Sunglasses by Caleb Roenigk CC 2.0
Planning your first trip and feeling nervous? Don’t worry, we have compiled the ultimate list that should answer anything on your mind, and answer questions you haven’t even thought of.
Planning
- Decide where you want to go based on what you want to experience
- Go to Africa for wildlife
- Go to Asia for food
- Go to Australia for landscapes
- Go to Europe for modern history
- Go to North America for variety
Go to South America for lively culture - Go to Middle East for ancient history
- Decide where you want to go based on your budget
- Decide where you want to stay based on what you want to experience and your budget WARNING: SOME COMPROMISE MAY BE REQUIRED!
- Couchsurfing is free and a great way to experience what it’s like to be a local
- Staying in a hostel is cheap, friendly and a great place to meet other travellers
- Book a hotel if you want privacy and to have someone clean up after you and provide fresh towels
- Choose a rental like Airbnb if you want somewhere private that is a little more like home
- Check whether you need a visa
- Make sure your passport has at least 6 months left on it
- Speak to your doctor about vaccinations
- Get the right travel insurance because if you get ill or something goes wrong it could cost A LOT of money if you don’t have insurance
- Tell a family member your travel itinerary
- Store all passport and insurance info electronically in case you lose your belongings
Packing
- Don’t pack what you can buy at your destination (toothpaste, shampoo, deodorant etc)
- Only pack three of each thing – one to wear while one is in the wash, and the other is drying
- Don’t pack more than you can comfortably carry
- Make sure you can carry your bag up and down the stairs
- Check the luggage weight limits
- Leave space to bring back things you buy abroad
- If you can’t decide if you’ll need it, don’t bother packing it
- Pack one set of smart clothes for going out
- Don’t bother taking anything that needs dry cleaning
- Take earplugs, everything from plane journeys to hostel dorms are noisy
- Eye masks are also great for ensuring a good sleep
- Pack a spare set of clothes in your hand luggage in case your baggage goes elsewhere
- Check you have your passport and tickets as you leave the house
- Check you have your passport and tickets as soon as you get to any airport or train station
Pointers
- Learn a few words of the local lingo
- Familiarise yourself with local customs so you don’t accidentally offend someone
- Make sure you are aware of the local laws about drugs, alcohol and exposed flesh to avoid heavy fines or imprisonment
- Watch out for scammers
- Don’t let watching out for scammers stop you from making friends while travelling
- Smile
- Don’t carry all your money with you
- Always keep your passport safe
- Use your guidebook as a guide not as a bucket-list
- Have a list of emergency numbers because…
- Things will go wrong! No need to panic though, keep calm and sort it out
- Eat the local food
- Visit the local attractions
- Don’t rush your experience
- Keep family updated, but don’t spend all your time online
- Don’t be uptight on your adventure, learn to relax and…
- HAVE FUN!
Take a little bit of stress out of travel planning by making sure you get the right travel insurance. Call us on 01892 833338 or get a travel insurance quote online.