Best Travel Tips, Travel Story, & Travel Information Blog

General Travel Checklist This checklist helps you decide what to pack for your travels. Documents Passport, visa Tickets for airline, boat, train, bus Copies of passport, tickets etc. Boarding pass Drivers license Health insurance card List of medications, letter prescriber Travel insurance Student card Financial Foreign currency Emergency money Credit card, debit card Extra wallet Money belt Clothes Underwear Socks Sleepwear Shirts, polos Jeans, trousers, shorts Dresses, skirts Shoes, sneakers Flipflops, slippers Jackets, coats, raincoats Belts, ties Scarves, hats, gloves Health Medications, pain reliever First aid kit Insect repellent Oral Rehydration Solution (ORS) Mosquito net Birth control, condoms Vaccines, health/dental checkup Vitamins Hand sanatizer/desinfectant Travel aids Suitcases, backpack Itinerary Maps and directions Language guide Travel guide Travel pillow, sleeping mask, earplugs Travel locks Luggage tags Pens and paper Snacks, drinks Small pocket knife (not in ca...

What To Do The Day Before You Travel Pre-Travel Checklist   Your House Water your houseplants/garden plants. If you have a house sitter or neighbor coming to check on them, leave them clear instructions. Inspect your yard. Is the garden shed locked? Is everything put away? You don’t want to extend an invitation to thieves by leaving a ladder or tools in plain view. Clear the fridge. Eat or toss leftovers and perishables. If you’re going on a long trip, you may want to clean and unplug the fridge to save energy. Check the pantry, too. Rotting potatoes smell unbelievably gross. If onions, potatoes, garlic or other items have been sitting around too long, toss or compost them before you leave. Take care of your pets. If your pets are staying in the house while you’re gone, make sure they have fresh food and water, as well as clean litterboxes or cages. Scan the house to make sure they can’t get into anything dangerous. Leave detailed instructions for your pet sitter. Contact your alar...

Advantages and disadvantages of travel insurance What are they and how can you easily compare travel insurance plans? Whether it’s lost luggage or a missed flight, unexpected events can happen on a trip and it’s always good to plan ahead. Advantages of Travel Insurance There are a number of advantages for having travel insurance while on holiday. Here are just some of the main benefits: Overseas medical cover : When you are visiting a foreign country, you may be surprised to find out that medical services are not covered under your local health insurance plans. Travel insurance allows you to receive medical treatment from a foreign hospital. Hospital services are subsidized, but these are often only applied to residents.    Loss of Income : If you are injured during your holiday and cannot return to work, some travel insurance plans will cover your loss of income for a period of time. Personal item loss and theft protection : Be safe on your travels by keeping an eye on your b...

What is not covered in Travel Insurance Travel insurance plans provide you with a range of coverage options such as overseas medical fee cover, compensation as a result of stolen property, and cancellation cost coverage. However, there are some things that are not covered in travel insurance. Make sure that you are fully aware of what is and what isn’t covered with your travel insurance package.  Travel Insurance Does Not Cover All Stolen Items When you look carefully, all insurance providers have certain lists of exclusions for what they can cover.  While coverage of stolen personal items and luggage are fairly comprehensive, there are exclusions that are applied by some insurance vendors. Some companies will not provide you with coverage if you experience theft because you leave your items unattended or at an unsecure location.  Stolen items may require you to submit a police report from the local authorities to show evidence of the incident.  Claims from Reckless ...

Benefits of Travel Insurance When it comes to booking a holiday, purchasing travel insurance is often the last thing people think about and subsequently left to the last minute. Insurance, in general, is often seen as one of life's 'necessary evils', however it is absolutely vital that you have suitable holiday insurance in place to protect not just your holiday, but also you and your family - what if your holiday was cancelled, your luggage was lost or damaged in transit, or you needed emergency treatment in a foreign hospital? Below we outline the true value of a travel insurance policy and why it is so important to have. Medical expenses and emergency assistance If you or someone you are travelling with falls ill whilst on holiday, the medical expenses section of your travel insurance policy is there to help cover your doctor and/or hospital bills. Perhaps you've previously seen reports in the news of individuals travelling without insurance and then needing medical ...

Why do I need travel insurance Travel insurance isn’t just for expensive vacations. Travel insurance isn’t just for trips overseas. And travel insurance isn’t just for long journeys. It’s essential to buy travel insurance for every trip, because you never know what might happen when you’re far from home! In 2017, 35 million Americans purchased insurance from Allianz Global Assistance, knowing they were protected against the most common travel mishaps. Here are the top seven reasons to buy travel insurance. 1. Because you don’t want to lose all your money if you have to cancel your trip. Even the best-planned trips sometimes have to be canceled. But many travel providers especially tour operators, cruise lines and airlines offer minimal or no refunds for last-minute cancellations. If this happens, can you afford to lose all the money you’ve spent on your trip?  One of the best reasons to buy travel insurance is to have the protection of trip cancellation benefits.  These can re...

How to learn a language quickly for a trip abroad These days, you really don’t need to take classes to be able to converse in another language. We’ll take you through the latest tips, tricks and technology that help you learn a language quickly and go from clueless to conversational in time for your trip. 1. Concentrate on the important stuff There are certain words and phrases you’ll have to use a lot when traveling abroad. They depend on where you're going, but some examples include "Where is...", "How much does this cost?" and, of course, "check please!" Knowing these in advance will immediately make you feel more confident. A good old-fashioned phrasebook will provide a helpful starting point, but online language programs geared towards travelers will get you learning the important stuff weeks in advance. 2. Use a language app You don’t have to head to class to learn a language anymore. Now, you can pick up the basics on your daily commute, at the ...

First Time Travelers Tips There are many important thing to consider before leaving home, so to make it easier I’ve broken them into three categories:  First time travelers tips for planning First time travelers tips for packing time First time travelers tips for the actual trip Hopefully you’ll find something useful here, no matter where you are in your travel journey. First time travelers tips for planning 1. Invest in good equipment If you are going to multiple places, a good backpack that fits you well and a good, comfortable pair of shoes will be your two most important investments before you leave home. If you’re going to splurge somewhere, splurge on these two essentials. 2. Purchase travel insurance Look, no one wants to spend money on travel insurance for international travel. But do it anyway. Trust me on this one. 3. Plan your budget carefully I highly recommend checking out my article on planning your travel budget, where I go into much greater detail, but a good rule o...

How to Create a Travel Itinerary A travel itinerary outlines all elements of a trip, from hotel stops to destinations. It can be indispensable, whether you’re planning a weekend vacation or an extended road trip. A good itinerary gives a trip structure, and maximizes the amount you’ll be able to see and do. Though it seems a daunting task, an itinerary is simple to develop. With your basic travel information and a map, you can plan an entire trip out in an efficient and organized manner. Planning and Mapping Your Itinerary 1. Collect the important information for your trip . Flight numbers, hotels, car rentals, and restaurant reservations are all key pieces of information to manage and maintain. You may also want to include directions to your hotel, the car rental company you are using, as well as directions to the airport for your return flight. If you will be using airport transportation to get to your hotel, include information about fees and hours of operation. 2. Make a list. It’...