Whether you’re a seasoned traveller with years of adventures under your belt or you’ve never been outside of your home county before, travelling abroad is an undeniably exciting experience, be it your first or one thousandth time. So, once you’ve saved for flights and booked your hotel that’s it – you’re ready to go, right? Wrong. To achieve a smooth, stress-free trip, taking care of the essential tasks means so much more than simply getting to your destination – it means ensuring you’ve ticked off all the ‘boring’ organisational tasks, allowing you to make the most from your holiday abroad.
So, in this post, our friends at Jolly Good Loans share 3 tips for travelling abroad, helping you to rest assured that you’re as prepared as possible ahead of your overseas adventure.
Remember to book travel while you’re away
So, you’ve landed in your chosen destination and have managed to pick out your ‘unique’ black suitcase against the sea of similarly ‘unique’ black suitcases on the conveyor belt. You’re ready to go – but where, and how? Airport taxi services are likely to come with an inflated price tag, and while in some countries there is room to haggle for the best price, with limited language skills this prospect can be a daunting one for many travellers looking to put their feet up in their hotel after a long journey.
Therefore, to ensure you’re fully prepared, make sure you sort out your airport transfer in advance – searching online for the best price for a taxi to ensure you’re not getting ripped off in the moment or, alternatively, planning a route using airport shuttle buses or other modes of public transport online ahead of travelling.
Depending on the type of holiday you’re going on, it’s vital you consider how you’ll be getting around before you fly. For example, if your budget hotel is situated 5KM away from the beach, is there a local bus that can take you too and from on daily excursions? Or, if your itinerary involves exploring a little off the beaten track, how do you plan on getting around to visit hidden away places?
In instances like these, it’s important you consider organising a car rental service for your stay. At Indigo Car Hire, they have cars in multiple destinations around Europe, so book up now and give yourself peace of mind that your internal travel is already arranged.
Make sure you’ve considered insurance
While you’re booking flights for your forthcoming trip, you‘ll likely be asked during the checkout process whether you’d like to add travel insurance. While this is certainly something you should consider, booking it through your flight provider isn’t a necessity. As such, make sure you do the appropriate research when it comes to picking a travel insurance provider – checking their policies against your itinerary.
For example, if you’re planning a lot of sports activity while you’re away, most standard policies won’t cover this despite claiming they cover the basics – so you’ll need to take out additional cover if you’re choosing to take part in the following: winter sports, extreme sports, water sports or golf.
Additionally, it’s crucial that you keep a copy of your documents with you at all times. Make sure you photocopy versions of your passport and insurance information, keeping them on you throughout your time away – this is particularly important for instances where you don’t have your physical passport on you or in the unfortunate event of you losing it.
Don’t forget to do your local research
Upon arrival, the first day or two will likely be spent wandering around getting to grips with your bearings and learning about local customs – in addition to eating foods defined as local from busy, central restaurants. To ensure you make the most out of your holiday, however, we suggest doing your research about places to eat and drink and sights to see before you fly.
As a result, you’ll be able to avoid touristy restaurants known by the locals to be more expensive and, instead, eat in places where local foods are home-cooked for a typically far cheaper price. Additionally, by checking out local landmarks online ahead of your trip, you’ll be made aware of busy times during various seasons – allowing you to plan your visit for quieter times where you can really make the most of the landmark without worrying about having to dodge a crowd of selfie sticks.
Undoubtedly, the most important aspect of travelling is how much fun you’ll have while doing it – no matter if that involves laying on the beach or hiking up a mountain. But, in order to ensure that you’ve grasped every opportunity possible, minimising stress is key. So, by following the above steps we’re sure you’ll be on your way to creating a memorable holiday for all the right reasons.
Author bio:
Keith Harrison is a content creator and writer for Jolly Good Loans – your online personal loans encyclopedia. Photo by Ina Carolino on Unsplash
