If you’re planning a trip and you haven’t travelled before, you may be feeling a little overwhelmed. This is perfectly normal, and you may be hesitant to ask some of your more basic questions. If this is the case, this post is for you. Here are some of the top tips you’ll need to know to ensure your trip goes smoothly:
Don’t pack everything but the kitchen sink
Believe me, I know how tempting it can be to overpack. When I first went travelling I took a bunch of things I didn’t need and ended up ditching clothes all around Southeast Asia to help lighten the load on my back.
One of the key things to remember is that you’ll be able to find almost anything you need overseas. Clothes, underwear, antihistamines, bandaids, socks, makeup, you name it, and you’ll be able to get your hands on it. Sure, you may have trouble finding deodorant and skincare items without bleaching ingredients in Southeast Asia, but if you forget to pack something important, don’t panic- you’ll be able to get a new iPhone charger or hairbrush overseas.
Ask the professionals
If you haven’t planned a trip yourself before, this can seem like a monumental task. That’s why it’s a good idea to use a site like Webjet Australia where you can book everything you need in one place.
You may also want to talk to a travel agent. These days, many people believe travel agents are obsolete, but they’re perfect if you’re new to travel. You can let them know where you’d like to go, what you’d like to do, and a rough budget, and they’ll put together your itinerary- including flights, transfers, accommodation, and tours. Of course, it’s always good to do some research yourself into flights in order to find the best deal. You can find yourself learning all sorts about flying by googling questions like “how much does a private jet cost to buy?“. This is also a good way to make sure you have a backup- if a flight is canceled or your hotel can’t find your reservation, you can simply get on the phone to your travel agent and they’ll sort it out.
Take travel insurance
If I can give you one travel tip, it would be to make sure you’re completely covered with travel insurance from the time you leave home until the time you return. My uncle recently had a heart attack in San Francisco, and required emergency surgery in the most expensive country for medical care in the world. Luckily, he was completely covered with travel insurance and they paid all of the bills- meaning he could focus on recovering and getting home.
He had never had a heart problem in the past, and obviously wasn’t expecting a heart attack. And this is a common scenario- no one thinks they’re going to have appendicitis, break a bone, or lose their passport, but it happens every day. Give yourself peace of mind with travel insurance.
