Top 15 Things to do before You Travel
A good journey is the result of good planning. There are countless things that you need to take care of before you jump onto traveling. If you’re planning for cultural tours to India or any other foreign country, you need to consider several factors. It may be challenging to book tickets, apply for visas, book hotels, etc. However, you can employ an International tour operator to make things easy and seamless.
Now let’s look at the factors that you need to consider before you travel:
- Check your passport and apply for visas if necessary
You don’t need to remember the expiry date of your passport, but you must keep a check and verify it accordingly. Tourist visas are not necessary for every country, but many countries across the globe ask for the same. However, trips to India can be hassle-free as this country offer visa on arrival to foreigners, allowing you to explore the best of India.
- Get vaccinated and keep a stock of medicine
Based on where you’re going, you may need to get particular vaccines or medications as a precaution against multiple diseases. Also, if you’re on regular medication, make sure you have enough to cover the duration of your travels, so you don’t face any while you’re overseas. Lastly, if you’re going to any isolated regions-it’s smart to pack non-prescription medicines (aspirin, Imodium, etc.) that may not be easy to find.
- Stay above your finances
When you’re traveling overseas, make sure you call your bank and credit card providers and inform them about your location. If the banks observe foreign charges with no prior notice to them about your trip, they might block your cards. This cannot be very pleasant, especially when you’re shopping or trying to pay for dinner.
Before you travel abroad, be aware of the exchange rate and know how much stuff generally costs wherever you’re going. Thus, you will get some idea of how much you need to spend. You can also use traveler’s checks, feel free to do so, but they are not universally accepted. More so, traveler’s checks are exchanged at a less favorable rate than the one you’ll find at an ATM.
- Keep extra copies of travel documents
You must have at least one color copy of your passport’s ID page stored in a safe place from your original passport. You should also make copies of visas concerning your current travels. Train ticket confirmations, hotel reservations, and all other travel documents should have copies as well. In this digital era, it is very convenient to have digital copies of these documents handy. And it’s absolutely fine, but make sure that these items are saved to your device from where you can easily access them without an Internet connection.
- Obtain an international driving permit
To make your road trips seamless on international road trips can only happen when you plan correctly. This is because it’s forbidden to drive without a valid driver’s license and insurance in most countries. Car rental companies offer insurance, but for the license, you’ll need to get an International Driving Permit, either from National Auto Club or AAA.
It’s also crucial that you familiarize yourself with local driving laws wherever you plan to drive. You can contact foreign embassies to understand the official rules and regulations regarding driving.
- Carry all the necessary electronic gear
Electrical sockets are varied all over the world, so you’ll need to have adapters that allow your devices to plug into foreign sockets. Hence, it is essential that you buy an adapter with diverse settings that adjust to most plugs, so you only have to be concerned about one adapter. You also need to check the power of the electrical current wherever you’re going and make sure your devices are compatible that includes phones, computers, etc. If your device is non-compatible with a higher or lower current, then you should make investment in transformer or leave that gadget at home.
Lastly, if you don’t own them already, it’s worth buying portable phone chargers or spare batteries that can be charged and exchanged into cameras, phones, and other electronics that will help you stay 100% charged while you’re on the go.
- Learn key phrases
It’s best to learn basic langugaes like “Thank you,” “Hello,” and “Where is the washroom?” but it is better to ask in local tongue. There are times when being able to interact efficiently for better health and safety. If you have food allergies or suffering from severe medical conditions, it’s essential to learn how to inform others about those problems in a foreign language.
If you feel shy with your language abilities, then copy and print out a document with appropriate phrases or make flashcards that you can carry with you.
- Research about entrance and exit fee
No matter whether a country requires you to carry a tourist visa, it may levy an entry or exit fee against you. For instance, Argentina allows U.S. citizens to visit for up to ninety days without a visa. Still, a $160 “reciprocity fee” must be paid before entering the country. You are allowed to enter the country without a copy of the receipt.
- Buy health and travel insurance
Before you plan a trip, check your health insurance policy to see if it involves international coverage. If not, then consider purchasing a short-term policy that will shield you while you’re abroad. Similarly, a smart way to protect your trip and your money is by investing in travel insurance. As we know that coverage and policies differ from provider to provider, but the basic idea is that you can get your money refunded if your trip is postponed, canceled or cut short for any reason.
- Check the weather
The weather is the most significant factor that has the power to make your trip delightful or unpleasant, and many people take the weather for granted. For instance, Spain is mostly warm during the spring. But there are exceptions to changing weather patterns, especially during transitional seasons. Keeping a check on weather forecast can help you with packing strategy, and if you overlook the weather forecast, it may result in surprise, unhappy, and very mushy for travelers.
- Search out your hobbies at your chosen destination
Before you leave for a trip, make sure you did a thorough research about the destinations and the activities they will offer. One should know where you to find “best of” in any given effort; for instance, Australia, Melbourne is famous for its vibrant coffee culture, and Udaipur offers cycling lovers spectacular paths for exploring rural India. Do a short research on your beloved hobbies, and you might be thoughtfully surprised by what you find at your destination.
- Check reviews
Many cities across different countries have some weekly entertainment rag, such as Time out, which covers dozens of destinations around the globe. There are exceptional sources for entertainment listings, city “best-off,” reviews, and more.
- Resolve SIM card issue
Cellular data is crucial for travelers as one cannot have access to Wi-Fi all the time. Prefer rechargeable global SIM cards like iRoam, Keepgo, and KnowRoaming. So whenever you travel check your recharge and data availability.
- Download offline maps
Google maps are one of the critical factors for travelers, so download offline maps to avoid any issues. Because burning data may lead to battery loss and can put in trouble when you’re exploring some isolated places.
- Download books and movies
Long hour flights can be boring. Hence, you must download books and movies offline to pass your Time greatly.
