July 28, 2018

Travelling to Brazil from USA

If you are travelling to Brazil, whether it's for the games or for a holiday, there are some essential things that you need to know before you travel in order for your trip to be safe, economical and enjoyable. Check out these 9 must know travel tips...

Do not make the ‘ok’ hand gesture – it Brazil it’s the equivalent of sticking your middle finger up so will get you into a lot of trouble! Don’t do it.
Data can be super expensive if you use your existing SIM card, you can buy a local SIM but topping up and activate the SIM will be in Portuguese. Don’t speak Portuguese, don’t worry. You can get 1GB of data valid for 30 days with this worldwide data SIM card, for just $50 / £30 - its up to 99% cheaper than other SIM cards!
Don’t expect many people to speak English as most people won’t. It’s also unlikely that they will speak Spanish. Take a Portuguese phrase book as you don’t really want to go pulling out your expensive smartphone while walking around as you are asking to be mugged.
The voltage changes from state to state – some places its 110-127V/60Hz and others its 220-240V/60Hz). Be careful because you could end up blowing up all of your electronics! To be on the safe side take a universal travel adapter and converter kit before arriving.
Tipping is not expected as 10% is usually already added to the bill, although you don’t actually have to pay this if you don’t want to.
Brazil has a reputation for crime so be aware and be street wise. Don’t whip out your valuables or money, don’t wear loads of expensive jewellery and don’t make yourself a target by having too much to drink. Be aware of your surroundings and check with your hotel on where is unsafe to go, especially at night.
Don’t drink the tap water as you are likely to get a tummy ache (etc), drink bottled water and also use this to brush your teeth. If you like to have ice in your drink you should ensure that it’s made from drinking water rather than tap water.
At night take taxi’s as public transport can sometimes be dangerous – taxis are cheap, just make sure they put the meter on. It’s best to call a taxi rather than hail one. Your hotel or the venue you are in can do this for you.
Don’t look lost and don’t use your phone as navigation (or at least don’t make it obvious that you are using your phone for navigating. Get a map and plot your route before you leave your hotel. Know where you are going and try not to get your map out obviously in the street. You can always stop at a café or sit somewhere to take another look at where your next stop is.