Travel is a wonderful thing. The ability to see new sites, experience cultures and meet new people are all stirred into the duration of your journey. Whether you’re touring Europe, city hoping across North America or even doing a worldwide tour, preparedness is the ultimate key. Be honest, it’s going to cost a pretty penny. So it’s worth ensuring everything is well prepared. If you forget something, or miss something important, then you’re going to take something away from the trip. The likelihood is that you’re already putting in a tonne of research into destinations and things to do, but do the same for the smaller details, the things you might just consider boring. Here are some points you might consider to ensure you properly prepare for your trip.
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Staying In A Locale Long Term
Just because you’re going to multiple places on your list, it doesn’t mean that you have to zip from one to the other. Sometimes being able to stay longer in a certain place allows you to get more out of it. The more we travel the more we prefer to spend longer amounts of time in one sport versus trying to see it all. However, you will need to consider the accommodation. In most places you might be staying in cheaper hotels or hostels, but if you’re staying longer you might want to consider better places to stay. If you have the money you might even consider a hdb bto investment and return often, almost like a hub for your travel.
Staying long term throws up a few other implications too. You have to make sure there are things for you to do, that you’ve got enough appropriate clothing for the weather and that you take enough cash in local currency, especially if they mainly accept cash over card payments like some places do. The good news is, I’ve rarely been somewhere I cannot get access to money somehow.
Sight and Sound Are Important
Ramboda Waterfall, Sri Lanka
The dazzling lights of Tokyo, or the wonderful sound of the water at Victoria Falls cascading over rocks. You want to be able to experience everything properly when you’re there, so get things checked out before you go. Getting a checkup or an eye test before heading out on a long term trip is pretty simple, and something you should surely consider. It’s especially important if you’re considering driving in any of your intended locations. If you want to ensure that you can see without worrying about eyeglasses then laser eye surgery might offer the solution you need. This might seem bit extreme, but on our last trip to Costa Rica I found myself driving at night way more than I had anticipated. I do not see good at night, so it was not great to say the least. Get the most out of your trip by investing in your senses. Your memories will be all the more vivid for it.
Always Check The Visa Situation
If you’re going to multiple places it’s pretty easy to lose track of the amount of visas and documentation you might need. Some require that you apply far in advance. Others allow you to apply when you arrive at the airport. The trick is in knowing. Double check you know exactly which countries you’re going to and ensure you have the right documentation for each. A lot of people traveling get stuck when zipping over borders in far Asia or in Africa. Busses and tour boats often slip from one to the next pretty easily so make sure you’ve got everything in order beforehand. Many places allow digital documentation these days, however, you might want to print off your visas and put them somewhere safe. Stick them in a waterproof wallet and hide them away. Otherwise your trip may end up being derailed at some point.
Keep Your Tech Juiced Up
When you’re bouncing around rough roads in an old bus it’s nice to be able to text friends, take pictures, or even play games to pass the time. You won’t be able to do this if you haven’t got any battery left. Phone batteries go pretty quick these days. However, you can get around this by ensuring you’ve got the charging cables to hand, or a power bank. You can grab a good power bank on Amazon, just make sure they’re a good seller and not selling something gated. You could end up with a dud. Good power banks hold a huge amount of charge and can keep a phone juiced up for days. The trick is in being able to remember to charge the power bank at any given opportunity. Always plug it in, that way you’ll be prepared.
External Battery Charger a Travel Essential
Always Read Up On The News
You don’t want to end up traveling somewhere where something pretty bad is going on. Imagine traveling somewhere where they’re struggling with a pandemic, where there’s civil strife, war, or a recent or expected natural disaster. It happens. It can happen fast too, so check out what’s going on in a country before you go there. Not when you book it, but a couple of days before you go. It pays to be informed. It might be that you decide to avoid the country altogether, or you might consider going somewhere safer in the country in question. Knowledge is certainly power in this case, and when the safety of you and your travel party is in question it’s probably one of the most important things you can do.
Going Into The Sticks? Be Prepared
Wild Camp in the Remote Highlands
There are so many natural wonders and beauties around the world, but some of them are in hard to reach locations. Maybe you need to camp out in the wilds for a couple of nights, or go on a long hike to reach your destination. If this is the case, then make sure that you’ve got everything that you need. It might be good walking shoes, a thermal insulated sleeping bag to protect you from the elements or even a good tent. You can research what you need online, but try to contact someone local. Always use a guide if you’re not sure about where you’re going or what you can do when you get there. Local knowledge will usually always beat out what you find on the internet. Always tell people where you’re going and how long you’re intending on staying there too. If you’re not going to have signal then this becomes even more important.
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