10 Things To Do Before A Trip
Your flights are booked, and you are counting down the days until you leave. But, before you start ticking away at your vacation to-do list, there are several essential tasks to tackle to ensure you make the most of your vacation. Have you checked to make sure your Passport is up to date? Have you secured travel insurance? Have you familiarized yourself with carry-on restrictions? Here are 10 important things to do before you leave for your adventure.
Get Travel Insurance
Travel insurance is one of those necessities that often goes unnoticed until it becomes crucial. There's always a risk of needing to cancel or shorten your trip unexpectedly, and dealing with steep cancellation fees is something you definitely want to avoid.
Moreover, travel insurance becomes your safety net for any unforeseen medical expenses abroad. Most regular health insurance plans don't extend coverage overseas, making comprehensive travel insurance essential to handle all potential health issues, whether major or minor, during your travels.
Beyond health concerns, mishaps like lost passports, stolen belongings, flight cancellations, and other unforeseeable events can quickly turn your trip into a nightmare. Having the right insurance coverage can mean the difference between a minor inconvenience and significant financial strain.
Each of our advisors is an expert when it comes to travel insurance. Reach out and let’s get you covered!
Check Your Passport
Ensuring your passport is up to date is absolutely crucial when traveling. We emphasize the importance of checking your passport well in advance of your trip. Many countries require your passport to be valid for at least six months beyond your planned return date, so it's essential to verify this information to avoid any last-minute hassles or denied entry. Additionally, some countries may have specific entry requirements, such as needing a certain number of blank pages in your passport. By double-checking and renewing your passport if necessary, you can enjoy a smooth and stress-free travel experience without any unexpected obstacles at immigration checkpoints.
Make Copies of All Your Documents
We recommend creating physical and digital backups of your essential travel documents. Print out one or two copies for yourself, share a set of your details with a trusted friend or family member at home, and organize all your information in a dedicated folder in your email or Google Docs.
Make duplicates of vital documents like your passport, itinerary, travel insurance policy, emergency contact numbers, and tour confirmations.
Take a picture of your prescription labels. This way you’ll have all the relevant and important information in the event that your medication gets lost.
Having backups for everything is crucial in case you lose a physical copy, or in the unfortunate event of your phone or laptop being stolen during your travels.
Prep Your Luggage
Procrastinating on packing is a common pitfall. To minimize stress, begin organizing your carry-on well in advance. Use clear packing cubes to organize things like - snacks, personal care items, charging accessories. This way you can easily see what you have and can pull what you need when you need it. *Remember - you can bring a empty aluminum water bottle in to fill up after security.
As you pack, familiarize yourself with airport and airline guidelines. Many items are now restricted, and you wouldn't want to have to throw away a brand new bottle of your favorite, expensive face cream. For liquids or gels, use a clear plastic bag and adhere to the 3 oz limit per bottle.
Having great luggage is more important than you might think! When you travel you rely on your luggage to house all of your essential items safely, it’s important to select the set of luggage that not only can get you where you need to go, but is also comfortable.
Speaking of luggage - It is important to note that some travel destinations may limit you to specific size requirements/specifications. Be sure to ask your travel advisor if there are any restrictions that they know of.
Purchase an Airtag specifically for your checked luggage - Travelers are dealing with more lost and delayed luggage than ever before, I highly recommend investing in to be able to track the location of your items at all times. You can attach them to your keys, backpack, or camera bags, and even slip one into your checked luggage for flights!
Protect Your $$$
Check to see if your credit card has an electronic chip on it, most European shops don’t accept cards with just the strip. If your card doesn’t, ask your bank to issue you one prior to the trip. Most major cards are now making it a standard practice.
Notify your bank where and when you’re going or set a ‘Travel Notice’ online. This will help reduce stress for both you and the bank, it will lessen the chance of a fraud alert that will flag your card for a hold or deactivation.
Know the Currency exchange rate of your destination. Currency centers usually charge a hefty fee. Instead, use an ATM upon arrival or get a card with a 0% foreign transaction fee. This will cut down costs in the long run.
Brush Up On Your Photography Skills
If this is a vacation that you have been planning for and dreaming about, you will more than likely want to capture your time there with stunning photos. Everyone loves a good sunset photo! If photography is your passion, or you are simply using your iPhone to take photographs it's worth learning some tips and tricks beforehand to make the most out of your vacation photos.
Experienced photographers likely understand the impact of lighting based on the time of day and how crowds can affect your shots. However, for those who appreciate the beauty of well composed photograph, but aren’t quite how to achieve this keep reading.
For those seeking dreamy photos, research your area to find the perfect spot beforehand. Identify special locations on a map, research sunrise and sunset times, check the weather and plan your photography sessions accordingly.
Think about your surroundings, who is the main subject? Is it the sunset - a person - a building - think about who/what you want to be in your photograph and position yourself so that the main subject is to hindered in any way.
Get on eye level or lower. When photographing a tall building - get low, crouch low and shoot upward. This gives an elongated view of your subject. When photographing children, crouch to get on their eye level.
If you plan on driving…
If you plan on driving/renting a vehicle in a foreign country, it’s best to find out ahead of time if you need an international driving permit. Different countries have different rules concerning this topic, you can read more about this on our journal entry - Driving In A Foreign Country - What You Need To Know.
Know Your Apps
These smartphone apps can streamline your travel planning, enhance your experiences, and ensure a smoother and more enjoyable journey. While there are so many out there here are a few of our favorites …
Google Translate: Translates text, speech, and images into different languages, ideal for overcoming language barriers.
Duolingo: A fun way to learn and practice basic phrases in foreign languages before or during your trip.
TravelSafe: Provides emergency contact information, embassy details, and safety tips for different countries.
My Current Converter: Provides real-time currency exchange rates and converts currencies for international travel.
Splitwise: Helps split expenses and track shared costs among travel companions.
PackPoint: Generates packing lists based on your destination, duration of stay, and planned activities.
Citymapper: Helps navigate public transportation systems in major cities worldwide, including bus, subway, and train routes.
Moovit: Provides real-time public transit information, schedules, and route planning in cities globally.
FlightAware: Tracks real-time flight status, departure/arrival times, and gate information for flights worldwide.
Atomosfy: Like Tiktok, but for restaurants and bars. With this app you can view videos of nearby restaurants with reviews, suggestions and the ability to discover new places.
Prioritize Safety and Health
Your safety and well-being should always be a priority when traveling. Take precautions such as carrying a copy of important documents, staying aware of your surroundings, and following local safety guidelines. Additionally, stay informed about health risks at your destination and take necessary vaccinations or precautions to ensure a healthy trip. Don’t forget to hydrate, and pack medications to prevent motion sickness and stomach related issues.
Stay Flexible and Open-Minded
Travel plans can sometimes change due to unforeseen circumstances such as weather, transportation delays, or unexpected opportunities. Stay flexible with your itinerary and embrace spontaneity, as these can lead to memorable experiences and discoveries off the beaten path. Your travel advisor has provided you with documents and resources of who to contact in case you need to. Keep these numbers/emails someplace that you can reference.
