There are some things you can research before an international trip.
You can read hotel reviews, compare flights, look at maps, and make lists until your suitcase is sitting by the door.
And then there are the things you learn by actually going.
The little things no one thinks to tell you. The things that have you standing in a hotel room (or an Airbnb apartment) holding a hair dryer with a three-foot cord, staring at a mirror twelve feet away and thinking, Well, this is interesting.
Here are ten things I wish I knew before I started traveling internationally.
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1. Sometimes it’s easier to buy the hair dryer when you get there
I have learned that plugging a powerful U.S. hair dryer into a travel adapter is not always the best plan.
In London, I bought a hair dryer at Boots with the correct UK plug. It was inexpensive, worked exactly as it should, and removed the entire voltage-and-adapter issue.
Sometimes the easiest travel solution is the simplest one.
Buy the hair dryer.
2. Don’t assume there will be an outlet near the bathroom mirror
This one surprised me.
Depending on where you’re staying, you may not have an electrical outlet in the bathroom for your hair dryer. And the available outlet in the bedroom may be nowhere near a mirror.
Add in a short hair dryer cord and suddenly you’re trying to style your hair using a reflection from across the room.
Now I look at hotel room photos differently. 😂
It’s a small thing, but it’s a good reminder: don’t expect every hotel room to have the same creature comforts or layout you’re used to at home.
3. “Breakfast starts at 8:00” doesn’t always mean breakfast is ready at 8:00
I learned this one in Italy.
If a restaurant or hotel says breakfast opens at 8:00 a.m., don’t automatically assume you’ll be seated, served, fed, and walking out the door by 8:20.
You may arrive at 8:00 and discover that everyone is still getting ready for the morning. I had a server tell me it would be about 10 minutes for her to change into her uniform. They are on a very different clock in Italy. Respect the norms and be prepared.
Normally, that’s part of the charm of travel.
It’s less charming when you have an early tour booked and a very fixed schedule.
If you have somewhere you absolutely need to be, plan accordingly. Ask the night before, grab something simple, or keep a snack with you.
4. You don’t need to pack your entire bathroom
I used to think I needed to bring every lotion, cream, and toiletry I might possibly need.
Then I discovered pharmacies abroad.
In France especially, pharmacies can be a destination all by themselves. The lotions, creams, and skincare products are wonderful, and I’ve found products at prices that made me wonder why I had hauled so much from home.
Unless you need a very specific product, consider buying some toiletries when you arrive.
You save luggage space and might discover something you love.
5. Bring a washcloth
This is such a small thing until you’re standing in a hotel bathroom looking for one.
Many hotels outside the United States do not routinely provide the face cloths or washcloths Americans may expect.
I learned to bring my own.
For travel, disposable washcloths can also be useful because you can use them along the way without packing damp washcloths back into your luggage. I buy them in a 100 pack and grab as many as I need for make-up removal, showers, etc. They are small round disks that expand when wet, and take up very little space in your luggage. Also, you aren’t dealing with wet cloths to pack to take home, and can just toss them when done.
[Affiliate link: My travel washcloth pick]
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6. You are probably going to walk more than you think
If your idea of travel is sitting beside a hotel pool for seven days, this may not apply to you.
But if you want to explore?
Plan to walk.
A lot.
European cities in particular can turn an ordinary sightseeing day into miles of walking without you even realizing it.
This is not the trip to break in cute new shoes.
Wear shoes you’ve already tested. Make comfort a priority. Your feet can determine how much you enjoy the second half of your day.
7. If you’re going to Scotland, bring waterproof shoes
Not shoes that are kind of water resistant.
Waterproof shoes. 😂
Weather changes. Grass is wet. Streets are wet. Trails are wet.
Cold, damp feet can change the mood of a sightseeing day remarkably quickly.
A comfortable waterproof walking shoe is one of the things I’m very glad to have when traveling somewhere with unpredictable weather. I prefer these sneakers style waterproof shoes that are lightweight….and I even wear them to the airport and no need have to pack them. Leave the space in the luggage for the cute sandals or dress shoes. I can attest to the continued comfy, dry feet while touring the Highlands of Scotland. I also own a pair of sneaker boot-style for winter traveling. They hug the ankle and give more warmth in the colder months and you can justify the bulkier shoe, but for summer I opt for the regular sneaker style.
[Affiliate link: Waterproof travel sneakers I recommend]
[Affiliate link: Waterproof travel boot-style sneakers I recommend]
8. Compression socks and hydration – start before you feel swollen
I learned this one the uncomfortable way.
On one long flight, I forgot to wear my compression socks and had eaten a salty meal and had some wine with my meal. By the time I arrived, I had more swelling than I normally experience after flying. I opt for neutral colored socks and tend to put them on in the airport bathroom just before boarding.
I ended up wearing my compression socks to bed that first night because I was trying to deal with the swelling/fluid after the fact.
Now I think about hydration well before I board the plane, and I remember my compression socks for long flights.
If you have health concerns or significant swelling, talk with your healthcare provider about what’s appropriate for you. Compression garments aren’t right for everyone.
[Affiliate link: My compression socks I wear to travel ]
9. Learn the shape of the city before you arrive
One of the best things I’ve started doing is learning the basic layout of a city before I get there.
Where is the airport?
Where is my hotel?
Where is the main train station?
What transportation connects them?
What are the names of the major stations or hubs I’m likely to see on signs?
This has squashed so much arrival anxiety for me, especially when I’m traveling somewhere I don’t speak the language.
You don’t need to memorize every street.
You just want the city to feel slightly familiar when you arrive.
Recognizing one station name on a sign can be surprisingly reassuring.
10. Pack healthy snacks for the flight
Do not assume the airplane meal is going to keep you full.
Portions can be smaller than you expect, and the two meal choices may not be anything you particularly want to eat.
I would much rather nibble on snacks throughout the flight than land exhausted and absolutely famished.
Pack snacks you know you like and that travel well.
Landing in a new country is exciting.
Landing in a new country hungry, tired, and trying to figure out transportation is a different experience entirely.
The things you learn by going
I could have read a hundred packing lists and still not known some of these things. And these are just a few, I will post more as I think of them.
That’s travel.
You learn what matters to you. You figure out what makes the journey easier. And the next time, you pack differently, plan differently, and arrive with a little more confidence.
You don’t have to know everything before you go.
Sometimes you just have to know enough to take the first trip.
The rest?
You’ll learn along the way.
And you’ll probably come home with a few stories, straight from the window seat.
Because I always feel the best advice comes from the window seat.
— Blanche Carroll
Founder, Window Seat Therapist™
© 2026 Window Seat Therapist™ This original story may not be reproduced or republished without permission.
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