Hot Tips for Preparing for International Travel (Revisited for 2025)
The travel industry is definitely booming and many travelers, tired of local haunts, are heading to far-flung destinations post-pandemic. At Curated Travel, our clients are headed to St. Lucia, Bora Bora, Cancun, South Africa, Germany, European River Cruises, the British Isles, Slovenia, France, and the always-popular Italy in the next several months. With 3 trips to Europe last year and Italy on my horizon later this month, I will attest that travel is back and more exciting than ever!
The travel industry is booming, and many travelers, tired of local haunts, are heading to far-flung destinations. At Curated Travel, our clients are headed to the Lake District of Italy, Bora Bora, European River Cruises, the British Isles, Slovenia, Portugal, Spain, France, and the ever-popular Italy in the next several months. With 3 trips to Europe last year and Italy on my horizon later this month, I will attest that travel is back and more exciting than ever!
Hot Tips for International Travel
Pack your passport first (be sure it’s valid for 6 months or more post-return). Your passport is your most essential item for international travel. Take a picture of the info page and upload it to your phone in case your passport is lost during travel.
Check the website of your airline for luggage sizes and weight limits. If you can manage to pack your essentials in a carry-on only (and congrats!!) do it! If not, I strongly recommend packing a ‘capsule collection’ of basics and necessities in your carry-on in case of delayed luggage.
While you are checking the airline website be sure you have created your account and have the latest apps (including airline entertainment apps) downloaded before travel. Check-in 24 hours before travel and turn on notifications for any changes.
Contact your bank and credit card companies to alert them of your upcoming international travel and charges.
Call your cell phone company for the best international phone plan options during travel. Travel Hack: If you keep your phone in airplane mode for your entire trip, you can use your phone functions on free wifi at hotels, cafes, and airports with ease.
Purchase a universal adapter or two to use in the hotels for plugging in phone chargers and computers, or request one at your hotel. Check the voltage ratings in the small print on your electrical items. Most are rated for 100-240V; however, some are rated only for 125V (my blow dryer), which requires a converter from 220V to 110V US to European Converter.
Download WhatsApp on your phone for free international texting and video calling with family and friends (be sure they have the app too!). For our travel clients, WhatsApp is frequently used by our international travel partners to keep in close contact with tours/guides/transfers while you travel.
Bring your state driver’s license if you plan to rent a scooter during an excursion. If you plan to rent a car, an International Driving Permit is strongly recommended. It’s easy to obtain ahead of your travels from the American Automobile Association here.
For dining abroad, apps like TheFork are available internationally for easy booking. Use the Michelin Guide (one of our preferred partners) for more dining and travel inspiration.
Download a language translation app like TripLingo, or, better yet, learn the language before you travel.
UPDATE: Here I am, packing for my spring trip to Italy for 2 weeks at a luxury travel event. I couldn’t quite believe I was able to manage it all (fancy events included) in carry-on luggage only. Trust me, it was so freeing not to worry about my luggage arriving with me. It was also freeing not to be schlepping extra baggage around for 2 weeks.
Notes on Packing: After too many experiences with delayed luggage, I’m a recent convert to carry-on-only luggage (I use a small roller bag plus a Beis Mini Weekender and a small crossbody bag). If you do check bags I highly recommend creating a ‘curated capsule’ in your carryon of at least 2 multi-use outfits, 2 pairs of shoes, makeup/haircare basics, deodorant, toothbrush/paste, medications, and scarves/jewelry to change up your look. If you do check a bag toss in an Apple Air Tag to track your luggage. I’ve written several articles about the fine art of packing for longer trips. Read more about my travel advisor packing strategies, including the essential Carryon Capsule Collection here. If you are curious about how I survived for 6 days at my first luxury travel event in Italy with NO Luggage read here.
Spending power: Credit cards are accepted almost everywhere these days- including from your phone with digital wallets. That said, it’s always good to have some cash on hand, especially for tipping or smaller purchases. Also, you will want to tip tour guides and drivers along the way in cash.
You can exchange for cash at the airport OR you can request your transfer/taxi driver make a quick stop at a local ATM on the way to your hotel for lower exchange rates.
Please note, Apple and other payment apps are widely used in Europe these days so going as wallet-free as possible is a good security tip. My husband learned this the hard way when pickpocketed on his first day in Lisbon. For your cash, use a money belt or clip and never put your wallet in your back pocket. For women, I’m all about the cross-body bag.
HOT Tip: My husband has started bringing home some leftover currency like euros or pesos to ease our arrival on our next trip to the destination.
