Travelling is one of the best things to do with your time. While modern technology has made us feel that the earth has grown smaller and places have become closer together because it’s now easier to see them from the comfort of our homes, the world is still a big place!
There are many wonders to marvel at, golden beaches to lie on, marvellous mountains to climb, and verdant forests and jungles to explore. Whether you like to do this with a pack on your back and stay in hostels or lounge in the most luxurious hotels, the reasons we travel are more or less the same. We travel to learn, explore, grow, and know our world.
While the aim of travel is blissful enjoyment of the world around us, getting to that blissful stage can often be a little tricky. If you want to avoid the humdrum stresses and toils of travel and travel preparation, have a look at our checklist of 10 things that will make the journey so much easier for you.
1. Take Out Travel Insurance
We know it sounds like just another added expense to your trip, but travel insurance is absolutely essential whenever you travel, be it locally or abroad. You’re likely to take your camera, smartphones, and maybe even computers along with you, so it would put a serious damper on your travels to have any of these stolen or broken and have no financial means to replace them. Travel insurance can offer peace of mind and assurance that your precious belongings are covered.
What’s more, travel insurance should also cover you in the unlikely event that you need medical attention. Navigating medical costs while on holiday certainly isn’t high on the priority list, and travel insurance will help to avoid it.
2. Create Packing Lists
Lists are an absolute game-changer for organised, worry-free travels. Beginning about a month before your journey, make exhaustive lists of everything you need to do and pack. We suggest one list for travel preparation, like documentation and bookings, and another for packing. Create sections on your packing list that separate clothing and shoes from accessories (adapters, chargers, cameras) and toiletries.
Copy the list, take it with you, and go through it again before you depart to ensure that you’ve packed everything you took on the trip. This way, nothing gets left behind.
3. Do Your Research
Getting caught up in the excitement of a new trip is easy, but it’s essential to research before you leave. This is particularly important when travelling abroad, especially to places where English isn’t the main language or to a destination that you haven’t been to before. Research the local language and learn a couple of basic phrases.
This will be useful in your day-to-day experiences, but it’s also polite, and locals will usually appreciate that you took the time to learn some of the language. Learn about the local foods and customs and always respect those customs; remember, you are just a visitor.
It’s also important to find out which areas are considered safe or unsafe and take that into account when you move around your destination.
4. Book As Early As Possible
If you’re after the best deals on your flights and accommodation, then booking early will be your best bet. Not only are you more likely to save money, but it also gets the admin part of your travels out of the way, and you’ll be free to focus on the fun stuff when your holiday gets closer.
Of course, commercial flights are probably the most stressful part of any journey: getting to the airport on time, spending hours in passport and security queues, and standing around waiting to board. If you are after comfort, convenience, and luxury on your travels, book a private jet instead of catching a commercial flight, especially if you are travelling for business or with a group of friends.
5. Pack Light Where You Can
Why is it that we think we’re going to go through five outfits a day when we travel, and when we go through two at maximum at home? We know that it’s tempting to pack as much as you possibly can. Your most loved jewellery and that special outfit might make it into your baggage, just in case you have an unforeseen need to wear them.
However, it’s always a much better idea to pack light, especially if you’re going to be carrying your bags around with you. Avoid taking your beloved valuables, and remember to put an outfit or two in your carry-on suitcase. Pack practical shoes, clothes and accessories — these will be a whole lot more useful than the fancy shirt you haven’t worn in a year.
6. Leave a Time Buffer
If you need to be at the airport two hours before your flight leaves, be there three hours before instead. If you need half an hour to get from place to place, allocate 45 minutes just in case. If a flight leaves early, your departure gate changes, or if there’s an accident on the road, you’ll be thankful for the extra time you allocated.
Things tend to go wrong when they are the most inconvenient, so it’s always a good idea to account for the inevitable traffic delays, late buses, or passports that you’ve left behind and need to go back and fetch.
7. Stay In Touch While You’re Away
It’s easy to get distracted and forget to contact your loved ones when you’re on an adventure, but it’s a good idea to stay in touch with someone on a daily basis when you’re far from home. This means that if heaven forbid, something happens to you, someone will know that all is not well. They can then raise the alarm and start making inquiries on your behalf.
8. Be Wise With Your Food Choices
Nothing quite beats sampling local cuisine and trying out the renowned local dishes of a destination. However, it’s still important to eat and drink with caution, especially if you have any severe food allergies. Do your research (point 3) and find out where and what you should be eating. If something doesn’t look or smell right, then best avoid it, as you don’t want to spend precious travel time lying in bed with a food allergy or food poisoning
9. Ask for Early Check-In
Early check-in and late check-out. The worst that any accommodation can say is “No,” and you’ll never know unless you ask! Early check-in and late check-out give you a couple more hours to relax and get the most bang for your buck.
10. Bring Medication
It always pays to be prepared on the medication front when you travel. Of course, you’ll need to pack any prescription medication that you normally take, but it’s also worth taking other basic medications. Prepare for things like nausea, colds, flu, pain, etc., and carry these meds so they’re on hand if you need them.
We also advise getting a vitamin B shot and taking immune boosters before and while travelling. Commercial planes and travelling to a new place expose you to many germs, and taking these immune boosters can help you stay healthy and happy, ready to enjoy your trip.
Wrap Up
Travelling is one of the most exciting endeavours but can be incredibly stressful without the right preparation and planning. These tips and tricks take the hassle out of travel and your experience will be straightforward and so much more enjoyable.