So you’ve decided to head off on the adventure of a lifetime? Whether that’s a far flung holiday, a twin or multi centre break or an around the world trip, there’ll be things that you need to do in advance to properly prepare.
Work your way down this pre-travel checklist to ensure that your big adventure stays on the right side of exciting:
Put In Your Holidays
If you’re working or studying then you need to get the ok for the time off that you need. This may not be an issue if you’re just jetting off for a week or two (although certainly don’t book anything until you get the green light), but if you want to take an extended trip it may prove to be trickier.
Some places of work will let you take a sabbatical or extended holiday leave and still have a job to return to. In some cases however you may find that you have to resign from your position – consider this carefully!
Have Your Vaccinations
Depending on where you are travelling to you may need certain vaccinations/medications prior to travel. Take advice on this well in advance as many vaccinations need to be done weeks before you fly. Drop into the Trailfinders travel clinic London for advice and treatment – there’s no appointments system and you can usually have your vaccinations there and then. Located within the Trailfinders travel centre on London’s Kensington High Street, you can book your trip and get the necessary jabs in one visit!
Plan Your Itinerary
Head to the library or spend some time browsing online to plan your perfect itinerary. The more that you can have planned in advance, the easier it will be for you to just concentrate on having a great time while away. Take a look at excursions that you may wish to book onto – why waste precious holiday time trying to find what you’re looking for?
Change Your Currency
Whether you need one or more different currencies, it’s wise to arrange these in advance. Unless that means carrying an excessive amount of cash, in which case you may wish to carry traveller’s cheques instead, or draw out money as you need it (check in advance for any fees involved). Check the XE.com currency convertor and compare quotes at moneysupermarket to get the most currency for your cash.
Arrange Insurance/Visas
Travel insurance is essential. Be sure to carry copies of your documents. You may also need to arrange visas for entry to some countries –the travel consultants at Trailfinders can advise you further on this.
Learn the Lingo
It’s a good idea to learn at least a few basic phrases that will come in handy at your choice of destination or destinations. Or simply download iTranslate to your iPhone – simple!
Redirect Your Mail
If you’re planning a long trip then you may wish to either have your mail redirected or get a trusted person to pick it up regularly for you (and maybe even open it in order to relay anything important!). Those leaving an empty house behind might also wish to purchase some timer switches for some of the lights in the home to make it less obvious that you are away.
Good preparation will ensure a trip that’s memorable for all the right reasons, so spend some time on the practicalities before getting carried away in anticipation of the adventure of a lifetime.
