There are some common issues we must look into while travelling. If we know about these, it will take you a long way in making your trip happy and stress free. The list of things we can take care of or matters to be looked into can be endless. But this is an endless process. Isn’t it important to have the best possible time on our holiday? These are mainly for occasional or first time travellers, but happens to seasoned travellers too all the time.
Passport and Visa 
Before you decide you want to travel, check the validity on you passport. You will not get a visa, if your passport is not valid for a minimum of 6 months. Secondly, when you do get your visa, always check the dates that the visa is valid for.
OMG !! I forgot my ……….!!!!
Yes, this can happen. We are so preoccupied with a hundred things on our mind. Children, food, money, tips, hotel, train or flight to catch etc etc. Maybe we left something at the breakfast table, a jacket perhaps, or we used the hotel internet booth, and left our wallet there, or maybe something got left behind on the hotel bed. The most important thing to do while going from Point A to Point B is to check all your belongings thoroughly, or risk going back. It is a waste of time, money and a real hassle going back, apart from the stress you get wondering if you will ever get that belonging back.
Missing Vouchers
Generally, when you travel in a private group, you get vouchers for all the services you have paid for and are included in the itinerary. In case you miss out on a voucher, it can be a real headache, because without it, they may or may not honour the service booked and paid for. Take complete stock of all the required vouchers before your departure.
Shopping on Holiday
You have to manage your own baggage and along the way, when we travel, we always like getting gifts, buying souvenirs, knick knacks, and things for ourselves. So, make sure to keep the luggage in balance. Never leave your luggage or backpack unattended. Unfortunately, if lost, pray that some decent responsible soul calls you and returns it to you.
Be Suspicious
We tend to make friends on our holiday or talk to strangers. Let’s face it, while its alright when you are holidaying, but are you really going to keep in touch after you get back? Never give your address to someone, unless you are 100% sure. Secondly, never accept drinks or food from strangers.
Mobile free
Switch off your mobile!!!! You are on a holiday, enjoy yourself. Do business later. This isn’t the time for work or chitchatting with friends. This is precious time for the family, with the family. If you are a BlackBerry or iPhone addict, all the more reason for you to stash your phone away.
Delays and Tight Schedules 
No one can predict what will happen but you should know this – if your flight is delayed for a few hours, and close to a meal time, the airline concerned generally assists you with complimentary meal vouchers. In case the flight is delayed several hours and specially during night time, they generally accommodate you at a hotel. So, expect this, don’t make demands, because there is no need to. 99% of the time, you will be well taken care of. This differs airline to airline and depends on the duration of delay. Secondly, traffic jams, delays and accidents are unpredictable too. Missing your flight due to a tight schedule will completely stress you out. Thirdly, the security lines nowadays seem endless. The airport security checks everything thoroughly. Always allow extra time.
Responsibilities
Keep money safe by dividing and distributing it amongst your family, with of course the bulk being with you. Give the kids some. They love responsibility. Keep all your photocopies of TC’s, credit cards and other documents in checked baggage. Never remove large sums of money in public places. Don’t wear things of affluence. Leave the jewellery home. Keep small change ready for tips.
Kids
Keep a track of the children. Small children have a habit of running around and wandering off, while you are busy with an airline official or when you are not looking. Tell them to never talk to strangers or accept anything from them. They also tend to put all sorts of things into their mouth. Keep tissues and hand sanitizer handy. Teenage kids rarely hear what has just been said to them. They are busy with their headset. Sometimes so preoccupied, they may not hear the airlines announcement for departure. So, be a watchdog.
Sharp Objects and Liquids 
You just holidayed in Switzerland, and you have bought this beautiful Swiss knife for your handbag and some adorable, cute T-shirt pins. Tuck them away in your checked baggage or be prepared to give it away as gifts to the security personnel at the airport. You are not allowed any sort of sharp object, not even a tiny pin. As for liquids, the maximum allowed is 100 ml, of perfume or hand cream or medicines. Not more than that. If you have no checked in baggage, and are carrying a small cabin bag or backpack, carry dry soap and shampoo blocks. LUSH is a very good company that caters to these needs. If you wear contact lenses, make sure you carry a very tiny bottle of the Lens cleaner.
Minimum Connecting Time 
This is really important for countries like USA, where the airports are really busy and terminals stretched out. Even though you are given a system guaranteed minimum connecting time, it may not actually practically work out. In the bigger and busier airports, where the terminals are really far, and if there isn’t a little MORE than the minimum connecting time, you may just have to make a real dash for your flight. Always keep a little extra time in hand between flights. Better safe than sorry.
Be Polite
Travel is unpredictable. There are always possibilities of things going wrong, delays, unexpected incidents, cancellations etc. We tend to get grumpy and irritable when things go wrong. Be nice to someone you don’t know, regardless of how he or she behaves. Be patient when things happen to upset your schedule a bit. You are going to have a good time. You are going to reach your destination. Be sure of that. Keep a healthy happy attitude. That makes all the difference.
The Action Plan
1. Make sure you check all your documents well before you holiday. You may just miss your vacation in case the passport needs to be renewed and you overlooked it.
2. Be sure that once things are in motion and you are ready to leave, you have all the documents in order. Everything double checked, all vouchers numbered and kept in the carry on bag, with photocopies in checked baggage.
3. Don’t talk to strangers and don’t give your home address to friends you make on vacation. Be sure to tell the children about this too.
4. Allow time. For unexpected delays. Never keep tight schedules. If its business you go for and miss your connection, it would be pointless.
5. Take extra care of children. They tend to wander off. Also, keep tissues and hand sanitizer handy. Make them keep their hands clean too. Falling ill on a holiday would be terrible.
6. Never leave luggage unattended.
7. Try and carry dry soap and shampoo blocks. This is good because it doesn’t leak and soil your clothes and you won’t even have a problem in security check.
8. Switch off your mobile. Enjoy your holiday.
These are just a few basic guidelines, but it would surely ensure you a relaxed holiday when you know you’ve done your bit. It is your holiday, so never just rely on your agent or the airline. Everyone is bound to make mistakes, we are only human. Life is a journey, have a happy one.
No comments:
Post a Comment