PRE-TRAVEL TIPS
Heading aboard sometime soon? Traveling can be thrilling and exciting and educational and inspiring, and all these wonderful things. But it can also be stressful. Very stressful. There's a lot to think about and a lot of pressure to make the most of things. Here's a few very important things to think about in the weeks leading up to your holiday/vacation to make things run smoother on your trip!
Visa/documents Do you need a visa to get into the country you're going to? Do you have layover? Will you need a visa there? I'm going to Canada in a couple of weeks and I found out that, as an Irish citizen, if I'm travelling into the country by land or sea, I don't need a visa, but if I'm travelling by air, I do need an Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA). This was easy enough to get, I just had to fill out a form online and pay $7 CAD, but it's important to have these types of things done in advance. A quick google search will tell you what you need for entering whatever country you're heading to, normally it will also depend on what the country of which you are a citizen!
Currency/cards How are you going to pay for things while you're there? Will your cards work? What are the fees for using them? You may want to just bring cash as it's easier to keep yourself on a budget but it's good to know what your emergency back-up options are. It's also a good idea to have your cash in advance so you don't have to stress about it at the airport or when you get where you're going. Again Google is your best friend, search around and see what you're options are. Also, talk to your bank about whether your ATM and/or credit cards will work where you're going and what the conversion and/or transaction fees will be. While I don't normally think having a credit card is important, when travelling they can be handy. I've been in situations where I needed to have a credit card, not a debit card, in my name to hire a car. I didn't have to pay with it, but they needed it on file just in case. So it's a good thing to think about getting.
Adapters Do you need an adapter for your plugs? If so, you can save yourself a bit of money buying them in advance as they can be pricey in the airport and hard to find in the country you're visiting.
Minitures Look at the products you want to bring and figure out if there are mini versions available or if you can decant them into smaller travel bottles. This saves space and weight, especially if you're only bringing hand-luggage. Remember, in your hand luggage, all your liquids must fit in ONE quart-sized clear plastic bag and all bottles must be 3.4 ounce (100ml) bottle or less! There are no liquid restriction for your checked-luggage but there are weight restrictions (this varies by airline, check their website for more information). I would also recommend buying a travel weighing scales so you know how much your bag weighs before you get to the airport.
Clean Yo Clothes This is fairly obviously, but it's worth thinking about what clothes you may want to bring a week or so prior to the trip. You don't have to have everything packed and organised, but make sure anything you might possibly want to bring is clean to avoid any last minutes hassles.
I will be doing more travel posts as my trip to Canada approaches so stay tuned. And safe travels!
Jane x
