Know before you go

It is all too easy to assume that besides clothing, toiletries, a few accessories, and your passport that there is little else to consider before travelling overseas, but nothing could be further from the truth as there are a number of important things you will need to consider…

Passport – Remembering to take your passport with you on holiday isn’t the full picture, as apart from checking the obvious things like the expiry date you will need to ensure that you have at least three months left on the passport when you travel and that the passport is not ten years old or more on the day you enter another country – count from the day the passport was issued. Always check your passport in plenty of time before you travel to ensure that you have enough time to renew it if you need to – particularly if you are travelling during the peak holiday season.

Visas – Some countries also require some kind of visa, so you will need to check this out, too, in plenty of time before you travel in case the visa takes a bit of time to be processed.

EHIC/GHIC – If you have a UK European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) that has expired, or you have never had one, then it is a good idea to apply for a UK Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC). The GHIC has now replaced the EHIC and, although this card is not a replacement for travel insurance, it does offer some level of medical cover overseas.

Travel Insurance – Comprehensive travel insurance is really important and should always be taken out as soon as you have booked a holiday to ensure that your travel plans are fully protected. Make sure you check what is covered on your policy to ensure that it meets with your travel requirements. If you travel several times a year, then it may be worth taking out a yearly travel insurance. Some bank accounts actually offer worldwide travel insurance cover which can be an extremely useful thing to have. Do check, however, that any pre-existing medical conditions you may have are covered too. If you are considering an extended travel trip of more than 31 days, then do check that your policy covers this; as many yearly policies only cover trips of up to 31 days at a time. 'Extended travel' can usually be added onto your policy for an additional fee.

Vaccinations – Many vaccinations for overseas travel are more precautionary than compulsory, but you will need to think about any vaccinations that may be required around eight weeks before travel as some require more than one dose and they will need to have time to take effect. It is worth mentioning here that some countries, like Japan, still require proof of covid vaccination status.

Medication – If you regularly take any prescribed medications and/or need to carry any needles with you, you may be best to get a doctor’s letter to carry with you along with a copy of your prescription. This will just ensure that you don’t have any issues at airport security anywhere. You should also remember to always carry your medication in your hand luggage.

Driving licence – If you are planning to hire a car whilst you are away then you will obviously need to remember to take your driving licence with you, and check that it is still in date. You should also check out the driving laws for the country you are travelling to beforehand to familiarise yourself with any differences that you may otherwise be unaware of.

Travelling with children – If you are travelling with young children, remember to check out things like child seats and booster seats, particularly if you are hiring a car – you should be able to hire these seats too. You will also need to take care around swimming pools, etc., as safety laws in some countries may not be as stringent as you are used to.

Local laws and customs – Local laws and customs can vary greatly from country to country, so it is a good idea to familiarise yourself with them before you travel to ensure that you don’t offend anyone or find yourself on the wrong side of the law.

Learn a bit of the lingo – No one will expect you to be fluent in every language, but learning a few basic words and phrases like hello, goodbye, please, thank you, and perhaps how to ask where or what something is? This little bit of effort could help you out quite a bit and the locals always appreciate it.

Travel adapters – Don’t forget travel adapters when you go anywhere overseas, especially as most people have lots of technology these days that needs constant charging. To avoid taking too many chargers, you can get multi-plug adaptersthese days that enable you to charge several things at once. Don’t forget to keep an adapter in your hand luggage for charging on route.

First-aid kit – Many countries will have pharmacies in the nearest town, but some out-of-the-way places will have little or nothing at all available. So, it is therefore crucial to have a few basics with you at least, like plasters, antiseptic cream, insect repellent, diarrhoea tablets, rehydration sachets, and pain killers.

Photos and videos – Photos and videos may seem like an odd thing to add to the list, but it is important to take lots of them during your trip, as you can always delete the ones you don’t want afterwards. Sometimes you will only get one chance to capture that special moment in time, so don’t lose it and remember that a picture tells a thousand words! And if you are going anywhere water related, you may want to purchase a waterproof case for your phone in advance.

Conclusion

This list is by no means exhaustive, and you will probably think of some other things you always take away with you or do beforehand. However, looking through the items above should help take away some of the pre-holiday stress. Plenty of forward planning will also ensure that your holiday goes without a hitch, and you return home with plenty of happy memories!