Travel is one of the greatest joys in life. It offers the opportunity to break free from the usual drudgery of daily routine, so you may relax and enjoy yourself. To visit new places, meet strangers and make friends out of them, and to immerse yourself in entire cultures you have never before known.
In fact, when you travel, you experience most of life’s other great pleasures as well, and in the unique flavour of your chosen destination. You have the chance, if you so wish, to indulge in the local literature, language, food, art, music, architecture, and the wild, inherent beauty of natural landscapes.
Not for nothing, you can capture thousands of photos and videos to not only boost your Instagram profile but also render your friends and family jealous.
Why it is Important to Carefully Plan Your Trip
For all the benefits and delights travelling has to offer, it can often prove to be far more complicated than it appears at first glance.
There are several things to consider, some of which might not occur to you if you have never before travelled, especially outside of your own country. Others may seem incredibly obvious at first but many travellers fail to take them into account or forget about them during the planning process.
Now, the planning stage of any trip you intend to take can be rather stressful, boring on occasion, and will require time out of your busy daily schedule. It is, however, also essential, and when done right, can help save you from a lot of trouble, pain, and regret down the road. [Travel pun might be intended].
Everything You Need to Consider
To make certain your trip is one to remember, and not regret, for the rest of your life, follow the ten tips listed below the next time you plan your travels.
01. Travel Eligibility and Requirements
It may sound like a no-brainer but you will be surprised by how many people get this most basic aspect of travelling wrong.
The first step you need to take is make certain your passport is current, and will remain valid [not expire] for more than six months from the date on which you travel. Then, find out if you require a visa to visit your intended destination, and how to obtain one where it is necessary. Next, collect all the requisite documentation, submit it properly, and make sure you apply early enough to receive your visa at least a few days before your departure.
Lastly, do not forget to plan your return well in advance of your visa’s expiry, in case your flight is delayed/cancelled due to unforeseen circumstances such as natural disasters, and you need to extend your stay abroad.
02. Travel Warnings and Necessities
Research your destination[s] thoroughly, and pay particular attention to local current affairs so you know exactly which places to avoid for your safety.
You do not want to be stuck far away from home, in a foreign country where there is present or imminent political upheaval or the threat of war. Similarly, you should be aware of the possibility of strikes, protests, gatherings, and any large cultural, religious or political events which might make it difficult for you to move around or prevent you from leaving at all.
03. Destination Climate and Weather
Mother Nature can often be rather harsh, and she may choose to ruin your trip if you do not take her into consideration.
Before you set your heart on any particular place, find out what climate you might expect to experience when you visit. Keep a weather eye [Get it? You got it!] for rain, snow, heat[wave] forecasts. Unless it is very much your thing, you do not want to be stuck inside the hotel because of thunderstorms.
You may find you are not allowed to visit certain places [beaches at high monsoon] or engage in specific activities [mountain climbing due to risk of avalanches/landslides] in cases of extreme weather if you unwittingly plan your trip for the wrong place during the wrong season.
04. Of Budget, Costs, and Relative Benefits
Another apparent no-brainer which is quite astonishingly overlooked by so many inexperienced travellers.
You need to clearly identify and outline a specific budget for your trip, and you need to stick to it. Unless, of course, there is an emergency or some other unexpected situations. Once you know how much you are willing to spend, you can decide exactly how you wish to distribute your expenses.
The visa fee, if there is one, is beyond your control. But then, do you fly first class, business or economy? Where will you stay?
A five-star resort sounds awesome but you might want to save on accommodations by staying at a cheaper hotel or vacation rental, and instead spend your money on desired activities and destinations, local cuisine, and shopping for gifts, souvenirs, and what-not to your heart’s content.
05. Redundancy and Security
The importance of keeping your travel documents safe and secure cannot be stressed enough. Make copies of everything—your passport, visa[s], ticket[s], travel and medical insurance, driver’s licence, and any other documents or personal identification you carry.
Keep each separate set in different bags and suitcases, in case you lose one of them to theft, accident, or other unforeseen circumstances.
To ensure maximum safety and redundancy, leave an additional copy of your passport with someone you trust. Scan all your documents too, and email them to yourself as well as uploading them to the cloud, so you may have access to them in case you lose the physical originals and copies.
