A young woman poses in front of Mt. Fuji at an observation deck at Fuji Station, Shizuoka, Japan - Sarah Salisbury It's finally time to book your first-ever international flight. You're sure you're ...

Everyone remembers their first time crossing a border with a passport that still smelled new. The first immigration stamp. The first foreign currency awkwardly counted at the airport, I did that math ...

Most people plan their first international trip the same way. They pick the biggest name on the map, book the most famous neighborhood, and try to squeeze every "must see" spot into a few packed days.