Seeing new places is always wonderful, however to do that, we need to travel. Travel is fun, the process of traveling? Not so much. Between trains, planes, and automobiles, travel is simply exhausting, and it become a very stressful ordeal.
If you’re planning a trip, whether it’s for work or pleasure, there are a few things you can do to make sure it goes off without a hitch. First and foremost, be prepared. Do your research and come up with a plan before you even think about traveling. This way, you’ll know what to expect and won’t get stressed out when packing your bags. If something comes up while you’re on vacation, don’t panic – use the resources at your disposal to fix the issue as quickly as possible. Finally, consult with travel planners like Halleyday to get tips on how to make your vacation go as smoothly as possible.
Kind of silly since the goal of vacation and travel is often to relax and enjoy being in a different setting. If you’re about to take a trip, these tips can help you travel smart so you can limit stress so can get the most out of your trip:
Write Out Your Plan
Before you hop on the plane, do a little research and write down all the things you want to do and see while you travel. Decide which items are absolute “musts” and which are just extra fun things you will do if you have time. Make a simple schedule and stick to it—you don’t want to miss those top things you were looking forward to while abroad.
Pack Snacks
While part of the fun of traveling abroad is trying the local cuisine, it is still a good idea to pack some snack food for in between meals. Airport food can be expensive and, while abroad, you may go a while between meals.
Having small, packaged snacks can be a life-saver both financially and to your stomach!
Check Your Phone Plan
While your cell phone may be quite reliable at home, you may not be able to use it while abroad. Many phone plans do not work internationally so you want to be sure to purchase one before you travel.
You can also opt to use calling cards or international pay as you go phone as other options.
Carry Cash
While you may be planning on relying on your credit card while abroad, you should always have some of the local currency on hand. Certain restaurants, souvenir shops or transportation methods may require cash. However, you should order your cash from an online currency exchange website before you travel, getting the currency you need to be delivered to your door at a much lower rate than you will find abroad.
These websites will save you money on nab exchange rates and are also much more convenient than searching for a way to exchange your cash while abroad!
Pack Light
Try to only pack one carry-on sized bag for your trip. Not only will you avoid having to check a bag at the airport, but you will also be less burdened with “stuff” while on your trip.
Think about what you really, truly need and what you can live without. It is so much easier to travel with one simple bag and no one will care if you wear the same outfit twice!
Email Your Documents
There is a lot of important documents that you need while traveling. You will need your passport, identification, credit cards, and transportation itinerary and you need to make sure you know where all of those are at all times!
It is very smart to take photos or photocopies of each document and email them to yourself. Carry the copies with you as well. If anything is lost or stolen, no problem! You can still access it easily making sure your trip goes smooth.
Get Travel Insurance
If you’re going abroad, your health insurance will not work there, so consider getting travel insurance to protect yourself. It could be you get food poisoning and simply need fluids at a local hospital, but it could be something more serious like a broken bone (calling you out you adrenaline chasers).
Travel insurance sounds expensive, but it’s actually very affordable, get a quote from World Nomads below:
How do you travel smart? Let us know in the comments below!
