Top 10 Travel Tips

Going on holiday each year should be something to look forward to – carefree days on the beach, touring in a group or on your own, taking in the sights and sounds of faraway cultures and lands – bliss.

A holiday or journey of discovery should be an experience from which you return home with fond memories, hundreds of pictures and hours of video to bore, or should I say entertain, friends and relatives. Unfortunately, the best laid plans often go astray, and any number of events can result in anything from a minor headache to a major catastrophe.

We would all like to think that it only happens to someone else, but with a little forward thinking and planning, many of the ‘could happen’ situations can be avoided. If you are unfortunate enough to be caught up in something that is beyond your control, these helpful tips could go a long way to minimizing the impact on your holiday and your safe return home.

• Check the Foreign and Commonwealth Office’s (FCO) travel advice Before you leave, visit the FCO’s Travel Advice website (www.fco.gov.uk/en/travel-and-living-abroad/travel-advice-by-country/) or call 0845 850 2829.
• Travel Insurance Love it or hate it, you’ll thank your lucky stars you have it if things go wrong.
• A Good Travel Guide When there’s no access to the internet, one of these could save you a lot of aggravation and embarrassment over local laws and customs.
• Is Your Passport Valid? Now this might sound a little crazy, but every year thousands of holidaymakers forget to pack their passport or even check to see if it’s valid. Imagine having to wave farewell to your family or friends at the airport when you should be getting on the plane with them.
• Have a Pre-Travel Health Check. Fancy spending your hard earned holiday in a foreign hospital or sick in your hotel or apartment? Thought not. Visit your doctor for a check-up about a month and a half before you’re scheduled to leave on your trip. Check what vaccinations you need and whether any extra health precautions are needed for your holiday destination.
• Know the Terms and Conditions. Your holiday plans are made, everything is paid for, the bags are packed – what could possibly go wrong? Try to ensure that your travel agent has a fair policy in place concerning refunds, and for getting stranded travellers back home in the event of bankruptcy (this should be backed up by an organisation offering financial protection).
• Investigate Your Carrier. Flying with ‘Rapid Descent Airways’? If your travel involves using airlines you have never heard of, you may wish to check their safety and reliability history with a reputable independent source.
• Where Will You Be? Like any good adventure movie…I mean holiday plan…leave details of where you will be staying and for how long, including contact numbers, with a trusted friend or family member. Also, make copies of your passport, insurance policy, ticket details and, if possible, a 24-hour emergency number, and leave this information with your family and friends. It also makes good sense to check-in with family and friends back home on a regular basis.
• Keep Some Back-up Cash On Hand. No matter how tempting an unmissable gift or offer of a mystery tour and adventure may be, always keep some back-up funds aside for an unexpected emergency. Unfortunately, money talks, and if you don’t have any ready cash to hand, help may not be as quick as you may want or need.
• Have Fun. This is probably the most important thing. If all the planning has been done correctly, you can forget about the ‘what if’s‘. Relax and let your hair down unless, like me, your head resembles a solar panel more than the cranium of a carefree hippie.

If, like me, your head does resemble a shining orb in the sun, here’s a bonus tip:

• Wear a Hat, or splash out on some high factor sun cream. Speaking from experience, bad sunstroke is one of the worst feelings you can experience and will surely ruin anyone’s holiday.

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