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Travel Tips
With a European, U.K. & Australian passport, you need to obtain the ESTA electronic visa to travel to the United States.
ESTA is requested online and allows you to enter the United States for 90 days. Without this procedure, you cannot enter the United States.
The United States is home to countless natural wonders and cosmopolitan cities that attract travelers from all over the world.
From lush Caribbean jungles and beaches to vast deserts and snowcapped mountains, the country has some of the most picturesque and diverse landscapes on earth – and let’s not forget the concrete jungles it is famous for.
It is a thrill seeing all of these famous attractions, but before you book your trip, here are 12 things you should know about planning a trip to the US that will help you plan your dream vacation.
Understand the US’ Tipping Culture
In the United States, you’re expected to tip all forms of services, like cab drivers, deliveries, valet, porters, room service, and most notably, waiters and bartenders. (Most of them earn under the federal minimum wage, which is already way too low!)
The typical tipping practice is between 15% to 20%.
Know that while it is expected, you’re not obliged to tip. As a general rule, if the service was ok (nothing outstanding), I give 15%.
If it was exceptional, I offer 20%. On the other hand, if the service was terrible, I give 10% or less, depending on how bad the service was.
Other common tip suggestions in the hospitality industry include:
- Concierge: dependent on the difficulty of your request
- Bartenders: $1-2 per drink
- Housekeepers: $1-5 per night
- Valets: $1-5 each time the valet brings your car
- Hotel porters: $1-2 per bag
- Doormen: a few dollars if they help you get a cab
- Taxi drivers: 10-15%
- Shared shuttle drivers: $2-3 per person
- Food delivery: $1-$4 depending on the distance from the restaurant to your accommodation
Travel Checklist
Clothing: Belts, blouses, bras, coats, dresses, jackets, jeans, long/short sleeve t-shirts, long/short sleeve shirts (men/women), long/short trousers, pijamas, purses, robes, socks, suits, sweaters, ties, tights, underwear
Footwear: boots, casual shoes, dress shoes (men/women), sandals, slippers
Toiletries: after shave, comb/brush, cotton balls, cream (body/hands), dental floss, deodorant, hair dryer, hairspray, lip balm, make up remover, make-up kit, mouthwash, nails care supply, nails polish, napkins, rubbing alcohol, sanitary pads, saving gel, shampoo, shaving kit, small mirror, soap/shower gel, sponge, toilet paper, tooth brush, tooth paste, towels, tweezers, waxing strips
Medicines: anti-diarrhea, band-aids, extra pair of eyeglasses, medication, prescribed medications/vitamins
Accessories: bracelets, earrings, hair accessories, necklaces, scarves, sun glasses
Electronics: chargers for laptop/Ipad, chargers for mobile phones, chargers for video/photo cameras, converters and adaptors for electronic devices, GPS, Ipad/ Kindle, Ipod, laptop, Ipad, memory card for photo/video camera, mobile phone (check if the roaming is active when travelling abroad), photo camera, token/device for account accessing via internet, video camera,
Miscellaneous: alarm clock, binocular, books, cigarettes, debit/credit cards, drinking water, food, insect repellent, money, luggage padlocks and keys, pen and paper, sewing kit, umbrellas
Travel abroad: car insurance, dictionaries, embassy contact details, flight tickets, hotel reservations/tickets, maps with sites to visit, medical/travel insurance, passport, vaccines and their confirmation (if they are mandatory for the country you travel to), visas, travellers cheques, travelling pillow,
Seaside: bathing suit, beach bag, pareo, slippers, snorkelling equipment, sun cream, sun hat, swim cap, swimming seat, towels, water glasses, water shoes
Mountain/winter: caps, gloves, ice skates, scarf, skiing equipment, snowboard, spare wheel,
By car: car documents, driving licence, fire extinguisher, first aid kit, flash light, spare car keys, special documents if the car is owned by somebody else (when travelling abroad)
Passport
To enter the USA, it is essential that you can identify yourself with your passport. Take note: you need to bring the passport with you that was used during the application of your ESTA USA or visa. If you acquired a new passport in the meantime, it will not be valid for your trip. You will need to apply for a new ESTA or US visa to still travel to the USA. Make sure your passport is valid for your entire stay in the USA, otherwise you will not be allowed to enter.
US visa or ESTA USA
Aside from the passport, it is important to to have applied for and received a valid ESTA USA. The ESTA is a travel permit issued by the US government, and is mandatory for all British travellers headed to the USA by plane. The ESTA USA can be applied for here. If you plan on staying in the United States for longer than 90 days, an ESTA will not suffice and you need to apply for a US visa. Beware of the validity of an ESTA applied for through the ESTA form.
Payment cards
Virtually all commonly used payment cards in the UK work in the USA. These include both credit cards and debit cards. MasterCard, Visa and American Express in particular are popular payment methods in the United States. In general, it is cheaper to pay with debit cards, as credit cards are often charged a slightly higher fee for transactions. To make your trip as convienient as possible, it is best to bring both types of payment cards.
Flight tickets
These days, it is no longer necessary to print your flight ticket, as you can check in with just your passport. However, it is still recommended to print your flight tickets, just to be sure.
Proof of insurance
Aside from your ESTA and passport, the US immigration service might also ask you to present documents that prove you have travel and health insurance. Having this information at hand can also be useful for yourself, such as an emergency number which you can call if faced with trouble.
International licence
A UK driving licence is perfectly valid in the United States. All that is required is that you have held your licence for a minimum of one year. If you plan on renting a car or camper in the USA, you therefore do not need to get a special international licence.
Copies of important documents
Nothing is more aggravating than losing important documents during your trip. An important tip is therefore to make copies of your passport, flight tickets, credit card, visa and driving licence. A copy will not always be accepted as valid, but it can still be of help in case you lose the original. Make sure that you keep the copies in a separate location, and not with the originals. You can also keep a digital copy in your phone, provided you lock your passport when not using it.
Hand luggage
When flying, it can be smart to keep a number of items in your hand luggage. These include all the information above, and general things like your wallet and phone. Other than those things, you can also think of items like earplugs, a heavy sweater (it can often get cold inside the plane), toiletries, sunscreen, medicine, a battery pack, chargers, a pillow, a travel guide or other reading material, etc. Keep in mind that you are not allowed to bring any sharp or otherwise unsafe items. Even a nail file is not allowed. Keep these in your main luggage before checking in.
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You could easily spend a lifetime in the US and still feel like you’ve just scratched the surface.
It’s epic on every scale. After all, this is a place where you can watch the thunderous spectacle of Niagara Falls, trek through the soaring Black Hills of South Dakota and cruise along California’s glorious Pacific Coast; where you can ski at Lake Tahoe, go cattle ranching in the Midwest and imbibe live jazz in New Orleans.
The options, it seems, are endless.
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