06. Precautions and Personal Well-Being
Visit your doctor in the days before you depart, get your prescriptions up to date and filled, and discuss any medical measures you might have to take or the vaccinations you may require for travelling to your destination.
It is also wise to create and pack a personal survival kit, for your own comfort, and in case of accidents and emergency medical issues. Such a kit might include:
- Eye Mask
- Face Masks
- Ear Plugs
- Headphones
- Hand Sanitizer
- Antibacterial Skin Wipes
- Mosquito Repellent
- Band-Aids and Bandages
- Prescription Medication, plus Neosporin and Ibuprofen
These are merely suggestions. Feel free to add anything else you need or think you might require, and may not find easily available during your travels.
07. The Essentials, and Nothing Else
It is remarkably easy, particularly when you are an inexperienced traveller, to over prepare, and thus pack more stuff than you are ever going to need.
You should feel as light and carefree as possible when you travel, and it is mighty difficult to do when you are bogged down with tonnes of luggage. So, think carefully of the activities you have planned and the places you wish to go, and then pack only that which is absolutely necessary.
For example, unless you are going to a business conference or attending a destination wedding, you might not need your fanciest, most formal clothes. A spare t-shirt or two, clean underwear, and a change of socks can often prove to be enough, in addition to a toothbrush and your phone’s charger.
08. All the Things to Do … or Not
Speaking of travel activities, you want to plan each day of your visit carefully because it is surprisingly easy to overbook, and then overwhelm, yourself. Do your research thoroughly, consider the type of places and pursuits which excite you the most, and then schedule accordingly.
Remember, you will never be able to experience everything your destination has to offer, so you need to pick and choose what you want to do and see.
Give yourself enough time every day to rest and recharge, and take every possible precaution to ensure your personal safety and well-being. However, try not to fall into the trap of doing only what is tried-and-tested. There are some things in the world you can only do in certain places, and you do not want to regret having missed out.
09. Haute Cuisine and Street Stalls
One of the best, most enjoyable, ways to experience any foreign culture is through their food. However, it need not be an expensive undertaking. Walk the streets, find the local stalls, and you will discover not only budget-friendly food but also significantly greater variety to satisfy your cravings.
It is certainly tempting to treat yourself at the fanciest, most expensive of restaurants—and if your budget allows it, do go for it—but remember also that such places, by their very nature, offer the type of continental fare which you can eat nearly anywhere in the world.
So, if you wish to experience unique palettes, you would be well-served at off-the-beat, out of the way places known only to the local populace. And, wherever you do go, please make sure you consider any dietary restrictions you have for medical and/or religious reasons.
10. Foreign Cultures and Languages
One of the greatest benefits of travelling is the opportunity to experience new cultures, and it always helps to interact with the locals in their own language. You can easily learn enough common words and phrases off the internet to ask for directions, order food, and do some shopping.
In an increasingly digital world full of senseless selfies and online trolls, it is ever more important to foster and experience personal human connections. To meet new people, forge new friendships, and perhaps most importantly, to learn not to hate each other for our many beautiful differences.
Taking an interest in the local culture, cuisine, art and architecture, and speaking the language, however crudely, might win you lifelong friends, access to spots not usually known to tourists—and even earn you enough appreciation to secure considerable bargains and discounts. If nothing else, you will have learned new things, which is never nothing to sneeze at, and give you topics for conversation to impress your friends back home.
Final Thoughts Before You Depart
Travelling should always be fun and rewarding, unless of course you have been sent away by your boss to attend one boring seminar after another. It is a joyous experience, and can leave you with memories—and photos and videos—to cherish which last your entire lifetime.
All you need to do is spend the little time and effort required to make certain of all sensible precautions and preparation. Keep in mind everything listed here when you plan your trip, always keep yourself and your loved ones safe on your journeys, and you shall return from your travels without regrets.
“In the end, we only regret the chances we didn’t take.” – Lewis Carroll
So, travel—whenever you can, as much as you can—and take all the chances given to you by life. Go where you have never been before, learn new languages, meet strange people, eat exotic food, and experience the many and varied delights on offer in our beautiful, little world.
