{"id":3625,"date":"2019-07-16T08:28:52","date_gmt":"2019-07-16T08:28:52","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/globetrotters\/?p=3625"},"modified":"2022-04-13T15:42:21","modified_gmt":"2022-04-13T15:42:21","slug":"the-ultimate-summer-holiday-checklist","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/globetrotters\/the-ultimate-summer-holiday-checklist\/","title":{"rendered":"The ultimate summer holiday checklist"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Travelling soon? Ensure you\u2019re prepared with our summer checklist.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Planning your\ntrip abroad definitely isn\u2019t the most exciting part, however it is the most\nvital part to ensure your safety and overall preparedness. Plus, it doesn\u2019t\nhave to be as stressful as you may think! The FCO Travel Aware page offers\ncomprehensive advice to help make sure you\u2019re covered.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So many things can go wrong whilst abroad, but so many of these things can be easily avoided. To ensure that you limit your risks abroad and that your trip is as smooth as planned, simply read the following tips, and remember to have fun!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Insurance, insurance, insurance!<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Insurance is\none of the most important things to plan before your departure. Although you\nmay not think you need it, in an unfortunate event, it can save you a lot of\ntrouble and<\/em> a lot of money.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s\nimportant also to get the right insurance for your trip. Make sure you\nunderstand the full cover (yes that means reading the policy and the small\nprint). It might seem boring but trust me; this will leave you feeling reassured\nbefore travelling. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Whilst\ntravelling, make sure you carry the details of your insurance including\nemergency contact details and even leave copies with relatives or friends as a\nback up. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Also, an\nimportant thing to remember if you are travelling in the EU, the EHIC is NOT an\nalternative to travel insurance. Make sure you have both to cover all risks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you\u2019re in doubt, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office provides detailed advice on what type of insurance is right for you and your travel. https:\/\/www.gov.uk\/guidance\/foreign-travel-insurance<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Passport? Check!<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s obvious that you need a passport to travel but when was the last\ntime you checked it was in date? Before you book any type of travel, ensure\nthat your passport is valid for the entire duration of your trip. In some\ncountries your passport must be valid for 6 months after the date you travel!\nSo allow for those few extra months.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If your passport is\/will be invalid during the time of your trip, then\napply as soon as you can for a renewal, allowing plenty of time for its arrival\nbefore you book. You wouldn\u2019t want to cancel plans because of an invalid or\nlate passport, so check and plan ahead!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The same applies for Visa\u2019s, make sure you\u2019ve got the correct one for the country you\u2019re visiting and apply well in advance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you do need a new passport in an emergency and you\nare in the UK, then you can use another service (see the link below).
\nhttps:\/\/www.gov.uk\/get-a-passport-urgently<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

For\npassport renewals visit: https:\/\/www.gov.uk\/renew-adult-passport<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Vaccinations and Prescriptions<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

For any prescriptions or medication needed whilst\nabroad, it is recommended to visit your GP a few weeks before to ensure you\nhave enough supplies to cover you during your trip, plus allow for unexpected delays\nof a few days. It is also worth checking the advice and laws for travelling\nwith medication within countries. You wouldn\u2019t want to be without them! For\nmore advice, click here<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Verify what vaccinations you may need, the cost of\nthem and how long in advance before you travel you should have them done. Be\nsure to book an appointment at least 4-6 weeks before travelling and you should\nbe good to go!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Do your homework!<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s important to do your research on the country\nyou\u2019re going to visit. There will be a difference in culture, customs and laws\nand in some cases (they can be entirely different to the ones you are used to).\nHaving a basic understanding and respect of these customs and laws and how to\nbehave and dress accordingly can prove vital in some cases. This can help make\nyour travel a more pleasant experience and can even help you avoid breaking the\nlaw and facing serious legal issues.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For more on travel advice for individual destinations,\nvisit:
\nhttps:\/\/www.gov.uk\/foreign-travel-advice<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Prepare for anything.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s always good to prepare yourself for anything\nespecially when it comes to money and important documents. Before you go, make\ncopies of important documents like insurance, travel itinerary and any\nemergency contact details like family or friends or British consulate or\nembassy telephone details. That way you can distribute them, so you have a copy\nwith you, a copy at your hotel and even one for a relative back home. This also\nincludes copies of your passport if it were to be lost or stolen. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Travelling can be a great opportunity and a positive\nexperience but to ensure you do have the best time abroad its important to\nremember these things. To make your pre-departure plans a little easier, take a\nlook at the checklist below and be sure to refer to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office<\/a> whenever in doubt.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Happy travels!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Predeparture checklist:<\/p>\n\n\n\n