Many people dream of traveling the world and working from anywhere and everywhere. Whether you’re a recent college grad wanting to spread your wings, a family with young kids, or an empty nester, international travel can be a rewarding adventure. There are a few things that you can do in advance to make things a little easier when you go.

Install Helpful Travel Apps

You’re likely going to need to communicate with people who do not speak the same language you do. A translation app on your phone can help you understand each other. In addition, you will find various types of money depending on where you travel. An app that converts currency values for you makes it much easier to understand what you’re spending. Some of these apps can also convert temperature and distance for you, which might come in handy for understanding metric measurements.

Get an International Calling Plan

For a short trip abroad you might not need to worry about making phone calls, but extended travel means you’ll likely want to be able to use your phone in multiple countries. Setting up international calling before you leave home means you’ll be ready whenever you need to make phone calls. Not all phones can be used in other countries, so knowing your options before you leave home is a smart way to avoid trouble.

Make Only Near Term Plans

Planning when you’ll travel and where you’ll stay makes for smoother trips, but when you’re planning to travel to many places over a long period of time, it’s best to make firm plans only for your first stop, and for locations where you’ll want to be there at a specific time, maybe for a holiday celebration or local festival. This ensures that you’ll have someplace to sleep when you arrive, while also allowing you to decide when you’re ready to move on based on your actual experiences.

Planning extended international travel can seem daunting, but with a few helpful tools and planning in small pieces, it’s an adventure that many people find worth the effort.