I've known for a while that I'm going to be travelling soon and in that time I've packed, unpacked, re-packed and re-re-re-packed about fifty times. And no, I'm not exaggerating. Before you can label me as an indecisive lunatic, I do have a few things to add in my defense: 1. I'm travelling abroad for the first time. 2. I'm travelling alone for the first time. 3. I'm flying for the first time. 4. I'm staying away from home for a month...for the first time. What I've found out in the last month or two is that there are a LOT of things to consider when travelling, especially when you're an obsessive planner like me. Since this is my first ever blog post, I'm just going to list all the things I considered before leaving home in the hopes that it might help you plan your trip. Let's get started! 1. Passport- this may seem obvious but you'd surprised how many people don't realise that their passport is about to expire when they make travel plans. So ensure your passport is valid for the entire duration of your trip. 2. Visa- Depending on your destination, you may or may not need a visa so you should check on your country's government website or ask a travel agent or somebody from your country who has visited the place you're headed. Bear in mind that some visas can be obtained on landing at your destination but others may need to be obtained in advance before leaving your home country. Take in account the time it might take for you to receive a visa before making any travel bookings. 3. Purpose of your visit- A lot of your activities, budget and travel plans will depend on the reason you are going. Is it a relaxing sojourn? A whirlwind tour? Solo exploration? Family time? Backpacking with friends? Attending a conference? Or a bit of all? 4. Budget- It's best to figure out how much you intend to spend for your trip before you get there. This way you can find out the best deals or the best room ever, depending on your budget and purpose. This will also depend on how long you intend to stay there. You can either spend a lot for a few days or a little for many days...the choice is yours. Planning your expenditure ensures you don't end up in the middle of the Sahara Desert with no money for a ride home. So decide how much you want to spend on transport, accommodation, food, shopping, attraction tickets, souvenirs, etc. 5. Accommodation- If you're a spontaneous traveller, then you'd prefer to arrive at your destination and then figure out where to stay. However, if you like to know what to expect or you're on a student budget, booking in advance will save you money, disappointment and a spinning head from all the available options. Speaking of options, here are a few: a) Trivago, ibibo, tripadvisor, makemytrip: You've probably heard of such websites where you can book hotel rooms. b) You can book rooms with the hotel directly. This often provides you with the best deal as there are no middle men involved. The drawback is that you need to do your homework as there is no table to compare with other hotels in the area. c) Airbnb and homeaway: These are holiday rentals which give you a taste of the local culture. You can either choose to stay with a local or simply rent an apartment so that you can live like a local and do your washing. This is a great option for bigger groups and long term stays. d) Hostels! Gone are the days (at least in a few places) of leaky roofs, mould-patterned wallpapers and creepy roommates. Today's youth hostels are funky and inexpensive and a fantastic way to meet people like you from all corners of the world. e) Lastly, you can always stay with family and friends...when will those relations come in use? Just kidding. Ring up your cousins and surprise them- it's a great way to catch up and renew rusty ties. Or if the ties are too rusty for your liking...think of the money you'll be saving by staying with great aunt Polly- after all, it is just about sleeping somewhere for the night! 6. Transport- Three simple rules: a) Make maximum use of the public transport system. b) Whenever possible, book in advance to reserve seats and save some dollars. c) Use various modes of transport available- trains, buses, boats, cycles, trams, bullock-carts, horseback...best one- your own two feet! 7. Food- Dietary restrictions: plan. Fussy eater: plan. On a tight budget: PLAN. Look up specific places to eat on sites like TripAdvisor and list them down. Explore local food markets. Sample the local cuisine, be adventurous. But remain cautious about hygiene as you really don't want to end up spending days in the toilet or worse...the hospital. 8. Travel and medical insurance- better safe than sorry! 9. Buying a local SIM card might be handy for longer stays. To avoid a shockingly long and large phone bill on your return home, remove your home SIM card when travelling abroad. 10. Forex- Decide how much you want to carry on a forex card (international credit/debit card), in local currency or traveller's cheques. This will depend on the technological advancement of the country or the remoteness of your destination. 11. Travel adaptor- This is called by many different names but it is basically a socket plug that allows you to connect your electronic devices to the power supply of your destination country. Beware that it is not a voltage convertor which is another thing you will need if your devices function on a different voltage compared to what is provided locally. 12. Weather- You might want to check the climatic conditions of your destination if you would like to avoid being frozen or roasted. Logically...pack accordingly. 13. Jet lag- If the time zone of your destination is different from your local time zone by more than 3-4 hours, you might find it helpful to slowly shift your daily routine to the new time zone. This might be difficult to do if you're working or studying but at least two weeks before your departure, sleep earlier or later by a little bit every day. This helps tune your body clock to the new time which prevents you feeling exhausted at odd times and makes you maximise on your trip! Watch out for my next post "What I did" to find out how I went about planning my first ever solo trip to a foreign land!
I hope you've found this useful. I am definitely not an expert so if you have any suggestions, I'd be extremely happy to hear from you. You can leave a comment below and let me know what you think. Join me on my journey- follow me on Instagram and Twitter! :)
5 Comments
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7/8/2023 16:04:19
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AuthorNikita is currently a prospective medical student on a gap year before starting university. She has experience mentoring students for IGCSE and A Level exams. Her current area of interest is neuroscience. Acknowledgement and Gratitude
A heartfelt thank you to the following people for their encouragement, help and support: Mum & Dad Martin, Tina & Roshni Timms Preeti Bhatt Anjana Rathore Sanshriti Mehta Eeshani Juthani Indraja Polubothu Abhishek Ghoshal Vibhavari Desai Ananya Singh Tanishqa Naithani Vineeth Lekkala Archives
August 2017
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