- 1). Make preparations back home. Make sure that all of your affairs are in order before you leave. Have a friend or family member watch your house and make sure to give him a schedule of where you will be during your trip. He should also have an emergency number to reach you if something big happens. This will ensure that you will not have to worry about small things during your trip.
- 2). Meet with a travel agent who's had experience arranging African and European trips. She'll know the ins and outs of what you should do and avoid and will arrange your plane tickets so that you will get the best prices on every flight. She will help you draft an itinerary to help you keep organized on your travels. Travel agents will take a small commission, but their services are well worth it.
- 3). Arrive at every one of your flights well in advance. Since you will be flying internationally, you should get to the airport at least two hours before your flight so that you have plenty of time for any eventualities. When traveling from Africa to Europe, you might be detained for brief periods so that the authorities can validate your reason for travel. If this happens, be truthful and open about your traveling arrangements and you should be out quick.
- 4). Be flexible in your traveling. On a trip to places as different as Europe and Africa, things might come up that you do not expect. Do not be so attached to your schedule that you are not open to changing things up if something comes up. You do not want to miss a once-in-a-lifetime happening because you are unwilling to change your plans.
- 5). Travel with a group or partner. This is not a necessity, but it does help to have someone else with you to watch your back in unfamiliar places. You can never be sure what might happen, and, as the old adage goes, there is strength in numbers.
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