| Whether you are traveling for pleasure, study or business, the best way to ensure an enjoyable trip is to prevent problems before they happen. The more you learn about the travel basics, such as visas, customs and immunizations, the less likely you are to have difficulties on the road. Some good starting points to learn about the places you wish to visit are through travel guides, the Internet, fellow travelers, foreign embassies/consulates and travel agencies who specialize in your area of interest. It's not required that you learn a foreign language beforehand, except for a few polite phrases and numbers, but it does have its advantages.  Just carry a small phrase book or use the phrase section in your travel guide, and practice on the plane, train or bus. While English is the undisputed international language, you will run into people who do not speak it. Basic phrases are important in these circumstances. Moreover, when you demonstrate a willingness to attempt speaking the local language, your reception by locals will often be friendlier.
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Travel Advisories
It's always a safe bet to check with your countries State Department/Ministry of Foreign Affairs for travel advisories. Although usually politically motivated and sometimes sanitized (such as with the U.S. Department of States Travel Warnings page), they will point out some of the more risky areas like parts of North Africa, South America and the Middle East. (I often use the BBC World News and International Herald Tribune on-line newspapers to learn about current hotspots.) But don't let travel advisories alone preclude you from visiting a particular location. Try to get first-hand advice from someone who has recently returned from the region in question, or check out Lonely Planet’s Travel (advisory) Ticker page. Basically, if the international media and the travel books aren’t making a big deal about a particular place, you're probably safe to go there.
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Know Where You're Going
Do you want to visit a place that is similar to yours (like England or Australia—if you’re a North American), or do you want to see something really different. Ask your friends and fellow travelers if they have travel photos of places they've been, check the Internet for ideas, or skim through a copy of one of the many travel magazines. Get first-hand feedback on the location you are interested in. Not just for travel advisory reasons, but is the country or region you are selecting really where you want to go?
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What About Europe?
Many first-time travelers (especially Americans) initially think of Europe when it comes to planning their journey. Why? Because it's beautiful, rich in history, and foreign, yet still familiar. European trains (England notwithstanding) usually run on schedule, and just like at home, there's a system and service to handle just about anything. Developing countries, although equally rich in history and very beautiful, tend to be far more removed from what we know or how we are used to doing things. Their infrastructure may be less developed and things in general may be more disorganized. We tend to think that these differences will be insurmountable and that we'll have less fun in that country because of them. Nothing could be further from the truth.
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When To Go
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Cost Of Daily Travel For Your Chosen Destination
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Best Value Countries for Those on a Low Budget
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