Traveling while Abroad: Expensive Inconveniences that just might Surprise You

Before traveling abroad, everyone always researches the basics; where they are going, where they are staying, how they are getting there, etc., but there are a few important aspects people often skip over in their frenzied rush to start their adventures, and forgetting about these little details can cost you big bucks in the end.

Photo from flickr.com, uploaded by UggBoy♥UggGirl [ PHOTO // WORLD // TRAVEL ]

It may seem quite obvious that you should know exactly which gate your plane is going to depart from, but in truth, several people miss their flights due to last minute changes to their gate.  Often, the airline does not make announcements about gate changes and expects the passengers to continuously check the gate listings for any changes.  Even though they usually display the gate number an hour or so before departure, you would be surprised how often they still make changes, causing unsuspecting passengers to miss their flights.  Therefore, save yourself the inconvenience and possible extra costs and re-check the gate number!
Airport Payphones

 When people imagine a payphone, they picture inserting a few small coins into the slot of the black-corded phone and talking to a cheerful operator who then transfers them to their desired party.  In some places, this fantasy may still exist, but definitely NOT in airports!  There are no slots to insert coins, only a space to swipe that shiny, plastic credit card.  The payphones do not list prices to make calls, so the desperate people stranded at the airport make their calls and later that month receive a nice, big bill!  For example, the airport in Madrid, Spain has payphones that cost about $40 to simply connect to someone in the USA, and then, an additional $5 per minute!  It would be a lot cheaper to talk to your wireless provider before you leave, use your cell phone, and then pay those fees rather than attempt to “save money” and use a payphone, which could cost you $50 for a simple two minute conversation.  In addition, airports often have computers for customers’ use (a few dollars for thirty minutes), and emailing may be a better option than making a call from a payphone.

Photo from flickr.com, uploaded by Aranami

Packages

 If you are staying abroad for some time, you may have friends or loved ones who would like to send you a care package.  After your friends back home pay all the fees associated with sending a package overseas, you wait excitedly for it, only to discover upon its arrival that there may still be some hidden fees on your end.  It is important to research the types of taxes that may be added along the way.  To even receive your package, you will have to go to the post office and pay them the additional fees.  Often, these taxes are added if there is any type of food in the package and it is sent through USPS.  I received a package when I was abroad in Spain, and I ended up having to pay about 25€ (a little more than $30) to pick it up from the post office.  My family and I joke that I better have fully enjoyed the chocolate bar that they sent me in that box because with their costs to send the package ($40) and the cost of the chocolate bar and other miscellaneous things in the box ($10), combined, we paid about $80 for that chocolate bar!  Although it is funny to reflect on now, don’t let this happen to you and be forced to pay an exorbitant amount for a care package.  Research what types of taxes are put on packages and what you can and cannot send through each package carrier (USPS, UPS, Fedex, etc.) to avoid these fees.

Hopefully, my personal experiences and insights while traveling abroad will prevent you from being surprised by those expensive inconveniences.  Just remember; always do your research first and don’t be discouraged if things don’t go exactly as expected.