Traveling leads to a happy life, and planning a trip can be fun. You carefully choose a destination, and then excitement builds as you choose what to do once you get there, what to eat, and what clothes to wear. Read these tips before you decide on your next travel destination to avoid some common travel planning headaches.
Prepping for any travel
Research the cost of the flight and hotel first if these are part of your trip. These are likely to take up most of your budget. Then add meals, local transportation, and admission fees to places you will visit. Make a list of all expected and potentially unexpected expenses, including extra snacks, souvenirs, or even medical emergencies.
Check the weather, and plan trips at a time of year that is less likely to delay flights. Road trips require some monitoring of the weather, since you will have to navigate the roads. If you are backpacking, weather is key to making the trip enjoyable. Nature is beautiful some days but miserable others.
Plan care for your pets. If you have pets that will not be joining you on your trip, plan a place for them to stay. Friends or family members might offer to feed, water, and walk your pets while you are away. Kennels are another option for pet care during your trip. If your kennel tends to run out of availability quickly, you might want to call them before making travel reservations.
Know what your health insurance covers where you are going. If you have potential health needs, look up a nearby hospital that is covered or call your insurance company. Make a list of your medications and make sure that you bring them all with you.
Go backpacking
Get your gear, because it’s almost backpacking season. Backpacking can be one of the most affordable ways to travel, since you won’t be sleeping in a costly hotel. It’s all about gear and gadgets to make roughing it in the wild easier. Backpack space is limited though, and the more you pack, the heavier the load you will have to carry. Finding the right gear is an essential for these kinds of trips, and looking online at retailers such as New Easy can help you to find the most useful items for backpacking.
Planning for one or two days spent surrounded by nature can be very different from planning for a month or two backpacking across miles of terrain. A weekend outdoors just requires a light pack filled with enough food and water for those days, adequate shelter, a change of clothes, and basic toiletries. Longer trips require much more preparation. Many of the basic items packed remain the same but in larger quantities.
Bring along food that is compact. While beef jerky is often first on the list of foods to bring, remember to bring healthy snacks. Roasted nuts, seeds, and chickpeas provide protein. Dried fruit, citrus fruit, carrots, and celery are not easily crushed in a tight backpack and will last for days.
Road trips
Pull out your sunglasses and road trip games for a good time rambling down the interstate. Whether you have a destination in mind or just want to hit the open road and see where it takes you, there are a few things that you need to bring along.
Sunglasses and sunscreen block out the harmful rays that can scorch you through the car window. Hours spent in one side of the car may result in a bad sunburn.
Bring an old-fashioned printed roadmap. Yes, it sounds unnecessary and outdated, but if you are traveling in unknown areas and you lose cellphone reception, then the handy printed map might save a headache. Even hi-tech car navigation systems are not always detailed enough for quick comparison over long distances.
The beginning of a trip is exciting, but later down the road, or on the way back home, you will probably get bored. Games can help to keep up the excitement as long as you aren’t distracting the driver. Do an internet search for do-it-yourself games, or make your own game based on the sights that you expect to see out the car window.
Pack as much or as little as you like, from snacks to clothes. You probably spent time choosing new outfits for your trip, so bring them all. If it fits in your trunk, you are good to go.
Traveling overseas
Trips abroad open you up to a whole new world of new experiences. Everything is bound to be a bit different even if the language is the same, and that’s part of the excitement.
Get your documentation in order as soon as you decide that you want to travel abroad. You will need a passport, or you might need to renew your expired passport. Passport estimated waiting times should be considered a minimum, but it is better to apply immediately since they can take longer than expected. Factor in the cost of your passport and entrance or departure fees, which are not included in airfare.
Traveling abroad is more complicated due to different currencies. It is typically more cost-effective to withdraw money from an ATM once you arrive overseas. If your destination is a large city, then an ATM should not be hard to find, but in a smaller, less-developed area, you might need to plan ahead and get local currency before you leave. Make sure that your credit card is valid in your destination country.
It is important to call your bank before you leave town so that they don’t flag your credit card use as potential fraudulent activity. The last thing that you need is for your credit card to be cancelled while you are on vacation.
In addition to calling your medical insurance company to find covered medical facilities, find out what illnesses you might encounter and where to get treatment. Research to learn if your destination requires medical documentation or vaccinations.
Once you have checked all of the boxes on your travel planning list, you will be ready for your trip. Hopefully, the time that you spent preparing and packing for your trip is rewarding and your time away is enjoyable.
