To travel is to awaken one’s senses and to explore one even more. Not only does it help you put a tick against your bucket list, but also to take a break from the ordinary routine and seek the unknown.
Travelling can indeed get stressful and increases the need to be well prepared before you board that flight. Irrespective of your travel destination, whether going to the beach for a weekend or traveling for a month-long holiday, it can be easy to feel overwhelmed with the checklists that need to be marked.
Proper research can work wonders for your holiday and make it an extremely memorable affair. So you have made your decision to explore the exotic location? Well, awesome! Before you land, it is a must to do your homework to feel secure and confident in the new place of exploration. Let us now rightly guide you through the most important things to consider before you travel forth!
Pre-travel checklist
1. Research about your destination thoroughly
First, it is a must to know about the destination thoroughly. It is mandatory to research well, browse through the destination, and learn more about the place. While researching, do not forget to base your findings on a few essential determinants such as the following:
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- Geography and climate
Make sure you assess the geography and climate of the surrounding area where you are going to visit. Ensure that you evaluate your physical conditioning while checking the climate and geography of a place.
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- A place to eat
Research about the places that suit your taste buds and taste palette: this is especially required if you are a vegetarian as choices can be extremely limited at specific locations.
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- Way to commute
You also need to research how you can commute, through train, road, or flight. Do not forget to check out the available vehicles that will make your travelling more comfortable.
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- Travel distance
his helps you to plan the sightseeing by your schedule.
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- Basic rules, local laws, and regulations
Every country has its own rule and governing laws, a must to adhere to.
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- Basic terminologies
Language plays an essential role in every country, and hence it is a must to know the primary terminologies for better communication.
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- Book the right hotel
Read reviews online before making the booking and try to choose a place for better access to public transport and the local market. You can book here and you’ll surely have a great hotel experience when traveling.
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- Get travel insurance
Yes, travel insurance exists and primarily provides safety to travelers against illness, injury, and more. Although it is not a compulsion, however, it is quite a good idea to go for one. For most individuals, it is necessary if you intend to travel outside your home country. Many travel insurance options and plans typically cover medical insurance, evacuation, emergencies, lost luggage, and trip cancellation. Hence, get yourself travel-ready by procuring travel insurance for maximizing your benefit.
2. Take care of the currency
The precise exchange rate is one of the main determinants that you need to keep your eye upon. It is also a great idea to figure the conversion rate before heading out. Travellers usually make a massive mistake of not exchanging the money for foreign currency before setting forth the destination.
Moreover, you tend to lose out some significant amount of money for exchange rates, especially when you buy from the bank, and more so when you exchange from the airport. The best way to grab maximum benefits is by using your ATM while arriving at your destination. Please ensure you get in touch with the bank and inform them beforehand of your travel plans. This scenario will help you in the long run while preventing you from witnessing any temporary freeze or hold on your account.
3. Check your passport
If you are going to travel internationally, one of the first things you should do before you travel is checking your passport. Although this seems quite apparent, depending on how much you travel, it is crucial to ensure that you have the right pages written and available in your passport. This scenario especially stands true if you require any visas.
Check whether your passport is up to date or not, as it needs to be valid for a minimum of 6 months post you travel in the destination of your choice. You do not want to be stranded at a new place, simply because you forgot to check up on your passport. Moreover, if it is close to expiry, ensure that you apply for a new one and get in renewed at the earliest to save the last-minute hassle.
4. Check the visa procedure
The new trip that you have been planning all this while do they need any visa? Yes, probably! Although the tourist destinations offer visas on arrival, some need to be organized ahead of the departure time with your local consulate’s help.
A thousand individuals are turned away and denied entry every day as they do not have a proper visa. If this happens with you, you cannot leave the airport premises while being forced to leave the country on the next immediate flight available. In short, a small mistake or casualty can go a long way to costing you a lot more money and a broken heart.
