Travel Guidance
Traveling overseas can be challenging and stressful if you lack the proper knowledge. Black marks the spot is here to provide you with helpful tips on how to become an elite traveler. We want to circulate as much information as possible so that all our followers are well informed.
Navigating
It can be difficult trying to navigate around town in a foreign country with no GPS app. But have no fear because “Maps.me” can provide you with all the help you need. Download this GPS app, and you can use it “offline.” It’s very user friendly, all you have to do is search for the desired location and download the city. After a few seconds you will have a map of the entire area within the cities limits of course. (Note: this app does not download the entire country, you must specify which city you would like to explore). Please remember that this app works offline so it will not be able to calculate traffic or road closures, but it will get the job done. (Follow the link provided to download the app). Works with both IOS and Android phones Maps.me
Check with CDC
Check for any necessary vaccines for certain places around the globe. The CDC (Centers of Disease Control) may give recommendations for most countries, but there are some countries that require you to have certain vaccinations before arrival. It’s always a good thing to have complete piece of mind while traveling abroad. Visit the site and get the most recent updates. https://www.cdc.gov
International Calls
Depending on your wireless service provider and the plan you have, you should be able to make international calls if need be. But as an alternative for the ones that don’t have that option you could use the app called “Viber,” it’s free to download, but you have to choose a calling package based on the country you are in. They offer different types of packages that start as low as $1.99. Viber is a very inexpensive way to allow you to make calls over WiFi and not have to worry about any unexpected charges on your phone bill. Visit the link to download https://www.viber.com/
Hotel Accommodations
Searching for a hotel can be a stressful process. One of the main things that you should consider is making sure your hotel is within walking distance from a metro/ bus stop. You always want to be close to public transportation so that you can maximize your exploring time. When traveling abroad some of the main factors are safety and convenience. Let us take on the burden of finding the best accommodations for you. Simply visit our “Trip Planning page“ and fill out the travel inquiry form.
Best times to travel
When traveling, you always want to make the best of your trip. So it’s always good to search “the best time to visit a particular country.” I recommend using travel.usnews.com. It’s a very user-friendly website that gives you tons of information like weather patterns, local holidays, festivals and even a graph on hotel rates throughout the year. It would also be in your best interest to check out travel.state.gov. This website will have all the up to date information in regards to travel warnings/advisories for destinations around the globe.
Transportation
Organizing transportation once you arrive in a foreign country can be a hassle. It’s best to have this set up prior to arrival. The easiest way to accomplish this is to select a hotel that offers pick/drop-off service then you have no worries, but for those who don’t have this option, Black Marks the Spot will be more then happy to assist you. Most locations around the globe offer Uber or something similar to the ride-sharing app, this would be one of the easiest ways to get around town if you don’t prefer using public transportation.
Check your Documents
Most people fail to realize that certain countries require additional documents in order to enter. It’s always a good rule of thumb to search for the most up to date visa information prior to travel. It’s also common for people not to realize that their passport is about to expire, you should always try to make sure your passport is valid for at least six months before your trip date.
