How to Plan a Trip? – Expect the Unexpected
After working round the clock for months we plan for a family vacation so that we can relax and dwell on the beauty of nature and enjoy what we have been missing in the closed door meetings. We start a trip with all the fanfare and suddenly the problems creep up while on the tour. Sometimes our baggage is lost or stolen; sometimes we miss the connecting flights as our schedule is tight. Many a times we make the bookings in advance and think that we have already paid the bills but on landing up in Hotel we find either they are not providing full meals or they are charging for something which was initially promised to be free or there are hidden costs; sometimes we forget the details like the rented car or there is a medical emergency. All these things spoil the trip because we have not thought and planned about it in advance. Could we have averted this by planning in advance? Here are some of the tips that can make your trip a memorable experience by avoiding the hassles.
Plan in Advance: Whenever going for a trip, it is always advisable to plan in advance. Take this part seriously. When arranging a trip through an operator or agent, check the credentials of the agency. Make sure that they guarantee it that there would be no hidden costs or hidden taxes to pay when you are on trip. Look up and read reviews. Ask them to give you the contact number of any person of agency who is responsible and available 24X7 if any emergency arises on the trip. Make a list of the things that you will require on the trip and start purchasing them in advance like toiletries or shaving and bathing kit or the nail cutter. If you are a regular traveler then keep a personal bag which will have small things required on trip so that you don’t have to plan that again and again. Always keep a diary with all the contact and account numbers in your carry bag than to scramble here and there at the last minute looking to find the contact numbers. Carry a small carry bag with at least one complete suit that you can carry with you in the airlines so that even if the luggage is delayed you are not made to suffer for small things.
Research you trip completely: Before embarking on leisure or business trip it is better to do research about the place you are going to visit on internet. There is information available about every place in this world. Look for the deals that are offered by the premier agencies. You can also book and print air tickets on the web. Also search about the places you can visit or the monuments you want to see so that you are not wasting your time when you reach your destination asking about the places to visit.
Expect the Unexpected: It is an old saying that trouble knocks at your door when you are sleeping or least expecting it. So while on trip we don’t expect trouble for we are relaxing and enjoying to the hilt. To avoid the trouble one should buy all the viable insurances like travel and medical insurance, terrorism insurance, insurance against theft are the good options to have.
Paperwork and documents: This is most important thing to do before you start your trip. Have a small kit in which you keep all the visa or travel permits of the countries you are going to visit. After that keep all the air tickets, booking papers of the hotels, paper if you have already rented any car or vehicle. Then make sure you keep all the insurances that you have bought. It is advisable to keep the map of the destination to visit so that it’s easy to navigate. Also keep all the currency in a separate kit as you will be taking out this kit more often. It is better if you can carry traveler checks and credit cards which are internationally accepted. Before you leave make sure that your home is protected in your absence. Stop the newspaper delivery for the time being and leave your email on auto reply so that you don’t miss out on something important. Leave your pets or garden in care of somebody who is trustable and capable of handling them.
Write out an Itinerary: Before going out on trip make sure that you have given the complete itinerary of your trip including flight details, hotel’s contact details, what would be your expected check in or check out time in each hotel and the details of everybody who is with you your insurance details and your workplace contacts to your trusted contact or whom you are giving the responsibility of your home, so that in any eventuality or emergency that person can contact you. Also on the trip keep in touch with that person and inform him if there is any change in your travel plan. It pays to plan ahead remember “It wasn’t raining when Noah built the ark.” Although sometimes best of the planning can come undone but still it’s beneficial to plan beforehand.
