Compared to how it used to be, travelling to a foreign country has become much easier for us today. Inside Europe, a simple identity card will get you across the borders. But passports and visas are still a mandatory requirement in many countries of the world. A host of customs regulations determines which goods and how many of each you can bring in or out of a country. Vaccinations are not just a good idea when travelling to certain countries, they are actually required in some. And since terrorism has become a menace to air traffic, some items are not even allowed onto the plane any more.

So, when travelling to countries or regions that you don't know too well, it is a good idea to study travel warnings, security advice and entry regulations carefully in order to avoid unpleasant surprises at the border.