Traveling out of Country | FerrariChat

Traveling out of Country

Discussion in 'Other Off Topic Forum' started by AlbertFattal, Jun 9, 2008.

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  1. AlbertFattal

    AlbertFattal Karting

    Apr 10, 2004
    198
    I will be leaving the country for two months four weeks from this week. I'd like some insider feedback from those who have traveled, or are seasoned travelers.

    Is it important to get foreign currency exchange before departing the U.S.?

    How does one typically communicate with others from other countries?

    Should I be careful of pick pockets =0

    Is it a good idea to keep the US Embassy number readily available?

    I am going to be traveling all over the Middle East, including the amazing Dubai, but I will first be landing on the bombed Bruited Intl Airport (which has since been paved and opened)

    Do credit cards/ATM's/Cell Phones work outside the US? I'm BURSTING with questions! Any other tips would be totally cool =D

    Also any GPS recommendations that work outside the US?
     
  2. agup48

    agup48 Two Time F1 World Champ

    Apr 15, 2006
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    #2 agup48, Jun 9, 2008
    Last edited: Jun 9, 2008
    I haven't gone out of the country in a while, pick up some travelers checks. You can trade currency (like I said has been a while) usually at the airport.
    Have you thought about vaccines, if you really want to be safe. Is your passport up to date? Communication, I don't really know, not everyone knows English, so pick up a Arabic or some other kind of word translator/dictionary. Cell phones, your phone MUST be Quad-Band, you can talk to your phone company on that. I think ATMs charge a fee for out of country, credit cards should work, my dad had a problem with his in Pap-land (Australia, that is), but after a call, it worked (don't know what happened)

    I'm sure someone will correct me, so if my information isn't correct please do correct me.
    Oh, and always buy bottled water, don't drink the tap water. I don't know about Dubai tap, but India's tap water is disgusting.

    If you don't want to be pick pocketed, don't dress or act like a tourist. It's hard not to, but just don't stick out.

    EDIT: Just noticed that your going for 2 months, talk to someone about getting a license if you want a way to get around. I think you go through insurance company, but your regular DL should work fine.
     
  3. mwr4440

    mwr4440 Five Time F1 World Champ
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    Jun 8, 2007
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    Albert,

    Check this thread. Most of the posts apply to travel in the Middle East as well:

    http://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/showthread.php?t=199673

    Also, bone up on customs and courtesies. They ARE DIFFERENT than in The West and the last thing you want to do is accidently offend. The more educated and urban locals are a bit more tolerant of obvious tourists, but no need to take chances.

    I have done a (very) little travelling in the Middle East but have friends/extended family who live there so if you need more info maybe I can help.
     
  4. AlbertFattal

    AlbertFattal Karting

    Apr 10, 2004
    198
    Thanks! Any useful links that have lists of tips that one has visited and found useful enough to pass along? I understand that traveling by Ferrari in third world countries prone the driver to attack.
     
  5. Glassman

    Glassman F1 World Champ
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    As stated above drink only bottled water religiously. Use it for brushing your teeth. Bathe with it if you can. Did I mention not to drink the water anywhere except the USA? Don't let anyone talk you into thinking the water is OK, its not. Watch how they make coffee, and insist that they use bottled water. Thats what got me in Egypt.
     
  6. SRT Mike

    SRT Mike Two Time F1 World Champ

    Oct 31, 2003
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    In general, no. I've been to some pretty obscure places and even in those places there are usually ATM machines, banks, and places that take VISA/Mastercard. Even if you are going to some real boonie town, the place you land at in that country will always have an ATM or bank to convert currency. I think travelers checks suck and I usually prefer to just take a couple of debit cards or something. If you are concerned about theft, get a prepaid card (or split it up into 3 prepaid cards) or open an account and put your vacation money in there. Be sure to have at least 2, preferably 3 methods of getting $$ because if something goes awry you don't want to be caught out.

