The Essential Travel Checklist What You Need To Know
Before you leave home, you need to make sure you print your travel checklist to ensure you have all the essentials with you you need. The last few days before traveling are always hectic. It’s because we do not prepare for holiday trips well in advance and then panic in the last few days. Whether going for a short weekend break or traveling abroad for a few months, there’s much to do before traveling.
To help you overcome these stressful last-minute tasks, we created this essential travel checklist. In doing so, we want to make sure you have all you need.
Prepare Your Travel Checklist Well In Advance
Regardless of where you travel, preparations should begin a few months beforehand. This way, you won’t need to stress or freak out days before you leave. More so, the moment you make travel plans, you need to start preparing. Then, with a travel checklist on hand, your vacation will become a time for fun and excitement and not worry.
Additionally, it’s a great idea to start journaling now too. And if you already journal, make sure you include everything you need in there too. Keeping a journal will allow you to keep your memories precious and on hand. Trust us; you don’t want to forget to document every day of your exciting new adventure.
Regardless of the length of your trip, you want to ensure you have everything you need with you. This way, you won’t have to spend the extra money you didn’t plan for in your travel budget. Remember, things cost a lot more money when you travel, putting a damper on your vacation.
Weather Advice. When traveling abroad or to places with extreme climatic conditions, it is better to check the weather conditions in advance for your travel duration. More importantly, when planning for your vacation, make sure you check the weather tomorrow as well. This way, you prepare for any situation beforehand, including the weather conditions. Checking weather conditions beforehand is as important as your travel checklist!
1 – Get Travel Insurance
Generally, travel insurance makes sense when you travel outside the country. However, you can choose from a variety of travel insurance plans available online. These insurance plans cover your loss due to cancellation of the trip, lost luggage, evacuation, and emergency medical attention. It is an essential thing to have while traveling abroad. It covers emergencies while traveling and when you are enjoying the holidays in a foreign land.
2 – Always Opt For Extra Passport Pages
It depends on your traveling frequency. If you travel more often, having extra pages can be beneficial to accommodate the printing of additional visas. Generally, authorities do not consider stamping a travel visa on other pages than the visa page.
However, it means that amendments pages will be of no use for a visa (something we discovered from our bad experiences). Also, check for your passport expiry date. Some countries do not allow your entry if your passport is about to expire within six months.
3 – Make Sure To Have the Right Visa And Add To Your Travel Checklist
It is the most overlooked thing while traveling. Daily, many people can be denied entry to a country because of improper visas. In such situations, you can find yourself held back at the airport and forced to take the immediate next flight back to your home. So, even a small mistake like this can cost you plenty of dollars. So, make sure you add this to check when creating your travel checklist.
4 – Do Not Forget Medicines And And Any Necessary Shots
Always see your doctor before traveling and check any medications prescribed for your traveling duration. You can also discuss other medical conditions that you should take before traveling.
Before visiting some countries, doctors usually suggest checking with vaccines requirements. Like while traveling to some African countries, you should check the requirements for yellow fever before traveling. Always make sure you add any medication you take to your travel checklist. And any refills you might need as well.
5 – Carry Some Copies Of Your Passport
Carrying copies of passports is beneficial for two reasons:
- It will help in case you lose the original one.
- Some hotels and accommodations ask for passport copies. However, most of them have a copier, but accommodations booked with Airbnb may require you to submit printed copies.
6 – Check The Luggage Restrictions With The Airlines And Add To Your Travel Checklist
First, every airline has a different luggage restriction. Therefore, you must make sure about the permissible limit to carry with you and how much checked luggage, you can bring. Second, know the luggage restrictions ensures that you do not have to pay extra at the check-in counter. It mostly happens when traveling with a budget and low-cost airline.
7 – Check Weather Forecasts
As already discussed at the start, checking the weather is important when traveling abroad. Check the forecast well in advance so that you can plan and pack for your trip accordingly. For example, the forecast can help you to decide if you need warm clothes or a raincoat.
8 – Make A Travel Checklist Survival Kit
You can never have enough “stuff” with you but make sure you bring the following.
- Hand sanitizer
- Bandages
- Prescription medications
- Ibuprofen
- Neosporin
- Headphones
- Sleep aid
- Eye mask
- Earplugs
- My favorite headphones, chargers, and adaptors
- Journal
- Walking shoes and sandals
- Extra undies
- Emergency contact information in your wallet
- Travel-sized toiletries (shampoo, conditioner, body lotion, etc.)
Of course, you can add or remove items as per your requirements.
9 – Always Bring Two Travel Adapters
It is obvious to carry a travel adapter when traveling to a new country in the current times. These days almost every airport has a separate charging space to plug in and charge your phones or gadgets. It helps in getting easier access to your devices and do some work if required. A fully charged phone also helps in browsing through your social media accounts or chatting with friends. And having a backup travel adapter makes sense too.
10 – Charge All Electronics Before Traveling
In addition, a fully charged device is a blessing in disguise during travel. It can also be helpful if your mode of transport does not have any entertainment facility. You can browse for stuff online or even watch a movie on a fully charged device.
11 – Carry Some Snacks For Your Travel
Different modes of travel have varied or even no food options available. Therefore, it is good to carry some snacks along to hold onto some time until you reach the destination. Of course, bring healthy snacks with you if possible. After all, you don’t want to gain weight while on your wonderful vacation either. Also, add this one to your travel checklist as it’s often forgotten.
12 – Set AutoPay On Your Bills
Typically, most of us usually forget to do this. But if you set your bills to paying ahead of time on due dates, you will forgo the worry about them while traveling. However, if it is not possible, you should pay the bills in advance, before leaving.
13 – Get A Travel Credit Card
Ask your bank if they provide a travel credit card. These cards usually do not have any extra foreign transaction fees when used for shopping abroad. There are many options for travel credit cards that you can find online. To explore more cards with no additional charges but with extra reward points, you can check this list of the best travel credit cards.
14 – It Is Good To Have An International Driving License
Many countries will not ask for an international driving license. But it makes sense to have one in case you need to drive abroad in an emergency. In the US, you can get an IDL without much hassle. You can visit any AAA, and they will help you get one. All you need is to carry two passport size photos and $15 to get an IDL.
15 – Always Carry Some Extra Cash – An Essential Travel Checklist Must!
Of course, Extra cash always comes to the rescue when your ATM card does not work in foreign lands. More so, you can exchange it for local currency, which can help you pay in smaller shops and restaurants that do not accept card payments. Make sure you add this one to your travel checklist, so you don’t forget!
Your Travel Checklist Ensures A Hassle-Free Travel
We hope that our travel checklist will help you overcome some general troubles that we usually face while traveling. For example, doing things well in advance may look like a small task, but these things can prevent frustration and stress during travel.
Road Trip Safety During COVID-19 What You Need To Know
Now that things are loosening up a bit, you can plan a staycation or even that long-awaited road trip to visit the family. However, it’s essential always to practice road trip safety and remember crucial safety tips for you and your family.
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