dollars, Pounds Sterling and Euros are good currencies to have on hand. In some places ATMs are not available and you’ll need cash for your whole trip. Buy a money belt so you can conceal your money safely, and never leave money in hotel rooms or out of your sight. Traveler’s checks aren’t worth using much anymore with ATMs around, and they certainly aren’t worth the hassle in developing countries. Talk to your bank beforehand about ATM charges and make sure to set up online banking so you can monitor your account while overseas.

Be Prepared for an Emergency

Carry the names, numbers, emails and addresses for a few close friends or family who can help you out financially in case you really get in a bind. Western Union does charge a fee, but it’s fast and offices can be found in most major cities throughout the world.

Before you leave, give your itinerary to at least two people. You may not stick to it exactly, but if nobody hears from you for a while at least they’ll know where to start looking.

Carry a small medical kit with you. Include bandages, gauze, a needle and thread, band-aids, plastic gloves, disinfectant, painkiller, antibiotics (like Flagyl, good for stomach issues), water purification tablets, nail clippers, a Swiss-army style knife and anything else specifically needed for your trip.

To sum it all up: Know where you’re going. Have your visas in order. Don’t offend the locals. Bring enough money. Have an emergency plan. Pack your emergency/disaster kit. Have fun!