Most of us can only afford one or two longer breaks each year. Let’s make sure in advance that this special time is associated positively, and not with a series of unpleasant surprises, especially when we decided to go abroad. Here is our list of 8 things worth doing before each trip.
- Recon – it is worth checking at least basic information about our destination before departure. Our recommendation is to start with looking up any cultural differences and local customs. When visiting a new place, it is always better to be perceived as a person who respects local traditions, not as an intruder. What’s more the lack of knowledge of local regulations may get us in trouble and even extend our stay by the time spent in lockup. This is exactly what a British couple, condemned for an innocent kiss in a restaurant, experienced in Dubai.
- All-weather clothing – in most parts of the world we can experience weather changes even within one season. Let’s bear this in mind when packing. After all, it is not worth losing out on the joys of the trip, because we only took light T-shirts and we are bound to the hotel room because it is cold outside. Then perhaps the heat will surprise us and we will come back from each outing looking like we just got out of the shower.
- Health regulations – it seems that the world is slowly emerging from the so-called pandemic period and is becoming more open again. However, we must remember that many countries still require a “Covid Certificate”, so it is worth checking its validity before departure. We must also remember that, especially in exotic destinations, vaccinations against diseases not found in Europe are mandatory. In such case, it is not enough to vaccinate oneself, we must remember to do so well in advance.
- Travel insurance – a must have! When having doubts about this it is good to check costs and availability of healthcare at the destination. This should suffice to convince everyone to get an insurance, and it is not only about health. For example, it covers accommodation in the event of a canceled flight or compensation when our luggage is lost.
- Cash for unexpected expenses and a backup card – traveling is often like building a house. As a rule, it costs more than anticipated. Just in case of such situation, it is worth having extra cash handy. You can use it for unexpected expenses or when it turns out that card payments are not accepted at the place where you are trying make a purchase. As for cards themselves, we recommend taking at least two and keeping them separately. This can be helpful not only when one gets lost, but also when, for example, because of a system failure, your bank blocks foreign operations on one of them.
- Prep – it is worth getting to know the destination beforehand to make the most of our vacation. Afterall it is known that travels broaden the mind. Until recently, paper guides were the main travel assistants. Nowadays they give way to blogs and vlogs run by travel enthusiasts. An example of one of them can be found at www.guideU.pl. A solution that allows to get to know the most important attractions and local stories in the most comprehensive way is a guided tour. This is, however, quite an expensive option, especially when we are not traveling in a large group. Technology comes in handy giving us new solutions such as applications in the form of an audio guide combined with convenient maps where local enthusiasts provide guide services. An example of this type of app is guideU – available both on the Google Play and the AppStore. More information about guideU can be found at www.zaininstallguideU.pl.
- Don’t forget about copies – making photocopies of most important personal and travel-related documents can save us from a great deal of stress. If it happens that we lose our passport abroad, the information from the first two pages will make it easier for us to contact the embassy and apply for a new one. The same principle applies to printed booking confirmations, that can be helpful when the hotel’s computer system is down or unable to find our reservation upon check-in.
- Choose your company well – vacation is our reward for weeks of hard work. There is no point in wasting it with people who have a different attitude to traveling or emanate negative energy.
We hope you find above recommendations useful. Of course, they do not guarantee a successful trip, but they significantly increase the probability that it will not be accompanied by stress, the worst companion of any endeavor.
