Travel the stress-free way by ensuring everything is in order

The holiday has been booked for months now and you have been eagerly anticipating your final pre-holiday day at work from the moment you handed over your credit card for to pay the deposit. Indeed, two weeks in a sun-drenched exotic land, far away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life is exactly what you need to recharge the batteries.

In your haste to get away however, it can be easy to overlook the small details, such as ensuring that you pack appropriately for your trip, as well as considering essentials such as an up to date passport – no doubt located in an easy-to-find place! And, depending on where you are travelling to, the right vaccinations.

With a bit of foresight and the acknowledgement of a few basic travelling principles, you can ensure that your trip is as stress-free as possible, allowing you to kick back and relax once you reach your destination. Leaving everything to the last minute, on the other hand, can result in unmitigated chaos and tension!

The travel experts advise that it is sensible to pack early. In this way, you have the time to assess if you really need the 10 bikinis you have stuffed into an already bulging suitcase, or whether it is absolutely vital to take the electric toothbrush with its associated attachments, the hand-held games console and the electric shaver.

It also pays to be aware of the weight restrictions with regard to your luggage, since different airlines operate different policies. The last thing you want to have to contend with when you’re running late is being told that you have to pay an extra ?50 in excess luggage, or even worse, that you have to remove some of your items.

It is also worth making an itemised inventory of everything you’re taking away with you. As dull as it sounds, it really becomes useful for insurance purposes if your luggage is stolen, or lost by the airline. In this instance, it is also helpful to make sure that you have tagged your luggage with your name, address and telephone number, as well as your holiday destination.

It is also recommend that you carry any valuables and necessities that you have — travel documents, medication, jewellery, money and keys, for example — in your hand luggage.

A travel insurance policy is also important. Not only does it cover you for stolen or lost items on the way to your destination, but it also serves to protect you once you arrive. From incidents where your camera is stolen, to urgently requiring medical care, it is imperative to ensure that you are adequately covered.

Keeping this all in mind will ensure that you can enjoy your holiday to the fullest and that everything from start to finish goes off without a hitch.

Paul McIndoe writes for a digital marketing agency. This article has been commissioned by a client of said agency. This article is not designed to promote, but should be considered professional content.