Exotic is not always about white sandy beaches and tropical greenery, it is also about a new climate, an unknown or unfamiliar culture, unusual food, life, as well as unusual animals and insects. To make a stay in a distant country successful, it won't hurt to take care of everything in advance.
Vaccinations
There is a number of countries where you will simply not be allowed without a certificate of vaccinations. This applies to many countries in Africa and some countries in South America. For example, without a vaccine against yellow fever, tourists will not be allowed into Ghana, Zimbabwe, Kenya, Congo, Mali, Peru, Chad, Togo, Ecuador, etc. The yellow fever vaccine is the only mandatory vaccination that is allowed to do to pregnant women, and children from 6 months.
Nevertheless, there are diseases that do not require mandatory vaccinations, but in this case, the entire responsibility falls on the shoulders of the traveler. For example, from Thailand, China, India, Kenya, Tanzania, Brazil and Peru, it is quite possible to bring malaria, cholera and even the plague.
Keep in mind that yellow fever vaccination can also be mandatory if you have been in transit for more than 12 hours in a country where there is a high risk of infection. You can get acquainted with the requirements and recommendations for entry to different countries of the world on the WHO site.
Insurance
If insurance is not compulsory, that is, it is not checked by the airport border guards, many tourists prefer not to deal with this issue at all. However, in fact, no one is immune from various kinds of trouble (most often - minor injuries, bites of insects or marine inhabitants). And if someone says that in the "exotic" countries, everyone can afford medicine, then there are several arguments.
First, as a rule, free medicine works in exotic countries, but the quality of provided services is very low.
Secondly, only paid medical centers can provide reliable and high-quality assistance, the treatment of which will result in a considerable “penny” if you do not have an insurance.
In addition, if you fly complicated flights with transfers, insurance will help you to feel confident in case of loss of luggage, cancellation or delay of flights, loss of documents, and so on. Find out from your insurance company, what else it can facilitate the upcoming trip.
Documents and money
We often remind travelers to make copies of their passports before the trip and to save them online. It can also come in handy to have a photo of your migration card saved online.
If you have been vaccinated, be sure to take the original vaccination card with you.
If you use a Visa or MasterCard, warn the bank that you are going on a trip. It is not uncommon for banks to block the cards which were used for payment in distant countries.
As for cash, you should always have paper money. In exotic countries it is unlikely that you will be able to get it the local currency in advance.
However, in any country you can exchange US dollars (it can be more difficult to exchange euro). Make sure that you always have small change in your wallet in case you do not find a working exchanger on arrival.
First aid kit
Don't even think that you will be able to buy any medicine in the pharmacy of a distant country, even if you know the exact name of a medicine there might be some difficulties - it may be trivially called, sold by prescription, or not sold at all. Therefore, take all the most necessary things with you. The same applies to drugs that you take by doctors prescription. If there is a possibility that you may need some other drugs during the trip, ask your doctor to write the names of their active substance in Latin.
When collecting a first aid kit on a trip, be sure to put a bandage, disinfectant, adhesive plaster, healing ointment, anesthetic and fever removing medicine, and something to help you from poisoning. When traveling to countries with hot climate, be sure to take a spray or ointment from thermal burns.
Useful items and skills
When packing a suitcase, consider not only the climate, but also the cultural characteristics of the countries you are going to visit. Many people know that in Muslim countries they can fine and even arrest for bathing in a bikini on a public beach. The same applies to casual wear.
Among other things, take with you comfortable shoes (sneakers or special shoes), a long-sleeved windbreaker, and at least one warm thing, as well as a hat.
Be sure to grab the socket adapter, power bank, lightweight backpack. If you plan to stay in hotels of dubious service, take a set of bed linen and a towel with you - in case the fears are confirmed.
Learn a few useful phrases in the local language — not even international English is understood everywhere. Find out about things forbidden to import/export from the country to which you are going, and also alcohol restrictions. For example, in no case can you bring chewing gum to Singapore, you will not be let in Jamaica with your coffee, and in New Zealand - with any food.
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