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When you get the chance in life to travel you should always go for it. It opens up your eyes to a whole new way of living, and you experience things you would never have otherwise. But traveling can be stressful- with inevitable queuing and delays, baggage can be lost, transfer buses can be missed. But don’t let it put you off, there’s plenty you can do that will make your trip run much more smoothly. Be prepared, organized and stay safe.
Get The Right Travel Insurance
Don’t simply click on the cheapest that you can find and hope for the best. There’s no point having it at all if it doesn’t cover you for the things you need and so read the small print carefully. If you’re going to be doing certain activities while you’re away such as bike riding, skiing, swimming etc make sure these are all covered. That way you won’t end up having to shell out a fortune if you do have to make a claim.
Hire a Car
Rather than having to rely on public transport while you’re away, consider hiring a car instead. You have much more freedom to get around, will never be left stranded and have a lot more control over the places you can easily get to. You can pack up your supplies in the boot each day without having to lug things around. Of course, there are destinations where hiring a car won’t be your best bet such as in busy cities. But for the most part, having a car can make for a much smoother and stress-free holiday.
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Skip The Queues at Customs
America is an incredible place to visit, each state is like a completely different holiday in itself. But U.S customs can be nothing short of a nightmare, with queues that can quite literally take hours which isn’t a fun way to start your trip. However, you can save yourself time and hassle by applying to the Global Entry program. This is a program for visitors from certain countries who are considered ‘low risk’ to get pre-approved clearance at customs. It’s all done electronically so there’s no paperwork to battle with. There is a fee, but it’s well worth it in order to keep things running as smoothly as possible. Check out a site like Upgraded Points for more information.
Put Away a Contingency Fund
This is money that’s separate from your holiday spending money, and only to be used in an emergency. If you experience delays, or something else crops up on your trip where you need cash, you have it right there. You don’t have to phone family and friends back home to bail you out. While good medical insurance will cover you for any accidents and injuries. But if you need hospital treatment or medical advice while you’re away you will have to pay for this from your own pocket. Your travel insurance will reimburse you, but you will still need the cash up front. An accident, illness or injury could even lead to things like having to re-book flights if you’re not well enough to travel. Having the money aside to be able to do this takes some of the pressure from an already stressful situation. Hopefully, you won’t ever need to use it, but it’s good to have a backup there just in case.
Get Vaccinated
You won’t require vaccinations for all countries, but for many, you will and so do your research. For example; if you’re traveling to Thailand or Indonesia you will need Hepatitis A and B as well as typhoid and influenza vaccinations. For India, you will need protecting against Yellow Fever and Malaria as well as others. Make sure you get your vaccinations sorted in plenty of time. If you’re traveling with young children, make sure they have had their regular childhood vaccinations before you leave. If you’re worried about disease there are some things you can do in the planning stage of your trip. For example, certain diseases will be more prevalent at certain times of the year. Longer stays can increase your risk, and staying in more rural areas also carries a higher chance of contracting a disease. Something to think about when you’re planning your holiday. While you might have always wanted to visit certain places in the world, if it comes with a high risk of disease and infection it might be worth considering somewhere else especially if you’re traveling with children or anyone with reduced immune function.
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Organise Your Travel Documents
Have things like passports, boarding passes, tickets, excursion details, and shuttle/transfer details organized. This can make everything run much more smoothly. Invest in a good travel wallet and keep everything together, the last thing you want is to be frantically rummaging in your bag while you’re standing at the gate at the airport.
Phone Your Bank
It’s a good idea to call your bank before jetting off and letting them know that you’re going to be making purchases from abroad. This stops it from being flagged as suspicious and your card being blocked. At the very least make sure your contact details are all up to date. Have some cash in the correct currency in case there are any problems with your credit or debit cards while you’re away. Getting a prepaid card for your holiday money is a great idea. You don’t need to carry around excessive cash that could be lost or stolen, but you can’t go way over budget since it’s loaded with a set amount. Prepaid credit cards will also be cheaper interest-wise than using a standard debit or credit card too, so it’s a win-win.
Sort Your Phone Roaming
Before using your phone abroad you will need to change the settings, give your phone tariff a call to get it sorted. Having working phones while you’re on holiday can be extremely useful. If you get lost or separated from your family or group, you can make immediate contact with them. If you’re worried about the cost of running a phone while you’re away, pick up a pay and go sim card and top it up instead. Purchase a roaming ‘add-on’ so you know exactly how many calls and texts and how much data you’ll get. This prevents you from getting back from holiday, realizing your roaming wasn’t set up correctly. And ending up with a phone contract bill that’s through the roof.
Have a General Plan
A holiday is about kicking back, relaxing and just doing whatever you want. But having some kind of plan, even if you’re flexible with it, can help. If there are certain things you want to see and do, or excursions you have booked, set aside a day for them. Don’t try and cram in too much, and allow for plenty of down time to just relax and do whatever you fancy. This is important if you’re traveling with children since they’ll need a chance to rest between trips and events. You don’t want to overwhelm them by doing too much.
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Research The Area
Spend time looking into the place you’ll be staying. What kind of restaurants, shopping, culture etc does it offer? If you’re traveling with someone with food intolerances and things, will there be places they can safely eat? If you’re traveling on a budget, are there plenty of things to do that you can afford? Does it offer the kinds of activities you hope to do? Having a general idea about the area can help you navigate better once you arrive and you won’t be caught short. Find out the kind of distance to the places you hope to visit, from where you’ll be staying, and work out the cost of fuel or taxis so it can all be accounted for.
Pack Well
You might be visiting a sunny destination, but it doesn’t mean that you won’t have rainy or even cold days while you’re there- so pack sensibly taking all weathers into consideration. It can also get chillier in the evenings even in hot countries so having appropriate clothes is a must. Consider things like comfortable footwear, pretty shoes might look nice but if you’re going to be doing a lot of exploring and walking then good supportive walking shoes are a must. If you create a ‘capsule wardrobe’ you’ll have lots of different outfit variations without the need to bring lots of clothing items. That way you can save space for other important things. If you or any of your family have a medical condition, take an additional supply of medication or equipment in case you experience any delays. If you pack smart you’ll be much more comfortable throughout your trip and have the best time possible
A bit of forwarding planning and research can save you so much hassle in the long run. Travelling can be unpredictable but as long as you’ve come prepared and have the best idea about what to expect, your holiday will run smoothly and be as stress-free as possible.
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