    Errr by speaking ? :) In most countries, English is spoken. Where it isn't, hand gestures usually work pretty well, along with pictures drawn on a piece of paper :) If you know where you'll be, it's not a bad idea to bring along a dictionary. People are usually sympathetic to foreigners and happy to help.

    Yes. Try not to stand out. Don't flash lots of $$$ or expensive watches. There are pickpockets and muggers in every country and as a foreigner they will see you as an easier mark then locals and you won't generally know what places to avoid like locals will - these combine to make you a target. Keep your wallet in your front pocket and if you take the advice to have at least 2 credit cards/debit cards, keep them in opposite pockets so if you ever DO get pickpocketed you won't lose everything.

    Been to tons of countries, from war zones to almost the USA and only ever went to an embassy once, and that was just to work out an issue with my visa because I hadn't "checked in" at the city I was visiting. It was weird being in so far from home and meeting soldiers (the security guys at the embassy) from cities I had been to. Keep the number handy if you like but you won't need it.



    Almost every country has shops that take Visa and Mastercard. Amex and Discover, not so much. Have the # of someone at home who could western union you money in a pinch. Cell phones... the rest of the world uses GSM phones (which is what many domestic companies like TMobile use). But *most* cell phones, even if they are GSM, will be locked meaning you can't use any SIM card. I would buy a cheap *quad band* GSM unlocked phone on eBay for $50 or less. Then, when you land in the country, you can (in almost all countries I've been to) buy a prepaid SIM card, pop it in, and bam - you have a local cell phone. Then you can text message to your hearts content. To text message the USA, just text to +1 555 123 4567 and they will get it no problem.

    Other tips... hmmm don't worry too much and just enjoy yourself :) Don't worry about bringing too much like shampoo and soap, you can get all that locally. But if there is something you specifically need (for example I only use Old Spice deodorant and I hate not having it) then bring it with you because the brands you like aren't always available. You will be OK brushing your teeth with local water and gargling with it but it's not a bad idea to avoid drinking it - not that it will be bad but just different and can give you diarrhea. So be careful of drinks like whiskey and water, get it with soda water/club soda instead. For foods cooked in water you should be fine - it would probably only be tap water that could give you the runs...

    and most of all have fun!

    Also any GPS recommendations that work outside the US?[/QUOTE]
     
  7. tundraphile

    tundraphile F1 Veteran

    May 16, 2007
    5,083
    Missouri
    #7 tundraphile, Jun 10, 2008
    Last edited: Jun 10, 2008
    When we were in China a tip we received was to insist on them bringing the bottle to you UNOPEN, with the seal intact. Otherwise they could easily just fill up the bottle with their tap water. Same goes for soda, get the can and open it yourself. The carbonation process might help with fountain drinks, but the ice certainly won't be safe.

    Also avoid salads or other raw vegetables, at best they have been washed with the local water. At worst who knows where they have been and touched by whom.

    We avoided using our cell phones, the roaming charges were breathtakingly high. We were there for two weeks and didn't use our credit card once, most places had the old carbon paper mechanical system, it wasn't secure at all.

    Definitely dress down and avoid jewelry. China was probably better than most of the world for this, get caught mugging the wrong person and you probably end up with a bullet in the back of your head. Other places in the world, I would imagine if they thought they could get away with it, slicing off your earlobes to get a few diamonds wouldn't give them pause. Obviously the common sense thing to do is to avoid ever putting yourself in a position where they think they can get away with it.

    Defintely get the vaccinations for Hepatitis A/B. I can't remember all of the other ones we got, but some are a series of shots that take several weeks. One series that I had to get was Chicken Pox, as I have never had them. Last thing I needed was to come down with them 10,000 miles from home with a new baby.

    And in the ultimate irony after two weeks away, the weekend after we got home I got a horrible case of food poisoning from my local Shoney's. I guess my country fried steak had a little more country in it than I bargained for.
     
  8. PeterS

    PeterS Four Time F1 World Champ
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    Jan 24, 2003
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    And when you take a shower, keep your mouth shut! Careful with salads too.....Rinsed with local tap water.
     

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