It Is Important To Be Prepared When Traveling

Everyone making travel plans is anxious of all the things that can go wrong. However, if you are a laid-back planner, the panic strikes after the damage is done!

You travel plans are almost 90% of your travel experience! Flight tickets, accommodation, currency exchange, packing luggage, making the perfect travel itinerary- the list goes on and on. The internet helps but the pouring blogs have more images than real information.

For those looking for a quick ‘must-know’ list when travelling, get prepped with these travel tips and globe-trot the smart way.

1. Luggage check-list

Pack your luggage well in advance with a checklist all ready at your desk. A simple thumb rule is to take only the things you need- nothing more. Make sure you are carrying a Doctor’s prescription for any medical pills and check if you have all the necessary toiletries and basic clothes and shoes.

Keep a copy of the check-list back home and a picture of it in your phone camera to cross-check while packing again (a neat trick to avoid forgetting stuff).

2. Currency

Currency exchange rates are rather high at the airport. Do a little research and see if there are any local exchange offices (there most likely will be) and use them when the need arises. Also verify with your banks if they provide cash transfers in different countries and if the ATMs support the currency conversion of that country.

3. Electricity and Gadgets

Your smart phone is the perfect travel planner.  Travelling to a place where you don’t speak the local language? Download a translating app well in advance! Want easy access to banks? download the bank apps! The Apps will do half the work your feet will have to do in a new city.

But all the gadgetry goodness goes to a waste if you are travelling to a city where the voltage is different! Don’t forget to carry a convertor to charge all your electronics.

Use the cloud storage to store your daily clicks and use the local free Wi-Fi to ease up on the phone bill- a good way to use local amenities.

4. Safety
Pepper spray and a crash course in self-defense has never harmed anyone and is a good trick to have up your sleeve incase you get into trouble. Most of the major tourist destinations have an alert Police department but just to be safe, a defense tool might prove quiet handy.

Keep a list of the emergency numbers of ambulance, hospitals and police and fire department within your reach and you can be quiet relaxed for the rest of your stay.

5. Local know-how
Always know a few local tips of the city you are about to visit. The culture, the customs, the highlights and the lowlights- every information helps. See if the Taxis accept credit cards or if the Trains are preferred over Busses. Know if there are any local food joints which are world famous and if tipping is customary.

Read blogs, travel plans and tourist-info books or simply ask the hotel receptionist for places to avoid and the shortest route to reach a place in the city.

6. Tourist benefits
Many countries have money-saving, public transport passes for tourists. Some attractions even have free entry on particular days. The tourist office is a must-visit for deals which will go lighter on your wallet and heavier on your smile.

Travelling in today’s world is easier owing to the amount of awareness and the social connect that boosts sharing ideas and handy life-hacks. Use these trip planning trips and you will have no regrets as you explore your dream city.