Detailed preparation is necessary for a comfortable trip, regardless of its destination and duration. Having thought over the action plan, you protect yourself from many unpleasant surprises. To make your trip abroad unforgettable yet completely safe, we’ve collected 11 time-tested rules and created a checklist.
And here’s one more thing before we dive into it. Don’t forget to send your homework to the essay writing service to save yourself from the stress and tension. You definitely don’t want to spoil your long-awaited vacation with anxiety due to upcoming deadlines, so give yourself the pleasure of forgetting about tasks and grades for a while. And while the authors are finishing the work for you, you will be able to fulfill all your dreams.
Do Profound Research
Going abroad? First of all, you have to study your destination thoroughly. Each place is a new world with unique traditions. Try to learn more about them. Otherwise, what’s the point of even going there?
For example, in Turkey, you need to take care of modest clothes even in hot weather (not to mention the strict rules in Muslim countries), and in most European countries, you are unlikely to go to the mall late in the evening as shops close early.
Plus, before buying tickets, check whether your stay coincides with national holidays. At that time, many tourist locations aren’t available.
If you are traveling by car or plan to use car-sharing services, pay special attention to traffic rules and parking locations. In many areas, only locals are allowed to park cars. So, a tourist risks getting a large fine for stopping in the wrong place.
If you have friends in your destination country, talk to them about the pitfalls and issues that only the locals know.
Take Care Of Your Safety
There are many factors affecting how safe you are. First of all – the season and its weather conditions. You definitely don’t want to be stuck in a hotel because of heavy rains or sweating because of the unbearable heat.
Next, check the political environment. Demonstrations and protests mean not only blocking the streets but problems with your personal safety in the first place. Therefore, the political climate is something that you definitely need to know about before traveling.
Also, consider the criminal situation in your destination country. For example, India and Indonesia lead the rankings when it comes to theft.
We also recommend saving some important telephone numbers which may be useful in emergencies. These are the numbers of the embassy, organizations to help foreign citizens, and insurance companies.
Make To-Do Lists
Preparing for a trip requires planning. Otherwise, you risk losing a lot of time. So, any travel checklist for students recommends we answer these questions:
- What exactly do you want to do? This can be visiting museums and exhibitions, temples, shopping, going out of town, doing active sports, or relaxing in a spa;
- What are your stopping points? Determine the list of cities for sightseeing and overnight stays. To avoid unnecessary expenses, choose the most comfortable options and book apartments in advance.
Use online maps to make the best routes. And, of course, download offline ones to avoid getting lost. The main thing here is to divide the time and energy you have wisely. How many hours do you want to devote to one museum? Will you have enough energy to visit 5 galleries in a day? You certainly don’t want to be completely drained after such a trip, so better focus on quality instead of quantity.
Plan Your Finances
Most of the expenses can easily be predicted before departure. These categories are:
- Tickets;
- Accommodation;
- Food;
- Travel by local public transport;
- Tourist attraction tickets;
- Unforeseen expenses.
Budget planning will help you understand where exactly you can save. Thus, stick to the following plan:
- Decide how much of your budget you are willing to spend on the trip;
- Find out what the prices are abroad. Calculate the average bill for a meal in a restaurant. Find out how much tickets for public transport, taxi, and car-sharing services cost;
- Allocate funds according to your priorities.
And most importantly, keep money in different places. Part of it can be in cash, while it’s best to keep the other part on a credit card.
Prepare Your Visa And Other Documents
Many countries are accessible without a visa. But if you still need it, apply for it in advance, of course. You can do this yourself or by contacting a specialized visa center.
Unfortunately, many of us lose important documents while on vacation. So, to stay calm in an unfamiliar city, take copies of the following documents:
- Passport;
- Driver’s license;
- Hotel reservations;
- Travel insurance policy;
- Vaccination certificates.
It’s also worth having electronic versions of these papers on your phone.
Get Yourself A Travel Insurance
Travel insurance is not always essential, but it can save you a lot in unforeseen situations. The cost of medical care for foreigners is usually much higher than for local residents. Without a doctor’s prescription, even the most common medicines are often not sold to tourists.
