Uh... these would mostly be for US citizens;)

1. Make sure you have a signed, valid passport (and visas, if required). Also, before you go, fill in the emergency information page of your passport!

2. Read the Consular Information Sheets (and Public Announcements or Travel Warnings, if applicable) for the countries you plan to visit.

3. Familiarize yourself with local laws and customs of the countries to which you are traveling. Remember, the U.S. Constitution does not follow you! While in a foreign country, you are subject to its laws.

4. Make 2 copies of your passport identification page. This will facilitate replacement if your passport is lost or stolen. Leave one copy at home with friends or relatives. Carry the other with you in a separate place from your passport.

5. Leave a copy of your itinerary with family or friends at home so that you can be contacted in case of an emergency.

6. Do not leave your luggage unattended in public areas. Do not accept packages from strangers.

7. If you plan to stay abroad for more than two weeks, upon arrival you should notify by phone or register in person with the U.S. embassy in the country you are visiting. This will facilitate communication in case someone contacts the embassy looking for you.

8. To avoid being a target of crime, try not to wear conspicuous clothing and expensive jewelry and do not carry excessive amounts of money or unnecessary credit cards.

9. In order to avoid violating local laws, deal only with authorized agents when you exchange money or purchase art or antiques.

10. If you get into trouble, contact the nearest U.S. embassy.

Oh, we can't leave this as a serious writeup!

11. Do not, under any circumstances, go to France.

12. No one really lives in Iceland, and any attempts to get there will probably just land you in some other cold place where they'll hope you won't notice the difference.

13. The French get really indignant when you ask them why the Maginot Line doesn't turn around.

14. As an American tourist anywhere in Europe, being impolitely ignored is pretty much the best you can hope for.

15. Speaking more loudly will not make foreigners understand English better, but it's really fun to try.

16. Overseas McDonald's restaurants are officially United States territory. They just don't like to tell anyone about it and insist on renaming many of the food items as a security measure. (See: Royale with cheese).

17. There *is* no digital display on Big Ben. Yes, we know, they're still in the Dark Ages.

18. Cars in most parts of the world come equipped with mysterious devices known as "stick shifts", which we believe are just fancy parking brakes.

19. We have recently discovered a chain of islands due west of California which we believe is known as Japanese Tourist Land. They may be unrecognizable without their cameras, though, so exercise caution.

20. We repeat: Avoid France at all costs.

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