Do You Need An International Driving Permit?

It's been a while since I've gone out of the country and decided to drive. Aside from a few trips to Vancouver, the last time I drove outside of North America was a trip to Ecuador in 2009. I needed an International Driving Permit then, but it also was a small cardboard folder with my name and information on it. It didn't even have a photo.

Last week, Eric and I went to our local AAA to pick up some current IDPs, because they are only valid for up to 3 years and he needed one this time, too. The process is quick and easy. You can do it through the mail, or you can take, literally, 20 minutes out of your day to fill out the paperwork, get your picture taken, give them $25 (if you have your own passport-size photos, then it's only $20), and then leave with your permit to driving in a ton of different countries.

Why do you need an IDP? 

Honestly, I didn't know the answer to this. Apparently, it translates your identifying paperwork into different languages. You still have to have a valid driver license, so you will need to carry both if you are in a country that requires an IDP. If you are unfortunate enough to get pulled over while driving, an IDP is extremely helpful in showing you are serious about driving laws and for the officer to correctly identify you and your information.

Though we'll be driving in a country where our own language is fairly common, not everyone does speak English, so this small bit of insurance is nice to have, especially since we'll be renting a car (through Turo, but some car rental companies require you to present your IDP, as I had to when we rented a car in Ecuador). It's one of those things that you don't think you need it until you actually need it and you can get fined for not having one. Some countries, like Andorra, require you to present yourself and a registration fee at the local police station.

Where can you get an IDP?

I have only gotten mine through a AAA office, but you can get them other places as well. You do not need to be a AAA member to use this service. You don't get a discount by being one.

What is it valid for?

You can drive a motorcycle or passenger vehicle, as well as larger vehicles or those with trailers. You still need to be aware of driving laws in other countries and obey them to your best ability. In some cases, if you have to present yourself at the local police station, you will exchange your IDP for a local driver license. There are very few of these, but Cambodia is one of those countries. 

It's always smart to do research into any country you're planning to visit and for any situation you plan to be in. I have been looking up toll road information and whether or not they have rest areas. That may seem weird, but these are important things for me to know. The answer is yes, they have toll roads, but you can use your credit card to pay for all of them and don't need an app or a permit, and yes, they have rest areas that are most often coupled with a gas station. 

Have you ever needed to have any special paperwork to travel?

How to Pack Your Personal Item for International Trips

It's time to start seriously packing for my international trip, instead of just heaping a bunch of stuff in a pile and saying I'll get to it. This is generally, how I pack. I gather all the things I know I'm taking and shove it in my carry-on, to be sorted and organized before I actually pack. I work off a packing list and then go through it once again when I sort everything and put them into packing cubes, my toiletry bag, or wherever it goes.

We started with a fun post about packing my snack bag, because that's a big part of what goes into my personal item. So, what else is in there? Let's look!

I'll be on the plane for a total of 12 hours - Portland to Chicago and Chicago to Paris. I'll try to get sleep on the second leg of my trip, because I want to get my body on Paris time as quickly as possible, so as not to deal with jet lag. I will stay up to eat dinner and breakfast, if it's served, but other than that, sleeping 5 hours or so will give me the energy boost I need to spend the next whole day sightseeing when we arrive at 9am.

Airplane Pockets

I hate digging around in my bag for things I want to use or do on my flight, especially when there is hardly any room to do so in economy. This is when I use Airplane Pockets to keep those things right in front of me. They slip over your seatback tray, giving you a cover for that surface, and also give you multiple pockets, so you can organize your things like your water bottle, meds, snacks, book, and electronics without having to put things in the (sometimes miniscule) dirty seat pocket. If you feel like you need more space for your knees, check out the Serenity Tray Organizer. I have that and use it as well.

FaceCradle Travel Pillow

I don't want to get to my destination with a terrible back and neck. This is why I will take the best travel pillow that works for me. FaceCradle works like a massage table. You attach it to the headrest behind you and lean into it, taking the stress off your back and allowing you to rest you neck instead of your head flopping around and your neck being at some odd angle, because it has no support. I've had people tell me that they'd rather be in pain than carry this thing around, and, I guess good for them, but I've also had flight attendants want to know where I got it, because it works so well.

Snacks & Reusable Water Bottle

I always carry snacks, and generally carry them in a Stasher Bag, because it can be used for so many different things. (This is the one shown in this picture and my snack post.) I also always take along a reusable water bottle, because I can fill it with ice in the morning and have a cold drink all day, or carry my coffee with me. It keeps water bottles out of landfills and saves money.

Gravel Layover Travel Blanket

I find that I'm always cold on the plane and it makes it real hard to sleep if your shoulders or feet are freezing. Gravel gifted me this awesome lightweight blanket and I'm excited to actually use it on a trip. It feels like a puffy jacket, but without the puffiness. You can wear it like a giant bib (snap it behind your neck and hide behind it) or just like a regular blanket. It has foot pockets, so you can go socks-only and keep your feet off the floor and hidden from your neighbor. This will also be good for when I'm chilling at the hotel and need a second layer. 

