When travel is a big part of your life, you tend to get a lot of questions about it. We’ve been traveling internationally for over a decade now, and it’s always such a pleasure to help others with their questions and concerns because travel should be accessible by anyone. And it is. You just have to be smart about it.

While I won’t go so far as to say that I’m a travel expert, experience does teach you a thing or two. Believe me, I’ve made some newbie mistakes more than once. I wanted to compile the most frequently asked travel questions that I’ve received from C&C readers because even though you might not know everything (I mean, no one does), that doesn’t mean travel should be feared or avoided. Get out there and see things. Meet people. It makes you more interesting, empathetic, and better able to understand the world we live in. I think the fear of the unknown prevents some people from traveling, and I’d like to help with that.

These questions come mostly from Instagram, where I use IG stories to share travel tips and adventures. You can see my most recent travels saved to my story highlights.

Does it cost a lot of money to travel internationally?

We’ve been going across the pond for a while now, and I can honestly say that the first few times we did it, we didn’t really have two nickels to rub together. Budgeting and prioritizing is key. Plan far enough in advance to give yourself time to save your money and then prioritize what you’d like to do. The beauty of traveling to some of Europe’s biggest cities is that most have a multi-attraction card that gets you into all the museums and landmarks for one flat fee. We’ve used the London Pass and it was great! For an upfront cost of a couple hundred bucks, you’ll actually save money rather than paying for an admission ticket when you get there. And, you get to go to the front of the line so you’ll save time. Passes like these can also include transportation like a sightseeing bus, which also saves money.

Your biggest expense will be your flight. But you can save money on lodging if you’re open to renting an apartment or Airbnb instead of a pricey hotel. When it comes to food, takeaway sandwiches are an affordable and easy option for lunch. For dinner, check sites like TripAdvisor (always our go to review site) where you can see price ranges and even photos of actual menus. That way you can book an affordable restaurant with great reviews.

How does Internet access work with your phone? Isn’t it really expensive?

This used to be a bigger problem than it is now and the cost for international plans has come down. Contact your carrier before you leave to purchase a travel plan. My provider has a flat fee option of $10/day for unlimited internet and phone. I really love this option because you’re only charged for days you use data and I have enough speed to do what I want. I always utilize hotel or Airbnb wifi, too. When you land at your destination, just turn your phone off and back on for it to recognize that you’re in a foreign country and activate your plan.

Outfit details: Floral maxi dress (similar here) | Denim Jacket | Booties (similar here) | Kate Spade Shoulder Bag (similar here) | Sunglasses

Do I need a power adaptor?

While I find this a surprising question sometimes, it’s still one that a lot of people are curious about. I think most people know that they will need an adaptor before plugging in say, a hair dryer. But a lot of people ask me if they need a different adaptor for every country. If you’re traveling in Europe, the answer is no. A single adaptor is all you need for every country. You can checkout power plugs and adaptors of the world here. Just bring enough adaptors or a small power strip for all your devices.

What kind of luggage do you use?

I’ve been using travel bags from Pacsafe for years. The anti-theft technology built into these bags is the best. From RFID protection to slash-proof straps and sides, these bags can safely be out of sight from you on a train. I have the Pacsafe Metrosafe messenger bag as well as Pacsafe wheeled luggage. Investing in proper luggage (not just luggage that looks pretty on Instagram) is the best way to travel with peace of mind.

How do you survive such long flights?

To be honest, I don’t survive them all that well. LOL See my post about it here. I always do some self-care before boarding (read my pre-flight beauty routine post), and then it’s a mental game. I stay distracted with books and movies and then try to sleep. I’ve taken low-dose Ambien to help me fall asleep or a couple glasses of wine helps. The thing to remember is that the long flight is a small inconvenience or moment of discomfort in the grand scheme of your trip.

Is Global Entry worth it?

Yes, yes, yes. Big fans of Global Entry here. When re-entering the United States, you’ll be able to avoid long customs lines and simply check-in at a kiosk. The Global Entry line is incredibly shorter than the regular line, and it always amazes me that more people don’t do it. This is exceptionally helpful if you have a connecting U.S. flight. A long customs line can mean missing your connection.

What airline do you fly?

For international flights, we are usually on United. It’s where we have almost all of our airline miles and the United clubs or Polaris Lounges are actually really nice. We did fly Lufthansa once and really enjoyed the experience. For domestic flights, it’s either United or Southwest Airlines.

What’s the best city you’ve ever been to?

This is such a hard question and is a bit like asking what my favorite food is. It’s really hard to narrow it down to just one place (and how do you even define “best,” anyway?). I can say that I do have some favorite places that I think are bucket list destinations – Paris, Tallinn, The Cinque Terre, London, Seville, Villefranche-sur-Mer, and Greece are some of my favorites.

If you have other questions, let me know in the comments. Or send me a DM on Instagram!

xo – Erin

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