A Guide for a Great Trip Together

Whenever friends or family come to visit us, we get giddy. Seriously, unapologetically, embarrassingly giddy. We’re not sure if it’s the thrill of seeing familiar faces or the fact that we finally have someone to confirm that foreign washing machines are in fact impossible to operate or that we’re not the only ones buying sour cream when we meant to buy yogurt. Either way—visitors are a true highlight.

 

That said, we know visiting us isn’t the same as booking a week at Sandals. There’s no front desk, the concierge is Rick Googling something at 6 a.m., and housekeeping is handled by whichever one of us caves first. International travel adds its own quirks—new systems, new customs, new currencies—and it’s easy to feel like you’ve been dropped into a real-life escape room with no clues. So we made this little guide to help smooth out the bumps in the hopes we’ll get more visitors, not fewer.

 

So without further ado, here’s what we’ve learned. No judgment, no hinting, no coded messages. Just the stuff that previous visitors have said they found useful or wish they’d thought of. Take what’s helpful, ignore the rest, and know this—if you’re making the trip to see us, we’re already thrilled.

Double-check that your phone works internationally

By “works,” I mean actually physically operates on foreign networks—not just “you can use Wi-Fi at the airport Starbucks.” Most phones do, some don’t, and carriers love to keep it mysterious. A 30-second check saves you from spending your vacation holding a very expensive digital brick.

 

Adding an international plan with unlimited data is worth it

Maps, translations, and rideshares chew up data fast—especially if Google Maps decides to “recalculate” 14 times in a single block. Unlimited means you can get around freely without worrying about throttling or Wi-Fi scavenger hunts.

 

Turn on your plan before leaving the U.S.

And be sure you’ve lined up the right plan before you leave home. Some carriers won’t flip the switch once you’re already abroad. It’s an easy pre-flight move that will spare you trying to reach customer service from a foreign airport with 1% battery. 

 

Uber

Download the app and get it sorted ahead of time—card added, account verified, the full meal deal. It’ll makes that first ride a breeze instead of a “no, no, I swear this worked last year” moment.

Bring a couple of Visa or Mastercard credit cards, plus a debit card

They’re the most reliable everywhere. Amex and Discover frequently take the day off overseas, especially in small shops or markets.

 

Let your banks know you’re traveling

It’s the safest way to avoid surprise declines—the customer-service equivalent of being put in timeout.

 

Know your bank’s ATM rules

ATMs abroad often give only large bills. Great for bigger purchases, less great when you want a pastry and the bakery does not have change for your equivalent-of-$100 bill.

 

Local currency is the norm

American dollars look pretty, but they rarely work abroad. Having even a little local cash when you arrive smooths everything—tipping, taxis, grabbing a bottle of water. No need to overdo it; ATMs abroad offer better rates than exchanging at home.

 

Check if your credit card charges foreign transaction fees

Some don’t—and they can save you loads of cash. The fees add up quicker than you’d think, especially if you’ve become emotionally attached to daily cappuccinos.

 

If you end up with extra local cash at the end, we’ll happily buy it from you

We always need small bills, and it saves you from theatrically trying to spend €7.13 in the airport gift shop.

Setting up Venmo (or another money app) before the trip helps

Banks sometimes take a couple of days to verify a new account, and nobody wants their first morning to be an unexpected IT exercise.

 

A group expense app like Splitwise or Splid works wonders

It keeps everything fair without anyone needing to mentally tally who covered what—because mental math is nobody’s love language on vacation.

 

The easiest restaurant rhythm is taking turns paying the bill

Then the app settles it later. Simple, smooth, and avoids the calculator moment at the table where everyone suddenly becomes bad at division.

 

Bills don’t have to be equally split

If someone’s having a salad and another person is having a multi-course feast, amounts can be entered individually in whatever app we’re all using. It’s a tiny adjustment keeps things comfortable. Most people do this instinctively.

We love when guests come with ideas of things they want to see or do

Helps us shape the days around what excites you most—and we genuinely want you to see the things you came for, not just the things we’re personally obsessed with.

 

Planning a couple of outings for yourselves is great too

We’ll join for lots of things, but it’s also nice for everyone to enjoy a little downtime here and there. Even social butterflies need a charging dock on occasion.

 

Whoever comes up with the plan manages the details

Navigating local hours, tickets, and transit is part of the fun—and you’ll get a better story out of it than we will. (“We walked 4 miles to get there, but it was closed for ‘Anzac Day,’ whatever the heck that is.”)

We’re slow starters until coffee kicks in

Once it does, we’re delightful. We hope. But before then, we’re semi-verbal at best. If you finish the pot, feel free to make another. There can never be enough. Truly.

 

Dishes are communal

If you see one in the sink and feel moved to wash it, bless you. If not, that’s fine too—the day will not collapse, and neither will we.

 

No pantry means no secret stash of snacks

If you have favorites, grab some for the house—chances are good we like them too and will pretend we don’t know who finished the chips.

 

Cooking and cleaning are open for tradesies

If you cook (and please, feel free, we are so tired of our own cooking!), we’ll clean. If we cook, you can graciously shoo us away from the sink. Easy, fair, and avoids chore math.

 

Help yourself to drinks

If you finish something off, replacing it is always appreciated—doesn’t matter if it’s wine or Diet Coke or that one local beer you bought because the label was cute.

 

Sportsball

We’re not big on The Sports. If you want to catch a game while you’re here, awesome. You might choose a night we’re out or use a TV in another room—lest you become subject to our endless questions about what’s happening, who’s winning, and why everyone is suddenly running in that direction? Seriously. We'll have no idea.

 

We like us a comfy Uber

And we’re willing to spend a little on one. If saving money is your priority, that’s cool—you can always grab your own ride and meet us there.

 

Discovering local spots together is one of the best parts of hosting

We love when guests wander the neighborhood and come home with, “We found a café you have to try.” It’s the closest thing we get to a welcome basket.

 

If your visit triggers extra Airbnb guest fees, we’ll let you know

Sometimes they do—especially in countries where electricity or water is more expensive. They’re never huge, and we’ll always make sure you’re not surprised.

These are the kinds of things past visitors have told us made them feel more at home—little gestures that added joy to the trip.

• Cooking a meal for the group
• Bringing or buying snacks for the house
• Helping with laundry or swapping water jugs
• Teaching everyone a new game
• Braving the local market for ingredients
• Bringing small items from the U.S. that are hard to find abroad (we reimburse everything)
• Renting a van for a day trip—and turning it into a shared adventure

 Again, entirely optional. We already love you for coming to see us and filling us in on all the hot goss back home.

Truth is, none of this matters as much as simply having you here. These are just small travel tricks we’ve picked up while living out of carry-ons and arguing with foreign appliances.

 

So if you’re coming to see us—fantastic. Everything else is just logistics, and we’re pretty good at making those up as we go.