Originally Posted by
gonebabygone
This might be an obvious one, but remove the SIM card from your phone. You can then use it for wifi, maps, etc without the risk of receiving incoming text messages.
Oh, and always exchange your money in your home country, where you can shop around for the best rate!
Exchanging money at home is often one of the worst ways to do it. Use a debit card at an ATM in your destination.