Tips to Avoid Tripping up on Trips

Tips to Avoid Tripping up on Trips
The Great Traveller Charles Alexandre Lesueur in the Forest by Karl Bodmer 1832 - 1834.

Vacations are meant to be times to relax and leave the cares of your everyday routine behind for a while. But when your travel is not planned well in advance, there are a variety of factors that can go wrong, and you come back feeling worse than ever. Travel plans differ according to the number of people going on the trip, their age and sex, the mode of transportation, the climate native to the place you’re going to visit and the kind of activities you’re going to be involved in once you reach your destination.

1. Plan your journey well in advance, right from your to and fro transport to where you’ll be staying to the schedule you’re going to follow (even if you’re just going to laze around) on your vacation.

2. If you’re flying to your destination, make sure you follow airline and country-specific rules regarding carry-on luggage, especially if you are crossing international borders.

3. If you’re taking a road trip, make sure you fill up with enough gasoline to last you till the next station on the way. Map the route you’re going to take so you don’t get lost. .

4. Long car trips with children can get really annoying if you do not provide them with some form of entertainment. Load up with car games and snacks to last you till your destination.

5. If you’re going to be traveling around a lot with stopovers at many different places, pack light. It’s a pain to unpack and repack at each of your destinations.

6. Pack according to your destination – do not carry your entire wardrobe for a few days of vacation. Be sensible and take only what you really need.

7. Pack sensible footwear if you’re going to be physically active during your vacation.

8. Remember to carry a basic first aid kit with supplies to treat cuts and bruises and common colds and headaches. As soon as you reach your destination, or even as you’re booking accommodation, check with your hosts (or hotel) if there is a doctor you can call on in case of emergencies.

9. Traveling to some countries may require vaccination or inoculation against certain diseases. Check your local consulate’s website for precautions to take before you set out on that vacation.

10. Familiarize yourself with local customs and common words in the local language before you visit new countries.

11. Don’t spend all your money buying trinkets and memorabilia to remind you of your trip. You’re invariably going to lose more than half the stuff you bring back once you’re back to the hustle and bustle of the daily grind.

12. Do not carry around too much cash; use traveler’s checks or global debit cards. Remember, using your credit card abroad is a pretty expensive option and one to be avoided except in emergencies.

13. Make sure your children remember the name of the hotel or address of the house you’re staying in while on vacation. Getting them to memorize the phone number is an added bonus in case they get lost.

14. And last but not the least, leave your work behind – there’s just no point in going on a vacation if you’re going to take the office with you.



About the Author:

This article was contributed by Heather Johnson, who is a regular writer on the subject of colleges for criminal justice. She welcomes your questions, comments and writing job opportunities at heatherjohnson2323 at gmail dot com.