Consider buying insurance in advance to protect yourself in case of health problems. Many insurances include the following services:
- Quick transportation to the hospital;
- Treatment in case of a threat to life and health;
- Emergency dental services;
- The evacuation of injured tourists to their homeland if necessary.
Think About Your Health
First and foremost, it is necessary to solve the vaccination issue. Some countries are closed for visit without prior vaccination. For example, yellow fever injections are required for travelers to Angola, Cameroon, Congo, and some other African countries.
You need to get vaccinated at least a month before departure. After it, you need 3-4 weeks to form the immunity. In addition, some vaccinations require a course of injections at certain time intervals. To determine the list of necessary vaccinations, contact a therapist, as well as use the website of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
When traveling, you must take a first aid kit with essentials. Here’s what the necessary minimum includes:
- Painkillers;
- Fever meds;
- Medicines for indigestion;
- Cold medicine;
- Bandages and cotton swabs;
- Antiseptic agents for injury treatment.
Take care of what’s inside your first aid kit, especially if you have chronic diseases. Think about what medicines you will need in an unfamiliar country. For example, in exotic places, you will need to take antihistamines, even if you don’t suffer from allergies.
Please note that some drugs have import and export restrictions. Check whether you need a medical prescription to bring specific medicines.
Stay In Touch
Everyone has probably been in a situation when your phone is at three percent, and you see it die slowly in your arms.
When planning a trip, think about ways to stay in touch with your loved ones. There are two main options to guarantee yourself free communication abroad:
- Using your normal tariff plan in roaming;
- Buying a SIM card from a foreign mobile operator upon arrival.
If you plan to stay in a country longer than two weeks, buy a local SIM card. This will allow you to stay in touch with local friends, call a taxi and use the Internet without worrying about WiFi and roaming bills.
Plus, don’t forget about all the necessary chargers and power banks.
Study The Basic Of The Foreign Language
English is a universal language, and it’s used to communicate abroad in most cases. But in some situations, interacting with local residents requires speaking a few phrases in their native language.
Before you go on a trip, get acquainted with the vocabulary basics – make a list of phrases that may come in handy. By that, we mean phrases used for greeting and saying goodbye.
Draw Routes
Thanks to offline maps, you no longer need to be afraid of getting lost in an unfamiliar city. That’s because Google allows you to save maps without an internet connection (let’s say goodbye to huge roaming bills). If you already know your approximate itinerary, download the maps before you set off.
Start Making Contacts
If you are going to travel alone, start looking for contacts and friends before you leave. Post your future itinerary on social media to let others know about your plans. Get to know the locals through Instagram, Facebook, etc. They will be able to show you amazing places that are not in the guidebook – that’s how you will certainly have more fun.
To Wrap It Up
How to prepare for a trip in order to feel completely safe in a new place? Look out for intensive language programs. Some travelers begin to get ready for their dream trip 6-12 months in advance to study not only the language but also the culture and traditions of their destination country.
We also advise you not to take anything extra with you. Find out the airline’s requirements for the dimensions and weight of luggage and your carry-on. Moreover, check if the luggage is included in the ticket price.
Determine the minimum things you will need abroad:
- Documents: your passport, tickets, reservations, and insurance;
- A basic set of clothes;
- Hygiene products;
- Gadgets and chargers;
- Medicines.
Next, divide things into two parts – for your luggage and carry-on. If a travel bag is enough for you, why not take it with you in the cabin? If you’re out and about, such as going on weekend trips to another major city, then you’re going to want to look into luggage lockers so you don’t have to haul your belongings everywhere. You can usually find these in most major cities; there are options for luggage storage Milano Centrale, in Amsterdam, London, and basically every major city, there is some type of handy option. Overall, it’s safer to keep your precious belongings in these.
Surely, you can buy some things later on the trip and bring some home as souvenirs for your loved ones. Therefore, when packing, better leave some free space in a bag.
This article was provided by Adriana Bell
