It’s all real now that you are booked to go - but what to do now? I’ve put together a list of things that can make your trip go smoothly and help you prepare for the trip ahead.
Make copies of your passports and leave them with someone at home. Also bring a copy with you and keep it separate from where your passport is (I keep a photo on my phone and a photocopy in a pocket in my suitcase). It’s always great to have a copy in the event your real passport is lost or stolen. This speeds up the process when at your Embassy in a foreign country.
(Sidetone: I was on a bus tour in Naples and we stopped to do some shopping - unfortunately, the bus got broken into and a group of people’s valuables were stolen off the bus! It was a long day of reports to the police and some had to leave head back to Rome to go to the embassy to get an emergency passport. )
Keep your passport on you when it’s not locked in a safe in the room. A money belt is the safest place or an inside pocket of your purse/backpack when traveling around.
Make a duplicate itinerary of where you will be and leave it with friends and family to have an idea of where you will be while away.
Check your passport’s expiry date before traveling! Most countries require a minimum of 6 months validity from WHEN YOU GET BACK IN TO YOUR HOME COUNTRY. This needs to be calculated from the end of your trip.
Check visa requirements for where you are going to. This is a big one! The best site for Canadians is the government’s website. For Canadians you can find more info here on the country you’re visiting. Including visa requirements, vaccination advice and entry/exit requirements www.travel.gc.ca/destinations The worst thing is being denied boarding for a trip you’ve planned so take the extra precautions!
Purchase Travel Insurance! This is not a suggestion. Travel Insurance is nothing like TV insurance or other types of small insurance. You’re making an investment on your trip and protecting yourself for any unexpected costs that may come up when traveling. ‘What could possibly happen?’ ‘I’m going no matter what!’ I’ve heard it before. But the idea behind travel insurance is you NEVER know what could happen that could cancel or interrupt your trip.
Safe Travels!
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