Helpful Guides

How to prepare for any destination

Posted by sylandsarah on

How to prepare for any destination

“Planning is bringing the future into the present so that you can do something about it now.” Alan Lakein
Research prior to travel is priceless. Ignorance is no excuse for breaking the law or being unprepared in another country, having left the familiarity and comforts of home.

Did you know…

  1. Did you know that the Thai are very strict about you stepping on their currency with very stringent penalties of up to 15 years in prison?
  2. Did you know that chewing gum in Singapore is so frowned upon that you could again be facing consequences you are not prepared for?

Your checklist

Health-before-you-travel

Here is a checklist for you for when you want to plan any trip:

  • Step 1 – Choose Your Destination (that’s the fun part)
  • Step 2 – Book Flights for your trip
  • Step 3 – Book Accommodation
  • Step 4 – About Getting Around
  • Step 5 – Things to See & Do
  • Step 6 – Places to Eat & Drink
  • Step 7 – Check Your Passport
  • Step 8 – Any Visa Requirements
  • Step 9 – Get Immunisations if required
  • Step 10 – Copy Important Documents
  • Step 11 – Phone & Internet Access on the road
  • Step 12 – Accessing Your Money
  • Step 13 – Purchase Travel Insurance
  • Step 14 – Pack Smart
  • Step 15 – Confirm Flights
Look out for future posts from sylandsarah with helpful guides and tips for each of these categories

Top 3 Research Tips

Every trip will require research and planning but it doesn’t need to feel overwhelming, it’s just necessary.
  • Get Foreign travel advice for your chosen destination from the UK gov website: https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice
  • Read Blogs! Blogs!! Blogs!!!  – Find out what real people are saying about the location – we use google searches for blogs about the destination, then videos of real experiences on YouTube, and finally Pinterest for exciting things to be done there.
  • Use Trip advisor and GoogleTrips– not just for the hotels but for the things to do and the things to expect. They have forums for these types of things.
So we’re off to Cancun very soon…

And we have followed exactly those steps outlined.
One helpful blogger gave 6 tips on what not to do:
  1. DON’T… DRINK THE CANCUN TAP WATER!
  2. DON’T… PAY FULL PRICE FOR SOUVENIRS
  3. DON’T…FORGET YOUR SUNSCREEN.
  4. DON’T… STAY AT YOUR RESORT 24/7
  5. DON’T… BE AFRAID OF THE LOCAL BUS.
  6. DON’T… EAT ONLY FOOD YOU HAVE TRIED!
Another blogger gave 8 tips on what to consider doing:
  1. Customs can be chaotic, be Patient
  2. Get cash (pesos) and pay in it
  3. You need the sunscreen…seriously
  4. Bus, bus, bus
  5. Know when to haggle
  6. Always stay hydrated
  7. The cuisine is exquisite
  8. Party or chill, get the best of both worlds
They are almost identical aren’t they but the one thing they have in common is that they both say “it’s going to be amazing”and we will certainly be packing sunscreen !
We used google trips for activities. It’s so useful when recommending things to do close by and faraway and also with kids.

Finally

We often spend nights together watching those video blogs and picturing the locations, Google mapping to see the streets and watching people talk about the blessings and pitfalls of any chosen destination. To some, this might sound pretty obvious or to some it’s a waste of time, but for us, life is about accumulating memories, not just possessions and planning is step one in creating those precious memories together as a couple.

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