2. Double-check roaming options<\/h3>\n
There\u2019s nothing worse than returning home after a trip only to discover an astronomical phone bill waiting for you. Avoid the hit to your wallet by checking your provider’s roaming charges before you travel, or even have a chat with them (as they might be able to offer you a better deal for your needs). If you use your phone a lot (especially data) or if you\u2019re going to be overseas for a while, think about buying a local sim card once you arrive at your destination. If you\u2019re visiting multiple countries, check out a multi-country sim card, like the ones available from GO-SIM<\/a> and TravelSIM<\/a>.<\/p>\n You\u2019re chatting with a loved one back home and your phone conks out. You\u2019re wandering the streets of a foreign city, relying on the maps on your phone, and it dies. These scenarios are entirely avoidable: if your phone is on roaming, one way to extend its battery life is to put it on flight mode whenever possible (like when you\u2019re on a long journey on a train or bus). Phone batteries can drain particularly quickly while you\u2019re roaming, as your phone is constantly working hard to look for a signal. Give your phone a holiday as well.<\/p>\n A cut here, a scratch there \u2013 these things happen. A small, but thoughtfully stocked first-aid kit should be among the first things you pack in your suitcase. Depending on where you\u2019re going and what you\u2019re doing, some essentials to include are: band-aids, antiseptic cream, gauze, tape, paracetamol, and, of course, any prescription medications you regularly use. You\u2019ll thank yourself later.<\/p>\n While it\u2019s become a habit for many of us, being glued to your phone while you pass through vibrant cities and stunning landscapes is a definite no-no. But that being said, there\u2019s a whole world of apps out there to help the savvy traveller.<\/p>\n Consider CityMapper<\/a> for getting from cafe to museum to bar, Snapseed (available for iPhones<\/a> and Android<\/a>) for photos to make your friends back home jealous, Duolingo<\/a> for impressing locals with your language skills, and XE Currency<\/a> for avoiding nasty surprises when it comes to currency conversion. The Wotif app<\/a> is also a winner, if we do say so ourselves, as it gives you access to special deals and allows you to manage your bookings while you\u2019re on the road. You can also use it to share your itinerary with your friends and family back home to help them keep track of your travels.<\/p>\n Some international travellers wait to withdraw money from an ATM at their destination. And that\u2019s fine. However, airport ATMs often offer poor exchange rates, so it might be wise to grab some foreign currency before you leave NZ. You might also like to take some US cash with you, as it\u2019s still the most accepted currency in the world.<\/p>\n Make copies of all your most important documents \u2013 both electronically and in print form. That means your passport and visas, your travel insurance policy, your airline ticket and hotel reservations, and even your itineraries. Keep a copy for yourself, share one with your travel buddy, and send one to your emergency contact back home. That way if you lose anything, you\u2019re covered.<\/p>\n Many of us over-think our packing, especially for overseas holidays. It\u2019s usually not necessary, as most of the things you might forget can be replaced at your destination. But adaptors for Kiwi appliances can be really tricky to find outside of NZ, even at international airports. Save yourself the hassle and make it one of the first things you pack. Pro tip: Pack a powerboard too so you can use your adaptor for up to four appliances at a time \ud83d\ude09<\/p>\n<\/i> PLAN YOUR OVERSEAS GETAWAY <\/a>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" If you\u2019ve got an overseas trip coming up, the list of things you need to do before you set off can feel as long as your arm. But it doesn\u2019t have to be! Save yourself some time and stress by prioritising these eight must-dos. 1. Check SafeTravel.govt.nz SafeTravel.govt.nz is the New Zealand Government’s official travel …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":10,"featured_media":6192,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[758,80],"tags":[214,216,213],"amp_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wotif.com\/vc\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6190"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wotif.com\/vc\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wotif.com\/vc\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wotif.com\/vc\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/10"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wotif.com\/vc\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6190"}],"version-history":[{"count":10,"href":"https:\/\/www.wotif.com\/vc\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6190\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6264,"href":"https:\/\/www.wotif.com\/vc\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6190\/revisions\/6264"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wotif.com\/vc\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/6192"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wotif.com\/vc\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6190"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wotif.com\/vc\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6190"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wotif.com\/vc\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6190"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}![](\"https:\/\/cdn.lemediavault.com\/images\/09ebd487954d9d4b476a2523f0a8f280.jpeg\")
3. Switch on flight mode to save your battery<\/h3>\n
4. Pack a first-aid kit<\/h3>\n
5. Download some apps<\/h3>\n
![](\"https:\/\/cdn.lemediavault.com\/images\/375530319abff3bb01a06895e3aa4687.jpeg\")
6. Learn your foreign currencies and exchange rates<\/h3>\n
7. Makes copies of all your documents<\/h3>\n
8. Pack an adaptor (and a powerboard!)<\/h3>\n