The time has finally come; you are off to explore areas of the world you have never seen before whilst having experiences that will stay with you for a lifetime. Or maybe you’re looking to move somewhere new to find work? These 10 tips will help you get organized before traveling.
Before you get lost in daydreams of skydiving, elephant treks and exotic beaches, there are a few things you need to do first. You don’t want to get to the other side of the world and realize you have forgotten something VERY important.
Make sure you have the right documents…
You won’t get very far without the proper travel documents! First of all, your passport must be in date for your entire journey – depending where you are visiting and at what point in your travels – some countries require you to have at least six months left on your passport when you enter. As well as this you will need all your tickets, flight and hotel details and most importantly, travel insurance!
… as well as copies of those documents
It is important to have photocopies of all your documents, just to be on the safe side! Leave one copy at home with a trusted friend of family member and have one copy amongst your belongings – but obviously separate to the originals.
Plan your finances
You wouldn’t want to leave sunny paradise for rainy England early because you have either run out of money or had it stolen. Firstly you need to budget and then you need to keep your money safe. The best way to do this is by loading up a prepaid card with sterling before you leave and then using it wherever your travels take you.
Research the countries you are visiting
Invest in magazine subscriptions to a variety of travel titles – this will be a great way to build the excitement as ideas and inspiration land on your doorstep each week or month. Plus, this way you will arrive in each place knowing exactly what you want to do – making the most of every single second and not missing out on any incredible experiences. We also recommend signing up to the U.S. Homeland Security’s travel alerts email list. The department issues a Travel Warning when they want you to consider very carefully whether you should go to a country at all. Examples of reasons for issuing a Travel Warning might include unstable government, civil war, ongoing intense crime or violence, or frequent terrorist attacks.
Do the countries have any requirements?
Check whether the countries you are visiting require a visa and if so, that you have applied for these in plenty of time. For example, the UK requires a Visa for students and another type of Visa for some travelers.
Get your vaccines
There are often timescales to adhere to with certain vaccines, so make sure you get these in plenty of time. If you don’t know what you need your local travel health clinic can advise you.
Look into volunteering or working
Working during your travels can be a great way to fund your trip whilst building on your CV or alternatively volunteering can be an extremely fun and rewarding experience. Both will also be a great way to meet people, but make sure you get any relevant visas!
Book your first night’s accommodation
The first night can be extremely daunting – you are tired and in a strange place.
If you don’t book anything else before you leave, ensure you at least have your first night organized.
Set up a blog
Setting up a blog is free and easy on sites such as WordPress! This is then the perfect place to share stories and photos during your travels – both to keep family and friends back home up-to-date as well as being something you can look back on at the end of your trip.
Pack your suitcase!
First of all, you need to invest in a good quality suitcase – don’t over pack as you will be able to pick many items up cheaply along the way (toothpaste, shampoo, razor, socks, etc). Some of the key things you want to look for in a suitcase are durability and manageable weight (the lighter the better)! I highly recommend Away Luggage because you can charge your devices directly through the suitcase.
Now you can start counting down the days until you land in paradise!
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