5. Manage your cash flow
While you are wondering about what are the things you should consider while travelling, well, your cash flow is one of them! If you intend to travel domestically, ensure that you visit your bank before leaving for the vacation. This scenario will help you not fall short on cash, with having to search for ATMs. Furthermore, you also will save upon your precious ATM fees at machines that are charged during transactions. Hence, it is recommended to visit the bank’s website and map the available ATM locations located near your destination to safeguard yourself from using the machines of other banks.
6. Carry your essentials
You must have put your favourite pair of sunglasses and that fancy lipstick inside your vanity. But wait, your essentials are a list much beyond what you have set in your vanity. Let’s explore some most helpful tips to know before traveling that are a must to adhere by:
- Charger adapter
This is a must for you so that you can deal with different size plugs along with the voltage of the new place you are travelling to.
- An additional set of clothes
An additional set of clothes, or maybe a two, is essential, whether you are going to a hill destination, a beach destination, or any other place. This scenario stands especially true when you are travelling to a place where the weather is mostly rainy.
- Electric kettle
Do not forget to make some additional space for an electric kettle in your luggage, and these come extremely handy, especially if you wish to make some instant food, such as noodles or other food items.
- Extra snacks
Unknown land can be too frightening and especially with the food items. Hence, do not forget to carry some extra snacks if you do not want to rely on outside food.
7. Vaccinations and medications
Medicines and vaccines, no one really likes it. However, they are a must, especially in the present scenario. Moreover, there are a few countries that do not allow entry without an immunization card. This scenario stands true for countries in Africa which would not grant access without you showing them proof of procuring a Yellow fever vaccination.
Do not forget to check with your doctor that you are adept with the required immunizations for the country you are setting forth to. Once you have the required vaccinations, it is still recommended to check with medical professionals to know more about the potential requirements. Ensure you always have an emergency stash available with you and in zip lock bags.
8. Register the plans
Although it might be sounding a lot like a parental advisory, registering your plans with respective foreign offices is primarily the smart move you need to undertake. Do not worry if you need a quick embassy help, and this is also the easiest way for them to track you down. The websites are usually filled with relevant information, beneficial for each traveler.
Do not worry even if the plans seem vague as it is always a good idea to leave the itinerary of the trip with someone, even if it means your family member at home.
9. Plan the hands-free devices
Along with packing your necessities, one major item has indeed become crucial today than ever before, cell phone earbud or other Bluetooth devices. These help you to keep your hands on the wheel while travelling hassle-free. The local laws pertaining to using cell phones while travelling tend to vary, and hence it is always better to pack your hand’s free device, which will prevent you from finding yourself on the side of a particular road with a red siren vehicle chasing you.
10. Hope for the best and plan for the worst
Around 99 % of the time, when you proceed on your best adventure, everything seems to go as per your plan. However, there is always a chance of 1% for your plan to fail and everything to go down the drain. However, it can quickly escalate from a failed plan to the worst scenario ever when such a thing happens.
From battling unfamiliar illnesses to witnessing language barriers, your vacation can be a mere nightmare enforcing the more considerable need for varied factors to consider before travel onset. Being stranded without the possessions of your choice, or being hit by a natural disaster can be too strenuous and a lot of hassle.
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This is why; ensure that you plan your travel well while having a secondary back up plan ready to safeguard you against any unforeseen circumstances. It is always better to be safe than to be sorry!
11. Pack like a pro
Your travelling can become a hell of a task when you have heavy suitcases around. Hence, it is recommended to pack smartly and also efficient for the trip of your life. Ensure that you have packed your stuff well and made it a convenient accessory on your travel tour. Additionally, do not forget to keep some space for you to fill in the new kinds of stuff that you would shop for.
Key Takeaways
We hope that the tips mentioned above serve as being beneficial for your ultimate travel checklist. Going through the checklist might seem like a negligible task; however, it can help you save a lot of stress and hassle before the prime day. Gear yourself and take your travelling shoes out to embark on an unforgettable journey of your life. Get ready to share your globetrotter group’s insights and embrace a new sense of travelling experience, like never before.
