If you’re going on a trip abroad, one of the most important things that you can do is plan it well. The better you plan it, the easier it’s going to be to make sure you’ve taken everything into account, that you’ve not missed anything out, and that you’re ready to go. The last thing that anyone needs is to get to the airport or to their destination only to find they don’t have something that they need.
So, in this article, we’re going to be talking you through all of the different elements that you need to plan carefully. If there’s anything that you think we’ve missed off the list, feel free to leave us a comment! Anyway, without further ado, let’s get into it.
Get All The Correct Documents
We’re going to kick things off by talking about all of the documents that you are going to need to go abroad. You’re not just going to be able to get to the border and demand they let you through when you don’t have the correct documents to allow them to do this. So, it’s important that in your carry-on luggage you have a folder of all of your travel documents, and your families also. If you’re traveling with others it’s their job to sort their own documents, but if you’re the mom of the group you might want to keep them all together.
You need to pack your passport and the passport of everyone who is traveling with you. If you are going somewhere that requires you to have a visa to enter, and most places do these days, then you need to ensure you have the correct, approved visa with you. Make sure that you apply for this within plenty of time before your trip otherwise you risk it not turning up on time. You also risk having to appeal a negative decision and this takes time that you might not have if you left it to the last minute.
Book Accommodation
Another thing that you are going to need to do is ensure that you are booking your accommodation well in advance because you have no idea how fast these sell out. If you’re not careful and you don’t book far enough in advance, you might find that you don’t get a place to stay where you wanted to, and instead you may have to stay further out from the place you are actually visiting. This can be a complete pain in the behind that nobody wants to deal with.
Also, if you know that you have quite a large party and you want to book a villa or something, you need to pounce on these fast. Especially in places that are known for being warm, these get rented out fast and we don’t want you to miss out.
How Are You Getting Around?
Once you’ve sorted that out, you need to work out how you are going to get around in your chosen destination. You should look into the public transport options, see how reliable they are, understand how expensive they are, where they actually get you to and so on. You can always take a taxi for the last few miles if you can’t get exactly where you want to go.
Or, if you’re not someone who likes to use public transport much, then you might decide that it’s a better option to just rent a car that is big enough for your travel party. You have to be at least 25 to rent a car in most places, and you have to have held your license for a specified number of years. Just check that at least one person meets this criteria before you try to hire anything as the last thing you need is to be told no when you were banking on this as your main mode of transportation.
Create A Packing List
Lists are your best friend when you go away on vacation, without them you wouldn’t know what to pack, what you have already packed, and what you need to bring home again. It can also save you the agro and hassle of panicking that you left something vital at home. If you have planned your entire trip from start to finish then ensure you write down all the info you have, this includes flight plans and what time you arrive in your chosen destination. If something goes wrong along the way like you don’t get your selveted seat then you have the evidence to apply for a refund.
There may be quite a few of you going, especially if it is a family trip. Make sure you know who has what in their cases otherwise it can get a little crazy when you need to start looking for something. Make itineraries for each case.
Make Plans In Advance
Finally, if you know when you are going away and you have the dates set in stone then consider what sort of activities and events you need to book in advance. Making advanced plans means you know it has been done and there will be no stress when you arrive. For instance, if you need to get a taxi to your accommodation then you should ideally book this for when you arrive at the airport or port. You don’t want to wait and hope for the best when you get there in case there aren’t any cabs available. This will mean you are tired from traveling and need to hang around waiting for one.
If you are visiting Spain and traveling around by train then you might want to use luggage storage in Valencia. This takes the stress and hassle out of lugging your suitcase around all day.
So there you have it, we hope you found this article helpful and it gave you some top tips on how to plan your next trip abroad. Prior planning prevents disappointment so it is a must for all trips both in your home country and abroad.
