If you are setting off on holiday any time soon, then it should hopefully be a fun and exciting time. Unfortunately though, sometimes it can take a turn for worse and you need to be prepared. Obviously, I don’t want to make out like holidays are a morbid experience (they certainly aren’t), but it is important to ensure you’ve got everything covered – in case something does happen, so that you can have peace of mind.
Have a look below at what things you can plan for, to ensure you are confident that you have got everything covered.
Know Your Dates
Obviously, this sounds simple and obvious, but it is surprising how many people don’t know when they’re going on holiday. If it is a friend that has booked your holiday for example, or even your spouse, then you might not know the exact dates. This won’t work if you are then planning for all potential pitfalls (and i’m not just talking medical related issues either)! Make sure you know your dates so you don’t miss flights, trains or forget other essential things.
It would be awful to lose money or a hotel reservation because you got the wrong date!
Sort your baggage
Sometimes we can face baggage; If it’s a long-haul flight and you’re shipping quite a bit over your trip, you’ll need to plan for storage for your baggage and also accommodation purposes.
If, for example, you are on a skiing holiday then you could have skis and other equipment which can take up a lot of your time. It is also very expensive, so you won’t want to be losing your baggage. It might be best to put it into storage for safe keeping and therefore you’ll want somewhere safe to store it. This sort of thing happens often, and you will need to make sure you are covered. Not only could your holiday be ruined due to lost baggage, but you will be majorly out of pocket. Minimise the chances of lost baggage by ensuring it is safely stored away.
Other issues also include taking too much and being overweight with your bags (meaning bigger costs) or taking only carry on in a bag that doesn’t meet cabin requirements. Check weights, volume and size to avoid frustration and fines!
Take Out Travel Insurance
Wherever you are going you will want to take out travel insurance. It’s not always that simple, even for single trips and vacations. There have been so many occasions when those going on holiday will have booked the wrong type of insurance and some will forget to get themselves covered medically, where others won’t insure their baggage. As the old saying goes, “there’s always one”.
Fortunately, travel insurance providers are trying to make it easier for travellers and companies like Staysure are able to offer single trip travel insurance. This is important for people who don’t like the nitty gritty and just want to be able to cover themselves all in one. Essentially, this type of insurance allows you to tailor your policy to suit your needs and there are obvious options to choose from if price if a factor.
Itemised Lists
Another bit of advice that may seem so simple but is also quite surprising as to how many people forget to do this, is to make an itemised list of all your belongings. Not only does this help with the insurance factor if you need to claim for potential baggage, but it also just makes sense to being prepared. There is probably nothing worse than getting to the airport gates and realising you’ve not got your passport or your money with you because you left in a drawer or safe at the hotel, or you forgot to back your swimming stuff!
Try to be crafty with money
Try to be crafty with money by only taking what you know you will need and spend. This is easier said than done but it is sensible and reduces risk if (heaven forbid) you were mugged or lost your wallet. Don’t under-do it but don’t take cards you just can’t afford to use either (you can always have an emergency card in case things really go south).
There are other things you need to think about which you may forget about but are essential – from comfy shoes for the flight, to sunglasses, travel size toiletries and swimwear – are all basics that are easily forgettable but can make such a difference to your holiday running smoothly.
*Collaborative post
