Travel is probably my greatest hobby! When I’m not traveling, I’m already planning the next trip. Whether you’re heading overseas sometime soon, or in a few months, there are a few trip essentials that I think always make sense to do before you travel to ensure everything goes as smoothly as possible. Here’s my list of my top 4 things to do before your next trip.
1. Check Out the Visa Situation
Depending on where you’re from and where you’re headed, there’s a chance you may need a visa. With everything that’s gone on this year, getting a visa may take longer than usual or simply not be possible. For this reason I suggest looking into visas well in a advance to ensure your bases are covered. This is even more important if you’re traveling as a family with a combination of different passports. Some countries are now moving to e-visas, but others have traditional visas that take weeks or even months before the pandemic started.
2. Don’t Leave Car Rental to the Last Minute
You may be tempted to show up to the car rental office in your destination and just find something on the ground, but don’t! It will generally be a lot more expensive than if you found something online, and your options will be severely limited. You may even find it impossible to find anything! Car rental is something I always suggest doing in advance, especially as car rental insurance is something you should consider ahead of time too. Sorting out your car rental and insurance ahead of time gives you time to check over policies, coverage and to make sure all your ducks are in order. While you’re at it, be sure to check your license is valid and whether the country you’re visiting requires an international drivers permit.
3. Take a Good Look at Your Passport
What condition is your passport in? When does it expire? These are important things to check over before booking your next trip. Many countries around the world require that your passport has at least 6 months validity at the date of entry, but it can vary from place to place. I know so many people who have been unable to go on trips because they’ve forgot to check when their passport is expiring. Now is also a good time to take a look at whether there’s any damage to your passport that may prevent you from traveling.
4. Invest in Packing Cubes
My favorite packing “hack” is using packing cubes whenever I travel. Whether it’s for a short weekend trip away, or something much longer, packing cubes help me stay organized and ensure I can fit more into smaller luggage. Now that I’m traveling with my partner, we both have our own travel cubes that allow us to take a large suitcase between us. As we can fit more into a smaller space, we don’t need our own suitcases and it ensure that we can keep our clothes tidy and separate from one another’s. This will make traveling so much easy, so just trust me on this!
Traveling is such a wonderful way to learn more about our world. I hope these tips ensure you have a smooth, trouble-free adventure.
