8 things you should do before you travel

You’re about to leave everything behind and travel the world. You’re going to learn about different cultures, make lifelong friends, and come back with a totally new perspective. But there are a few things you need to get in order before you set off. Here are eight things you should do before you travel.

Buy travel insurance

Travel insurance is essential. It will protect you from the potential dangers of travel like lost luggage, canceled transport, and medical treatment. Without travel insurance, you’re taking a huge risk every time you go abroad. Make sure you get insurance from a reputable provider and ensure that it covers you for the duration of your trip.

Get an international driver’s license

If you’re planning to drive on your trip, you might need an international driver’s license. This isn’t the case for every country, but it can be worth doing if you’re staying for a long time. Also, an international driver’s license can act as another form of ID. This will help you if you lose your passport.

Sort out your situation at home

Before you leave, it’s important to sort out your situation at home. That can include tying up any loose ends, paying any outstanding rent and bills, and putting your stuff in a secure place, such as a locker from Storage Locker. You want your travel experience to be stress-free, so you don’t want to be thinking about a bad situation at home.

Get the right visas

Presumably, you have already decided where you’re going on your trip. If that’s the case, you need to find out what visas you need. Sometimes, you can fill in a visa form on the flight but, in most cases, it needs to be sorted months in advance.

Let a loved one know your plans

If you’re planning to travel alone, you should always let a loved one know your plans. Give them a rough itinerary and then update them regularly. If anything happens to you on your trip, this will help them pinpoint where you are. Chances are, this won’t be something they have to worry about but it’s always good to make sure someone knows where you are.

Get shots

Before traveling, visit your doctor and ask them what shots you will need. Some countries have specific diseases that you will need to be vaccinated for. You don’t want to end up in a Thai hospital with Dengue fever.

Pre-book one night’s accommodation

If you’re backpacking, you will probably be staying in hostels and other cheap accommodation. You can normally book these on arrival or on your phone. However, it’s worth booking your first night’s accommodation before you arrive. This takes all of the stress out of traveling and will ensure a comfortable night’s sleep to get over jet lag.

Print copies of your tickets

These days, everything from boarding passes to accommodation booking is accessible on your smartphone. But what happens if your phone dies? It’s always worth printing out a hard copy of important documents to protect you in case of an emergency.