Things To Get Right Before You Go On Holiday
Going on holiday is something we all look forward to, whether it’s a beach bonanza, winter wonderland adventure or a lovers lake retreat – nothing beats leaving your worries at home and having a week or two of pure indulgence and some self-obsession.
In order to have a fantastic holiday, some preparation is needed. The more you plan ahead and sort out the practical things, the less time you have to spend doing anything but having a great time when you reach your destination. Forgetting certain clothing items, sun cream or gadgets might make you frown for five minutes but won’t ruin your holiday, which is why some prep is much more important.
Here are some things to get right before you go on holiday:
Check The Country
Before you leave, check the Government Travel Site for up to date information on different countries. This should tell you if there are any health alerts, weather alerts or security alerts you need to be aware of before you travel. It is also worth checking where the nearest embassy is in that country should you need them in an emergency – you more than likely won’t, but it can never hurt to have their details just in case.
Check Your Insurance Cover
Insurance cover can be complicated and a bit of a headache, especially when it’s tiny writing designed for a gnat to read splashed over approximately 398 pages! However, when things go wrong, your insurance is so important so it is worth spending some time checking, even if you do need a whole afternoon and a magnifying glass to check it over. Sometimes it’s worth paying more for extensive cover. And if you don’t have travel insurance at all? Get some as a priority.
Vaccinations
Sometimes vaccinations need to be taken months in advance of travel depending on where you are going. As soon as you look at booking a holiday, enquire with your GP about the vaccinations recommended for the place you are looking to visit.
Passports and Travel Documents
Your passport is your ticket to the destination, without it, you won’t be going anywhere. Check your passport is in date on the dates of your holiday and take photocopies of all the passports of every family member and take them with you. Store everything separately so that if one item gets lost, you still have the other to refer to. With other travel documents and important documents you should be just as vigilant, first and foremost checking if you have everything you need from the travel company. Sometimes a technical or human error may mean you haven’t received all the tickets you need, so you need to double check you have everything listed.
Money
Some people don’t take any travel money in cash at all, whereas other people take it all in cash. If you’re taking all of yours in cash, store it separately. So if you are taking 500 euros put 100 in your suitcase, 100 in your travel bag and the rest in your partner’s bag. That way if something gets lost or stolen, you won’t have lost all of your money. It is best to take some travel money in cash and keep some in a bank account accessible via ATM’s in the country you are visiting. You should always have access to spare emergency money just in case.
Remember, the more prepared you are, the less you will have to worry while you are away. It pays to be organised and pay attention to the practical side of your holiday. Quite simply, you can’t be organised enough! Happy holidays!
