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When you take a trip abroad, it can sometimes seem like a bit of a waste to stay in one area. It’s not often that you get the chance to explore an exotic country, and you’ll want to make the most of it. One of the best ways to really see a country, is to go on a driving tour. It takes a lot more planning than your average holiday, but it’ll definitely be worth it in the end. If you’re itching to hit the open road and get to know a new country, here are the things you’ll have to sort out before you go.

Licence and Insurance

In most countries, your home driving licence won’t be accepted. You’ll need to get yourself an international driving permit, that gives you temporary permission to drive in that country. It is also worth checking what the legal driving age is. The age can vary quite a lot in different countries, and you don’t want to get caught driving underage.

You also need to look into your insurance. If you’re lucky, then your current policy might already cover you when you go abroad. If not, then you will need to extend it. By taking defensive driving traffic school online, you can cut the cost of your new policy, and brush up on your skills before doing some long drives.

Driving Rules

Don’t drive on the wrong side of the road. It might sound obvious, but some people still end up doing it. There are some countries around the world that drive on the opposite side of the road, so make sure you know if you’re going to one of them or not. You should also look into the road signs, as they might not be the same as ours. If you get pulled over for speeding, they won’t let you off because you read the signs wrong.

Plan Your Route Before You Go

It’s good to have a bit of flexibility, but it’s still best to plan a few stops along the way. If you don’t, you could end up wasting a lot of your holiday driving around aimlessly. If you are going with family or friends, try letting everybody pick one stop each, that way nobody will be disappointed. There are plenty of great travel apps out there that can help you with your route planning. Roadtrippers can plan a route for you using google maps and then show you what sights there are to see along the way.

Budget

People often make the mistake of thinking that, because they are saving money by driving, they can spend what they like. If you aren’t careful, you’ll run out of money halfway through the drive. Make sure you account for gas, accommodation, and food, as well as keeping a good chunk to the side for fun stuff. If you’re struggling, use a travel budget planner to help you.

Do you remember a time when you had books, TV, camera, computer, game consoles, calendar and phone that were all separate entities?
Now, you can get all those entertainment items in one place; your pocket.

It’s uncommon to have a phone that isn’t part of the smart technology brand and we would give up anything and everything just to own a modern smartphone. The ease of use, instant access and ability to have everything in one place at one time makes travelling so much easier.

The cell phones of today are portable entertainment systems which also provides the practical aspects of making a phone call and sending a text message. You are no longer stuck without communication when you are abroad on the beach or trekking across Europe on a gap year.

The ability to pack lightly when you travel is essential. Carrying bulky cameras and Go Pro devices can be a pain when you are busy and want to have less in your bags. With so many updates on devices, camera quality is second to none on smartphones. The ability to zoom, focus and take photos that aren’t blurred is right there in your pocket.

On long journeys, you can read, play games, listen to music and make mini movies; it’s all the entertainment that you will probably need. Want to be able to watch the latest films while you sit on that long cross-country train? Download MovieBox now!  

The only issue that you will probably have due to the amount of entertainment piled into one phone is the battery life; but that’s what chargers were invented for right?

Perfect Selfie - Travelling with the Fuji X100T//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js

Aside from all the entertainment uses of a smartphone; the ability to store tickets, booking confirmations and travel documents is so handy in a phone. Making sure you have a portable charger like this one can make a world of difference if you are stuck at a hotel and you can’t prove your hotel booking. In fact, phones do run out of battery quite quickly in some cases and you’ll need some rescuing with a portable charger.

With social media now readily available anywhere and everywhere you go; check points along your travels on your social media apps can also allow your friends and family to keep an eye on your last location. This means that if something goes wrong while you’re abroad, you can be looked after.

Travelling alone is not an easy thing to do, nor is it the safest thing to do. With a smartphone, you can keep in constant touch with people, even if you aren’t texting or talking twenty-four hours a day. Your checkpoints can also give you information on the nearby restaurants, hotels, attractions and hospitals, and you’re never going to feel like you’re too far away from things that you need when you’re abroad.

Indeed, travelling around the globe can be a huge discovery and when you’re travelling light, you’re not only saving money on baggage and tickets, but with your smartphone; you can find the best food, hotels, and discounts without having to find an internet café. Build your travel playlist for those long hikes and enjoy your music without needing to bring a separate MP3 player.

Travel light, travel safely and be entertained while you do it!

For some of us travelling is just in our blood. We get itchy feet, and every so often we have to get up and go and explore somewhere new. But just because you have the instinct to travel doesn’t mean that you know all of the tricks to make sure you always have an amazing time. In fact, there are a few tips that you can learn to get the best out of your trips. Read on to find out more.