Plans for Travel!
This week, I’d like to think about my top travel ideas for a new traveler. Part of our anxieties that stop us from more travel comes from the unknown. We don’t know what is a priority or what things can help travel occur smoothly. What are the things that make you nervous about traveling? Maybe it’s health concerns, or maybe questions about your bank cards? Here are the following items that are my tried and true issues that you can plan for.
Communicate with your Bank
First of all, contact your bank prior to traveling. This is especially important if you decide to travel internationally. Without this knowledge, your bank might see charges from a new area, state, or country and determine that the account has been hacked, and stop all activity on the account. You want to make sure they are aware of where you are traveling to and how long you will be there. You definitely don’t want to have a bank emergency after hours.
Notify your Embassy
This is also necessary for international traveling. When you are leaving your home country you need to make sure to contact your local embassy to inform them of your travel plans. This will assist your home country to locate you if necessary in case of an emergency. This can be done with a quick internet search using the keyphrases of the country of your citizenship and embassy. You may also try searching on the U.S. Embassy site/. This is a free service, there are no fees involved in reporting your travel information to the embassy. Before your arrival at the destination, determine the location of the local embassy of your citizenship. Do not rely on cell service connections, so be sure to have a hard copy of the contact information.
Document your Health Conditions
Another issue that brings anxiety to our travel plan is for those of us with underlying health conditions. I never want to let my fears regarding my underlying health conditions hold me back from more travel. Consult with your doctor to discuss any possible limitations. You may also ask them to put your diagnosis and list of your current medications in writing. You can keep this document on your person for quick access. If you are traveling somewhere that has a different primary language than yours, you can also translate that information into the language of the country you were traveling to. The internet can help you with this as well. Try using Google Translate.
Prioritize a Carry – On
At this point, we have all heard someone complaining about a lost luggage situation. It happens to people all the time. But with a little bit of planning, it doesn’t have to ruin your entire trip. Always remember to pack one set of undergarments in your carry-on luggage. Additionally, it can be helpful to keep any necessary medication with you. If there is anything else that you think is important and not easily replaced, carry that too. My carry-on will always include my glasses & contact lens case. In the case of baggage issues, or flight delays it is a good idea to have these items readily available to you. Anything else can be replaced upon arrival.
Make Copies
Lastly, before traveling make photocopies of all your important documents. This can include your driver’s license, passport, or even a vaccination card. Keep the originals in a secure location and the copies separately at all times. In many instances, a photocopy of your documents is all you need to present during emergencies such as loss or theft.
