Collaborative post
Travel planning starts with a mountain of excitement and daydreams of sipping cocktails, and then it leads to a mountain of stress when you realise that you’ve forgotten something in the process of planning your dream vacation. If you’re not careful, travel planning can turn into a frantic game of “did I forget something?”.
It’s supposed to be the fun part of going away. You get to look at the pictures of far-flung beaches and vibrant cities, and you get to determine which excursions you want to do the most. There are some essentials when it comes to travel planning, and there are some of them that are often overlooked but completely critical to the plan. They can make or break your trip, and yes, that includes figuring out where your car is going to stay when you’re off chasing sunsets – shout out to Parking Up for making airport parking way less stressful. Let’s take a look at some things that you absolutely cannot forget when planning your next great adventure.
Check your documents
It might sound really obvious, but checking your passport and any travel documents that you need is really important. You don’t want to be one of those people that’s scrambling for their passport at the check in desk and you have no time to get back home and get it. Or one of those people that discovers that their passport has expired right before their flight. Double check expiration dates and make a point of knowing whether you need visas to the place you’re going to. Any ID for your car and any travel insurance documents should also be physical as well as digital so that if anything goes missing, you’ve got backups ready to go. This becomes especially important when traveling with family or dependents, where requirements such as a child student visa uk may apply. When you are digitally prepared, you are mentally relaxed.
Sort out where your car is going
If you’ve booked the flights in the hotel, but you don’t have a way of getting to the airport except for driving yourself there, then you need somewhere to secure your car while you’re away. You can then pick your car up on the way out. Services like Parking Up come in clutch here because they help you compare prices and reserve a spot in advance. Pre-booked parking for airports is often cheaper and who doesn’t love a little extra cash for duty free snacks?
Don’t say no to travel insurance
It’s not the most thrilling item on your list, especially when you want to save your money for your expenses. But travel insurance is the unsung hero of every smart traveller. Whether it’s lost luggage or cancelled flights, you’re covered and you don’t have to sweat about it. Accidentally try to pet a llama in Peru and end up leading stitches? You’re covered. There are tons of customisable plans these days. You need to find one that fits your side of travel, from chill breaks to adrenaline fuelled escapades.
Let the bank know you’re travelling
There’s a mini heart attack that comes with your card being declined in a foreign country. You can save yourself the drama in advance by letting your bank know about the travel plans ahead of time. This way you’ve told them that you are abroad, so if your card suddenly starts getting spent in another country, they won’t block your card in hopes of saving you money.
Don’t pack to the kilo
We’re all guilty of tossing in way more clothing than we need just in case when we go on holiday. If you have a 30kg luggage allowance, then the best thing that you can do is make sure that you leave at least 5 or 6 kilos empty. This way, when you pick up souvenirs or you go shopping while you’re abroad, you have space to put your things and you don’t have to be that person dumping everything out in the airport. Make sure you don’t forget to pack your essentials though like toiletries, contact lenses and any medications.
Download the apps before you leave
When Wi-Fi is spotty and roaming charges are scary, your pre downloaded apps become your travel lifeline. Google Maps offline, a currency converter and a translation app are your bread and butter. If you’re exploring new cities, don’t forget apps for local transit or rideshares too. Bonus points for downloading podcasts, playlists, or audiobooks.
Don’t forget to clean the house
When you’re coming back from your vacation, the last thing you want to do with a funny landing time is get home to a mess. Empty the fridge of anything that could grow legs, set a few lights on timers for security, and pause any deliveries. And yes, give the house a clean. Nothing says welcome home like fresh sheets and no mystery smells.