Monte Carlo - First Time Traveler Tips

Monte Carlo is debuting on Blu-ray & DVD on Oct. 18

If like Grace, Meg and Emma you’re off on your very first trip abroad, you’re probably filled with a mixture of excitement and fear. A little bit of caution is probably in order, but you don’t need to be fearful as there are a number of things you can do to make your trip go as smoothly as possible. With the Selena Gomez flick Monte Carlo debuting for home entertainment on Oct. 18, we have compiled a checklist that will offer up an array of hints and tips so that you’re well prepared for all circumstances abroad.

Selena Gomez stars in Monte Carlo as Grace, a recent college graduate who is ready to live out her idea of a perfect vacation with BFF Emma (Katie Cassidy) to Paris. After several twists and turns, including her unhappy stepsister Meg (Leighton Meester) joining them on the trip, Grace falls into a fairytale of her very own in the French Riviera.

It’s All in the Plan

On a first trip it is common to take for granted the amount of planning that it takes to get you from your front door in one country to your hotel room in another. If you are assuming that everything will just go how it’s supposed to, you are wrong! Here are a few things to make sure you get from A to B.

• Bring your passport and boarding pass. Don’t end your trip before it has begun with a rookie error!

• Try to organize cabs before you go, because in some countries cab drivers will take advantage of tourists and you may end up paying more than you should. This is especially important for the final cab to the airport. If they know you need to be somewhere fast, they may try and use this to their advantage.

• Organize your days in advance! If you leave it to you and your friends to decide at the time you will almost always end up sleeping through the sunlight and waking up to dinner.

What You Need to Bring

Enough Money

• For a first trip abroad, this is one of the most important pieces of advice to take into account. Although the large pile of newly converted money looks like it could last you for the rest of your life, it will not. Budget for how much money you will need each day and then put the money you don’t spend into a pot to blow at the end! It is also important to plan for the worst and have sufficient funds in case of emergency.

The Right Clothes

• Often when going abroad, people either over estimate the heat and bring nothing but tank tops and flip flops - or they underestimate it and bring jeans, boots and their favorite fur coat. The best way to avoid this is to ask someone who has already been to your chosen destination and ask them what they wore and if it was sufficient.

What You Don’t Need to Bring

Excessive Amounts of Books, DVDs and Magazines

• When packing for vacation you may imagine yourself having loads of free time to fill, when in reality you won’t. People often bring piles of magazines, books and DVDs that waste valuable space in their bags and end up being left at the bottom of a draw for the duration of the trip.

Valuables

• This is one of the most obvious ones, but it still deserves a place on the list. Nothing ruins a holiday like the loss of your new laptop or iPod (and they often spend a lot of time sitting in the room unused anyway!). If you have nothing worth stealing, then you have nothing to worry about losing!

Look for Monte Carlo giveaway starting on October 10!

***Disclosure-No compensation was received.  I received Monte Carlo to review. This post is an informational post only.