We all love a holiday; a hard-earned break is a chance to re-energise and relax.
But preparing for a holiday, sadly, doesn’t happen automatically. Sometimes the pre-holiday planning can leave you feeling like you need a holiday even more. Wherever you’re traveling to in the world, any trip requires planning if it’s to go off without a hitch. After all, the whole point is to keep everyone happy and relaxed, right? To help you get underway with holiday planning; we’ve got in touch with the holiday know-it-alls at Airtours. Here, they tell us seven necessary steps to successful holiday preparation.
Step 1: Passports and Insurance
As soon as you book, it’s time to get the really important stuff out of the way. First, check everyone who’s travelling has a valid passport. Remember, the passport must be valid for the entirety of the travel period – and some countries require there to be a buffer period on top of this. We’d suggest anyone who’s going should have a passport valid for 6 months after the return date just to be sure. If a passport does need renewing, remember that it can take up to three weeks to process, so it’s a good idea to make this a priority. The UK government also offers an emergency passport renewal service – but it’s best to avoid this as a last resort as it’s fairly pricey!
It’s also vital to ensure your holiday is covered by the right insurance. It’s worth protecting yourself against any nasty delays or cancellations or in the event of a medical emergency. Travel insurance can be purchased relatively inexpensively and is simple to sort out online in mere minutes.
Step 2: Plan dog care
If you’re travelling abroad as a dog owner, you’ll probably need someone to look after your dog while you’re away. For ultimate peace of mind, book your DogBuddy dog sitter as early as possible. This ensures your pooch will get all the love and attention they’re used to while you’re away, and you won’t be frantically rushing around in the days leading up to your trip, trying to find them a place to stay.
Step 3: Documents
In the week before your getaway, grab yourself a folder or wallet and get all the essentials together. This should include – but not be limited to – your boarding tickets, transfer passes, accommodation details, insurance documents and European health insurance cards (if travelling in Europe). Keep it somewhere safe, perhaps even put it in your hand luggage bag now to make sure it’s not forgotten!
Step 4: Currency
A couple of days to go and you’ll surely be thinking about currency. It’s worth shopping around as rates do vary, and this could really add up if you’re taking out several hundred pounds’ worth. One thing not to do is to leave it until you get to the airport – you almost always get less for your Stirling here. Also think about your destination. In some places, you can get more for your money once you’ve arrived – Turkey is one example.
Step 5: Packing
Nobody enjoys packing, but it has to be done. Be honest with yourself about what you’ll actually need and don’t be tempted to simply throw your entire wardrobe into your suitcase. When you think you’re done, always weigh your suitcase so you know you’re not pushing or exceeding your airline’s allowance. The last thing you need is a nasty surprise at the check-in desk, so cut down if your scales give you a figure above or even close to the limit, just to be safe.
Step 6: Leaving home
Almost there! After checking your packing list, the weight of your suitcases and your four-legged friend is safely in their DogBuddy sitters hands – set your home up for a week or two without you around. You can take some basic steps to give your mind a rest while you’re away. Lock all doors and windows, open some curtains, put some lights on a timer – perhaps even ask a neighbour to check in each day and give the grass a cut if it needs it?
Step 7: Relax
Now you’re ready to kick back. All the work’s done and you can head to the airport safe in the knowledge you’re ready for nothing but a week or two of fun, peace and revitalisation (whilst your pooch is doing the same).
If you haven’t got a getaway to be preparing for, get in touch with Airtours – they’ll be more than happy to help.
What’s your holiday planning routine? Let us know your top tips in the comments below.