Notes on tipping: Tips are usually included in the meal price (check the receipt) so it is not necessary to tip at a restaurant unless service is above and beyond. In Europe, your server typically won’t bring your bill until you request it. Essentially, the table is yours for the evening if you like. That said, tours/transfers/guides do not include tips in the pricing. In Italy/France the common practice for transfers with a short drive is €10-20, for a long drive is €40-50, and for private guides, a full day is €50 and a half day is €30.
HOT TIP - When you leave your hotel, grab a business card with the hotel address and phone number included or snap a photo of it. If you get lost (and don’t happen to meet an English speaker), showing a taxi driver or a passerby the card with the address is extremely helpful, even with a language barrier. If you have an itinerary app (such as UMAPPED which I create for my clients) show them the hotel address on the app to keep it simple.
My Must-Haves 2025 -
Apple AirPods Pro 2 Wireless Earbuds (Noise-canceling)
Makeup Case (and I love this hanging bag too - Toiletry Bag)
I hope this list of tips for international travel is helpful as you prepare for your upcoming travels.
Ciao! Ciao!
Heather
Contact us to help make your travel dreams come true!
French Polynesia and the Breathtaking islands of Moorea & Bora Bora: A Visual Journal
When you dream of visiting a destination for your entire adult life you suspect it has the ability to take your breath away. In July, following a nearly year-long postponement, we were finally living this exact moment in French Polynesia, and we realized the beauty is absolutely as breathtaking as we had dreamed. I hope these images will speak for themselves of the tropical beauty we experienced on the islands of Moorea and Bora Bora.
French Polynesia: shimmering turquoise waters, fragrant tropical breezes, the shade of magnificent palms, glowing sherbet sunrises over the lagoon, all sprinkled with sugar-sand beaches.
When you dream of visiting a destination for your entire adult life you suspect it has the ability to take your breath away. In July, following a nearly year-long postponement, we were finally living this exact moment in French Polynesia, and we realized the beauty is absolutely as breathtaking as we had dreamed. I hope these images will speak for themselves of the tropical beauty we experienced on the islands of Moorea and Bora Bora.
First stop: Moorea
(Hilton Moorea Lagoon Resort)
Next Stop: Bora Bora
(Intercontinental Bora Bora Resort & Spa)
Arriving by plane and private boat to the Intercontinental Bora Bora Resort & Thalasso Spa
A peek at our luxurious Diamond Villa Otemanu (with sweeping views of Mount Otemanu) and a video tour.
We couldn’t resist a spa day, with a couple’s massage, at Deep Ocean Thalasso Spa.
I celebrated a ‘BIG’ milestone birthday in Bora Bora. Turns out it was completely painless in an overwater bungalow, with room service, views of Mount Otemanu, sunrise swims, and my sweet husband.
Thank you to the Hilton Moorea Lagoon & Spa Resort and the Intercontinental Bora Bora Thalasso Spa Resort for making our celebratory stays so memorable.
To learn more about travel to French Polynesia and/or to book your getaway to a true tropical paradise Contact Us at Curated Travel.
Postcard from a Southern California Road Trip
A postcard from the road typically means I'm typing out a quick post on my phone as I'm doing just now with a glorious sunrise view from our balcony at the Ojai Valley Inn. Though California is having an early season heatwave we’ve been staying cool poolside.
A postcard from the road typically means I'm typing out a quick post on my phone as I'm doing just now with a glorious sunrise view from our balcony at the Ojai Valley Inn. Though California is having an early season heatwave we’ve been staying cool poolside.
Our first stop on this SoCal road trip was the Belmond El Encanto where we enjoyed a stay a number of years ago. It was a lovely walk down memory lane and then it was off to Ojai and the fabulous Ojai Valley Inn to explore a new area for us. As you can see by the gallery below—we loved it!
Beautiful views at Ojai Valley Inn
I’ll look forward to sharing more about our recent travels in upcoming posts. By the way, a hot tip for your travel is to consider making a few dining reservations ahead. Vacation destinations are getting busy and many establishments are short-staffed creating long wait times without a reservation.
Both hotels we visited have space available for fall and holiday bookings so contact us to learn more and to make your bookings!
Happy Summer!
Ciao! Heather
A Handy New Tool to Fuel Your Wanderlust: Meet The Wanderlist (It’s Complimentary!)
Wanderlust is having a moment with all the time we spent at home last year. As you are drooling over exotic destinations or a travel adventure closer to home? Do you ever wonder if there is a way to save and organize the destinations that capture your fancy? What about sharing travel dreams and ideas with family and friends or even your trusted travel advisor?