Travelon Passport Holder

Obviously, I want to keep our passports safe and in one place. This holder also has card slots, where I am keeping our Global Entry cards and my Priority Pass. This is made for must one passport, but it holds two. It is also RFID-blocking, so no one is going to steal your info. If you purchase through Travelon's website, you can use my code SHEREENTRAVELS20%

Random Necessities

I like to be comfortable, obviously, so I'm also bringing an eye mask and some regular masks, because I also don't want to get sick. The plane air is very drying, so aside from the usual lotion and lip balm, I'm also bringing a moisturizing facial mist. I've got this one from GlowRecipe, but if you want a more affordable option, try the travel size Beekman Milk Shake. 

I'm also looking to drift off to sleep easily and without feeling gross and groggy when I wake up, so I'm bringing along some Dream Water sleep packets. You just add to a glass of water and it's pretty tasty, then you find that sleep is a lot easier to achieve. The gummies are also really good and I like the liquid version, but they aren't very travel-friendly.

Entertainment

I'm not a person who just stares at the seat in front of me for hours, thinking thoughts or whatever. I'm not sure who enjoys that, but it's not me. With many hours of sitting in my seat ahead of me, I need to fill some of that time not sleeping. So, I am bringing a book, some games, this phone holder from Perilogics, so I don't have to hold my phone in my hand if I want to watch something. You can also attach it to a table, your carry-on handle, and other things. 

My nonprofit is doing a craft show in November, and we are selling some new things, including magical-themed bracelets, so I thought this might be a good time to get some of those done. I picked two styles and put together a little craft pack to make them. I can listen to a podcast while I string beads. I purchased these organizers for beads, and while they are smaller than I'd like, they are the perfect size for sticking in my carry-on. I am taking one for small beads and then a small zipper bag with larger charms, tiny scissors, and string. And this all fits into another Stasher bag. I also purchased this DIY bag that can be used to corral my items on my tray table and keep things from jumping onto the floor. 

Miscellaneous

Last, but not least, I have things that I always bring, my laptop, sunglasses (not shown), some biodegradable bags for keeping trash in one spot (sometimes you end up with wet trash and it's nice to have a place to put it), and change. I keep all my non-US change/bills at the end of a trip in a specific spot at home. I happened to end up with 6+ Euros from my last France trip, and this should be good for any toll roads we encounter on our drive to Normandy or for public toilets.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Shereen Travels Cheap | Budget Travel Tips | Travel Writer (@shereentravels)

You can get this gorgeous Cascade Tote from Portland Gear. This will be my first trip with it, but I also have their standard Cascade Backpack and I love it. I paid for my first Cascade Backpack, but was gifted a second and this tote for this trip.

If you want to see more packing, and other, videos, follow me on Instagram. 

Disclaimer: Support Shereen Travels Cheap by using the links in my posts to shop. I receive a small commission (at no extra cost to you) so I can continue to create helpful free content. I earn from qualifying purchases made to the featured retailers. Thank you. I appreciate your support!

Save Money On Travel with Cash Back

Did you know that you can basically get paid to travel and shop (for your travel gear and clothing) for things you buy every day? You can and Rakuten will pay you for it. I never buy or book anything without first checking Rakuten. So, what IS Rakuten? It's a fantastic - and free! - site that offers you cash back for purchasing from online merchants. If you plan to make a purchase anyway, you might as well get something for being a loyal (or even a new) customer. 

Here's how it works: Sign up is quick and easy, then you're ready to shop! When you have a hankering to buy something, say, at Sephora, go to Rakuten, sign in, click on Sephora and it takes you straight to the main website. You must go through Rakuten, so they can track your purchase. At checkout, make sure you use the same email address you used to sign up on Rakuten and within a few days, your purchase will show up in your account. 

You can track your cash back total to see how much you saved and then every quarter, Rakuten sends you a Big Fat Check (if you choose that method) or a Big Fat Payment via Paypal. Normally, you get $5 for signing up, but right now get $30 once you make your first qualifying purchase! Who else does that? If there are coupon codes available or special sales, Rakuten will show them to you, helping you save even MORE!

I like to use my cash back as a travel savings supplement. Each time I make a purchase, I rack up cash and then it gets deposited right to my Paypal account. I use that money to purchase travel stuffs, like Groupons, clothing, tours, and more! If I can get more cash back with it, even better! Of course, you can use it for whatever you want. 

Heart your favorite stores for easy access to them on the site.

Stores you can shop at: Rakuten has, literally, hundreds of online merchants you can choose from, including a long list of travel merchants. Just a sampling of those include: TravelSmith, Holiday Inn, Avis, Alaska Airlines, Camping World, Orbitz, Air France, Delta Airlines, HomeAway and even SkyMall! Keep your eyes out for the Daily Double. Each day one awesome merchant offers double cash back on your purchases for the day. 

And now, you can easily get cash back through Rakuten by downloading the Chrome extension on your computer. When you go to a website that accepts Rakuten, the app will add a banner to the top of your screen letting you know, then you can can click on the banner and it will automatically put you through your Rakuten account and straight back to the site. That's it. One click and you're on your way to getting money back. I always like to check out the Rakuten site anyway, because they include any active coupon codes, so you can save even more. 

If you spend a lot of time on your phone, download Rakuten there, too. It's a bit of extra work, since you have to open the app and then find the store you want to shop at from there, but it's always worth it. It's easy to get around, see your account, find your favorites, and see all the places you can get cashback on one screen.

Haven't signed up for Rakuten yet? Do it now.