As a travel advisor with the global luxury network Virtuoso, I’m excited to share an innovative tool to capture your wanderlust travel dreams (plus it’s currently complimentary!).
Wanderlust is having a moment with all the time we spent at home last year. Are you are drooling over exotic destinations or a travel adventure closer to home? Do you ever wonder if there is a way to save and organize the destinations that capture your fancy? What about sharing travel dreams and ideas with family and friends and/or your trusted travel advisor?
As a travel advisor with the global luxury network Virtuoso, I’m excited to share an innovative tool to help capture your wanderlust travel dreams (plus it’s currently complimentary!) with my travel clients and readers of the blog.
Introducing the Wanderlist:
WANDERLIST FEATURES
Users can create a secure account
Browse destinations of interest and begin dreaming
Create personalized wish-lists
Experiences- Collect unique travel ideas
Hotels- Select from 1400 properties internationally to add to wish-lists
Cruise Lines- Discover cruise opportunities in destinations of interest to add to wish-lists
Share and compare ideas with friends, family, and your travel advisor
Add any wish-list ideas from the web to your list
Users are notified by email when friends, family, and clients create new lists, heart an idea and invite others to share in the fun.
Wanderlist is fun, easy, and FREE!
Consider the latest research on travel planning:
“It’s even possible to double-dip on the experience advantage. A study published in the journal Applied Research in Quality of Life showed a major spike in happiness — lasting about eight weeks — during the planning stage of a vacation, as people enjoy the sense of anticipation.
Another study shows a boost in happiness after a vacation, as people remember the experiences they had.
And the people they enjoyed those experiences with. ”
On a personal note: The gallery above is from our very own Wanderlist with a trip to French Polynesia on our summer horizon. #wanderlist
How About You-
Are you ready?
A Game-Changing Solo Trip to Italy (plus essential packing tips)
I'm reminiscing on a game-changing solo trip I took to Italy three years ago this week. Though I’ve enjoyed several Italian adventures in the years following this entire travel experience opened new doors for my Curated Travel business and reaffirmed my staunch adoration for the magic, beauty, and deliciousness of Italy and the charm and verve of the Italians. Plus, I learned some essential packing strategies I will never forget!
villa balbiano on Lake Como
I'm reminiscing on a game-changing solo trip I took to Italy three years ago this week. Though I’ve enjoyed several Italian adventures in the years following this entire travel experience opened new doors for my Curated Travel business and reaffirmed my staunch adoration for the magic, beauty, and deliciousness of Italy and the charm and verve of the Italians. Plus, I learned some essential packing strategies I will never forget!
I remember how anxious I was about flying to Europe solo for the first time, without my husband, and how daunting it was to be without my carefully packed luggage (a panic!) until the final leg of the trip. I learned how to put my best foot forward despite wearing sneakers to a fancy dinner party at Villa d’Este at Lake Como, how to lead with a smile to distract from my thrice-worn outfit, and that I was bold enough to seek out this adventure and make the most of every moment. I also learned to alter my packing strategies so I’m that never caught without the necessities again.
Below is a collection of blog posts from this transformative journey and if you are missing Italy like I am, I hope you enjoy the views. These photos feel like old friends and I am reminded how I, like so many of my clients, can barely wait to get back to dreamy Italia.
Ciao!! I have just arrived home from my 10-day luxury travel event in Northern Italy. My jet-lagged brain is a kaleidoscope of brilliant colors, scintillating views, the sparkle of chandeliers, prosecco toasts, and the delectable flavors of Northern Italian cuisine. - Curated Travel Blog
Posts are in chronological order starting on the lower right. Ciao!
Checking In...
I wanted to take a moment to check-in and let you know I am thinking of you. I hope you and your loved ones have been able to find a new level of health, balance, and gratitude during these trying times.
Hello friends,
It’s been a bit of a roller coaster lately, are you feeling it, too? I wanted to take a moment to check-in and let you know I am thinking of you. I hope you and your loved ones have been able to find a new level of health, balance, and gratitude during these complicated times. It was encouraging to hear they are making progress on a possible vaccine this morning and our travel dreams grew a bit brighter.
With that in mind, what are you dreaming of? They say that "To travel is to dream," but the dreaming is what comes first. It’s been wonderful to hear from so many of you, friends and clients, who are ready to place some travel on your horizon. Please think of me - and forward this message to your friends - whenever you are ready to travel or simply ready to dream. And with the holidays around the corner, there are so many wonderful promotions and gifting options for future use! I am at your service and would be delighted to bring your travel dreams to life.
Stay well and please keep in touch!
Heather
